The William T. Grant Foundation invests in high-quality research focused on reducing inequality in youth outcomes and improving the use of research evidence in decisions that affect young people in the United States.
Upcoming Funding Opportunities
William T. Grant Scholars Program
The online application is currently closed.
Institutional Challenge Grant
The online is open. Applications are due by September 14, 2022 at 3pm ET.
Research Grants on Reducing Inequality
The online application is now closed. The next deadline for applications is TBD.
Research Grants on Improving the Use of Research Evidence
The online application is now closed. The next deadline for applications is TBD.
The Digest: Issue 7, Winter 2021/22
Opening the Black Box: Overcoming Obstacles to Studying Causal Mechanisms in Research on Reducing Inequality
Although many of today’s disparities have their roots in policies or actions initiated generations ago, there is much we can do today. And new research on causal mechanisms can point the way forward, illuminate how and why larger efforts succeed or fail, and identify more effective means of bringing about improved outcomes for our nation’s youth.
Contending with Complexity: How Two Grantees are Approaching Studies of Mechanisms
Our conversation not only shows how researchers are confronting the challenges of studying mechanisms on the ground, it also reflects the Foundation’s openness to a variety of methodological approaches to understanding mechanisms.
Research on Research Use: Building Theory, Empirical Evidence, and a Global Field
Research can play a vital role in pointing policymakers, civil society, and communities toward a stronger, more sustainable, and just world. But getting there means building on what we know about what it takes for research to be useful, used, and impactful.
Strengthening Methods and Improving Collaboration: The Use of Research Evidence Methods Repository
Introducing an open, centralized resource to help strengthen methods and enable greater collaboration among researchers studying the use of research evidence in policy and practice.
Featured Updates
Foundation News
Read the Foundation’s 2021 Annual Report
The Foundation’s most recent annual report compiles lists of all new and active grants, provides an overview of the Foundation’s assets and spending, and includes reflections on our work from our President and Board Chair.
Foundation News
Leveraging secondary data analysis to study how to improve the use of research evidence: A special funding interest for August 2022
With the increase in a variety of secondary data sources related to the use of research evidence and the growth of new methods and measures used in research on the use of research evidence, opportunities abound for those studying URE to advance the field. In response, for the August 2022 Officers’ research grants cycle, we are announcing a special interest in applications that use secondary data to answer new questions on how and under what conditions we can improve the use of research evidence. The next deadline for applications is TBD.
Insights
An invitation: Help us to conceptualize what “quality” research evidence use means
While many studies look at the extent to which research is used in a given situation, studies that account for how well or how poorly research is used in such situations remain far less common. Whereas an earlier generation of studies gave rise to conceptual frameworks for understanding the phenomenon of research use as a whole, we lack a similar conceptualization for the quality of research use. To address this challenge, the Foundation has formed a special interest group dedicated to this topic. Now, we want to hear from you.
Staff Writing
Proposing Research on Reducing Inequality: Is Your Study a Fit?
Since 2015, the William T. Grant Foundation has funded exciting and important research that examines programs, polices, and practices to reduce inequality among youth ages 5-25 in the United States. If you are considering applying for a major grant or Officers’ research award in our reducing inequality focus area, we encourage you to closely evaluate whether your proposed study is a fit with our funding interests.
Foundation News
The William T. Grant Foundation and the National Science Foundation Partner to Increase the Use, Usefulness, and Impact of Research
Just launched, our new collaborative effort with the National Science Foundation aims to advance theory and build empirical knowledge on ways to improve the use of research evidence by policymakers, agency leaders, organizational managers, intermediaries, and other decision-makers that shape youth-serving systems in the United States.
Institutional Challenge Grant
Applying for the Institutional Challenge Grant: The Dean’s Role in Institutional Change
In this webinar, deans from two current Institutional Challenge Grant teams discuss the changes they intend for their respective schools, the concrete steps they are taking to encourage faculty to participate in engaged research, and the challenges they are navigating along the way. They are joined by President Adam Gamoran and Senior Program Officer Lauren Supplee, who discuss the background and goals of the program, as well as details of the award, the application, and the review process.
Webinar
William T. Grant Scholars: An Overview of the Program and How to Apply
In this webinar, held on March 15, 2022, Program Officer Melissa Wooten and Senior Vice President Vivian Tseng provide an overview of eligibility details, required materials, and review criteria, as well as the background and broader goals of the program. Melissa and Vivian also take time to answer questions from attendees and share practical advice on how to prepare a competitive application.