Research Grants on Improving the Use of Research Evidence

The William T. Grant Foundation is a private philanthropic organization dedicated to improving the lives of young people in the United States by supporting high-quality research. One of its central priorities is strengthening the use of research evidence in decision-making processes that affect youth. Through its Research Grants on Improving the Use of Research Evidence program, the Foundation seeks to fund rigorous studies that explore how research can be better utilized by policymakers, organizational leaders, and other decision-makers to enhance outcomes for individuals ages 5 to 25. The Foundation also emphasizes reducing inequality and fostering more effective systems serving youth across sectors such as education, justice, child welfare, and mental health. This funding opportunity supports research projects that investigate strategies to improve the use, usefulness, and impact of research evidence in policy and practice. The program prioritizes studies that not only test methods for increasing research use but also examine whether such improvements lead to better decision-making and measurable improvements in youth outcomes. Projects may include experimental, descriptive, or measurement-focused research, provided they align with the program’s emphasis on actionable strategies and empirical rigor. The Foundation is particularly interested in work conducted in politically complex or polarized environments, where evidence use may be especially challenging. Funding is offered through two primary tracks: Major Research Grants and Officers’ Research Grants. Major Research Grants range from $100,000 to $1,000,000 over a period of two to four years, while Officers’ Research Grants provide between $25,000 and $50,000 over one to two years. Budgets may include up to 15 percent indirect costs. Projects involving secondary data analysis typically fall at the lower end of the funding range, whereas those involving new data collection may require larger budgets. Funding above $600,000 is generally reserved for experimental studies with randomized assignment of settings. The Foundation does not fund non-research activities such as program implementation, operational costs, or general organizational expenses. Eligibility is limited to tax-exempt organizations, and the Foundation does not award grants directly to individuals. Eligible applicants include universities, nonprofit organizations, and other qualified institutions capable of conducting rigorous research. The Foundation encourages applications from underrepresented institutions such as Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Hispanic-serving institutions, Tribal Colleges, and other minority-serving organizations. Principal Investigators must meet the criteria established by their organizations and demonstrate the necessary expertise to execute the proposed research. Only one application per cycle may be submitted by a Principal Investigator. The application process begins with a required letter of inquiry, which serves as a preliminary proposal outlining the research questions, methods, and relevance of the study. For Major Research Grants, selected applicants may be invited to submit a full proposal, while Officers’ Research Grants are awarded based solely on the letter of inquiry. Applications are evaluated based on their alignment with the program’s research interests, conceptual rigor, methodological strength, and feasibility. Reviewers assess the significance of the research questions, the appropriateness of the design and analysis, and the qualifications of the research team. The current funding cycle opened on June 3, 2026, with a submission deadline of July 29, 2026 at 3:00 PM Eastern Time. The program operates on a recurring basis, with similar cycles offered annually. In addition to financial support, the Foundation provides capacity-building opportunities, including access to learning communities, networking with scholars and policymakers, and collaborative engagement across funded projects. These additional resources are designed to strengthen the impact of funded research and foster a broader community of practice focused on improving youth outcomes through evidence-based decision-making.

Ensure strong grounding in existing research evidence literature; clearly define research use and link to youth outcomes; use rigorous and appropriate methods; avoid purely descriptive studies without testing strategies