[Russell Sage Foundation](https://www.russellsage.org)

March 11, 2026 (LOI) | June 18, 2026 (Full Proposal, by invitation) | October 28, 2026 (LOI) | February 22, 2027 (Full Proposal, by invitation)

Up to $200,000 per project (including 15% indirect costs); typical duration is 1–2 years.

Supports research on the causes and consequences of social, political, and economic inequalities in the United States.

--- ## Description The Russell Sage Foundation’s Social, Political, and Economic Inequality program funds innovative research examining the causes and consequences of inequalities in the United States. The program seeks projects that explore factors contributing to disparities in social, political, and economic outcomes—including educational and labor market opportunities, social and economic mobility, and civic participation and representation. Research should advance understanding of how these inequalities affect American society, with a focus on generating evidence-based insights that can inform policy and practice. --- ## Due Dates - March 11, 2026: Letter of Inquiry (LOI) deadline (2pm ET) - June 18, 2026: Invited full proposal deadline (2pm ET) - October 28, 2026: Letter of Inquiry (LOI) deadline (2pm ET) - February 22, 2027: Invited full proposal deadline (2pm ET) All applications (LOIs and proposals) are due by 2pm ET. --- ## Funding Amount - Maximum award: $200,000 per project (including up to 15% indirect costs) - Smaller Presidential Authority grants: up to $75,000 - Typical project duration: 1–2 years - Funding covers research assistance, data acquisition, data analysis, and investigator time The final funding rate for core research grants is approximately 6–10% of submitted LOIs. --- ## Eligibility - Principal Investigators (PIs) and Co-PIs must hold a doctorate (PhD or equivalent). In rare cases, non-PhDs with strong scholarly research backgrounds may be considered. - Students are not eligible to apply. - Projects must have a fully developed research design, sample framework, and data access at the time of LOI submission. - RSF rarely funds projects that solely use routine, publicly available data unless there is a novel or linked data approach. --- ## Application Process 1. **Preliminary Step:** All applications must start with a Letter of Inquiry (LOI) submitted via the [Fluxx online portal](https://rsf.fluxx.io/user_sessions/new). 2. **LOI Requirements:** - 4-page (max) single-spaced project description (bibliography not included in limit) - Abbreviated CV (max 5 pages) 3. **Review:** About 15% of LOIs are invited to submit a full proposal. 4. **Full Proposal:** Invited applicants submit a comprehensive proposal by the relevant deadline. 5. **Account Setup:** New Fluxx accounts must be created at least one week before the deadline (activation may take up to 5 business days). **Note:** The review process is highly competitive and multi-disciplinary, involving both internal staff and external peer reviewers. --- ## Additional Information - Projects should demonstrate methodological rigor and a well-developed conceptual framework. - RSF encourages interdisciplinary collaboration and the use of novel or restricted data. - Routine analyses of widely available public datasets are generally not funded unless demonstrating novel contributions. - Investigators are encouraged to develop and pre-test survey instruments, conduct preliminary data analyses, or complete initial qualitative work before applying. --- ## External Links - [Program Overview & RFP](https://www.russellsage.org/research/priorities/social-political-economic-inequality) - [Core Research Grants Details](https://www.russellsage.org/apply/grants/core) - [Application Deadlines](https://www.russellsage.org/apply/application-deadlines) - [Application Portal (Fluxx)](https://rsf.fluxx.io/user_sessions/new) - [Grant Writing Tips](https://www.russellsage.org/apply/grants/core/tips) - [FAQ](https://www.russellsage.org/apply/faq) --- ## Contact Information | Type | Details | |----------------|-------------------------------------------------------------| | Email | info@rsage.org | | Phone | +1 212-750-6000 | | Contact Form | [Contact RSF](https://www.russellsage.org/about/contact) | ---

Social, Political, and Economic Inequality

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