Discover Funding Opportunities

The Silicon Valley Archives Travel Fellowship Program is a pilot program supported by the Silicon Valley Archives at Stanford University Libraries. The program is designed to encourage awareness of the rich collections gathered by Stanford University Libraries over the past forty years in the history of Silicon Valley and to facilitate their use by researchers. The fellowship provides funding support for travel and research expenses related to accessing these archival collections. This pilot program will accept applications twice a year and will initially run for academic years 2025-2026 and 2026-2027. Early career scholars are particularly encouraged to apply, though the program is open to all researchers interested in Silicon Valley history and the archival materials housed at Stanford.

The M. Louise Gloeckner, M.D. Research Fellowship is a competitive annual award established in memory of Dr. M. Louise Carpenter Gloeckner by her husband Frederick Gloeckner in recognition of her key leadership roles in the medical profession. The fellowship provides $4,000 for self-directed research at the Legacy Center at Drexel University College of Medicine, with research beginning on or after June 1, 2026, and extending up to 6 weeks. The program was established to encourage use of the institution's archival collections and is open to scholars, students, and general researchers. Research proposals must focus on materials in the Legacy Center's Women in Medicine Collection, though other collections in the Philadelphia area may be utilized. The collections have particular strengths in the history of women in medicine (nationally and internationally), medical education, and women's health, documenting the past through the eyes of women in medicine.

The Elise J. Bean Oversight Fellowship is a non-resident fellowship program launched in 2021 by the Levin Center for Oversight and Democracy to promote and advance research efforts in legislative oversight. The fellowship encourages scholarly research on oversight investigations conducted by Congress or the 50 state legislatures and related topics. The program seeks to foster high-quality fact-finding and oversight investigations that are not captive to partisan interests by supporting early career scholars, including post-doctoral students and professors, to conduct research and produce papers with useful research results related to oversight by legislators. Research topics may include constitutional and political theories underlying oversight, optimal staffing for oversight committees, measures to gauge the extent and effectiveness of bipartisan oversight, impact of oversight on policy outcomes, how legislative fact-finding affects the public's understanding of issues, oversight performance measures, consensus factfinding, examining oversight gaps, developing new oversight databases, history of oversight in particular subject areas or committees, and other oversight-related issues on the congressional or state level. Fellows must present their research paper at a Levin Center-sponsored event, and the paper will be promoted through academic channels. The fellowship was renamed in 2025 in honor of Elise Bean, a former colleague of the center.

The Immanuel-Kant-Stipendium is a doctoral fellowship program established in 1986 that supports highly qualified early-career researchers in history, cultural studies, and social sciences. The scholarship is awarded to doctoral candidates whose research focuses on transnational and transcultural connections or entanglements in Eastern Europe from the Middle Ages to the present, with particular consideration of the German-speaking population. The fellowship supports research on topics including flight, expulsion, and resettlement, as well as integration processes after 1945. The program provides a two-year basic stipend of 1,550 euros per month, with additional allowances available for married candidates, children, and research stays. Recipients participate in annual symposia at the BKGE where they present and discuss their research findings. The fellowship is administered by the Federal Institute for Culture and History of Germans in Eastern Europe (BKGE) on behalf of the Federal Ministry of the Interior. Note: Applications are currently suspended, with the next funding round expected in 2027.

The BMI Project Funding program supports scientific research and cultural mediation projects related to the culture and history of Germans in Eastern Europe. The program is administered by the Federal Institute for Culture and History of Germans in Eastern Europe (BKGE) in Oldenburg and funded by the Federal Ministry of the Interior (BMI). Projects are funded under Section 96 of the Federal Expellees Act (BVFG) to research, preserve, and present the cultural heritage of Germans in regions such as Silesia, Pomerania, East and West Prussia, Bohemian Lands, Carpathian and Danube regions, the Baltic states, and Russia. The funding program operates through a competitive annual application process with a deadline of August 31st each year for projects beginning in the following calendar year. Two main categories are supported: Science (Wissenschaft) - which includes projects from history and politics, literature and language history, art and music history, and European ethnology - and Cultural Mediation (Kulturelle Vermittlung) - which supports projects in education, arts, literature, theater, music, and dance that serve to preserve and transmit historical and regional knowledge through cultural encounters and events. Funding is provided as project-based grants, typically as co-financing, with a requirement that at least 25% of eligible total expenses be covered by own funds or third-party funding. Grant amounts range from €10,000 to €100,000 per year per project, with a minimum of €5,000 for events and publications. Multi-year funding is possible for up to three years, subject to available budget resources. International cooperation, particularly with partners in Eastern Europe, is encouraged.

The Resident Faculty Scholar Grant Program supports faculty members, or small groups of faculty members, at institutions in the United States or Canada, to utilize BWF Headquarters as a site for mini-sabbaticals and project incubation. This program provides dedicated protected time to initiate or accelerate their work when aligned with BWF priorities and goals. The nature of the mini-sabbaticals/project incubation sessions is quite flexible and would be envisioned to support work at the BWF Headquarters for two to six months. Funds are available to support travel, lodging, meetings, and faculty salary. Office space, computer access, meeting facilities and other dry laboratory resources are available on site. BWF anticipates two proposals to be awarded in the first year of applications. The program encourages all stages of seniority of faculty to apply. This award provides flexibility for faculty to focus on work that aligns with Burroughs Wellcome Fund priorities, including biomedical sciences, interfaces in science, and other areas of interest to BWF. Recipients have utilized the program for initiatives ranging from art-science institutes to evolutionary medicine and global health projects.

BWF's Innovation in Regulatory Science Awards provides up to $500,000 over five years to academic investigators developing new methodologies or innovative approaches in regulatory science that will ultimately inform the regulatory decisions the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and others make. The program especially encourages applications from those seeking to advance regulatory science approaches that will expedite the realization of equitable clinical outcomes. Applicants must hold a faculty or adjunct faculty appointment at a non-profit institution in the U.S. or Canada, which may include degree-granting institutions, research institutes, and teaching hospitals affiliated with academic degree-granting institutions. The program seeks to support innovative methodologies that address critical gaps in regulatory science and improve the evidence base for regulatory decision-making across various domains including drug development, medical devices, and public health policy.

