About
The American Psychological Foundation (APF) is a grantmaking foundation that leverages the power of philanthropy to advance psychological knowledge by investing in innovative research and applications that prioritize people and their wellbeing. APF provides funding opportunities for psychological research, scholarships, fellowships, and grants that support the development of scientists and practitioners in psychology, with programs addressing areas such as mental health, LGBTQIA+ health, child development, and community-based interventions.
Funding Opportunities
K. Anders Ericsson Dissertation Research Grant
The K. Anders Ericsson Dissertation Research Grant supports one annual grant for dissertation research in the general area of expertise and skill acquisition, with a preferred focus on applications of the expert performance approach and/or the impacts of deliberate practice in diverse domains of skill. The research priority topic is expertise and skill acquisition, broadly defined, with special interest in proposals that use process tracing methods, the expert-performance approach, or a deliberate practice framework to understand superior skill. This grant provides $11,000 to support graduate students in the process of completing their dissertations in psychology-related fields focusing on expertise development and skill acquisition research.
Division 18 Lived Experience Fund Research or Program Development Grant
The Division 18 Lived Experience Fund Research or Program Development Grant supports research or program development by a psychologist who identifies as having lived experience and whose work is in the area of peer support, survivor studies, c/s/x work, disclosure, or research or programs in the general area focused on lived experience. Innovative and creative ideas are welcomed and encouraged. This grant is offered by the American Psychological Foundation in partnership with Division 18 (Psychologists in Public Service) and is open to psychologists with a doctoral degree at any career stage. The program encourages applicants from diverse backgrounds with respect to age, race, color, religion, creed, nationality, ability, sexual orientation, gender, and geography.
Division 18 Lived Experience Fund Dissertation Research Grant
The Division 18 Lived Experience Fund Dissertation Research Grant supports a doctoral student in clinical, counseling, or community psychology with lived experience who is doing their dissertation in a topic area related to peer support, survivor research, the c/s/x movement, disclosure of lived experience, or other projects in the general area focused on lived experience. This grant is sponsored by the American Psychological Foundation and Division 18 (Psychologists in Public Service). The program encourages applicants from diverse backgrounds with respect to age, race, color, religion, creed, nationality, ability, sexual orientation, gender, and geography. Applicants must be current doctoral students in the process of completing their dissertations. Applications are evaluated on impact, innovation, and conformance to program goals.
Trauma Psychology Grant
The APF Trauma Psychology Grant offers funding to support innovative work to alleviate trauma. This grant is sponsored by APA Division 56: Division of Trauma Psychology. The program seeks to fund early career psychologists who demonstrate knowledge of trauma and trauma research, as well as competence and capacity to execute proposed work. Applications are evaluated on the quality, viability, and potential impact of the proposed project, as well as originality, innovation, and contribution to the field of trauma. The grant provides support for innovative projects that advance understanding of trauma and develop interventions to help individuals and communities affected by traumatic experiences.
Division 56 CHANGE Grant
The Division 56 Cultivating Healing, Advocacy, Nonviolence, Growth, and Equity (CHANGE) Grant supports graduate student or early-career psychologist-led collaborative projects aimed at identifying and dismantling all forms of systemic racism, discrimination, and violence. Examples of supported projects include improving transdisciplinary and intervention research methods addressing trauma disparities, understanding the historical and ongoing sociopolitical and systemic causes of racial trauma and health disparities, identifying ways in which persons of color and their communities thrive, developing trauma-informed and culturally tailored sustainable programs that promote well-being, providing access to trauma psychology information and services to underserved individuals and communities, and restorative justice practices. The grant is offered by the American Psychological Foundation in collaboration with Division 56 of the American Psychological Association. APF encourages applicants from diverse backgrounds with respect to age, race, color, religion, creed, nationality, ability, sexual orientation, gender, and geography.
