Research Funding Sources

This page provides a curated list of research funding sources in the social sciences and humanities, including federal agencies, private foundations, and international funding organizations.

 

Agency/FoundationGrant ProgramDescriptionLink
National Science FoundationSBE Core ProgramsSupports fundamental research projects in social, behavioral, and economic sciences through competitive grant funding.https://www.nsf.gov/sbe/
Templeton FoundationInterdisciplinary Research GrantsSupports research on human purpose, character, and social development across disciplines.https://www.templeton.org/grants
Open Society FoundationsResearch and Policy GrantsFunds research projects addressing democracy, governance, and inequality.https://www.opensocietyfoundations.org/grants
Carnegie CorporationResearch GrantsSupports research in education, democracy, and global peace.https://www.carnegie.org/programs/
Volkswagen FoundationResearch Funding ProgramsFunds innovative international research in humanities and social sciences.https://www.volkswagenstiftung.de/en/funding
National Science FoundationSBE Core Research GrantsProvides funding for fundamental research in social, behavioral, and economic sciences including empirical and theoretical projects.https://www.nsf.gov/sbe/
National Endowment for the HumanitiesCollaborative Research GrantsSupports collaborative humanities research projects involving multiple scholars and institutions.https://www.neh.gov/grants/research/collaborative-research-grants
    
Wenner-Gren FoundationPost-PhD Research GrantsProvides funding for anthropological fieldwork and data-driven research projects worldwide.https://wennergren.org/programs/post-phd-research-grants
Templeton FoundationResearch GrantsSupports interdisciplinary research on human purpose, ethics, and social development.https://www.templeton.org/grants
Open Society FoundationsResearch GrantsFunds research addressing democracy, inequality, and human rights globally.https://www.opensocietyfoundations.org/grants
Volkswagen FoundationResearch GrantsFunds innovative research projects in humanities and social sciences internationally.https://www.volkswagenstiftung.de/en/funding
British AcademyResearch GrantsProvides funding for humanities and social sciences research in the UK and internationally.https://www.thebritishacademy.ac.uk/funding/
National Science FoundationSocial, Behavioral and Economic Sciences (SBE) GrantsProvides competitive research grants to support empirical and theoretical research in the social sciences, including economics, sociology, and behavioral sciences.https://www.nsf.gov/sbe/
Ford FoundationResearch GrantsProvides funding for research initiatives addressing inequality, human rights, and social justice.https://www.fordfoundation.org/work/our-grants/
American Academy in BerlinBerlin PrizeResidency/fellowship supporting arts, humanities, and public policy scholarship with transatlantic dialogue.https://www.americanacademy.de
American Academy in RomeRome PrizeRome Prize and related support for innovative work in humanities, arts, and related scholarship.https://www.aarome.org
American Antiquarian SocietyResearch FellowshipsVisiting research fellowships for projects using collections on American life from the colonial era through Reconstruction.https://www.americanantiquarian.org
American Council of Learned SocietiesACLSFellowships and grants supporting creation and circulation of knowledge in humanities and social sciences.https://www.acls.org
ACLS Fellowships CompetitionResearch FellowshipFellowships for scholars, especially early-career/untentured scholars, to pursue major humanities/social-science research.https://www.acls.org
American Philosophical SocietyResearch FellowshipShort- and long-term fellowships plus grants for subject-specific research and digital humanities projects.https://www.amphilsoc.org
Andy Warhol Foundation Arts Writers GrantResearch FellowshipGrants for emerging and established writers writing about contemporary visual art.https://warholfoundation.org
Rockefeller Foundation Bellagio Center Residency ProgramResearch FellowshipResidencies for scholars, practitioners, and artists developing impactful projects.https://www.rockefellerfoundation.org/bellagio-center
Camargo Foundation FellowshipResearch FellowshipInternational fellowships supporting scholars and thinkers through the Camargo Fellowship.https://camargofoundation.org
Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral SciencesResearch FellowshipResidential fellowships for scholars advancing research in social science and related disciplines.https://casbs.stanford.edu