The Graduate Diversity Enrichment Program provides $5,000 over two years to provide PhD students enrolled in North Carolina Institutions of Higher Education opportunities for greater science and research enrichment experiences. The program prioritizes candidates who have demonstrated a commitment to promoting equal access and opportunity through their activities, background and life experiences, which may be informed by someone's membership in groups that have been historically underrepresented in the profession. This includes those from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups, women, first-generation college students, those from disadvantaged socioeconomic backgrounds, those from rural areas, and persons with disabilities. Up to ten awards will be granted for the 2025-2027 period. Applicants must be nominated by an advisor at a degree-granting institution in North Carolina where they are enrolled full-time as a doctoral student. At a minimum, applicants should be within the last semester of their 2nd year as a doctoral student at the time of the application and should not be within any more than their 4th year of study.

The Investigators in the Pathogenesis of Infectious Disease (PATH) program provides opportunities for assistant professors to bring multidisciplinary approaches to studying human infectious diseases. The program aims to provide accomplished investigators at the assistant professor level with opportunities to study what happens at the points where the systems of humans and potentially infectious agents connect. The program supports research that sheds light on the fundamentals that affect the outcomes of these encounters: how colonization, infection, commensalism, and other relationships play out at levels ranging from molecular interactions to systemic ones. PATH is a highly competitive award program that provides $505,000 over five years to study pathogenesis. The program intends to give recipients the freedom and flexibility to pursue new avenues of inquiry, stimulating higher-risk research projects that hold potential for significantly advancing our understanding of how infectious diseases work and how health is maintained. This career development award requires institutional support and commitment to the applicant's scientific, academic, and personal development.

The Next Generation Pregnancy Initiative (NGPI) is BWF's flagship funding mechanism in reproductive sciences, building upon the original Preterm Birth Initiative that ran from 2009 to 2019. After convening a Pregnancy Think Tank in 2019, BWF broadened the program's scope to address the interrelatedness of pregnancy duration, fetal growth, and adverse pregnancy outcomes including preterm birth, preeclampsia, intrauterine growth restriction, stillbirth, and maternal medical complications. Following a strategic reassessment, the 2025-2026 cycle focuses on refined priority areas including underlying mechanisms of normal pregnancy, preeclampsia, preterm birth, and late term pregnancy loss (excluding projects on miscarriage at 10 weeks or less and infertility-related loss). The program especially welcomes applications focused on subtyping adverse pregnancy outcomes, investigating maternal-fetal interactions, and integrating animal models with clinical outcomes. This award targets projects that have a solid basis for expanded study and could leverage NGPI funds to build a stronger foundation of evidence, making them more competitive for larger grant mechanisms like R01. The program provides four years of funding and moved to an annual cycle to address limited funding mechanisms in reproductive sciences.

The Burroughs Wellcome Fund's As1 initiative aims to advance investigation into the nature of consciousness and its related applications. As part of this initiative, the As1 Next Generation Advisory Council will work to develop tools for consciousness science and identify emerging priorities. Council members will be expected to meet for virtual council meetings and participate in a hackathon-style weekend workshop resulting in co-authorship on the council's manuscript products. Council members will receive an honorarium for their participation and be eligible for unique travel award opportunities. The As1 Next Generation Advisory Council may be composed of early-career (neuro)scientists, clinicians, artists and storytellers, organizers, and activists who are already shaping the direction of consciousness science and applied practices. Alongside academic candidates, we also include Indigenous leaders focused on Traditional Ecological Knowledge and Ecological Medicine. Candidates will have achieved a strong combination of academic rigor and/or organizational leadership and/or community-building capacity at early stages of their career. This opportunity provides council members with honoraria, co-authorship on manuscript products, and eligibility for unique travel award opportunities. Members will engage in virtual meetings and a hackathon-style weekend workshop focused on advancing consciousness science research and applications.

The Burroughs Wellcome Fund aims to stimulate the growth of new connections between thinkers working in largely disconnected fields, who, together, may change the course of climate change's impact on human health. Between Fall 2023 and Summer 2026, BWF will dedicate $1 million to supporting small, early-stage grants of $2,500–$50,000 toward achieving this goal. The program is primarily, but not exclusively, interested in activities that build connections between basic and early biomedical scientific approaches and ecological, environmental, geological, geographic, and planetary-scale thinking, as well as with population-focused fields, including epidemiology and public health, demography, economics, and urban planning. Also of interest is work piloting new approaches or interactions aimed at reducing the impact of health-centered activities, such as developing more sustainable systems for healthcare, care delivery, and biomedical research. Another area of interest is preparation for the impacts of extreme weather and other crises that can lead to large-scale disruptions, immediately affecting human health and the delivery of healthcare. Public outreach, climate communication, and education efforts focused on the intersection of climate and health are also appropriate for this call. This program supports work conceived through many kinds of creative thinking. Successful applicants include academic scientists, physicians, and public health experts, community organizations, science outreach centers, non-biomedical academic departments, and more.

Blakemore Kingfisher Fellowships are awarded for nine to twelve months of full-time, intensive language study of Chinese or Korean in East Asia to individuals who have demonstrated intent to pursue an academic career in Chinese or Korean art history prior to the 20th century. These grants are open to citizens or permanent residents of the United States and Canada and to foreign nationals studying in colleges or universities in the United States or Canada. The fellowships are intended to cover basic expenses at a graduate student level necessary to pursue an academic year of full-time intensive language study in Taiwan, China or Korea, including tuition and/or tutoring fees, plus a stipend for travel, living and study expenses. The ideal candidate is someone with stellar grades, outstanding recommendations, and a demonstrated commitment to art historical scholarship with a clear plan for continuing art historical training during the year following the fellowship.

The Vast x Explorers Club Grant is designed to support bold thinkers, curious builders, and determined explorers who are helping make life beyond Earth possible. This program fuels research that brings us closer to living, working, and thriving in space—whether in low Earth orbit, on the Moon, or on Mars. Scientists, engineers, technologists, and explorers conducting innovative research that deepens our understanding of space environments and human adaptation beyond Earth are encouraged to apply. Priority research areas include human habitability and life-support systems in space, closed-loop ecological or biological systems, materials or technologies for space habitats, space medicine and human performance, radiation protection and human health, and psychological and sociocultural aspects of isolation or long-duration missions. The grant is open to early-career and established researchers from any discipline relevant to space science or human adaptation beyond Earth. Applicants must be leading or supporting an active project with clear objectives, deliverables, and measurable outcomes.

