About
The Leakey Foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to exploring human origins through science and education. Founded in 1968, the foundation funds groundbreaking human origins research and award-winning educational programs. Their mission is to uncover the story of human evolution and share this knowledge with the world, combining science and education to explore our shared past, understand our present, and inspire a better future. The foundation provides research grants, fellowships, and scholarships to scientists across multiple countries.
Funding Opportunities
Francis H. Brown African Scholarship
The Francis H. Brown African Scholarship Fund is designed to expand human knowledge and scientific interest in earth sciences and botany related to human origins by providing financial assistance to East African researchers and students pursuing research in these areas. The fund supports research that builds on the work of Dr. Francis H. Brown and builds capacity in the earth and botanical sciences in East African institutions and countries. This scholarship is open to students or researchers of African heritage who are citizens of Kenya, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Uganda, South Sudan, Djibouti, Rwanda, Burundi, Somalia or Eritrea who are pursuing a graduate degree at an accredited university, preferably from, but not limited to, an institution located in sub-Saharan Africa, or have completed their doctoral degrees not longer than ten years prior to the time of application. Applicants must be pursuing research in earth sciences and/or botany related to human origins and must demonstrate a commitment to a career in their field of study with an emphasis on research and teaching in their country of citizenship following the completion of their degree.
Baldwin Fellowship
The Leakey Foundation's prestigious Franklin Mosher Baldwin Fellowship program builds the future of science by investing in aspiring researchers around the world. Many countries abundant in fossils and living primates lack graduate school programs for students who wish to study prehistory or primatology. The Baldwin Fellowship program breaks barriers for talented young scholars, empowering them to earn graduate degrees and become leaders in their chosen field. Since 1978, the Baldwin Fellowship has been instrumental in advancing human origins research and building scientific capacity in regions where fossils and wild primates are found. Initially created to support African students pursuing graduate degrees in paleoanthropology, the program now includes scholars from any country with limited educational opportunities in fields related to human evolution. Each Baldwin Fellow receives up to $15,000 annually for up to two years, supporting not just their studies but also providing access to essential training, mentorship, and professional networks. This comprehensive approach ensures that Baldwin Fellows are well-prepared for successful and fulfilling careers in science. The fellowship helps students from countries where there are limited opportunities for advanced education in fields of research related to human origins. Applicants must be accepted to or currently attending a program of advanced training or studies leading towards a master's degree or PhD either outside or inside the applicant's home country. The applicant's field of study must be related to human origins.
Leakey Foundation Research Grants
The Leakey Foundation is the leading nonprofit funder of research dedicated to understanding human origins. Leakey Foundation Research Grants support both PhD dissertation research and post-PhD research across multiple disciplines related to human origins, evolution, and behavior. The Foundation prioritizes funding for the exploratory phases of promising new research projects and innovative, multidisciplinary approaches that expand the boundaries of current understanding. Each year, the Foundation awards approximately $1,000,000 in grants and scholarships. The program welcomes proposals from researchers at all stages of their careers, especially PhD candidates. The disciplines supported include archaeology, biological anthropology, paleoanthropology, primate behavioral ecology, genetics, geology, anatomy, morphology, paleobotany, and paleoclimatology. Current funding focus areas include paleoanthropology of the Miocene, Pliocene, and Pleistocene; primates evolution, behavior, morphology, ecology, endocrinology, genetics, and isotope studies; and modern hunter-gatherer groups.
Joan Cogswell Donner Field School Scholarship
The Joan Cogswell Donner Field School Scholarship provides financial support for students to access hands-on training in field school programs related to human origins research. This scholarship was created through a generous gift from Leakey Foundation Life Trustee Joan Cogswell Donner. The purpose of the program is to encourage and support scholars who may not otherwise be able to pursue professional human origins research training at a qualified field school or field site. Field school is a crucial step in the journey to becoming a scientist or research assistant, but tuition can be unaffordable for students from the countries where field schools are located. This scholarship helps bridge that gap by providing up to $2,000 per student for one field school season. A qualified field school is a program established and affiliated with a university to offer hands-on training and education in the techniques of archaeology, paleoanthropology, and primatology. The scholarship is open to students enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate program in a country where there are limited resources to support training in fieldwork related to human origins research. Priority is given to students from regions where primates and fossils are found. Applications are accepted year-round and must be submitted by the field school director, not the student. The scholarship is typically offered to two students per field school. Funds may be used to cover travel expenses to and from the field school as well as other expenses related to attending field school, including travel, living expenses during fieldwork, supplies, and research expenses. All funds must be administered by the field school. The scholarship will not cover institutional overhead, salary, benefits, tuition, or publication costs.
Primate Research Fund
The Leakey Foundation offers emergency funding to keep long-term primate field sites operational until other funding can be secured. Long-term refers to sites with 10 years or more of behavioral data collection on individuals. Priority will be given to sites with a clear research and conservation focus that are threatened with the loss of long-term datasets due to a gap in funding or other emergencies. This emergency grant program is designed to provide critical bridge funding for established primate research field sites facing financial gaps. The program aims to preserve valuable long-term behavioral datasets that would otherwise be lost, supporting both research and conservation objectives. Applicants must be Principal Investigators, Directors, or Co-Directors of field sites with at least 10 years of continuous behavioral data collection on individual primates.
At a Glance
- Total Funding Opportunities
- 5
- Active Now
- 5
- Source Domain
- leakeyfoundation.org
Catalog Data
This funder profile was automatically extracted from grant listings. Information may be incomplete.
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