The Research Grants on Improving the Use of Research Evidence is a grant program operated by the William T. Grant Foundation. It is focused on supporting research studies that advance theoretical understanding and build empirical knowledge about strategies to enhance the use of research evidence by decision-makers in youth-serving systems across the United States. The target beneficiaries are young people aged 5 to 25, and the decision-makers include policymakers, agency leaders, community organizers, and intermediaries.

The Foundation supports two types of grants under this program: Major Research Grants and Officers’ Research Grants. Major Research Grants range from $100,000 to $1,000,000 over two to four years, while Officers’ Research Grants provide between $25,000 and $50,000 for one to two years. Both include up to 15% indirect costs. Major grants are typically used for comprehensive research involving new data collection or experimental settings, while Officers' grants can support smaller stand-alone projects or extensions of larger research efforts.

Eligible applicants must be tax-exempt organizations; individual applicants are not accepted. The Foundation encourages applications from historically underrepresented institutions including HBCUs, HSIs, and Tribal Colleges. Eligible Principal Investigators must meet the applying organization’s criteria and demonstrate the capability to conduct robust research. Studies must align with the Foundation’s stated interests, focusing on improving how research evidence is used to influence decisions in systems that affect youth. Applications not aligned with these goals are excluded from consideration.

The grant application process begins with a letter of inquiry (LOI), which is a mini-proposal capped at five pages. LOIs for major research grants are accepted in January, May, and August, while Officers' grant LOIs are accepted in January and August. Full proposals for major grants are invited based on LOI reviews, with the overall application timeline spanning 10 to 15 months. Officers' grants are awarded solely on LOI merit, with decisions typically made within eight to ten weeks of submission.

The evaluation of applications includes several criteria: alignment with program research interests, sound conceptualization and relevance, rigorous methodology, and feasibility. The Foundation supports research that examines strategies for enhancing the routine and beneficial use of existing research evidence, as well as studies testing if improved use of evidence can lead to better youth outcomes. Applicants are encouraged to involve policymakers or practitioners in meaningful ways and may benefit from capacity-building opportunities provided by the Foundation.