The Explorers Club Teaching Fellowship will send teachers on an immersive expedition in the summer of 2026. TEC Teaching Fellows will spend about two weeks on expedition as full-fledged expedition team members, working alongside local and international scientists, conservationists, and other professionals from various fields. In 2025, Teaching Fellows spent two weeks with Andrés Ruzo, a geothermal scientist, at Peru's Boiling River. Some 2026 Teaching Fellows will head to the Boiling River, while others might embark on new expeditions across the world. Teaching Fellows will have the opportunity to receive professional development or continuing education hours with their schools. Upon their return, Teaching Fellows will serve as ambassadors for The Explorers Club and exploration in the classroom, by hosting local explorers at their schools and creating lesson plans for The Explorers Club based on their experience. Teaching Fellows will have the opportunity to steer the future of education at The Explorers Club. This program is open to all current K-12 classroom teachers based in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. The program especially encourages teachers from public and Title I schools to apply. Fellows will be expected to carry a 20lb backpack for 4 hours and hike for at least 4 miles on uneven terrain. Roundtrip refundable economy airfare as well as expedition expenses are included in the fellowship, though travel insurance, incidentals, and personal spending are not included.

Offered in partnership between Adventure Canada and The Explorers Club since 2016, the Young Explorers is a unique and innovative outreach program that supports the personal and professional growth of young explorers. Young explorers apply with specific, place-based project proposals that demonstrate significant potential, then travel on board one of Adventure Canada's selected expeditions to conduct their research or complete a creative or cultural project. The purpose of the Young Explorers Program is to encourage and facilitate the spirit of exploration through the pursuit of science, art, and conservation. The program aims to encourage personal growth for young people who will benefit from direct experience, academic study, cultural exchange, and connecting with The Explorers Club and Adventure Canada communities. The Young Explorers Program Alumni will lead the next generation to thoughtful policy, action, and communication.

In collaboration with PONANT EXPLORATIONS, The Explorers Club offers periodic opportunities for scientists and explorers to conduct research aboard Le Commandant Charcot during multi-week expedition voyages. Recipients come from a diverse community of changemakers from around the world working to support the mission of illuminating and preserving the world's landscapes, cultures and wildlife through science and education. The purpose of these expeditions is to advance scientific research while encouraging conversations of conservation as travelers explore new frontiers in search of discovery and a more sustainable future. The role of the science grantee is to conduct a research project and engage with PONANT EXPLORATIONS travelers via lectures, workshops and, where possible, inviting guests to partake in sample collections. The award provides onboard meals, access to the ship's lab facilities, and a double-occupancy scientist cabin.

The Kleinhans Fellowship provides support for research that addresses real-world problems faced by community forest enterprises (CFEs). As governments increasingly devolve decision-making authority over natural resources to local communities, many CFEs struggle to manage forest resources sustainably while making a profit and ensuring equitable use of financial returns. The fellowship supports research oriented toward solving these challenges, with planning, implementation and dissemination of research results carried out in a participatory manner to ensure practical value for communities. Research topics include markets for lesser-known species and non-timber forest products, biodiversity management practices, social organization and governance, and multi-community enterprises. The fellowship provides a two-year stipend to support research conducted in Latin America that helps inform technical assistance for local development and guides action plans for community forestry.

Established in 1977 to honor the memory of Harold Rosenthal, a Senate staff member who was a victim of a terrorist act while on official duty at age 29, the Rosenthal Fellowship program provides graduate students in international affairs with the opportunity to intern at a congressional or executive branch office in federal, state or local government for the summer. The Rosenthal Fellowship is part of the Partnership's Future Leaders in Public Service Internship Program team. Rosenthal Fellows will join Future Leaders interns for shared programming, including the program kickoff, closing, and professional development opportunities, and will also participate in Rosenthal-specific development and cohort activities. The fellowship offers two concurrent pathways to placement: applying directly to internship positions in federal, state, or local government agencies and Congressional offices, or being matched to select opportunities through the Future Leaders team. Selected participants receive a 10-12 week summer internship at a congressional or executive branch office and professional development sessions, including orientation and networking events throughout the summer.

The Future Leaders in Public Service Internship Program is an exciting, paid opportunity for students of all majors to gain professional experience in federal and state government. Managed by the Partnership for Public Service, the program has been placing highly skilled talent from across the country into government agencies since 2022, offering students the opportunity to apply their educational training to work in government. Selected participants receive a 10-12 week internship at a federal or state government agency, a stipend, and professional development sessions including orientation and networking events throughout the duration of the internship. The program aims to identify, recruit and retain the next generation of public servants to address the nation's current and future challenges.

The Cybersecurity and Artificial Intelligence Talent Initiative is a selective fellowship program designed to recruit, train and retain a world-class digital workforce for the federal government. The program aims to address the estimated 600,000 shortage of cybersecurity professionals in the United States and prepare leaders for an AI-powered future. Fellows selected for the program will be placed at a federal agency with cybersecurity needs for two years, where they will gain vital public sector work experience, develop leadership skills, and build a cross-sector network of technology professionals. During their placement, participants will receive comprehensive professional development opportunities, mentorship from senior leaders in both public and private sectors, and networking opportunities with program alumni and partners. By working for leading federal agencies, participants will develop the skills and knowledge to strengthen the nation's cybersecurity and artificial intelligence capabilities and help build a digital economy of the future. The program is operated by the Partnership for Public Service, a nonpartisan nonprofit organization dedicated to building a better government and stronger democracy.

The Carrie Gordon Tribute Grant provides funding of up to $10,000 to a Princeton in Asia Fellow or recent alumni (within five years of their PiA year) to work in Asia beyond the end of the fellowship. The funding must be used to support a public service project of the Fellow's choice that best embodies Carrie Gordon's spirit, enthusiasm and commitment to public service. The projects may be personal, such as a Vietnamese-American fellow who would like to build a library in her family's home village, or wider-ranging, such as a fellow in Thailand who needs support for a project to bring eyeglasses to all the students in the area in which he taught. Criteria for selection will include the project's impact, feasibility and sustainability, as well as the qualifications of the applicant. This grant honors the legacy of Carrie Gordon, Princeton in Asia's former Executive Director from 1994-2003, who was known for her pride in the accomplishments of PiA Fellows and her unwavering belief in the importance of enabling young people to pursue their passions.

