The American Psychological Foundation (APF) Direct Action Visionary Grants are designed to fund innovative, evidence-based psychological interventions that address the urgent needs of communities. The program seeks projects that utilize psychological knowledge in meaningful and practical ways to positively impact populations affected by various forms of discrimination and adversity. This funding opportunity supports both the advancement of psychology and the immediate application of psychological principles to improve well-being and resilience in marginalized and underserved communities.

The grant provides up to $60,000 in funding and is open to a broad range of applicants, including individuals and organizations. Applicants are not required to be psychologists, but they must include an expert in the psychological evidence base being utilized. APF emphasizes the importance of projects that align with one or more of their Visionary Priorities: serving marginalized communities, ending prejudice and stigma, preventing violence, and exploring mind-body health connections.

Applicants are expected to present projects clearly grounded in evidence-based psychological principles, demonstrate their capacity to execute the proposed work, and show a commitment to their community-focused mission. Projects are not confined to clinical or academic environments and are encouraged to introduce innovative and accessible applications of psychological knowledge, such as community outreach initiatives, translation of materials into other languages, or development of educational resources.

Letters of Intent (LOIs) are accepted on a rolling basis and reviewed quarterly. For 2025, review deadlines for LOIs are January 31, April 30, July 31, and October 31. Based on LOI review outcomes, selected applicants will be invited to submit full proposals. These proposals can be submitted at any time following the invitation and are reviewed after the deadlines of March 31 and September 8, 2025. APF evaluates LOIs based on innovation, impact potential, methodology, project feasibility, and funding necessity.

Applicants must submit their materials through APF’s GivingData portal and adhere to specific formatting and content instructions. While APF encourages all eligible individuals and organizations to apply, it does not provide individualized feedback on proposals. The application process also includes a commitment to ethical project implementation and robust outcome evaluation.