Dr. Christine Blasey Ford Grant
The Dr. Christine Blasey Ford Grant will support graduate students and early career researchers conducting innovative work focusing on the understanding, prevention and/or treatment of the consequences of exposure to traumatic events such as sexual assault, sexual harassment and/or rape. This grant is sponsored by APA Division 56: Division of Trauma Psychology. The grant provides funding for innovative research projects that contribute to the field of trauma psychology. Applications are evaluated on the quality, viability, and potential impact of the proposed project, originality and innovation, and the applicant's demonstrated competence to execute the proposed work. The program encourages applications from diverse backgrounds with respect to age, race, color, religion, creed, nationality, ability, sexual orientation, gender, and geography.
Scott and Paul Pearsall Grant
The Scott and Paul Pearsall Grant supports graduate and early career work that seeks to increase the public's understanding of the psychological pain and stigma experienced by adults living with visible physical disabilities, such as cerebral palsy. The program aims to encourage talented students and early career researchers to orient their careers to understanding the psychological effect of stigma on people with visible disabilities, develop strategies to improve the public's understanding of the psychological pain and stigma felt by individuals with visible physical disability in order to reduce harmful misconceptions, and encourage dissemination of findings to the public, expressly through media. Preference is given to proposals that contain a plan to disseminate findings to the public, especially through media organizations such as the Entertainment Industry Foundation or the Entertainment Industry Council.
Dr. Diana Slaughter Kotzin and Mr. Joseph G. Kotzin Fund Grant
The Dr. Diana Slaughter Kotzin and Mr. Joseph G. Kotzin Fund Grant supports research, practice, or education of an early career psychologist on the topic of child and youth suicide among African Americans. This grant provides funding to advance knowledge, practice, or educational initiatives specifically focused on understanding and preventing suicide among African American children and youth. The program honors the legacy of Mr. Joseph G. Kotzin and Dr. Diana Slaughter Kotzin by supporting critical work in this important area of mental health. Early career psychologists no more than 10 years postdoctoral are eligible to apply. Applications are evaluated based on impact, innovation, originality, contribution to the field, and methodology.
Steven O. Walfish Competition
The Steven O. Walfish Grants, supported by the APA Division 42 Next Generation Fund, promote and support the next generation of student and early career practitioner psychologists to expand the knowledge base in the practice of psychology. Applicants are required to submit manuscripts on clinical, practical, or research innovations that address evolving standards, practices, and methods in psychological practice. Topics may include population-based practice issues, procedure or technique-based practice issues, diagnosis-based practice issues, or service delivery models describing a practice innovation. Grant recipients are encouraged to use the grant to attend the APA convention to present their work. The papers of the grant recipients may qualify for publication in the APA Division 42 journal, Practice Innovations. Up to two $2,000 grants are available to graduate students (within 2 years or less of completing the doctoral degree) and/or early career psychologists (within 10 years of earning the doctoral degree). Winner(s) will receive a 1-year free membership to Division 42.
Bruce and Jane Walsh Grant in Memory of John Holland
The Bruce and Jane Walsh Grant in Memory of John Holland supports scientific, scholarly, or applied research and/or educational activities investigating how personality, culture, and environment influence work behavior and health (mental and physical). Preference will be given to early career psychologists no more than 10 years postdoctoral, and pilot projects that, if successful, would be strong candidates for support from major federal and foundation funding agencies, and demonstration projects that promise to generalize broadly to similar settings in other geographical areas and/or to other settings. John Holland was a renowned vocational and personality psychologist, and a pioneer in the field of vocational psychology. Holland's Theory of Vocational Choice inspired the creation of the Holland Codes (RIASEC), which refer to the idea that careers and vocational choice can be based upon personality types. In his honor, Bruce and Mrs. Jane Walsh have funded this grant, which has generously supported graduate students and early career psychologists who investigate how personality, culture and environment influence work-related behavior and health.
David H. and Beverly A. Barlow Grant
The David H. and Beverly A. Barlow Grant supports innovative basic and clinical research on anxiety and anxiety-related disorders conducted by graduate students and early career researchers. Dr. David H. Barlow is a pioneer in the field of anxiety and anxiety-related disorders and founder and director emeritus of the Center for Anxiety and Related Disorders at Boston University. Dr. and Mrs. Barlow have generously funded this grant to continue supporting innovative and impactful research in the area of anxiety and related disorders. The grant provides funding to support graduate students and early career psychologists conducting clinical research on anxiety and other related disorders, with an emphasis on quality, viability, and potential impact of proposed projects. Applications are evaluated based on originality, innovation, contribution to the field of anxiety, and the applicant's demonstrated competence and capability to execute the proposed work.
