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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 Justice 
  • Description: Supports the maintenance and enhancement of the Internet Crimes Against Children Online Child Protection System (ICACCOPS), which provides investigative technology and digital tools to help law enforcement agencies investigate and prosecute technology-facilitated child sexual exploitation.
  • Deadline: 11/19/2026
  • Keywords:  Cybercrime prevention, child protection, digital forensics, law enforcement, cybersecurity, online exploitation
  • *Institutionally Limited
• (New)
  
  • Department of Justice 
  • Description: Supports rigorous research and evaluation projects examining K–12 school safety, particularly anonymous violence threat reporting systems and school threat assessment and intervention teams. The program aims to evaluate the effectiveness and implementation of school violence prevention initiatives. Total estimated funding is $5 million, with approximately six awards expected.
  • Deadline: 11/23/2026
  • Keywords:  School safety, violence prevention, threat assessment, K–12 education, program evaluation, anonymous reporting systems
• (New)
  
  • Department of Justice 
  • Description: Supports research and evaluation projects that improve understanding of human trafficking in the United States, including prevention strategies, assessment of federal policies that may contribute to trafficking, and evaluation of services for trafficking survivors. The National Institute of Justice collaborates with the Office for Victims of Crime to support evidence-based approaches.
  • Deadline: 11/16/2026
  • Keywords: Human trafficking, victim services, trafficking prevention, policy evaluation, applied research, survivor support 
• (New)
  
  • Department of Justice 
  • Description: Supports research, evaluation, and community-based programs designed to reduce the harm experienced by children exposed to violence. The initiative aims to strengthen local efforts to support affected children, prevent further victimization, and mitigate long-term negative outcomes through evidence-based interventions.
  • Deadline: 11/16/2026
  • Keywords:  Child protection, violence prevention, trauma-informed care, community programs, youth services, victim support
• (New)
  
  • Department of Justice 
  • Description: Supports research and evaluation of the effectiveness of the Bureau of Justice Assistance’s Byrne State Crisis Intervention Program (SCIP). The project uses a two-phase approach to assess program readiness and evaluate initiatives such as extreme risk protection orders, mental health courts, drug courts, and veterans treatment courts to inform evidence-based strategies for reducing gun violence and improving public safety.
  • Deadline: 11/16/2026
  • Keywords:  Gun violence prevention, crisis intervention, program evaluation, mental health courts, extreme risk protection orders, evidence-based policy
• (New)
  
  • Department of Justice 
  • Description: Supports research projects examining crime and the criminal justice system, including innovative programs, strategies, and technologies to improve workforce effectiveness, operational readiness, and public safety in the adult criminal justice system. A separate funding category supports evaluation of the Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) De-escalation Training Program.
  • Deadline: 11/16/2026
  • Keywords:  Criminal justice research, crime prevention, law enforcement, public safety, program evaluation, de-escalation training
• (New)
  
  • Department of Justice 
  • Description: Supports rigorous, applied research and evaluation of state, local, and tribal criminal justice system responses to illegal immigration. Projects may examine law enforcement, court operations, detention, immigration-related fraud, gang activity, and human or drug trafficking, with the goal of identifying effective strategies and informing evidence-based policy.
  • Deadline: 11/16/2026
  • Keywords:  Criminal justice research, immigration policy, law enforcement, program evaluation, public safety, human trafficking
• (New)
  
  • Southern Region Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) Program 
  • Description: Provides grants to agricultural professionals working directly with farmers and ranchers to conduct on-farm research on sustainable agricultural practices. Projects investigate practical solutions to farming challenges, improve productivity and environmental stewardship, and share findings with the broader agricultural community. Funding is up to $30,000 for two-year projects.
  • Deadline: 11/13/2026
  • Keywords:  Sustainable agriculture, on-farm research, agricultural innovation, soil health, environmental sustainability, farmer collaboration
• (New)
  
  • Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL) 
  • Description: Supports randomized evaluations of strategies to reduce crime and recidivism while improving the effectiveness, efficiency, and fairness of the U.S. criminal justice system. Funding supports pilot studies, full research projects, and exploratory work focused on evidence-based crime prevention, policing, sentencing, rehabilitation, and community safety.
  • Deadline: 01/12/2027
  • Keywords:  Crime prevention, criminal justice research, randomized controlled trials, recidivism, policing, public safety, evidence-based policy
• (New)
  
  • Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL) 
  • Description: Supports randomized evaluations of public policies and programs aimed at reducing poverty and improving outcomes for economically marginalized populations in the United States. Research areas include education, climate and the environment, housing and homelessness, and labor markets. Projects should generate rigorous evidence to inform effective public policy.
  • Deadline: 01/12/2027
  • Keywords:   Social policy research, poverty reduction, randomized controlled trials, education, housing, labor markets, racial equity
• (New)
  
  • Arnold Ventures 
  • Description: Supports rigorous research and evaluation to identify effective social policies and programs that improve outcomes at scale. Current opportunities include research on the effects of state-level K–12 education policies, using causal research methods to generate evidence that informs policymaking and improves student outcomes.
  • Deadline: 11/13/2026
  • Keywords:  Social policy research, evidence-based policymaking, program evaluation, K–12 education, causal research, randomized controlled trials
• (New)
  
  • Institute for Humane Studies 
  • Description: Supports academic research examining how artificial intelligence affects employment, labor productivity, occupational change, economic opportunity, and innovation over time. The Institute for Humane Studies encourages interdisciplinary projects that generate evidence through scholarly publications, policy papers, or research databases. Awards are up to $20,000, with larger awards possible for exceptional projects.
  • Deadline: 12/15/2026
  • Keywords:  Artificial intelligence, future of work, labor economics, workforce development, technological innovation, economic opportunity
• (New)
  
  • Climate Smart Communities Initiative 
  • Description: Provides grants and technical assistance to help U.S. communities vulnerable to climate change develop and implement climate resilience plans and projects. Funding supports climate risk assessments, community engagement, adaptation planning, nature-based solutions, and resilience initiatives, prioritizing historically underserved communities. Grants typically range from $75,000 to $115,000 for a 12-month project period.
  • Deadline: 11/20/2026
  • Keywords:  Climate resilience, climate adaptation, community development, environmental justice, nature-based solutions, disaster risk reduction
• 
  
  • Council on Foreign Relations 
  • Description: A 12-month postdoctoral fellowship supporting policy-relevant research on nuclear security at the Council on Foreign Relations.
  • Deadline: 10/30/2026
  • Keywords: Nuclear Security, Postdoctoral Fellowship, Policy Research
• 
  
  • Council on Foreign Relations 
  • Description: A 12-month fellowship for mid-career U.S. professionals to gain experience in government, international organizations, or CFR while developing policy-relevant work in U.S. foreign affairs.
  • Deadline: 10/30/2026
  • Keywords: Foreign Policy, International Affairs, Mid-Career Fellowship
• 
  
  • Society for Military History 
  • Description: Awards recognizing outstanding scholarship and contributions to the history of mathematics.
  • Deadline: 12/01/2026
  • Keywords: History of Mathematics, Mathematical Scholarship, Academic Awards
• • Princeton University 
  • Description: James Madison Program Â鶹Æƽâ°æing Fellowship — Supports college/university professors and other established scholars for an academic-year research appointment at Princeton, with one-semester appointments possible. Fellows conduct research connected to the James Madison Program’s scholarly mission. 
  • Deadline: 12/04/2026
  • Keywords: Â鶹Æƽâ°æing fellowship, higher education, scholarly research, civic education, Princeton University
• • Department of Justice 
  • Description: Supports efforts to prevent and reduce school violence through training, threat assessment/intervention teams, anonymous reporting technologies, and school safety strategies. 
  • Deadline: 10/30/2026
  • Keywords: School violence prevention, school safety, threat assessment, youth, law enforcement
• • Department of Justice 
  • Description: Supports training and technical assistance to strengthen responses to missing and exploited children, including investigative, law enforcement, and child-safety efforts.
  • Deadline: 10/29/2026
  • Keywords: Missing children, child exploitation, law enforcement, training, technical assistance
  • *Institutionally Limited
• • Department of Justice 
  • Description: Supports efforts to identify and prevent wrongful convictions through conviction review, case analysis, and improvements to criminal justice practices. 
  • Deadline: 11/09/2026
  • Keywords: Wrongful convictions, criminal justice, conviction review, rule of law, legal reform
  • *Institutionally Limited
• • New York Public Library 
  • Description: Supports scholars conducting advanced research using the Schomburg Center’s collections on the history and culture of people of African descent. Provides a residency in New York with access to research resources and a stipend.
  • Deadline: 12/01/2026
  • Keywords: African diaspora, humanities, archival research, Black studies, scholarly residency
•  
  • Global EbA Fund 
  • Description: Funding for innovative, catalytic projects that advance ecosystem-based adaptation, strengthen local capacity, and support climate resilience in vulnerable countries.
  • Deadline: 10/26/2026
  • Keywords: ecosystem adaptation, climate resilience, nature-based solutions, climate finance, biodiversity, local capacity
•  
  • Society for the Advancement of Psychotherapy 
  • Description: A $20,000 research grant supporting early-career psychologists conducting empirical research on psychotherapy relationships, processes, or outcomes.
  • Deadline: 03/01/2027
  • Keywords: Psychotherapy research, psychology, early career, mental health, therapeutic outcomes, clinical research
• 
  
  • Wake Forest University 
  • Description: Supports U.S. colleges and universities in integrating character education into their curricula, institutional practices, and campus cultures through grants, resources, and collaborative learning.
  • Deadline: 11/15/2026
  • Keywords: Character education, higher education, institutional development, student development, leadership, curriculum, college universities
•  
  
  • Institute for Citizens and Scholars (formerly the Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation)
  • Description: Supports outstanding junior faculty in the humanities and humanistic social sciences with research funding, professional development, mentorship, and time to advance their scholarship and academic careers.
  • Deadline: 10/23/2026
  • Keywords: Supports outstanding junior faculty in the humanities and humanistic social sciences with research funding, professional development, mentorship, and time to advance their scholarship and academic careers.
• 
  
  • Supreme Court of the United States
  • Description: A one-year paid fellowship providing professionals and scholars with experience in judicial administration, policy, legal research, and education within the federal judiciary.
  • Deadline: 11/15/2026
  • Keywords: Judicial administration, law, legal research, federal judiciary, public policy, political science, judicial education, public service, fellowship, Supreme Court
• 
  
  • Borealis Philanthropy 
  • Description: Supports grassroots organizations, coalitions, and community-based initiatives working to advance community safety, democracy, justice, and belonging. The program provides flexible general operating support for organizations developing alternatives to criminalization, strengthening civic participation, protecting civil rights, and building community-led solutions.
  • Deadline: Rolling deadline (applications accepted while funds remain available)
  • Keywords: Community Safety, Democracy, Social Justice, Civil Rights, Community Organizing
• • 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
• • 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: Full proposal accepted anytime
  • Keywords:
• • National Science Foundation
  • Description:
  • Deadline: Full proposal accepted anytime
  • Keywords: 
• • National Science Foundation (NSF)
  • Description:
  • Deadline: Full proposal accepted anytime
  • 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: