Center for Economic Studies (CES)
How to Apply
CES and the RDCs consider proposals from qualified researchers in social science disciplines consistent with the subject matter of the surveys and censuses collected by the Census Bureau. Proposals may be submitted at any time. All researcher access to restricted–use data occurs at secure Census Research Data Centers.
Proposed projects must
- Provide benefit to Census Bureau programs
- Demonstrate scientific merit
- Require non–public data
- Be feasible given the data
- Pose no risk of disclosure
Developing and Submitting a Research Proposal
Before preparing your research proposal, consult
- RDC administrator at the location where you want to base your project regarding access fees and the content and form of a proposal
- Research Proposal Guidelines
(130 KB)
- RDC Preliminary Proposal Template [RTF] (159 KB)
- RDC Predominant Purpose Statement Template [RTF] (138 KB)
- Writing Benefit Statements For Projects Accessing Confidential Data (69 KB)
- The IRS Criteria Document
(388 KB), which describes the criteria that the Census Bureau and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) will apply in reviewing and approving projects that request the use of Federal Tax Information (FTI). Most CES data on businesses, and some data about households and individuals, contain FTI.
Research Data Centers
Atlanta
Boston
California, Berkeley
California, Los Angeles
California, Stanford
Census Headquarters
Chicago
Michigan
Minnesota
New York, Baruch
New York, Cornell
Northwest
Texas
Triangle, Duke
Triangle, RTI International
Interested in hosting a
Research Data Center
at your institution?
Please contact our Director of Research for information on physical security requirements, IT infrastructure costs, on-site staffing requirements, and procedures for opening a Research Data Center.
Graduate Students
Get advice on using Census Bureau microdata and obtain feedback on your research through the CES Dissertation Mentorship Program.
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