Advance Research That Strengthens a Free and Open Society
IHS funds independent research on digital governance, nuclear energy, and deliberative democracy to advance understanding of the foundations of a free society.
Funder: Institute for Humane Studies
Due Dates: July 1, 2026 (Digital Governance as Liberal Experimentation RFP) | July 1, 2026 (Nuclear Energy and the Challenge of a Growing Grid RFP) | July 10, 2026 (Deliberative Democracy and the Effects of Deliberation RFP)
Funding Amounts: Up to $20,000 per award; larger amounts possible for exceptional projects; no overhead/indirect costs allowed.
Summary: Supports independent, rigorous research on the institutional, economic, constitutional, and cultural foundations of a free society, with targeted RFPs on digital governance, nuclear energy, and deliberative democracy.
Description
The Institute for Humane Studies (IHS) funds scholarly research that advances understanding of the foundations of a free and open society. Current Requests for Proposals (RFPs) focus on themes such as digital governance, nuclear energy governance, and deliberative democracy. Each RFP is designed around pressing research questions and seeks proposals that directly address these topics through rigorous, independent scholarship. Awarded scholars retain full independence over their research design, analysis, and publication.
Research deliverables may include peer-reviewed publications, policy white papers, or shareable research databases. Interdisciplinary and comparative research is encouraged, and proposals that closely engage with the specific RFP questions will be most competitive.