Psychology of Antisemitism Grant
The Psychology of Antisemitism Grant supports annual grants to applicants who design, develop, or implement programs or research projects that aim to reduce antisemitism or mitigate its effects. Applicants must propose well-formulated programs or research projects using interventions with a theoretical foundation that they will also evaluate for their effectiveness using state-of-the-science methods. Pilot studies are welcome. The grant is exclusively for psychological researchers using psychological theory. Graduate students and psychologists with a doctoral degree of any career stage are eligible to apply. APF encourages applicants from diverse backgrounds with respect to age, race, color, religion, creed, nationality, ability, sexual orientation, gender, and geography. Grantees must provide IRB approval before funding can be disbursed, though IRB approval is not required at the time of application. The funding period ends 12 months from the check date. Applications are evaluated on quality and feasibility, anticipated impact on reducing antisemitism or mitigating its effects, applicant competency, and criticality of funding.
Division 39 Marsha D. McCary Fund Grant for Psychoanalysis
The Marsha D. McCary Division 39 Fund for Psychoanalysis, named for the Fund's founder, was established to increase public awareness of the benefits of psychoanalytic principles and treatments, and the applicability of psychoanalytic thought to clinical, organizational, and social problems. Through the annual grants, the Fund seeks to recognize and promote the contributions of psychoanalysis to psychology as a science and profession. It encourages and supports programs in education, research, and service that will advance the profession and keep the psychological community and the public informed of developments in psychoanalytic scholarship, research, and practice. The Fund hopes to focus on populations that are in need of support, such as early career professionals, students from diverse backgrounds, and therapists working with underserved populations.
Practice Based Evidence Fund Grant
The Practice Based Evidence Fund grant supports psychologists and trainees who are primarily affiliated with community mental health settings, private practice settings, or other local outpatient settings. One annual grant is available to support efforts to document, evaluate, or implement practices in those settings, meant to provide initial resources to support novel research. Applicants may submit one of two types of project proposals: (1) Projects to evaluate clinical practice, describing the identified innovation and a proposal for how to evaluate its effectiveness, or (2) Projects to implement evidence-based practices in typical practice settings, seeking to evaluate clinical care and implementation of evidence-based practices. Special priority is given to projects with the potential to impact marginalized or under-resourced communities or populations.
Fund for Racial and Ethnic Diversity (FRED) Scholarship for Emerging Scholars
The Fund for Racial and Ethnic Diversity (FRED) Scholarship for Emerging Scholars supports undergraduate students from traditionally underrepresented communities of color with a demonstrated desire to pursue a graduate degree in psychology, specifically in clinical and/or research areas. The scholarship is sponsored by the American Psychological Foundation in partnership with the Minority Fellowship Program (MFP). This program aims to increase diversity in the field of psychology by supporting emerging scholars from underrepresented racial and ethnic backgrounds as they transition from undergraduate to graduate studies. Applicants must demonstrate a passion and desire to pursue psychology after completing their undergraduate program. The scholarship provides financial support to help offset educational expenses for students committed to advancing psychological science and practice.
Marian R. Stuart Grant
The Marian R. Stuart Grant will further the research, practice, or education of an early career psychologist on the connection between mental and physical health, particularly for work that contributes to public health. Examples include but are not limited to research-based programs that teach medical doctors counseling skills; research-based programs on the effect of behavior on health; and research-based programs on psychologists' role in medical settings for the benefit of patients. This grant is designed to support innovative work that bridges mental and physical health, with preference given to psychologists working in medical schools. The award provides funding for projects that demonstrate quality, viability, and potential impact in the field of health psychology and behavioral medicine.
Sharon Stephens Brehm Undergraduate Psychology Scholarships
The Sharon Stephens Brehm Undergraduate Psychology Scholarships recognize outstanding psychology undergraduate students who demonstrate financial need. The Brehm Scholarships help defray students' direct educational costs including tuition, institutional fees, and required textbooks. The program provides eight annual scholarships of $5,000 each to support undergraduate psychology majors at accredited colleges and universities. Applications are evaluated based on academic excellence, demonstrated financial need, and demonstrated interest in the field of psychology. Recipients must maintain a minimum 3.50 cumulative GPA and be enrolled as declared psychology majors during both the fall and spring semesters.
COGDOP Graduate Student Scholarships
The COGDOP Graduate Student Scholarships program is designed to assist graduate students of psychology with research costs associated with the master's thesis or doctoral dissertation. The American Psychological Foundation (APF) awards 9 annual scholarships ranging from $2,000 to $5,000 to support graduate student research. These include named scholarships such as the Harry and Miriam Levinson Scholarship ($5,000), William and Dorothy Bevan Scholarship ($3,000), Charles and Carol Spielberger Scholarship ($5,000), and others. The scholarships are available to graduate students enrolled in interim master's programs or doctoral programs, with the requirement that students in terminal master's programs must intend to enroll in a PhD program. Students at any stage of graduate study are encouraged to apply, and applicants must be enrolled in the graduate program at the time grants are awarded. Each graduate department of psychology that is a member of COGDOP may submit nominations based on the size of their program, with departments having 100 or fewer students able to nominate one candidate, 101-200 students up to two candidates, and more than 200 students up to three candidates. APF encourages applicants from diverse backgrounds with respect to age, race, color, religion, creed, nationality, ability, sexual orientation, gender, and geography.
Kenneth B. and Mamie P. Clark Grant
The Kenneth B. and Mamie P. Clark Fund supports research and demonstration activities that promote the understanding of the relationship between self-identity and academic achievement with an emphasis on children in grade levels Kâ8. This grant alternates every other year between an early career psychologist and a graduate student. In 2026, this grant will support a graduate student. The Kenneth B. and Mamie P. Clark Fund was established in 2003 to honor the Clarks and to perpetuate their work as pioneers in understanding the psychological underpinnings of race relations and in addressing social issues such as segregation and injustice. The Clarks were the first and second African-Americans to receive PhDs from Columbia University.
The Springfield Research Fund Grants
The Springfield Research Fund Grant supports research of contemporary LGBTQIA+ issues in an effort to dispel stereotypes and other negative information that leads to prejudice and discrimination. The 2026 area of preference will be given to research that addresses intersectional stigmas. The program provides three grants of up to $21,000 each for early career psychologists who are no more than 10 years postdoctoral. Applicants can request up to $21,000 only if $1,000 is reserved for publication costs. Applications are evaluated based on impact and innovation, viability and methodology, and plan for dissemination. APF encourages applicants from diverse backgrounds with respect to age, race, color, religion, creed, nationality, ability, sexual orientation, gender, and geography.
Wayne F. Placek Grants
The Wayne F. Placek Grant encourages research to increase the general public's understanding of homosexuality and sexual orientation, and to alleviate the stress that LGBTQIA+ individuals experience in this and future civilizations. Since 1995, the Placek Fund has granted more than $1 million. The grant addresses topics including heterosexuals' attitudes and behaviors toward LGBTQIA+ people (including prejudice, discrimination, and violence), family and workplace issues relevant to LGBTQIA+ people, special concerns of historically underrepresented sectors of the LGBTQIA+ population, and issues concerning Black LGBTQIA+ individuals and communities. APF awards two grants annually, with one specifically designated as the Wayne F. Placek Grant in Memorial of John Peterson, focused on psychological research into issues concerning Black LGBTQIA+ individuals and communities conducted by scholars of color. Wayne F. Placek was a research subject of psychologist Evelyn Hooker whose groundbreaking 1950s research led to the removal of homosexuality as a clinical diagnosis.
Division 1 Society for General Psychology and Interdisciplinary Inquiry Mary Whiton Calkins Grant
The Society for General Psychology and Interdisciplinary Inquiry Mary Whiton Calkins grant encourages research that fits into the broad category of general psychology with a particular interest in research that combines multiple subfields within the discipline or addresses overarching themes. The strongest proposals will align with one or more of Division 1's goals and will support faculty members who seek to promote coherence among psychology's subfields. The grant will support faculty who teach at primarily undergraduate serving institutions and who identify undergraduate education as their primary focus. Preference will be given to applicants who have not been awarded these funds in the previous 3 years, projects that are likely to be presented and/or published in a peer-reviewed outlet or that could be made available to division members through web resources, and projects that involve undergraduates.
The Springfield Research Fund Dissertation Fellowship
The Springfield Research Fund Dissertation Fellowship supports graduate students at any stage of their dissertation who are interested in researching contemporary LGBTQIA+ issues in an effort to dispel stereotypes and other negative information that leads to prejudice and discrimination. One fellowship of up to $10,000 is available annually. The 2026 area of preference will be given to dissertation research that addresses intersectional stigmas. Successful applicants will also be eligible for a $1,000 bonus upon publication of their dissertation research. Applications are evaluated based on impact, innovation, and plan for dissemination, with evaluations being partially need-based.
Division 49 Group Psychotherapy Grant
The APF Division 49 Group Psychotherapy Grant supports innovative group psychotherapy research applied to small groups in a naturalistic setting. This grant focuses primarily on groups in a therapeutic context, including effectiveness of different approaches to group therapy. Although this will often involve studies of group psychotherapy, it may also include other groups with health implications such as support groups for smoking cessation or weight loss. In addition to the grant funds, the awardee receives a three-year membership to Division 49. Samples of appropriate topics include efficacy of group therapy for specific disorders, impact of member individual differences on effectiveness of group therapy, relative efficacy of different modes of therapy, and the role of group climate in the effectiveness of group therapy. Preference is given to early career psychologists (10 years or fewer postdoctoral) and to proposals which integrate group psychotherapy into the proposed research.
Division 49 Group Psychology Grant
The Division 49 Group Psychology Grant supports innovative group psychology research focused toward groups in applied settings. This grant focuses primarily on processes and performance in non-disordered populations, which may also include members' beliefs about and identification with the group. Sample topics include the impact of individual differences, beliefs, and situational or structural factors on group processes, judgment, decision-making, or performance; the impact of group interaction on member states such as beliefs, affect, and identification; differences in leadership and its impact on group process or performance; and measurement of group-level constructs such as team emotional intelligence, group cohesion, collective resilience, and collective efficacy. In addition to the grant funds, the awardee receives a three-year membership to Division 49 (Society of Group Psychology and Group Psychotherapy). The grant is offered by the American Psychological Foundation in partnership with Division 49.
F.J. McGuigan Dissertation Award
The F.J. McGuigan Dissertation Award supports dissertation research that addresses any aspect of mental function including cognition, affect, and motivation. The program seeks to understand the mind from both a behavioral and neural perspective. Proposed research should be compatible with McGuigan's overall goals and may fall within any area of contemporary behavioral or brain science, including more recent forms of cognitive psychology. The award is specifically intended for doctoral candidates who have completed doctoral candidacy and have obtained dissertation approval from their doctoral committee. Dualistic approaches characteristic of much contemporary cognitive research are specifically ineligible. This award provides financial support to advance innovative dissertation research that contributes to understanding mental function through integrated behavioral and neural approaches.
Joseph B. Gittler Award
The Joseph B. Gittler Award was established through a bequest from Joseph Gittler, PhD, who wished to recognize psychologists who are making and will continue to make scholarly contributions to the philosophical foundations of psychological knowledge. This award honors psychologists who demonstrate significant contributions to the philosophical foundations of psychology, particularly over the last five to ten years. The award recognizes scholars at all career levels who are advancing philosophical understanding within the field of psychology. Recipients are selected based on their accomplishments in the targeted area and their plans to continue contributing to the philosophy of psychological knowledge over the next five years.
F.J. McGuigan Early Career Investigator Research Grant on Understanding the Human Mind
The F.J. McGuigan Early Career Investigator Research Grant is given biennially to recognize and support the efforts of an early career psychological scientist who is pursuing research that aims to address any aspect of mental function (e.g., cognition, affect, motivation) and seeks to understand the mind from both a behavioral and neural perspective. The grant advances a unified understanding of the human mind/brain through empirical and/or theoretical research and encourages promising young researchers to pursue careers in related fields. The program provides $15,000 in funding to support innovative research that contributes to understanding mental functions including cognition, affect, and motivation from both behavioral and neural perspectives. Applications are evaluated on conformance with stated program goals, quality of proposed research, innovation and contribution to the field, and demonstrated competence to execute the proposed work.
Leadership Institute for Women in Psychology Signature Program Scholarship (LIWP)
The Leadership Institute for Women in Psychology Signature Program Scholarship provides financial support to outstanding participant leaders in the LIWP Signature Program. Six individual scholarships of $1,000 each are awarded annually to exceptional women who demonstrate leadership, passion, and diverse professional experiences in psychology. Scholarship recipients are selected from the LIWP class by the LIWP Advisory Committee and Future Directions Subcommittee based on demonstrated need, leadership qualities, and unique professional activities. The program is sponsored jointly by the American Psychological Foundation and the APA Leadership Development Institute, with the aim of supporting women leaders in the field of psychology.
Division 18 Professional Development or Service Grant
The Division 18 Professional Development or Service Grant supports both professional development and service by Division 18 members, which contribute to the science and practice of public service psychology. This grant is designed to support psychologists and doctoral students in advancing their professional development activities or service projects related to public service psychology. Applicants must be members of APA Division 18 (Psychologists in Public Service) and demonstrate how their proposed work contributes to the field. Award recipients are required to disseminate their work through a Division 18 webinar, convention presentation, or newsletter article.
Direct Action Visionary Grants
The APF Direct Action Visionary Grants seek to fund innovative interventions, based on psychological knowledge, that directly address pressing needs of communities. Research is critical to advancing the field of psychology, but communities also need care right now. APF is uniquely positioned to accomplish both. Through APF Direct Action Visionary Grants, the foundation is particularly interested in supporting communities and populations dealing with prejudice, bias, intolerance, and all forms of bigotry including racism, antisemitism, homophobia, and misogyny. Projects should support APF's four Visionary Priorities: Serve Marginalized Communities, End Prejudice & Stigma, Prevent Violence, and Explore Mind-Body Health Connections. The grants support evidence-based psychological interventions or resources that have demonstrated competence and capacity to execute the proposed work. Projects are not limited to clinical or academic settings. Eligible projects include evaluation of the implementation of an evidence-based intervention in a specific community, bridging the gap to bring an evidence-based intervention to a community in need, and translation and evaluation of psychological knowledge into a form that can be easily distributed to and understood by a community in need. The program will not fund facility renovations or acquisitions, proof of concept projects, clinical trials, or pilot studies unless the intervention is currently being implemented in a real-world setting.
John and Polly Sparks Early Career Grant for Psychologists Investigating Serious Emotional Disturbance (SED)
The John and Polly Sparks Early Career Grant supports early career psychologists conducting research in the area of early intervention and treatment for serious emotional disturbance in children. The John and Polly Sparks Foundation partnered with APF to empower early career psychologists to produce scientifically-based research and programs that could provide models for broad-based applications across the country. This grant program provides funding for innovative research projects that focus on early intervention strategies and treatment approaches for children experiencing serious emotional disturbance. The program aims to advance the field by supporting high-quality research that can serve as models for implementation in various settings nationwide.
Walter Katkovsky Research Grants
The Walter Katkovsky Research Grants support research on the general topic of psychotherapy. Research proposals should be directed to questions and hypotheses designed to improve our understanding based on theory or methods of how psychotherapy promotes behavioral, emotional, or cognitive changes. While the ultimate goal of the research should be to inform the psychotherapy process, its specific focus may be limited to an underlying assumption, hypothesis, or questions; and the actual design may be 'clinical' or 'experimental' in terms of subjects and procedures. The research design may be a simulation of some aspect of the psychotherapy process (e.g., learning or exposure trials) and subjects may or may not be classified as 'patients'. The proposal must describe in detail the experimental methodology including hypotheses, subject selection, and measures of independent and dependent variables, including a description of the psychotherapy that must deal with life problems and emotional/behavioral reactions and result in the collection of new data.
At a Glance
- Total Funding Opportunities
- 39
- Active Now
- 33
- Source Domain
- ampsychfdn.org
Catalog Data
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