Harvard Impact Labs
ForecastedInternal — Harvard University only
Harvard Impact Labs supports Harvard faculty collaborating with practitioners and communities to develop, test, and scale solutions to pressing social problems while advancing scientific knowledge.
Funder: Harvard University
Due Dates (Anticipated): March 2027 (Start-Up letters of interest) | June 2027 (Fellowship applications) | July 2027 (Start-Up full applications) | September 2027 (Public Service Leaves applications)
Funding Amounts: Impact Lab Start-Up Funding: up to $500,000 in direct costs over two years
Summary: Supports Harvard faculty collaborating with practitioners and communities to develop, test, and scale solutions to pressing social problems.
Key Information: Start-Up Funding requires an existing external partner; HMS/HSDM faculty primarily appointed at HMS affiliates are ineligible for this category.
Description
Harvard Impact Labs provides funding and other support for Harvard faculty to address pressing social problems through sustained collaboration with practitioners and communities. Faculty and students work with government, nonprofit, and private entities in the United States and internationally to jointly define problems, develop learning agendas, test interventions, and scale solutions. The initiative aims to advance scientific knowledge while generating tangible improvements in people’s lives.
Three opportunities support this approach: Impact Lab Start-Up Funding, the Impact Lab Development Fellowship, and Public Service Leaves. Start-Up Funding supports launching a lab or a new research direction within an existing lab, rather than a one-off study. The Fellowship provides training, coaching, and support to faculty developing an impact lab. Public Service Leaves enable faculty to take leave to work in government or a nonprofit organization.
