About
The Institute for Humane Studies (IHS) develops and connects scholars, academics, and thought leaders who apply the principles of political, economic, cultural, and intellectual freedom to address society's biggest questions. For over 65 years, IHS has cultivated a network of more than 7,000 university professors, policy experts, and civil society leaders. Rooted in the classical liberal intellectual tradition, the organization produces research and supports scholarship aimed at advancing a society grounded in human dignity, equality, and constitutional restraint. IHS provides funding, programs, and events designed to help research and teaching thrive.
Funding Opportunities
Free Society Grants
Free Society Grants support faculty seeking to develop or expand undergraduate programming grounded in the liberal tradition. Grants are awarded based on project scope and need. These grants are designed for faculty who want to cultivate sustained intellectual engagement through mentorship, structured reading, and rigorous discussion—inside and beyond the classroom. The goal is not simply exposure to ideas, but intellectual formation. Eligible projects may include faculty-led mentorship programs, reading groups or structured discussion series, colloquia or student research workshops, undergraduate symposia or mini-conferences, support for student research and conference participation, and innovative programming that deepens engagement with political, economic, and civic questions. All grants include access to ScholarsEdge digital tools, including registration support, to help ensure smooth execution and sustained engagement.
Hayek Fund for Faculty Research Grants
The Hayek Fund provides grants of $500 to $5,000 to faculty at accredited colleges and universities conducting research within the classical liberal tradition. Research often hinges on timely opportunities — presenting at a conference, accessing an archive, purchasing a dataset, collaborating with a research assistant, or preparing a manuscript for submission. The Hayek Fund helps offset these targeted costs, so your work can move forward without delay. The program supports rigorous scholarship that contributes meaningfully to ongoing academic conversations about political, economic, intellectual, and cultural freedom. Awarded faculty retain full independence over research design, analysis, and publication. Preference is given to research connected to IHS initiatives or scholarly communities, projects with clearly articulated publication or dissemination plans, and proposals that demonstrate meaningful contributions to ongoing academic conversations. Preference will be given to proposals aligned with IHS's current research priorities: the political and legal foundations of liberal democracy; economic freedom and the policy conditions for abundance; and the institutional design questions that make self-government stable and effective.
Residency Funding
Residency Funding supports PhD students and postdoctoral fellows seeking short-term placements—typically one week to one month—at universities, academic centers, or research organizations beyond their home institution. Focused time in a new intellectual environment can accelerate dissertation progress, sharpen arguments, and build lasting scholarly relationships. Funding may be used to access datasets or archival materials unavailable at your home institution, work directly with mentors or prospective collaborators, develop sustained research partnerships, or contribute to active scholarly projects aligned with your research agenda. Awarded scholars may receive up to $10,000 to support a short-term research residency, with larger awards considered for exceptional projects with clearly defined scholarly value. Awarded scholars retain full independence over research design, analysis, and publication. Preference is given to proposals aligned with IHS's research priorities: the political and legal foundations of liberal democracy, economic freedom and the policy conditions for abundance, and the institutional design questions that make self-government stable and effective.
Humane Studies Fellowship
The Humane Studies Fellowship offers grants to PhD students conducting research within the liberal tradition at an accredited college or university. Whether you need support for completing major research projects, taking a semester sabbatical for writing, presenting work at top conferences, making journal submissions, or participating in other eligible activities, you are welcome to apply for funding. This program is intended to support key projects that maximize a recipient's research impact and career prospects. Awardees are expected to submit copies of research completed, presented, submitted for review, or published during the fellowship period when and as available. Awardees will also provide updates on significant progress made during the fellowship period. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis, with applicants notified of their award within eight weeks of submission.
At a Glance
- Total Funding Opportunities
- 5
- Active Now
- 4
- Source Domain
- theihs.org
Catalog Data
This funder profile was automatically extracted from grant listings. Information may be incomplete.
Visit official website