Despite the turbulence around us, the William T. Grant Foundation will remain steadfast in our mission to support research to improve the lives of young people. We will continue to pursue our two focus areas, which are especially critical in these times: research on programs, policies, and practices to reduce inequality in youth outcomes; and research on robust strategies to improve the use of evidence from research in policies and practices that affect young people.
For decades, government support for scientific research has been the secret sauce of American prosperity. The partnership between government and research institutions has enabled enormous progress in many areas of life, from biomedical to technological to social advances. Recent acts undertaken by the federal government are inimical to such progress. Freezing federal funds, cancelling contracts, and removing data from public access prevent us from using data and evidence to make smarter policy decisions. Careful review of research activities is always welcome, but the elimination of treasured resources is destructive to our national security.
We will continue to pursue our two focus areas, which are especially critical in these times
No private foundation can take the place of the federal government in its ability to fuel the new knowledge and scientific developments that enable such progress. What we can do, though, is hold true to our own principles. We need research to identify effective strategies to reduce inequality, especially inequality among young people, and we need studies of robust strategies to improve the way that evidence from research makes a difference in the real world. The Foundation is committed to keep propelling this work forward.