Center for Advanced Study in the Visual Arts - Senior FellowshipResearch FellowshipSenior residential fellowships for full-time research in art history and related humanities fields.https://www.nga.gov/research/casva.html
Center for Advanced Study in the Visual Arts - Visiting Senior FellowshipResearch FellowshipVisiting senior fellowships for research and participation in CASVA scholarly activities.https://www.nga.gov/research/casva.html
Center for Human ValuesPrinceton - Laurance S. Rockefeller Visiting FellowshipYear-long visiting fellowship for research/writing on human values in public and private life across disciplines.https://uchv.princeton.edu
Clark FellowshipResearch FellowshipFellowships for established and promising scholars, especially in early modern studies and related humanities areas.https://www.clarklibrary.ucla.edu
Council of American Overseas Research CentersCAORCMulti-country research fellowships for trans-regional and comparative humanities/social-science research.https://www.caorc.org
CAORC FellowshipsResearch FellowshipFellowships supporting U.S. scholars conducting research through overseas research centers in many countries.https://www.caorc.org
Council on Library and Information Resources - Digitizing Hidden CollectionsResearch FellowshipGrants for digitizing rare and unique collections in the U.S. and Canada.https://www.clir.org
Cullman Center for Scholars and Writers FellowshipsNYPLFellowships for scholars, writers, translators, journalists, and artists working with NYPL resources.https://www.nypl.org/research/cullman-center
Dumbarton OaksResearch FellowshipFellowships, grants, and residencies supporting Byzantine, garden/landscape, and Pre-Columbian studies.https://www.doaks.org
Dynamic Language Infrastructure / Documenting Endangered Languages FellowshipResearch FellowshipFellowships for endangered-language research under a joint NEH-NSF program.https://www.neh.gov
Fulbright U.S. Scholar ProgramResearch FellowshipAwards for U.S. scholars to teach, research, and conduct professional projects internationally.https://fulbrightscholars.org
George A. and Eliza Gardner Howard FoundationResearch FellowshipPortable fellowships for early/mid-career individuals pursuing independent humanities/social-science projects.https://www.brown.edu/academics/humanities/center/howard-foundation
Getty Research InstituteResearch FellowshipResidencies, grants, and research-library support using Getty collections and expertise.https://www.getty.edu/research
Gladys Krieble Delmas FoundationResearch FellowshipTravel grants for research on Venice, the former Venetian empire, and contemporary Venetian society/culture.https://www.delmas.org
Guggenheim Fellowship - John Simon Guggenheim Memorial FoundationResearch FellowshipPortable fellowships for exceptional scholarship in any field of knowledge and the arts.https://www.gf.org
Harry Frank Guggenheim Foundation - Distinguished Scholars AwardsResearch FellowshipAwards/fellowships for research on violence, aggression, and dominance from social-science perspectives.https://www.hfg.org
Harry Ransom CenterResearch FellowshipResearch-library fellowships for projects using cultural collections in historical context.https://www.hrc.utexas.edu
    
Huntington FellowshipsResearch FellowshipFellowships promoting humanities scholarship through the Huntington’s library and art collections.https://www.huntington.org/fellowships
Illinois HumanitiesResearch FellowshipGrants supporting public humanities and related projects.https://www.ilhumanities.org
Institute for Advanced StudyResearch FellowshipResidencies supporting outstanding scholars, including humanities and social-science researchers.https://www.ias.edu
Institute for Historical StudiesUT AustinFellowships for historical scholarship and related humanities research.https://liberalarts.utexas.edu/historicalstudies
Institute of Museum and Library ServicesIMLSGrants, research, and policy support for museums, libraries, and related organizations.https://www.imls.gov
Library Company of PhiladelphiaResearch FellowshipPostdoctoral, dissertation, and short-term fellowships using library collections.https://librarycompany.org
Library of CongressResearch FellowshipFellowships, internships, residencies, and volunteer opportunities tied to Library of Congress collections.https://www.loc.gov
Library of Congress - Phillips Society FellowshipResearch FellowshipFellowship support for geography and map-related research.https://www.loc.gov/rr/geogmap
    
Library of Congress Kluge Fellowship in Digital StudiesResearch FellowshipFellowship for digital-studies scholarship relevant to democratic challenges.https://www.loc.gov/research-centers/john-w-kluge-center
Loeb Classical Library Foundation FellowshipResearch FellowshipFellowships for research, publication, and projects in classical studies.https://www.loebclassics.com
NEH FellowshipResearch FellowshipCompetitive awards for individual scholars pursuing major humanities research projects.https://www.neh.gov/grants/research/fellowships
National Endowment for the HumanitiesNEH - GrantsBroad portfolio of humanities grants and fellowships.https://www.neh.gov/grants
National Historical Publications and Records Commission - Archival ProjectsResearch FellowshipGrants to improve online discovery and use of historical records.https://www.archives.gov/nhprc
National Humanities CenterResearch FellowshipResidential fellowships and support for advanced study in the humanities.https://nationalhumanitiescenter.org
New York Public Library - Fellowships & InstitutesResearch FellowshipWide range of fellowships and institutes tied to NYPL research centers.https://www.nypl.org/research/support/fellowships-institutes
New York Public Library - Short-Term Research FellowshipsResearch FellowshipShort-term fellowships for arts and humanities scholars outside NYC.https://www.nypl.org/research/support/fellowships-institutes/short-term
Newberry Library Long-Term FellowshipResearch FellowshipLong-term fellowships for immersive research in Newberry collections.https://www.newberry.org/fellowships
NEH Public ScholarsResearch FellowshipGrants for research and writing of well-researched nonfiction humanities books for broad audiences.https://www.neh.gov/grants/research/public-scholar-program
Rachel Carson Center for Environment and SocietyResearch FellowshipInternational opportunities supporting environmental humanities and society research.https://www.rachelcarsoncenter.de
Radcliffe Institute for Advanced StudyResearch FellowshipAnnual fellowships for projects in the humanities, social sciences, sciences, and arts.https://www.radcliffe.harvard.edu
Schomburg Center Scholars-in-Residence ProgramResearch FellowshipLong- and short-term fellowships centered on Schomburg collections and scholarship.https://www.nypl.org/locations/schomburg
    
Smithsonian Institution Fellowship ProgramResearch FellowshipIndependent research/study fellowships across Smithsonian units and collections.https://www.si.edu/ofg
Stanford Humanities CenterResearch FellowshipResidential fellowships for scholars at multiple career stages.https://shc.stanford.edu
USIP Jennings Randolph Senior Fellowship ProgramResearch FellowshipFellowships advancing peacebuilding knowledge, tools, and policy recommendations.https://www.usip.org
Wilson CenterResearch FellowshipFellowships/residencies for scholars, practitioners, and journalists on policy-relevant topics.https://www.wilsoncenter.org
Winterthur FellowshipsResearch FellowshipFellowships supporting research in material culture, social/cultural history, art history, and related fields.https://www.winterthur.org
Aaron Copland Fund for MusicResearch FellowshipGrant awards supporting contemporary American music.https://coplandfund.org
Academy Grants ProgramAcademy of Motion Picture Arts and SciencesFunding opportunities supporting filmmakers and film-related scholarship/projects.https://www.oscars.org
Alexia FoundationResearch FellowshipGrants and scholarships supporting photojournalism and social-justice storytelling.https://newhouse.syr.edu/alexia
Alfred Deakin Institute for Citizenship and GlobalizationResearch FellowshipVisiting scholar opportunities focused on social, political, economic, and cultural inequalities and human rights.https://www.deakin.edu.au/adi
Alfred P. Sloan FoundationResearch FellowshipFunding for research and initiatives in society, economics, digital technologies, and related cross-disciplinary fields.https://sloan.org
Alpha Kappa Alpha Educational Advancement FoundationResearch FellowshipNeed-based scholarships for students in humanities, social sciences, journalism, health, and education.https://akaeaf.org
American Academy in RomeResearch FellowshipVisiting scholar/artist programs, Rome Prize, and fellowships tied to Western humanistic heritage.https://www.aarome.org
American Academy of Arts and SciencesResearch FellowshipVisiting Scholars and Policy Fellowships in humanities, social sciences, and public policy.https://www.amacad.org
The American Academy in BerlinResearch FellowshipBerlin Prize residency for independent scholarly projects.https://www.americanacademy.de
American Antiquarian SocietyResearch FellowshipShort- and long-term residential fellowships for research using AAS library holdings.https://www.americanantiquarian.org
American Association of University WomenResearch FellowshipAmerican and International Fellowships supporting women scholars’ dissertation and research work.https://www.aauw.org
American Council of Learned SocietiesResearch FellowshipFellowships across humanities and social sciences, including field-specific programs.https://www.acls.org
American Councils for International EducationResearch FellowshipGrants for overseas humanities/social-science research and language training.https://www.americancouncils.org
American Historical AssociationResearch FellowshipGrants, fellowships, and prizes supporting historical research.https://www.historians.org
AHA - J. Franklin Jameson Fellowship in American HistoryResearch FellowshipSupports 2–3 months of American history research at the Library of Congress.https://www.historians.org
American India Foundation - William J. Clinton FellowshipResearch FellowshipFieldwork/service fellowship in India for students interested in development.https://aif.org
American Psychological FoundationResearch FellowshipPostdoctoral fellowships, internships, grants, and scholarships using psychology to solve social problems.https://www.apa.org/apf
American Research Center in EgyptResearch FellowshipTravel/study fellowships in Egypt across archaeology, art history, history, politics, religion, and allied fields.https://www.arce.org
American Scandinavian FoundationResearch FellowshipFellowships and grants for research/study in Scandinavia; also translation support.https://www.amscan.org
British AcademyResearch FellowshipSupport for international humanities and social-science scholars working with UK institutions.https://www.thebritishacademy.ac.uk
Brown University - Cogut Institute for the HumanitiesResearch FellowshipMellon and international humanities postdoctoral fellowships.https://www.brown.edu/academics/humanities/cogut
Brown University - George and Eliza Gardner Howard FoundationResearch FellowshipOne-year fellowships for mid-career artists, scholars, and writers.https://www.brown.edu/academics/humanities/center/howard-foundation
Cambridge UniversityResearch FellowshipThree-year fellowships for recent doctoral graduates.https://www.cam.ac.uk
CRASSH CambridgeResearch FellowshipVisiting scholar fellowships in arts, social sciences, and humanities.https://www.crassh.cam.ac.uk
Cambridge University - Munby Fellowship in BibliographyResearch FellowshipTen-month fellowship for bibliography/collection-based research.https://www.lib.cam.ac.uk
City of Reno Arts & Culture CommissionResearch FellowshipOne-time program grants for public arts/culture events.https://www.reno.gov
Columbia Society of FellowsResearch FellowshipThree-year postdoctoral fellowships in the humanities.https://societyoffellows.columbia.edu
Columbia University - Heyman Center for the HumanitiesResearch FellowshipResidency/fellowship support for early-career scholars engaging public-sphere issues.https://heymancenter.org
Consortium of Humanities Centers and InstitutesResearch FellowshipCollaborative research support, workshops, and fellowships across humanities centers.https://chcinetwork.org
Council of American Overseas Research CentersResearch FellowshipSupports advanced trans-regional research in humanities, social sciences, and related natural sciences.https://www.caorc.org
Digging Into DataResearch FellowshipInternational grant program on how big data changes humanities and social-science research.https://diggingintodata.org
John Templeton FoundationResearch FellowshipFunds humanities/social-science areas such as freedom, exceptional talent, and big questions.https://www.templeton.org
National Institute of JusticeResearch FellowshipFunds physical and social-science research related to criminal justice.https://nij.ojp.gov
National Science Foundation - SBEResearch FellowshipBasic research in social, behavioral, and economic sciences.https://www.nsf.gov/sbe
Russell Sage FoundationResearch FellowshipSocial-science research funding on inequality, immigration, employment, and related topics.https://www.russellsage.org
Science History InstituteResearch FellowshipPrivate fellowship program in the history and social study of science.https://www.sciencehistory.org
    
Horowitz Foundation for Social Policy GrantsResearch FellowshipSmall grants supporting emerging scholars in the social sciences, especially doctoral research with social policy relevance.https://www.horowitz-foundation.org/grant-info
