The William T. Grant Foundation is currently accepting applications for its Research Grants on Improving the Use of Research Evidence. This program seeks to fund studies that investigate strategies for enhancing the use, usefulness, and impact of research evidence in ways that benefit young people aged 5-25 in the United States. The foundation is particularly interested in research that examines how decision-makers utilize research evidence in policymaking and service delivery. The program encourages the exploration of methods to improve the accessibility, relevance, and application of research findings in youth-serving systems such as education, child welfare, and justice.

Funding is available through two types of research grants: 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, with studies involving secondary data analysis typically receiving between $100,000 and $300,000, while studies collecting new data can request between $300,000 and $600,000. Only experiments in which settings such as schools or child welfare agencies are randomly assigned to conditions are eligible for funding above $600,000. Officers’ Research Grants provide between $25,000 and $50,000 over one to two years and may be stand-alone projects or expansions of larger studies.

The foundation seeks proposals that align with one of three research aims: (1) building, identifying, or testing ways to improve the use of research evidence, (2) testing whether strategies that improve the use of research evidence lead to better decision-making and youth outcomes, and (3) exploring how to construct and implement valid and reliable measures of research use. The foundation encourages the use of mixed methods approaches and the integration of experimental, observational, and qualitative research designs.

Eligibility is limited to tax-exempt organizations, and individuals are not eligible to apply. The foundation prioritizes funding institutions that are underrepresented among grantees, including Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic-Serving Institutions, Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs), and other minority-serving institutions. Studies must focus on young people aged 5-25 in the United States and must align with the stated research interests of the program. Non-research activities such as program implementation, operational costs, and fundraising are not eligible for funding.

The application process begins with the submission of a Letter of Inquiry (LOI), which undergoes an internal review by staff with social science expertise. The review process assesses the alignment of the proposal with the foundation’s research interests, the methodological rigor of the study, and its potential contributions to policy and practice. Major Research Grants require an invitation to submit a full proposal based on the LOI, while Officers’ Research Grants are awarded based solely on the LOI. Applicants are encouraged to review past funded projects and related research literature to strengthen their submissions.

The 2025 application deadlines for Major Research Grants are January 8, May 7, and August 6 at 3:00 PM ET. The deadlines for Officers’ Research Grants are January 8 and August 6 at 3:00 PM ET. The foundation also offers capacity-building support, providing grantees with access to learning communities and consultation services. For inquiries, applicants can contact the foundation via email at info@wtgrantfdn.org or by mail at 60 E. 42nd Street, 43rd Fl., New York, NY 10165.