Â鶹Æƽâ°æ

Skip to main content
Close menu Â鶹Æƽâ°æ
Popular Topics
Suggested Results
Â鶹Æƽâ°æ
Resources FOR...
Resources FOR...
Sponsored Programs

Social Sciences

Faculty conducting research in the social sciences have access to a wide range of external funding opportunities through OSP's curated resources, spanning federal agencies, private foundations, and interdisciplinary programs that bridge the social and natural sciences.

The National Science Foundation (NSF) is among the most significant federal funders of social science research at W&M, with its Directorate of Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences (SBE) supporting basic research across economics, psychology, anthropology, political science, and related fields. The American Council of Learned Societies (ACLS) and the Russell Sage Foundation – the principal American foundation devoted exclusively to social science research – offer additional grant and fellowship opportunities for faculty pursuing scholarly projects across the discipline. The Rockefeller Foundation and other private funders also support work at the intersection of the humanities and social sciences.

For faculty whose research spans policy, public-interest, or applied domains, programs such as DARPA, the Department of Commerce, and the William T. Grant Foundation offer pathways to external support for socially relevant inquiry. OSP's weekly funding opportunities list is regularly updated with open solicitations relevant to social science faculty, and customized funding searches are available upon request. Faculty are encouraged to reach out to their OSP Sponsored Programs Administrator early in the proposal process to ensure timely review and submission.

Browse each faculty funding section, or use Command (⌘) + F on Mac devices or Ctrl + F on PC devices to search for specific keywords on each page.

Interested applicants should contact their OSP Administrator as early as possible.

Funding Opportunities

Please visit the Foundation section for more related opportunities.

  • (New)
    • Department of State 
    • Description: Supports rapid-response peacebuilding efforts that bring together civil society actors, activists, journalists, and other stakeholders to promote dialogue, conflict prevention, and peace processes in conflict-affected regions.
    • Deadline: 08/13/2026
    • Keywords: Conflict Prevention, Dialogue, Civil Society, Mediation, Human Rights, Governance, Diplomacy
  • (New)
    • Department of State 
    • Description: Supports initiatives that strengthen early warning and early response systems to prevent conflict, improve community resilience, and promote peace and security in Sudan.
    • Deadline: 08/17/2026
    • Keywords: Conflict Prevention, Sudan, Conflict Response, Community Resilience, Human Security, Civil Society, Governance, Security, International Development

    • *Institutionally Limited

  • (New)
    • Department of State 
    • Description: Supports efforts to document human rights violations and abuses, strengthen evidence-based reporting, and improve the use of credible information for accountability, policy, and legal actions.
    • Deadline: 08/17/2026
    • Keywords: Human Rights, Accountability, Documentation, Evidence Collection, Civil Society, Data Analysis, International Law, Policy Research, Global Security

