Character Virtue Development
Supports interdisciplinary research and programs advancing understanding and cultivation of character virtues, with 2026 priorities on intelligence, free societies, and formative experiences.
Funder: John Templeton Foundation
Due Dates: July 15, 2026: Online Funding Inquiry submission deadline | December 4, 2026: Full proposal submission deadline
Funding Amounts: Typical awards range from $200,000 to $3 million; project duration is 1–5 years.
Summary: Supports research and programs to advance understanding and cultivation of character virtues, with a 2026 focus on intelligence, free societies, and formative experiences.
Description
The Character Virtue Development funding area, offered by the John Templeton Foundation, supports global research and practical initiatives that seek to understand and foster the cultivation of character, emphasizing virtues such as humility, gratitude, curiosity, diligence, and honesty. Funding is available for both applied research and programmatic initiatives that develop, implement, or assess character development programs in youth-serving contexts, as well as for scientific research into the nature and development of virtues.
For the 2026 funding cycle, the Foundation is prioritizing projects that address:
- The diverse forms of intelligence and their relationship to virtue (including collective, emotional, social, and artificial intelligence)
- The role of character in supporting flourishing free societies, with a focus on agency, institutional incentives, and virtue
- Formative experiences—such as sports or challenging youth programs—that shape character development
Projects must align with one of these three themes to be considered for funding. Interdisciplinary approaches drawing from social sciences, education, humanities, technology, and medicine are encouraged.
