Institutional Challenge Grant
Funds university-public agency partnerships to conduct collaborative research and drive institutional change aimed at reducing inequality in youth outcomes across multiple domains.
Funder: William T. Grant Foundation
Due Dates: September 9, 2026 (Full application)
Funding Amounts: $650,000 over three years per award; at least two awards per cycle; indirect costs up to 15% of direct costs; possibility of two-year continuation.
Summary: Supports university-public agency partnerships to conduct collaborative research and create institutional change aimed at reducing inequality in youth outcomes.
Key Information: Lead applicant must be a university-based research institute, school, or center; strong emphasis on existing partnerships and institutional commitment.
Description
This grant funds university-based research institutes, schools, or centers to partner with U.S. public agencies or nonprofit organizations in order to reduce inequality in youth outcomes. The program requires partnerships to develop and pursue a joint research agenda focused on disparities among youth (ages 5–25) in areas such as education, justice, child welfare, mental health, immigration, and workforce development. Additionally, the grant challenges research institutions to enact institutional changes that support and sustain research-practice partnerships beyond individual projects, and to build the capacity of both researchers and agency/nonprofit partners for collaborative, actionable research.