Wenner-Gren Foundation - Dissertation Fieldwork GrantResearch FellowshipDoctoral or thesis field research that advances anthropological knowledge.https://wennergren.org/program/dissertation-fieldwork-grant/
Wenner-Gren Foundation - Post-PhD Research GrantResearch FellowshipIndividual post-PhD anthropological research projects and cross-subfield scholarship.https://wennergren.org/program/post-phd-research-grant/
Wenner-Gren Foundation - Engaged Research GrantResearch FellowshipLongstanding research partnerships that support community-engaged anthropology and collaborative knowledge production.https://wennergren.org/program/engaged-research-grant/
Wenner-Gren Foundation - Global Initiatives GrantResearch FellowshipPublic anthropology projects designed to reach broad audiences with accessible, socially consequential work.https://wennergren.org/program/global-initiatives-grant/
Spencer Foundation - Small Research Grants on EducationResearch FellowshipSmaller-scale education research projects that improve education, broadly conceived.https://www.spencer.org/grant_types/small-research-grant
Spencer Foundation - Large Research Grants on EducationResearch FellowshipLarger field-initiated education research projects with strong scholarly and public relevance.https://www.spencer.org/grant_types/large-research-grant
Spencer Foundation - Racial Equity Research GrantsResearch FellowshipResearch examining and disrupting racial inequality in education.https://www.spencer.org/grant_types/racial-equity-special-research-grants
Gerda Henkel Foundation - General Research Grants: ProjectsResearch FellowshipProject funding in the historical humanities, including archaeology, art history, history, legal history, and related fields.https://www.gerda-henkel-stiftung.de/en/grants_projects
Gerda Henkel Foundation - Research ScholarshipsResearch FellowshipScholarships for individual researchers working in the historical humanities.https://www.gerda-henkel-stiftung.de/en/researchscholarships
Mellon Foundation - New Directions FellowshipsResearch FellowshipSupport for established faculty in the humanities and humanistic social sciences to gain new training outside their main field.https://www.mellon.org/article/new-directions-fellowships
Mellon Foundation - Humanities in PlaceResearch FellowshipProjects that interpret, preserve, and engage historically overlooked places, communities, and stories.https://www.mellon.org/grant-programs/humanities-in-place
Mellon Foundation - Mellon Mays Undergraduate FellowshipResearch FellowshipResearch, mentoring, and cohort support for future humanities scholars.https://www.mellon.org/article/higher-learning-fellowships-and-competitions
National Park Service - Mellon Humanities Postdoctoral Fellowship ProgramResearch FellowshipHumanities postdoctoral research and public interpretation projects within National Park Service sites and programs.https://www.nps.gov/orgs/1296/index.htm
Cornell Society for the Humanities - Society FellowshipsResearch FellowshipYear-long residential fellowships for interdisciplinary humanities research.https://societyhumanities.as.cornell.edu/society-fellowships
Yale Whitney Humanities Center - FellowsResearch FellowshipFellowships supporting humanists across career stages, including faculty, postdocs, graduate students, and collaborators.https://whc.yale.edu/fellows
Yale Whitney Humanities Center - Franke Visiting FellowsResearch FellowshipResidencies that provide time and community for creative and scholarly humanities work.https://whc.yale.edu/programs
USC Society of Fellows in the HumanitiesResearch FellowshipAdvanced interdisciplinary research in the humanities and humanistic social sciences for faculty, postdocs, and graduate scholars.https://sofh.usc.edu/
Princeton Society of Fellows in the Liberal ArtsResearch FellowshipMulti-year postdoctoral fellowships in humanities and social sciences combining research and teaching.https://sf.princeton.edu/application/fellowships
Michigan Society of FellowsResearch FellowshipPrestigious postdoctoral fellowships supporting research and teaching across humanities, arts, sciences, and professions.https://societyoffellows.umich.edu/
Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library - FellowshipsResearch FellowshipCollection-based fellowships supporting researchers using Yale special collections.https://beinecke.library.yale.edu/programs/fellowships
Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library - Short-Term Research FellowshipsResearch FellowshipShort-term onsite research support for projects engaging Yale Library special collections.https://beinecke.library.yale.edu/programs/fellowships/short-term-research-fellowships
Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library - Research Fellowships for Graduate StudentsResearch FellowshipGraduate-student fellowships for onsite research in rare books and manuscripts.https://beinecke.library.yale.edu/programs/fellowships/research-fellowships-graduate-students
Duke University - Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library Grants & FellowshipsResearch FellowshipTravel grants and fellowships for humanities and historical research using Rubenstein collections.https://library.duke.edu/rubenstein/research/grants-and-fellowships
Folger Institute - FellowshipsResearch FellowshipResidential and related fellowships for research on the early modern world using Folger collections and programs.https://www.folger.edu/institute/fellowships
Harvard I Tatti - I Tatti FellowshipResearch FellowshipTwelve-month postdoctoral fellowships for research on the Italian Renaissance.https://itatti.harvard.edu/I-Tatti-fellowship
Harvard I Tatti - Fellowship in the Digital HumanitiesResearch FellowshipSupport for scholars, librarians, archivists, and data professionals using digital methods in humanities or social-science work.https://itatti.harvard.edu/fellowship-digital-humanities
Harvard I Tatti - Term FellowshipsResearch FellowshipShorter fellowships for early- and mid-career scholars working on Italy and transnational Renaissance topics.https://itatti.harvard.edu/term-fellowships
Wolf Humanities Center - Andrew W. Mellon Postdoctoral Fellowship in the HumanitiesResearch FellowshipPostdoctoral fellowships for interdisciplinary humanities scholarship.https://wolfhumanities.upenn.edu/fellowships/andrew-w-mellon-postdoctoral-fellowship-humanities
Rare Book School - SoFCB Junior Fellows ProgramResearch FellowshipTraining and research support in bibliography, book history, and humanities work with historical sources.https://rarebookschool.org/admissions-awards/fellowships/sofcb/
National Council for Eurasian and East European ResearchResearch FellowshipResearch support related to Eurasian and East European studies in social sciences and humanities.https://www.nceeer.org/
UK Research and Innovation - Arts and Humanities Research CouncilAHRCFunding for arts and humanities research, training, and knowledge exchange.https://www.ukri.org/councils/ahrc/
UK Research and Innovation - Economic and Social Research CouncilESRCFunding for social science research, data infrastructure, doctoral training, and impact activities.https://www.ukri.org/councils/esrc/
Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of CanadaSSHRCCanadian funding for research, training, and partnerships in social sciences and humanities.https://www.sshrc-crsh.gc.ca/home-accueil-eng.aspx
SSHRC - Insight GrantsResearch FellowshipResearch excellence funding for social sciences and humanities projects.https://www.sshrc-crsh.gc.ca/funding-financement/programs-programmes/insight_grants-subventions_savoir-eng.aspx
SSHRC - Partnership Development GrantsResearch FellowshipSupport for short-term partnership building and collaborative humanities/social-science research initiatives.https://www.sshrc-crsh.gc.ca/funding-financement/programs-programmes/partnership_development_grants-subventions_partenariat_developpement-eng.aspx
HERA - Humanities in the European Research AreaResearch FellowshipTransnational humanities funding opportunities and collaborative European research calls.https://heranet.info/funding-opportunities/
Leverhulme TrustResearch FellowshipMajor grants, fellowships, and research support across humanities and social sciences as well as other disciplines.https://www.leverhulme.ac.uk/
British Academy - FundingResearch FellowshipGrants and fellowships for humanities and social sciences research and international collaboration.https://www.thebritishacademy.ac.uk/funding/
Volkswagen Foundation - FundingResearch FellowshipResearch funding across disciplines, including humanities and social sciences, often through thematic calls.https://www.volkswagenstiftung.de/en/funding
Leakey Foundation - Research GrantsResearch FellowshipResearch support in human origins, paleoanthropology, archaeology, and related anthropological fields.https://leakeyfoundation.org/grants/research-grants/
National Geographic Society - Explorers GrantsResearch FellowshipGrants for storytelling, archaeology, anthropology, and place-based research with public engagement potential.https://www.nationalgeographic.org/society/grants-and-investments/