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Research - Private Organizations that Fund Academic Research
Many private organizations and foundations support academic research and public service projects.
Private Organizations that Fund Academic Research
| Organization | What They Fund |
|---|---|
| Graham Foundation | Programs about architecture and the designed environment, to promote dialogue, raise awareness, and develop new and wider audiences. The foundation also offers dissertation grants to individuals. |
| Henry Luce Foundation | Programs in education and research, knowledge-based leadership, and the dissemination of ideas to the public in these areas: American Art, Asia, Women in STEM, Higher Education, Public Policy, Religion in International Affairs, and Theology; and the Luce Scholars program. |
| Smith Richardson Foundation | Programs that address serious public policy challenges facing the United States, including the development of effective policies to compete internationally and to advance U.S. interests and values abroad. |
| AccessLex Institute | Research that furthers the understanding on how to develop student financial knowledge, support behavior change, and ultimately promote financial well-being. |
| National Endowment for Financial Education (NEFE) | Rigorous, innovative and actionable research that seeks to improve the public's financial well-being and has the potential to make a profound contribution to the field of financial education. |
| American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) Foundation | Numerous annual scholarships and grant opportunities to expand research and knowledge around the impact of interior design on behavior, health, and well-being. |
| Mellon (Andrew W.) Foundation | Scholarship in the humanities, arts and cultural heritage, and scholarship in other countries. |
| Gates (Bill and Melinda) Foundation | Projects to improve global health and development (especially preventing disease in children and empowering women and girls), and education of underprivileged US students. |
| Packard Foundation | Projects to improve the lives of children, families and communities, and restore and protect the environment. International work permitted. |
| Ford Foundation | Projects that challenge inequality, including civil engagement and government, free expression and creativity, equitable development, inclusive economies and gender, racial and ethnic justice, internet freedom and youth opportunity and learning. |
| Johnson (Robert Wood) Foundation | Research on education and improvement of its practice. Includes Small Research Grants, Lyle Spencer Research Award, Strategic Initiatives, Research-Practice Partnership Grants, and Midcareer grants |
| Kellogg (William K.) Foundation | Projects to help people build measurably better lives, including improving education, protecting the environment, and addressing global development and population. |
| Sage (Russell) Foundation | Programs of social science research in the areas of (i) Behavioral Economics, (ii) Future of Work, (iii) Race, Ethnicity and Immigration, (iv) Social, Political and Economic Inequality, and (v) Immigration and Immigrant Integration. |
| Grant (William T.) Foundation | Basic scientific research in select areas of cutting-edge research including chemistry; economic institutions; behavior and performance; energy and environment; outsourcing; digital sky project; and working longer. |
| Open Society Foundations | Projects that promote tolerance, transparency, and open debate. Also supports strategic human rights litigation and impact investing, while incubating new ideas and engaging directly with governments and policymakers through advocacy to advance positive change. International projects supported. |
| Conservation, Food and Health Foundation | Projects that protect natural resources, improve the production and distribution of food, and promote public health in Asia, Africa, Latin America, and the Middle East. Projects that build the capacity of organizations and coalitions through research that improves the learning and generation of local solutions to complex problems. |
| Beckman Foundation | Basic research in chemistry, biochemistry and medicine. Includes Beckman Young Investigators, Beckman Scholars, Beckman-Argyros Award in Vision Research, Beckman Postdoctoral Fellows. Applications are handled through a limited competition process at UW-Madison. |
| Bader Philanthropies | Supports work in Milwaukee, greater Wisconsin, and to a limited degree beyond. Funds research and projects in community building, employment, Alzheimer’s and healthy aging, social equity, the arts, and youth development. Submit a brief LOI, full proposal submission by invitation only. |
| Casey (Annie E.) Foundation | Research and projects that address the needs of kids in the US facing the greatest challenges in the areas of child welfare (Foster Care), community change (Community Development), economic opportunity (Employment, Education and Training), and juvenile justice. |
| Joyce Foundation | Funds projects that advance racial equity and economic mobility for the next generation in the Great Lakes region (IL, IN, MI, MN, OH, WI), in the areas of culture, democracy, education & economic mobility, environment, and gun violence prevention & justice reform. |
| Mott (Charles Stewart) Foundation | Funds projects in four major program areas: Civil Society (US and international), Education (US only) Environment (Great Lakes and limited international projects), Flint, MI Area. |
| Lefkofsky Family Foundation | Principal giving interests are focused on four program areas: Education, Human Rights, Medical Research, and Arts & Culture. The Foundation accepts proposals by invitation only. |
| Council on Library and Information Resources | Funds projects that digitize rare and unique content in collecting institutions. |
| American Psychological Foundation | Fund projects and programs that use psychology to solve social problems, through early-career funding and seed grants for research and for targeted programs. |
| Rita Allen Foundation | In addition to funding individual biomedical scholars and civic science fellows, they offer open calls for Letters of Intent (LOI) for research in civic literacy and engagement. |