The Yale Institute of Sacred Music's short-term fellows' program enables scholars to engage in research in non-circulating collections at Yale that focus on the aural, material, visual, ritual, and textual cultures of religions. Fellows may be senior scholars or Ph.D. students working on interdisciplinary projects in sacred music, worship, and the arts. These one to three month residential fellowships are restricted to work in Yale's non-circulating collections, notably at the Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library, the special collections of the Divinity Library, the Yale Center for British Art, the Yale Peabody Museum, and the Yale University Art Gallery. Spanning virtually every age and region of the world, Yale's collections are among the deepest and widest ranging of any university. Fellows are encouraged to involve themselves in the life of the university while at Yale and are expected to reside in the vicinity of Yale during the fellowship period.

The Biota Awards Postdoctoral Fellowships Program supports emerging leaders in biodiversity and conservation science during the postdoctoral phase of their career at institutions and organizations in Illinois. The program aims to attract and retain exceptional postdoctoral scientists in Illinois, help them develop independent research projects, and encourage creative thinking about how research can be applied to deliver on-the-ground results. The fellowships also focus on developing a more inclusive and equitable biodiversity research community by supporting fellows from a wide range of backgrounds. The Foundation is seeking proposals in all areas of biodiversity and conservation science, from the molecular to landscape scale, with particular interest in interdisciplinary projects that bridge academic research and conservation practice. These two-year awards provide annual salaries of $70,000 in Year 1 and $73,500 in Year 2, fringe benefits, an annual research and travel allowance of $20,000, up to $3,000 in relocation costs, and indirect costs of up to 15%. Funding is granted to Illinois institutions rather than individual researchers.

The WINGS PhD Dissertation Fellowship, supported by NOAA's Weather Program Office (WPO) and administered by UCAR's Cooperative Programs for the Advancement of Earth System Science (CPAESS), will develop and foster the next generation of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) scholars, with the goal of bolstering the future workforce of America's Weather Enterprise. The Fellowship is designed for PhD candidates who have completed their required coursework and are in the beginning stages of writing a dissertation. Fellows will work with their academic advisor and a mentor recommended by WPO and CPAESS to provide guidance during the dissertation process. The focus of this Fellowship is on research relevant to the NOAA WPO's Earth Prediction Innovation Center (EPIC) and Joint Transfer Technology Initiative (JTTI) programs, serving as a catalyst for community research and modeling system advances that continually inform and accelerate improvements in the Unified Forecast System (UFS). The WINGS program enables Fellows to gain insights into their respective fields of study, support the Fellows' integration into the workforce, and offer a unique opportunity to contribute to forecast model development.

The Graduate Research Fellowship provides 1 to 3 years of support for individuals engaged in graduate study leading to a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degree (or equivalent) in Friedreich's ataxia research. FARA will award up to 3 Graduate Research Fellowships per year. For this application type, the PI/applicant of the grant proposal is the graduate student. Applicants need to be matriculated in the chosen graduate school and have a chosen thesis adviser at the time of application. The research proposal must focus on projects that fall within FARA's Research Priorities. The only allowable budget items are the graduate student's salary/stipend plus applicable fringe benefits (including health insurance) and tuition costs and fees that are not already covered by the institution. The majority of the student's time should be dedicated to this project.

The AIP Grants to Archives program assists archives to undertake significant projects to significantly improve online public discovery and use of historical records collections in the history of the physical sciences with the goal of furthering historical understanding of science and the science community. Grant funds cover direct expenses connected with preserving, inventorying, arranging, describing, and digitizing collections. Expenses may include archival storage materials and staff salary/benefits but not overhead or other indirect costs. Eligibility is limited to archival projects in the history of the physical sciences. Archival repositories in the U.S. and abroad may apply, including archives at universities, corporations, historical societies, government laboratories, etc. Individuals are not eligible to apply. Work not covered includes conducting oral histories, book cataloging, and projects focusing on preservation of scientific data.

The American Institute of Physics Robert H. G. Helleman Memorial Grant and Fellowship Program invites applications for funding for research projects in the history of the physical sciences. The goals of the program are to encourage compelling historical research, innovative and collaborative historical research practices, international scholarly exchange, and career development. Applications should outline a research agenda covering a well-defined topic in the history of the physical sciences since 1850. The projects should be directed by senior scholars, and funding should be primarily used for supporting graduate students or early-career researchers. Proposals should involve participation from at least two research institutions in different geographical regions of the world, with the aim of creating bridges between spatially separated institutions and differing research cultures. Applicants may propose projects for an initial period of up to two years with a start date any time between August 2026 and September 2027. Following one year of demonstrated progress, recipients may apply to extend the overall duration of the grant to three years.

The National Ataxia Foundation (NAF) Graduate Research Fellowship is a one-year, non-renewable award that provides funding to outstanding graduate students conducting research that contributes to the understanding, diagnosis, or treatment of hereditary, sporadic, or acquired ataxias. Proposals across the spectrum of basic, translational, and clinical research are accepted. The goal of this fellowship is to foster early engagement in the ataxia research field and support the development of foundational skills for future scientific careers. This award is intended to nurture promising graduate students and provide early exposure to impactful research in ataxia, helping to cultivate the future leaders of this field. Funding may be used for direct research expenses only, including all or part of the fellow's salary.

The NAF Diversity in Ataxia Research Fellowship is a competitive, merit-based, non-renewable award that provides two years of partial support for the research training of pre-doctoral students. This program is designed to enhance the diversity of the ataxia research workforce by supporting individuals from groups that are underrepresented in the field. Fellowships are awarded annually to outstanding graduate students from racial and ethnic groups underrepresented in biomedical research, individuals with disabilities, and those from disadvantaged backgrounds. NAF welcomes proposals across the full spectrum of basic, translational, and clinical research, as long as the project demonstrates a clear and significant focus on improving understanding of hereditary, sporadic, or acquired forms of ataxia. The fellowship provides $50,000 total ($25,000 per year) for direct research expenses including the fellow's annual stipend. Applications are evaluated based on scientific merit and innovation, commitment to ataxia research, and training environment and mentorship quality.

The NAF Post-doctoral Fellowship Awards provide one-year support for early-career researchers conducting innovative studies that can expand our understanding of the cause, pathogenesis, or treatment of hereditary, sporadic, and acquired ataxias. This fellowship is intended to foster the development of promising scientists by supporting mentored research experiences that build toward independent research careers. Funded projects are expected to generate high-quality preliminary data, strengthen research skills, and position fellows for future grant applications and academic advancement. The fellowship supports projects that are innovative and have the potential to contribute meaningfully to understanding of ataxia, including studies focused on fundamental mechanisms of disease, model development and validation, emerging therapeutic targets or strategies, and early-stage data collection. The fellowship is intended to be a bridge to independence, helping recipients develop the skills, knowledge, and preliminary data necessary to become competitive for long-term research funding and establish themselves as leaders in the ataxia research community.

The NAF Early Career Investigator Award is a one-year grant designed to support outstanding early-stage scientists who have completed their postdoctoral training within the past 6 years and hold a junior faculty or clinical fellow appointment. This award aims to foster the development of independent research careers by providing seed funding for innovative, high-impact studies in the field of ataxia. Proposals are welcome across the full spectrum of basic, translational, and clinical research, but must have a clear and significant focus on advancing our understanding of the causes, pathogenesis, or treatment of hereditary, sporadic, or acquired ataxias. The award is designed to act as a catalyst for early-career investigators, helping them build the foundation necessary to secure long-term funding and become future leaders in ataxia research. Priority is given to projects focused on fundamental disease mechanisms, development and validation of disease models, identification of emerging therapeutic targets or strategies, and early-stage data collection that can support future external grant applications.

The Pioneer SCA3 Translational Research Award is granted annually by the National Ataxia Foundation to independent researchers for outstanding proposals that aim to make meaningful advancements in the treatment and care of individuals with Spinocerebellar Ataxia Type 3 (SCA3). While proposals may include components related to other forms of ataxia, the primary focus must be on preclinical, translational or clinical research directly relevant to SCA3. Priority is placed on proposals that accelerate the development of disease-modifying therapies, support clinical trial readiness and biomarker discovery, bridge the gap between scientific discovery and therapeutic application, and significantly advance or alter our mechanistic understanding of SCA3 pathogenesis. The award provides up to $100,000 for one year (April 1, 2026 to March 31, 2027) for direct research expenses only, with no more than 50% allocated to personnel costs and no indirect costs allowed. Proposals should demonstrate a clear path toward improving patient outcomes and advancing the field toward clinical solutions for SCA3. Interdisciplinary and collaborative projects, as well as those leveraging cutting-edge technologies or resources, are encouraged.

The Enrico Fermi Fellowships aim to address the growing specialization that separates theoretical from experimental training, particularly in physics, making it rare to find scientists with a deep understanding of both areas. Inspired by Enrico Fermi, who excelled in both theoretical and experimental domains, the fellowships target top-level graduate students interested in fundamental scientific questions and eager to work on both theoretical and experimental aspects. The project seeks to offer students generous financial support to broaden their horizons through theory and experiments cross-training. The EFF is open to top students globally, promoting a broad and diverse participation. The EFF is a five-year project comprising at least three cohorts of students. Fellows receive financial support for salary, travel allowance, and research funds for supervisors, along with mentoring and convening activities to support professional development.

The Arc Science Fellows program is designed for outstanding early career scientists who are seeking an opportunity to transition to a principal investigator position directly after their doctoral training. To accelerate independent careers, this program provides Arc Fellows with leadership training and full salary and research support for their group. Arc Science Fellows are active members of the Arc community and have the opportunity to interact and collaborate with Core Investigators, Technology Centers and Translational Programs. Arc Science Fellows are employed by the Institute and appointed for a five-year term at Arc, with a formal check-in after three years. Science Fellows will be independent group leaders that pursue research agendas with a combination of innovative technologies, originality, and risk that are unlikely to be supported by traditional funding sources. Arc Science Fellows are provided an annual direct cost budget to support their research program, including a team of 2-4 people, separate from and in addition to the salary and benefits of the Science Fellow. Fellows labs are located at Arc headquarters in the Stanford Research Park in Palo Alto, CA, a state-of-the-art 100,000 sq. ft. research facility with open lab floor plans that can accommodate up to 5 people per group. The program provides access to robust infrastructure including general operational and lab support, a centralized stockroom, shared equipment for major molecular biology, biochemistry, and genomics workflows, technology platforms and core facilities, and dedicated support teams for recruiting, finance, legal, IP, lab operations, communications, and scientific publication support.

The American Society for Aesthetics is pleased to announce the establishment of a new prize to recognize outstanding published work in legal aesthetics/philosophy of art law, broadly understood. The prize awards $1000 for the prize itself and $1400 for travel to the ASA Annual Meeting to accept the prize. The Program Committee for the Annual Meeting will be encouraged to schedule a session discussing the winning essay, with a summary presentation by the author(s) and commentators. Nominations will be judged based on significance of the topic or issue, quality of the research, quality of the writing, originality, and contribution to the literature in legal aesthetics/philosophy of art law, broadly construed. Nominations also will be assessed on their rigorous inclusion of references representing the diversity of contributors to the relevant scholarly dialogue. The ASA reserves the right to decline the award of the prize in years in which no suitable entries are received. Funds to endow this prize in perpetuity have been provided by Julie C. Van Camp to honor Monroe C. Beardsley's work in aesthetics and Elizabeth Lane Beardsley's work in ethics and philosophy of law.

The American Society for Aesthetics offers the Feminist Aesthetics Prize to encourage new, unpublished work on feminist aesthetics. This prize recognizes outstanding scholarship that advances feminist perspectives in the field of aesthetics. The award supports emerging research that contributes to the understanding and development of feminist approaches to aesthetic theory, criticism, and practice. The prize is awarded to unpublished manuscripts that demonstrate excellence in scholarship and innovation in feminist aesthetics research.

The American Society for Aesthetics offers the Irene H. Chayes New Voices Awards for its annual meetings to nourish and sustain an ethos of inclusivity in all aspects of the Society's activities and in the discipline of aesthetics more broadly. The awards were established to encourage imaginative papers from new and continuing members. Applicants should demonstrate an understanding of the barriers that lead to the underrepresentation of women, ethnic and racial minorities, non-gender-conforming individuals, persons with disabilities, persons from low-socio-economic-status backgrounds, and other members of groups historically underrepresented in higher education careers. The author's capacity to apply their understanding of the conditions of underrepresentation to their research is also required. Applicants should demonstrate this critical perspective by proposing research topics that pertain in a substantial way to the artistic production or aesthetic experience of underrepresented groups. Preference is given to applicants who are students, faculty on fixed-term, non-tenure stream contracts, or not in academic employment. These awards have been made possible by the generosity of a large bequest from the estate of Irene H. Chayes, who was a scholar of literature and taught at the University of Maryland, Hollins College, and SUNY Binghamton.

The Somaesthetics Research Prize is awarded by the American Society for Aesthetics to recognize and encourage continued research in somaesthetics. The interdisciplinary field of somaesthetics is understood broadly as the critical study and meliorative cultivation of the experience and performance of the living body (or soma) as a site of sensory appreciation (aesthesis) and creative self-stylization. Contributions exploring the field of somaesthetics through one or more of the many disciplines that already inform this field are welcome, including philosophy, aesthetics, arts and design research, technology studies, somatic, health, sports, and social sciences, history, physiology, psychology and pedagogy. Eligible submissions include newly published journal articles or book chapters within the eligible time period that are published in peer-reviewed venues recognized by the scholarly community. The prize winner receives $1,000 and is encouraged to attend the ASA meeting with travel expenses provided. Nominations are judged based on adherence to scholarly standards of writing and demonstrated knowledge of somaesthetics scholarship.

The American Society for Aesthetics awards an annual prize for an outstanding monograph in the philosophy of art or aesthetics that was published in the previous calendar year. The selection is made by a committee appointed by the ASA President, with members remaining anonymous. Anyone may nominate a book, and self-nominations are encouraged. The review of books by the committee commences in the spring of each year. The prize recognizes exceptional scholarly achievement in aesthetics and the philosophy of art through book-length publications. Winners represent diverse approaches to aesthetics, from historical scholarship to contemporary philosophical analysis. The award honors contributions that advance the field of aesthetics and demonstrate outstanding scholarly merit. The prize includes both a monetary award of $1000 and reasonable travel expenses to attend the ASA annual meeting, where the prize is announced. This recognition provides winners with visibility within the aesthetics community and the opportunity to present their work at a major professional gathering.

The American Society for Aesthetics sponsors the biennial John Fisher Memorial Prize in Aesthetics. The prize is awarded to an original essay in aesthetics, created in memory of the late John Fisher, editor of The Journal of Aesthetics and Art Criticism from 1973 to 1988. The Prize is offered to foster the development of new voices and talent in the field of aesthetics. The competition is limited to those persons who have completed the terminal degree in their field and are in the early stages of participation in their profession. The biennial winning essay will be published in JAAC, and the author will have the opportunity to read the paper at the annual meeting of the American Society for Aesthetics that follows announcement of a winner. The essay may be on any topic in aesthetics understood according to the characterization on the masthead of JAAC, with a maximum length of 7,500 words.

The Gerber Foundation offers research grants to improve the nutrition, care and development of infants and young children from the first year before birth to three years of age. The Foundation prioritizes projects that provide fresh approaches to solving common, everyday problems or emerging issues within this focus area. Projects should focus on issues faced by care providers that, when implemented, will improve health, nutrition and/or developmental outcomes. The board particularly seeks practical solutions that can be easily and rapidly implemented on a broad scale with a predictable timeframe to clinical application. The Foundation is looking for projects that will result in 'new' information, treatments or tools that will result in a change in practice, including new diagnostic tools, treatment regimens, symptom relief, preventative measures, and risk assessment tools. The program offers two award levels: Major Research Awards for experienced principal investigators (up to $350,000) and Novice Research Awards for researchers in training or within one year post-training (up to $30,000).

The PhRMA Foundation's Postdoctoral Fellowship in Translational Medicine supports individuals engaged in a multidisciplinary, collaborative research training program at an accredited U.S. university that will extend their credentials in translational medicine. The fellowship aims to bring scientific research and technological advancements from the laboratory to the clinic to enhance the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of disease. This includes adapting hypothesis-driven basic research discoveries for application in humans and taking clinical knowledge back to the bench. Research areas include development of innovative diagnostic or therapeutic approaches, precision medicine, novel clinical endpoints, human-relevant experimental and computational approaches, translational pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics, and hypothesis-based validation using human data or human-derived systems. All proposals must clearly state a therapeutically relevant hypothesis and applicants are expected to work with clinical collaborators to identify unmet clinical needs.

The PhRMA Foundation Predoctoral Fellowship in Drug Delivery provides support for promising students (U.S. and non-U.S. citizens) in advanced stages of training and thesis research in drug delivery research, including basic pharmaceutics, biopharmaceutics, pharmaceutical technology, pharmaceutical biotechnology, or biomedical engineering. The fellowship provides $30,000 per year for up to 2 years (12, 18, or 24 months) to support doctoral candidates who have completed most of their pre-thesis requirements and are engaged in thesis research. Research areas could include formulation composition and drug delivery technologies, development of CMC processes for challenging chemical entities, and predictive approaches including modeling, simulation, and machine learning. Proposals must include a clearly defined therapeutic payload and target tissue, as well as rationale for dosing and pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic feasibility. This two-stage application process requires submission of a letter of intent followed by a full application for selected candidates.

The PhRMA Foundation Predoctoral Fellowship in Drug Discovery provides support for promising students (U.S. and non-U.S. citizens) in advanced stages of training and thesis research in drug discovery research. The fellowship provides $30,000 in stipend support per year for up to two years (12, 18, or 24 months). Drug discovery involves the innovative application and integration of multiple scientific disciplines to create efficacious, safe, and differentiated treatment options for patients. The PhRMA Foundation seeks to fund novel early-stage drug discovery research with clear potential for translation to humans. Proposals should focus on biological validation of potential drug targets, such as molecular targets, targetable pathways, or targetable systems. Research areas include cellular and molecular biology, design and generation of pharmacological tools, in vitro and in vivo pharmacology, protein biochemistry, molecular modeling, structural biology, biomedical imaging, single cell analysis, spatial omics, and artificial intelligence/computational approaches. Applicants must have completed at least two years of coursework and be engaged in thesis research as PhD candidates by the time the award is activated.

The PhRMA Foundation's Predoctoral Fellowship in Value Assessment-Health Outcomes Research (VA-HOR) is designed to support promising students (U.S. and non-U.S. citizens) during advanced stages of training and thesis research in value assessment and health outcomes research. The Foundation seeks research proposals that investigate challenges and potential solutions related to evaluating the delivery, safe use, effectiveness, and value (clinical, patient-centered, and economic) of medicines and other health care interventions. Research areas include clinical outcomes assessments, patient-reported outcomes, patient health preferences research, clinical and economic outcomes using real-world data, evaluation and outcomes assessments focused on health equity or unmet need, innovative methods for measuring and reporting novel value elements, development of innovative decision and communication tools, patient-centered value assessment frameworks, and empirical health policy research. Proposals must incorporate patient engagement at an appropriate level through active, meaningful, and collaborative interaction between patients and researchers. Applicants must be full-time, in-residence PhD candidates at accredited U.S. universities who have completed at least two years of coursework and are engaged in thesis research.

The Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues (SPSSI) offers the Social Issues Dissertation Award to encourage excellence in socially relevant research. This annual award recognizes outstanding doctoral dissertations in psychology or social sciences with psychological subject matter that demonstrate scientific excellence and potential application to social problems. The award is open to any doctoral dissertation accepted between March 1st of the previous year and the current year's deadline. Applicants must have successfully defended their dissertation prior to the award deadline. A first prize of $1,000 and a second prize of $500 are awarded annually to the dissertations that best demonstrate scientific excellence and potential application to social problems. Applicants are required to submit a 500-word summary of their dissertation including the title, rationale, methods, results, and implications for social problems, along with a cover sheet containing contact information and university details. Finalists are later asked to provide certification from their dissertation advisor of the acceptance date and a full electronic copy of the dissertation. The award cycle runs annually with a May 1st deadline. Initial notifications are sent by July 13th, and final decisions are announced by September 1st. Applicants may only submit one paper to one SPSSI award per year and cannot submit to the Dissertation Prize twice.

The Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues (SPSSI) presents the Otto Klineberg Intercultural and International Relations Award, honoring Dr. Otto Klineberg (1899-1992), an early president of SPSSI and distinguished figure in intercultural and international relations. This award recognizes the best paper or article of the year on intercultural or international relations from a social psychological perspective. The competition is open to both members and non-members of SPSSI, with graduate students especially encouraged to submit. Entries can be unpublished manuscripts of general chapter or article length, in press papers, book chapters, or journal articles published no more than 18 months prior to the submission deadline. Submissions from across the social sciences are encouraged, provided the paper clearly demonstrates relevance for psychological theory and research in the domain of intercultural and international relations. The award provides $1,000 to the winner, with special weight given to originality of the contribution, whether theoretical or empirical. Applicants may only submit to one SPSSI paper award (Allport, Klineberg, or Dissertation Awards) per year, and in case of multiple submissions, individuals may only serve as single author or first author on one submission.

The Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues (SPSSI) offers the Gordon Allport Intergroup Relations Prize honoring the memory of the late Dr. Gordon W. Allport, a founder and past president of SPSSI. The prize recognizes the best paper or article of the year on intergroup relations, a field about which Professor Allport cared deeply. The award carries a $1,000 prize and is given annually for outstanding published work on intergroup relations. Originality of the contribution, whether theoretical or empirical, will be given special weight. The research area of intergroup relations includes such dimensions as age, gender, and socioeconomic status, as well as ethnicity. Eligible entries must be works published during the calendar year preceding the year of submission, including articles, chapters, or other works published in their primary form. All entries must be submitted in English for consideration. This prestigious prize is sponsored by The Gordon W. Allport Memorial Fund of Harvard University and SPSSI.

The Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues (SPSSI) offers an award recognizing the contributions of faculty at two-year institutions in furthering SPSSI's mission to advance the understanding of social issues. Community and junior college faculty have unique opportunities to reach pre-professional students for whom an associate's degree or a certificate program may be their terminal educational goal. Two-year faculty are uniquely positioned to advance SPSSI's goals through work at their institutions. This award recognizes teaching and/or initiatives at the two-year college level that share applied, social issues research with students and/or surrounding community. Nominees should be two-year college faculty members who have significantly incorporated psychological or allied social science research on social issues through integration into courses or programs, development of initiatives or educational programs, or presentation of workshops or training highlighting social issues research to students and/or the surrounding community.

The Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues (SPSSI) Teaching Resources Award recognizes innovative activities, assignments, and projects related to the psychological study of social issues. The award rewards SPSSI members who have developed novel resources that advance students' understanding of social issues and can be used in a variety of settings, including on-ground and online courses, as well as small or large groups. Up to five prizes of $150 are awarded annually to members who have created and utilized resources for undergraduate, graduate, or online courses. Recipients' submitted materials may be included on the SPSSI website to build an online teaching resource center for public use. The award aims to foster innovative teaching methods that enhance student engagement, critical thinking, and understanding of social issues.

The Lynn Stuart Weiss Lecture was established in 1998 by Drs. Raymond A. and Rosalee G. Weiss, in memory of their daughter, Lynn, whose interests centered on the science and art of politics, with a focus on world law. The Lecture fund is administered by the American Psychological Foundation (APF), and the Lecture series is administered by the Committee on Division/APA Relations (CODAPAR). An annual lecture presented at the APA Annual Convention will be related to Lynn's goal of searching for ways in which world peace could be attained. Her interest centered on the science and art of politics with a focus on world law. The Lecture is intended to connect Lynn's focus with the range of interests in at least four of APA's Divisions: Division 9 (Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues), Division 41 (American Psychological-Law Society), Division 48 (Society for the Study of Peace, Conflict and Violence: Peace Psychology), and Division 52 (International Psychology). CODAPAR solicits speakers on a rotating basis from the above divisions. The award is made annually and selection for the award rotates through the four divisions mentioned above. The selected speaker will receive a $1,000 honorarium, and APF will provide a printed brochure to be disseminated during the lecture that includes information on Lynn Stuart Weiss, as well as the selected speaker. The programming hours for the Weiss Lecturer will be provided by APF. Applicants must be current SPSSI members, be mid- to late-career level, not have been previously selected for the Lynn Stuart Weiss lecture, and be available to give a 50-minute lecture in person at APA's annual Convention. Nominations and self-nominations are encouraged.

Teaching Development Grants are intended to provide networking opportunities, promote awareness of SPSSI, and increase SPSSI membership through support of educational events and teaching activities. Up to $2,500 USD is awarded to two applicants each year based on actual expenses. Funds may be used to publicize events, pay speakers' honoraria, reimburse speakers' travel expenses, print collateral materials, or other expenses related to specific projects. Applicants are required to demonstrate how SPSSI will be featured at the event and how the event will attract and recruit new SPSSI members. Payment is matched against receipts submitted to SPSSI after the event has been held. Within 30 days after completion, a brief report outlining the activities and outcomes achieved must be submitted to SPSSI. Particularly successful or innovative events may receive coverage in the SPSSI newsletter or on the SPSSI website.

SPSSI SEAS grants are intended to promote awareness of SPSSI (Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues), to identify potential new members, and to promote SPSSI membership through support of various events and activities. The grants provide up to $1,000 USD per submission team based on actual expenses incurred. Funds may be used to publicize events, pay speakers' honoraria, reimburse speakers' travel expenses, print collateral materials, or other expenses related to the specific project. In the case of pre-conferences or other larger events, the award can be used to supplement other funding sources. Payment is matched against receipts submitted to SPSSI after the event has been held. Within 30 days after completion of the event, a brief report outlining the activities and outcomes achieved must be submitted to SPSSI. Particularly successful or innovative events may receive coverage in the SPSSI newsletter or on the SPSSI website.

The SAGES Program (SPSSI Action Grants for Experienced Scholars) was established to encourage retired members to apply their knowledge to helping solve social problems or to assist policy makers to solve social problems. Proposals are invited that use social science research findings to address social problems through direct action projects, consulting with not-for-profit groups, or through preparing reviews of existing social science literature that could be used by policy makers. Each year, a number of small grants in the $2,000-$3,000 range are funded. A larger exceptional grant up to $10,000 is a rare possibility and can be spent over a two-year period. Money can be used for hiring staff (including clerical assistance), computing fees, travel, telephone, or other justifiable expenses. Funding cannot be used as a stipend for the applicant. Proposals are evaluated based on how well they build on existing social science research and theory, the feasibility of the project, and the importance of the project.

SPSSI's Researchers in the Global South (RGS Grants Program) is a unique funding opportunity for international members of SPSSI conducting research on social issues outside of the United States. The funding is modeled after SPSSI's long standing Grants-in-Aid program and is designed especially to support scientific research on social issues in the Global South and Majority World settings (e.g., Africa, Latin America, Asia, and southern and eastern Europe). The Committee welcomes proposals involving unique and timely research opportunities, underrepresented institutions, graduate students, and junior scholars, volunteer research teams, and actual (not pilot) projects. Funds may be used for various research activities, but are not available for the indirect costs of institutions. Preference is given to applicants who are based in the Global South conducting research about social issues in the Global South. Funding up to $1000 is available for graduate student research, with strong preference given to applications from students at the dissertation stage. Funding up to $2000 is available for research by SPSSI members who already have a Ph.D. In exceptional circumstances the amount may exceed $2000. In cases of proposals of comparable quality, preference is given to applications from scholars working in circumstances where research support is limited. The program has two annual deadlines (October 1st for Fall round and May 1st for Spring round). Applicants must be members of SPSSI and can submit only one application per deadline. Documentation of IRB approval or equivalent ethical research compliance must accompany every submission.

The Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues (SPSSI) invites proposals for grants to support local- and state-level research/policy groups. SPSSI will fund up to three groups, at up to $2,000 USD each, for each award cycle. This grant initiative, begun in 2015, has three goals: 1) to influence policy at the local and state levels through applied research, 2) to increase the availability of policy opportunities for SPSSI members who are interested in applied research, and 3) to encourage students and early career scholars to become more involved in SPSSI. Grant awardees will review existing research at the local and/or state levels on policy-relevant topics, conduct additional research as needed, and ultimately use this work to assist policy makers in making data-driven decisions about local- and/or state-level issues. Research/policy groups outside of the United States who are looking at local and/or regional issues within their countries are also encouraged to apply.

The SPSSI Committee on Grants-in-Aid (GIA) supports scientific research in social problem areas related to the basic interests and goals of SPSSI, particularly those that are not likely to receive support from traditional sources. The Committee especially encourages proposals involving unique and timely research opportunities, underrepresented institutions, graduate students and junior scholars, volunteer research teams, and actual (not pilot) projects. Funding up to $1,000 is available for graduate student research, with strong preference given to students at the dissertation stage. Funding up to $2,000 is available for research by SPSSI members who already have a Ph.D. Applicants can be at any stage of their academic work at any type of institution, though preference is given to applications from scholars working in circumstances where research support is limited. Grants are awarded twice each year with a Spring round deadline of May 15th, and winners announced by July 20th. Proposals for highly timely and event-oriented research may be submitted at any time during the year for ad hoc review within one month. Funds are not normally provided for travel to conventions, travel or living expenses while conducting research, stipends of principal investigators, costs associated with manuscript preparation, or indirect costs of institutions.

The BrightFuture Climate Innovation Seed Grant 2026 supports early-stage startups, nonprofits, and research-driven initiatives developing scalable solutions that address climate resilience, carbon reduction, and sustainable resource management across Europe and the UK. We are looking for innovative, technology-driven or community-based solutions that demonstrate measurable environmental impact and clear scalability potential.

The Aperture Innovation Accelerator provides seed funding for early-stage startups working on technologies that Cave Johnson himself would have approved of. We're looking for moonshot ideas that conventional funders would consider "too dangerous" or "scientifically impossible." Past cohort projects include: combustible lemon batteries, portal-powered logistics, and sentient turret therapy systems. If your idea makes safety officers nervous, you might be a perfect fit.

In honor of Aperture Science's visionary founder, this award recognizes entrepreneurs who embody Cave Johnson's spirit: bold, uncompromising, and willing to make life take the lemons back. "I'm gonna get my engineers to invent a combustible lemon that burns your house down!" — This is the energy we're looking for in applicants. Not literally, of course. The award supports entrepreneurs at any stage who demonstrate exceptional vision and a healthy disregard for the impossible.

The Stipend for Children without Glasses (SCWG) is a charitable foundation established in 2012 dedicated to supporting youth who have maintained natural visual acuity throughout their developmental years. Founded by optometrist Dr. Helena Brightwell, the organization awards annual grants of $500–$2,000 to children ages 8–17 who demonstrate both exceptional uncorrected vision and academic achievement. The foundation's somewhat tongue-in-cheek mission arose from Dr. Brightwell's observation that while numerous programs exist to provide corrective eyewear to those in need, no recognition existed for children whose genetic fortune and eye-care habits preserved their natural sight. Recipients must submit proof of 20/20 vision or better from a licensed eye care professional, along with a short essay on eye health awareness. The SCWG distributes approximately $150,000 annually across 200 grants and has funded vision health education programs in over 40 schools nationwide.