William T. Grant Scholars Program

The William T. Grant Scholars Program, administered by the William T. Grant Foundation, is a prestigious funding opportunity designed to support the professional development of early-career researchers in the social, behavioral, and health sciences. The program encourages scholars to undertake significant shifts in their research trajectories by acquiring new expertise in different disciplines, methodologies, or content areas. With a strong emphasis on mentorship and long-term scholarly growth, the program supports five-year plans that integrate rigorous research with meaningful mentorship. The Foundation prioritizes two primary research focus areas: reducing inequality in youth outcomes and improving the use of research evidence in policy and practice. For the inequality focus area, the Foundation supports research that investigates programs, policies, or practices aimed at reducing disparities among youth (ages 5–25) across dimensions such as race, ethnicity, economic standing, sexual or gender minority status, language minority status, and immigrant origin. Projects must identify a specific inequality in youth outcomes and make a compelling case for how the proposed intervention or inquiry addresses that inequality. Notably, the Foundation does not fund studies that focus solely on the causes of inequality or physical health outcomes. In the second focus area—improving the use of research evidence—the program funds studies that explore strategies to promote the uptake and application of research findings by decision-makers in youth-serving systems. These studies may include testing interventions designed to facilitate the use of evidence in decision-making processes or evaluating the impact of increased research use on youth outcomes. The Foundation particularly values research addressing politically charged or polarized topics, and encourages projects that explore how systems-level change can promote equity and improve outcomes for young people. Applicants must be nominated by their institution and must have received their doctorate within seven years of application submission. Institutions may nominate only one applicant per major division (e.g., medical school, arts and sciences). Eligible organizations include all tax-exempt entities, and the Foundation strongly encourages participation from institutions historically underrepresented among grantees, including minority-serving institutions. Scholars must be employed in career-ladder positions and may not use the award as a post-doctoral fellowship. International applicants are eligible if their research has clear implications for U.S. youth policy or practice. The grant offers a total of $425,000 in funding over five years, with up to 7.5% permitted for indirect costs. Scholars may allocate up to 50% of their institutional salary from the award, with the remainder directed toward research-related expenses. Each year, the Foundation selects four to six Scholars. Additional mentorship awards are available to support mentoring junior researchers of color, furthering the Foundation’s commitment to equity and inclusion in academia. The application process opens on March 27, 2026, at 3:00 PM Eastern Time. Reference and mentor letters are due by June 10, 2026, and final applications must be submitted by June 30, 2026, also at 3:00 PM ET. Applications must be submitted via the Foundation’s online portal and include a comprehensive research and mentoring plan, CVs, letters of recommendation and mentorship, budget and justification forms, nominating statements, and relevant publications. Proposals are reviewed for their scholarly rigor, alignment with focus areas, the feasibility of the research and mentoring plans, and institutional support. Finalists will be interviewed in February 2027, with awards announced by March 2027. Awarded Scholars will commence funding on July 1, 2027, and participate in annual retreats and workshops to support their professional development throughout the award period.

Clearly articulate how the proposed research expands the applicant’s expertise into new disciplines or methods. Align the research with one of the Foundation’s two focus areas and demonstrate relevance to policy and practice. A cohesive mentoring plan is essential.