    • *Institutionally Limited

  • (New)
    • Woodrow Wilson Center 
    • Description: Supports scholars, practitioners, journalists, and public intellectuals conducting policy-relevant research on global issues, foreign policy challenges, and topics that inform public policy discussions.
    • Deadline: 09/30/2026
    • Keywords: Public Policy, International Affairs, Foreign Policy, Global Issues, Political Science, Governance, Security Studies, International Relations, Fellowship
  • (New)
    • Department of the Interior 
    • Description: Supports applied wildland fire research focused on changing wildfire regimes, wildfire risk factors, fire impacts, and smoke from prescribed and wildland fires to improve fire management decisions.
    • Deadline: 09/17/2026
    • Keywords: Wildland Fire, Fire Science, Wildfire Research, Fire Behavior, Smoke Impacts, Climate Change, Fire Risk, Fire Management, Prescribed Fire, Ecosystem Resilience, Environmental Research
  • (New)
    • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
    • Description: Supports research centers evaluating evidence-based strategies to prevent and reduce youth violence through community partnerships, prevention research, and training.
    • Deadline: 12/01/2026
    • Keywords: Youth Violence Prevention, Violence Prevention, Injury Prevention, Community-Based Research, Public Health, Behavioral Health, Youth Development, Community Engagement
    • Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
    • Description: The purpose of this program is to facilitate the implementation of mental health awareness and literacy training.
    • Deadline: 07/27/2026
    • Keywords: Mental Health
    • XPRIZE
    • Description: XPRIZE designs and runs large-scale incentive competitions — public challenges with clear, verifiable goals that pull humanity and entire industries forward. 
    • Deadline: 08/17/2026
    • Keywords: Carbon, Spaceflight, App, Google, Entrepreneurship  
    • Department of State
    • Description: The Public Diplomacy Section at the U.S. Embassy in New Delhi announces an opportunity to implement the U.S. Speaker and Specialist Program in India. The program will advance U.S. strategic, economic, and security interests by connecting American experts with priority Indian audiences and highlighting U.S. leadership in areas critical to security, innovation, technological competitiveness, and economic growth.
    • Deadline: 
    • Keywords: India, Diplomacy, Economy, Technology, 
    • Department of State
    • Description: U.S. Embassy Jerusalem’s Public Diplomacy Section (PDS) announces an open competition to implement projects that advance U.S. economic, commercial, and security interests in Israel. This Annual Program Statement (APS) outlines strategic goals, expected outcomes, target audiences, eligibility criteria, and application guidelines for cooperative agreements ranging from $25,000 to $250,000, with a project duration of up to 12 months.
    • Deadline: 07/22/2026
    • Keywords: Israel, Jerusalem, Diplomacy, Economy, Commercial, Security
    • *Institutionally Limited
    • Department of State
    • Description: The Global Leaders Division in the Office of Citizen Exchanges at the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) seeks proposals for a cooperative agreement to design and implement the FY 2026 Community Solutions Program (CSP). The United States has a strong tradition of hard work, entrepreneurship, and local leadership that has powered economic growth.
    • Deadline: 07/23/2026
    • Keywords: Community, Development, Economy, Growth
    • *Institutionally Limited
    • Department of State
    • Description: The Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs’ Office of Assistance Coordination (NEA/AC) seeks proposals for projects in Egypt that advance U.S. commercial diplomacy and put American interests first. Proposals must demonstrate how projects will leverage assistance as a tool of statecraft to advance U.S. economic, security, and diplomatic objectives.
    • Deadline: 07/31/2026
    • Keywords: Economy, Security, Diplomacy, Egypt
    • American Academy in Berlin
    • Description: The Academy welcomes applications from a broad range of disciplines in the humanities, social sciences, law, journalism, and various areas of public policy. We also generally encourage projects that address pressing issues of the day, such as the future of democracy, technology and society (especially artificial intelligence), contemporary China, as well as climate change and sustainability.
    • Deadline: 09/25/2026 
    • Keywords: Law, Journalism, Public Policy, Democracy, Technology, Sustainability, AI
    • Department of Health and Human Services
    • Description:
    • Deadline: 07/29/2026 
    • Keywords:
    • U.S. Department of Agriculture
    • Description:
    • Deadline: 08/14/2026  
    • Keywords:
    • U.S. Department of Agriculture
    • Description:
    • Deadline: 08/14/2026
    • Keywords:
    • Department of Education
    • Description:
    • Deadline: 08/10/2026
    • Keywords:
    • Department of Justice
    • Description:
    • Deadline: 07/31/2026
    • Keywords:
  • Open Source AI Model for Tutoring (EDU AI) Request for Proposals, K-12
    • AI Infrastructure Program
    • Description:
    • Deadline: 07/31/2026
    • Keywords:
    • AI Infrastructure Program
    • Description:
    • Deadline: 07/31/2026
    • Keywords:
    • Bibliographical Society of America
    • Description:
    • Deadline: 09/16/2026 
    • Keywords:
    • Department of Justice
    • Description:
    • Deadline: 07/31/2026
    • Keywords:
    • American Psychiatric Association
    • Description:
    • Deadline: 09/01/2026 
    • Keywords:
  • U.S. Mission to Mexico PD Annual Program Statement
    • Department of State
    • Description:
    • Deadline: 07/31/2026
    • Keywords:
    • *Institutionally Limited
    • Sociological Initiatives Foundation
    • Description:
    • Deadline: 08/14/2026
    • Keywords:
    • U.S. Mission to Malaysia
    • Description:
    • Deadline: 07/31/2026
    • Keywords:
    • American Psychological Association
    • Description:
    • Deadline: 01/04/2027 
    • Keywords:
    • Dirksen Congressional Center
    • Description:
    • Deadline: Applications are accepted at any time
    • Keywords:
    • National Science Foundation
    • Description:
    • Deadline: 08/18/2026 
    • Keywords:
    • Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory
    • Description:
    • Deadline: 08/31/2026 
    • Keywords:
    • National Science Foundation
    • Description:
    • Deadline: Full proposal accepted anytime
    • Keywords:
    • NIH
    • Description:
    • Deadline: various deadlines
    • Keywords:
    • NIH
    • Description:
    • Deadline: various deadlines
    • Keywords:
    • NIH
    • Description:
    • Deadline: various deadlines
    • Keywords:
    • NIH
    • Description:
    • Deadline: various deadlines
    • Keywords:
    • NIH
    • Description:
    • Deadline: various deadlines
    • Keywords:
    • NIH
    • Description:
    • Deadline: various deadlines
    • Keywords:
    • NIH
    • Description:
    • Deadline: various deadlines
    • Keywords:
    • National Science Foundation
    • Description:
    • Deadline: Full proposal accepted anytime
    • Keywords: 
    • National Science Foundation (NSF)
    • Description:
    • Deadline: Full proposal accepted anytime
    • Keywords:
    • National Science Foundation
    • Description:
    • Deadline: Varying
    • Keywords:
    • U.S. Agency for International Development
    • Description:
    • Deadline: 12/31/2029
    • Keywords:
    • Open Philanthropy
    • Description:
    • Deadline: Applications are open until further notice and will be assessed on a rolling basis. 
    • Keywords:
    • National Science Foundation
    • Description:
    • Deadline: Full proposal accepted anytime
    • Keywords:
    • National Science Foundation
    • Description:
    • Deadline: Full proposal accepted anytime
    • Keywords: