The William T. Grant Foundation's Research Grants on Reducing Inequality program is designed to fund high-quality studies aimed at improving academic, social, behavioral, or economic outcomes for young people ages 5 to 25 in the United States. This grant program specifically supports research that builds, tests, or increases understanding of programs, policies, or practices intended to reduce inequality. Priority is given to studies that address inequalities along dimensions such as race, ethnicity, economic standing, sexual or gender minority status, language minority status, or immigrant origins.

There are two tiers of funding available: Major Research Grants, which range from $100,000 to $600,000 over 2–3 years, and Officers’ Research Grants, ranging from $25,000 to $50,000 over 1–2 years. The funding amount depends on the type and scope of research proposed. Projects involving secondary data typically receive lower funding, while those involving new data collection or randomized experiments may receive higher amounts.

Applications for Major Research Grants require submission of a letter of inquiry and, if invited, a full proposal. Deadlines for 2025 are January 8, May 7, and August 6. The next deadline is May 7, 2025, at 3:00 PM EST. Officers’ Research Grants are reviewed solely based on the letter of inquiry, with deadlines on January 8 and August 6, 2025.

Eligible applicants must be tax-exempt organizations; grants are not awarded to individuals. Institutions that are underrepresented among typical grantees—such as HBCUs, HSIs, TCUs, and AANAPISIs—are especially encouraged to apply. Principal Investigators must meet the eligibility requirements of their institutions and should have the requisite experience and expertise to complete the proposed research.

The Foundation prioritizes research that is directly applicable to programs, policies, or practices within youth-serving systems such as education, justice, housing, child welfare, or mental health. Applications must clearly articulate the specific inequality being addressed, the targeted population, the theoretical framework, and how findings will inform actionable responses. Proposals that simply document inequality without suggesting or testing potential solutions will not be considered.

All applications are reviewed for alignment with the program’s goals, conceptual rigor, methodological strength, relevance to practice or policy, feasibility, and team expertise. The Foundation values interdisciplinary approaches, mixed methods, practitioner collaboration, and mentoring of junior researchers. It also encourages public data sharing and innovative research paradigms.

For additional guidance, applicants are encouraged to download the 2025 Application Guidelines and contact the Foundation with any questions.