Best Social Science Research Grants in Alaska

The DanPaul Foundation aims to enhance early childhood development by training teachers and parents, protecting children from abuse, and promoting social responsibility. They provide grants to non-profits for programs that focus on education, health, and welfare of youth. Key initiatives include scholarships, environmental education, and support for underprivileged children. Grant amounts range from a few hundred dollars to $15,000 annually, with a focus on impactful, community-driven projects.

The Draper Richards Kaplan Foundation provides grants to early-stage social entrepreneurs working on scalable solutions to pressing social and environmental issues. By supporting organizations with innovative approaches and proven impact, they aim to uplift underserved communities globally. The foundation offers operational support, funding of up to $300,000 over three years, and fosters a collaborative community among its portfolio organizations. They focus on candidates demonstrating measurable impact and sustainable growth potential.

The Global Impact Cash Grants by Cisco Systems Foundation support innovative early-stage solutions aimed at addressing significant social problems. Targeting nonprofit and nongovernmental organizations, these grants focus on four key sectors: crisis response, education, economic empowerment, and climate regeneration. Eligible organizations must demonstrate alignment with these areas, particularly serving underserved communities. The foundation seeks to leverage technology for impactful solutions, ensuring sustainability and community resilience through strategic investments.

The Hearst Foundation: Culture Grant aims to support outstanding nonprofits that enhance cultural engagement and artistic talent in the U.S. With a focus on programs that reach young people, the grant prioritizes organizations that create lasting impacts in the arts and sciences. The Foundation allocates 25% of its funding to cultural initiatives, favoring established organizations with a history of significant results. Eligible nonprofits must encourage inclusivity and sustainability in their programs.

The Labcorp Charitable Foundation, a private 501(c)(3) entity, aims to enhance healthcare access and education for all. With grant opportunities focusing on food programs, healthcare services for underserved populations, and STEM initiatives, it seeks to support community health and well-being. Organizations eligible for funding must be U.S.-based and hold tax-exempt status. Requests are reviewed biannually, in March and September, to foster impactful community projects.

Roche Corporate Donations and Philanthropy (CDP) focuses on impactful projects that foster sustainable development, engage employees, and leverage Roche's expertise. Their philanthropic efforts prioritize humanitarian, educational, environmental, and cultural initiatives, aiming to build stronger communities and support innovative projects. Eligibility is limited to local organizations, while ineligible projects include those with political or religious ties. The foundation strives to create a positive societal impact through collaboration and strategic partnerships.

The Semnani Family Foundation, established in 1993, is dedicated to supporting marginalized communities worldwide through health, education, and disaster relief initiatives. Founded by Khosrow and Ghazaleh Semnani, it began by funding an orphanage in Romania. The foundation also operates locally, providing free healthcare through the Maliheh Free Clinic in Utah. Its commitment to human welfare drives impactful partnerships in countries such as Afghanistan, India, and South Africa, focusing on the most vulnerable populations.

The Bank of America Foundation Sponsorship Program aims to enhance economic mobility and social progress in low- and moderate-income communities through partnerships with nonprofit organizations. This initiative focuses on critical areas such as workforce education, basic needs like food and housing, and community development. The Foundation invested $350 million last year and encourages employee volunteerism and giving, supporting nonprofits in various sectors, including arts, culture, and diversity initiatives.

ConocoPhillips Charitable Investments focuses on local community giving, emphasizing collaborative problem-solving to address unique community needs. Eligible organizations include 501(c) charities, political subdivisions, and accredited schools. Ineligible entities include those promoting religious worship or political advocacy. Recent funding has supported education and social services, particularly in the Permian region, reflecting ConocoPhillips' commitment to responsible citizenship and community enhancement through targeted charitable investments.

The Cowles Charitable Trust Grant supports initiatives aligned with the philanthropic legacy of Gardner Cowles, Jr. Focused on education, social justice, health, and the arts, it favors organizations recognized as 501(c)(3) by the IRS. The Trust encourages applications for general operating support and seeks partnerships rather than being the sole funder. Notably, it considers applications from established partners and supports efforts in Downstate New York and South Florida, with a preference for diverse funding sources.

The Hansen Family Foundation Grant seeks to empower organizations that uphold the American values of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Focused on diverse causes like children, education, animals, environmental conservation, humanitarian efforts, and arts, the foundation is committed to supporting initiatives that create positive change. Eligible applicants must be 501(c)(3) nonprofits, while political campaigns and organizations with high budgets or overheads are ineligible. This grant fosters impactful contributions to society.

The Robinson Foundation Grant, established in 2016, aims to alleviate hardships faced by individuals and communities, demonstrating God's love through charitable contributions. As a family-operated foundation, it focuses on creating meaningful, long-term impacts in various areas including animal welfare, education, and disaster relief. Organizations eligible for funding must be 501(c)(3) public charities. The foundation prioritizes fiscally responsible projects with the potential for tangible results, while not supporting capital projects.

The Dudley T. Dougherty Foundation Grant supports nonprofit charitable organizations recognized under section 501(c)(3) of the IRS Revenue Code. Established in 2002, the foundation aims to empower groups committed to positive change, fostering respect for life and the environment. Their vision emphasizes collaboration for a better future, encouraging applicants to embody these values in their initiatives. With a focus on impactful projects, this grant is an opportunity for organizations striving to make a critical difference in our world.

The Nordstrom Community Grant focuses on supporting youth and families by providing over $1 million in grants annually. It aims to assist grassroots organizations that address essential community needs such as food, shelter, and clothing, as well as creating opportunities for economic mobility through mentorship and workforce development. Eligible organizations must be 501(c)(3) nonprofits located in areas where Nordstrom operates. Applications are encouraged for those meeting these criteria.

The TJX Foundation Grants support nonprofit organizations located within 15 miles of a TJX store that align with their community mission. Eligible areas include basic needs, education for at-risk youth, workforce training, and safety from domestic violence. Organizations must be a registered 501(c)(3) for at least 12 months and have a nondiscrimination policy. Applications are invited through a Letter of Inquiry, with funding decisions based on community impact.

The Max and Victoria Dreyfus Foundation offers grants to support diverse initiatives, including museums, educational programs, and environmental activities. Aiming to make a significant impact with modest funding, the Foundation targets IRS-qualified non-profits in the U.S. Grants typically range from $1,000 to $20,000, fostering community development and enhancement. Organizations focused on youth, seniors, and individuals with disabilities are particularly encouraged to apply, as the Foundation seeks to empower those in need.

The Udall Scholarship provides up to $7,500 to 65 college sophomores and juniors pursuing careers in environmental fields, tribal public policy, or Native American health care. Eligible candidates must demonstrate a commitment to these areas and can be Native American or non-Native. This prestigious award aims to support future leaders dedicated to making a difference in their communities through education and public service.

The Dr. Scholl Foundation offers grants annually to IRS 501(c)(3) organizations, primarily focusing on U.S. applicants. The foundation supports projects in education, social services, healthcare, civic and cultural initiatives, and environmental efforts. While the grant cycle runs from October 1 to March 1, it encourages innovative solutions to global challenges. Only one application per organization is accepted each year, and funding is limited to one year. Unqualified organizations, including political entities, are ineligible.

The Neuroscience Scholars Program, hosted by the Society for Neuroscience, is a prestigious two-year online training initiative designed for graduate and postdoctoral researchers. Participants gain access to live events, mentorship, and educational resources, promoting career advancement and community building. The program offers two categories: Fellows, who receive additional benefits such as travel awards and mentoring, and Associates, who can participate in an online diversity group. This opportunity aims to foster diversity and inclusion in neuroscience.

The O'Reilly Automotive Foundation Grant focuses on enhancing community welfare through philanthropic initiatives that support economic stability, workforce development, health services, and disaster relief. Established in 2020, the Foundation seeks to empower underrepresented individuals and organizations in the U.S. by addressing vital community needs. It particularly aims to provide assistance to nonprofits that foster positive change and improve quality of life for those in need, ensuring a lasting impact in local communities.

Preserving Traditional Arts

Lindblad Expeditions and National Geographic share a commitment to advancing conservation, research, education, and exploration, and inspiring people to learn about, care for, and protect our world. In support of this commitment, the mission of the Lindblad Expeditions-National Geographic (LEX-NG) Fund is to support projects to understand and protect our world’s oceans, restore critical marine and coastal habitats, and foster environmental stewardship in the regions visited by the fleet, and beyond. The Fund supports inspirational, passionate project leaders who are committed to illuminating and protecting the wonder of our world. National Geographic Society and Lindblad Expeditions are in search of projects that support the work of traditional artists, knowledge holders, and heritage practitioners to preserve cultural heritage for communities around the world.

Opportunity Overview

The preservation of traditional arts such as crafts, music and folklore is crucial for the vibrancy and survival of cultural knowledge and practices worldwide. Cultural heritage, the diverse legacies of past and present societies in their many unique forms, shapes the way we identify and interact with the world. This RFP will fund projects conducting holistic conservation work that centers the role and agency of local and descendant communities. 

This RFP seeks to support projects in Baja California, Egypt, Europe and the Mediterranean, Southeast Alaska and British Columbia, and the South Pacific. For more detailed information on targeted areas within these regions, please refer to the targeted areas document. Potential projects should be led by artisans or practitioners with deep experience in the relevant local culture(s). If you are not such an artisan or practitioner but have an idea for a project that could be a good fit for the RFP, at least one artisan or practitioner should be included on your project team. Projects may include documentation and inventorying of artisan practices, methodologies, or designs; capacity development through structured apprenticeships, workshops, or trainings focused on local or regional stakeholders (including in the use of sustainable or repurposed materials in traditional arts); or knowledge sharing through community exhibits, practitioner-archival collaborations, or other approaches focused on safeguarding local artisan traditions and practices. Projects should include efforts to support sustainable transmission of traditions across generations and describe proposed activities and impacts in detail. Relevant artistic practices and living traditions for this RFP may include but are not limited to craft, music, adornment, dance, and spoken arts. Proposals will be evaluated for feasibility, applicant experience, strength of community engagement, capacity building, and novel contributions. Projects addressing an urgent need pertaining to the sustainable preservation or transmission of a particular art or practice may be prioritized.

Benefits

• Up to $20,000 in funding for Level I grants, up to $40,000 for Level II grants.
• Grant recipients become members of the National Geographic Explorer Community and eligible for a variety of future funding, learning and networking opportunities.
• Potential to be featured on LEX social media channels, and/or in the annual LEX-NG Fund Traveler Impact Report (the latest version of the Impact Report can be found here).
• Potential guest speaking opportunities aboard NG-LEX vessels.
• Opportunities to connect and collaborate with other LEX-NG Fund grantees.

National Geographic Society

For more than 130 years, the National Geographic Society has funded the best and brightest individuals dedicated to scientific discovery and understanding of our world.

Our historic commitment to dauntless exploration dates back to our founding in 1888 when 33 prominent scholars and scientists established an organization dedicated to the “increase and diffusion of knowledge.”

Today, National Geographic Explorers are continuing to push the boundaries of knowledge, uncovering new insights about the natural and cultural worlds, and strengthening our connection to them and one another.

Developing Future Ocean Stewards

How does the ocean shape your life? How do you shape the ocean?

The ocean functions as Earth’s primary life support system. It produces half the oxygen we breathe, regulates our global climate, and sustains the livelihoods of over 3 billion people. Yet, human activities are putting our ocean in serious danger. Pollution and unsustainable industrial practices are damaging ocean habitats that are crucial for climate regulation, sustaining marine biodiversity, and supporting the global blue economy.

To combat this, we need to promote “Ocean Literacy” – an understanding of the ocean’s influence on humanity and humanity’s influence on the ocean. The knowledge-deficit model of ocean literacy assumes that increasing public education and awareness about the marine environment will lead to pro-ocean actions. However, it has not sparked large-scale behavior change.

Education without emotional resonance does not move people to act. To save our ocean, we have to expand what it means to be ocean literate. We need to foster and support ocean stewards: people who feel connected to the ocean and take responsibility for enacting change in their communities.

What we aim to fund with this call

The National Geographic Society aims to invest in ocean literacy by funding projects that focus on community-based projects that help people form strong emotional bonds with the ocean and develop or deepen a sense of ocean identity through immersive learning experiences. These projects will address the socioeconomic, psychological, cultural, and physical barriers to developing or embodying an ocean connection. This call values a “one water system” perspective, which emphasizes the fundamental understanding that all water on Earth is interconnected. As such, we aim to reach populations who are often excluded from conservation dialogues. Through these projects, learners will gain the knowledge, skills, and attitudes needed to develop a reciprocal relationship with the ocean, becoming ocean stewards.

Projects funded through this RFP must:

• Be led by an individual with a strong connection to and/or an existing track record of work in the community(ies) where the project will take place, or by a member of the community themselves, and be designed with the community and/or reflective of the community’s needs
• Tailor ocean literacy to their specific cultural and geographic realities

We are particularly interested in projects that are transdisciplinary, mixing natural and social sciences. For example, projects that combine storytelling, local knowledge, and ocean-focused design

This RFP is also interested in projects in National Geographic-Lindblad Expeditions destinations, including the Arctic, Asia, Baja California, Costa Rica and Panama, Europe and the Mediterranean, Patagonia, the Peruvian Amazon, the Pacific Northwest, Southeast Alaska and British Columbia, the South Pacific, and the United Kingdom and Ireland. For more detailed information on targeted areas within these regions, please refer to the targeted areas document.

Proposals may contain one or both elements of the following:

• Project: a pilot of a new learning solution, or scaling of a learning solution with some evidence of effectiveness, to a new geography or population of learners
• Research: Measurement of the effectiveness of educational innovations

Projects must pilot, scale, or measure the effectiveness of educational innovations that develop learners of all ages’ skills, attitudes, and knowledge needed to foster ocean stewardship

Candidate must demonstrate a strong connection to and/or an existing track of work in the community(ies) where the project will take place; the project should be designed in response to community needs and include ongoing collaboration or co-creation with the local community(ies) throughout the project.

Funding

• Grant recipients become members of the Explorer Community and eligible for future funding, learning and networking opportunities.
• All Ocean RFP grantees will become part of a cohort experience to include virtual gatherings intended to promote networking amongst grantees, relationship building, sharing of lessons learned, and impact communications

Funding may be awarded in either a Level I or Level II grant. (See the guidelines/details on Level I and Level II.)

Level I Grant

What is a Level I (LI) grant?

LI grants are designed for individuals who may be earlier in their career, those looking to establish themselves better in their field, or those who want to grow their network and enhance their impact by joining a global community of National Geographic Explorers.

LI grants are open to those who are not currently a National Geographic Explorer. Individuals in our network who are not yet Explorers, including team members on previous grants, Young Explorers awarded in 2019 or later, or recipients of discretionary funding opportunities such as the COVID-19 Emergency Fund for Journalists and the COVID-19 Remote Learning Emergency Fund, and grant recipients from the China Air & Water Fund may apply for a Level I opportunity.

National Geographic Society

For more than 130 years, the National Geographic Society has funded the best and brightest individuals dedicated to scientific discovery and understanding of our world.

Our historic commitment to dauntless exploration dates back to our founding in 1888 when 33 prominent scholars and scientists established an organization dedicated to the “increase and diffusion of knowledge.”

Today, National Geographic Explorers are continuing to push the boundaries of knowledge, uncovering new insights about the natural and cultural worlds, and strengthening our connection to them and one another.

Developing Future Ocean Stewards

How does the ocean shape your life? How do you shape the ocean?

The ocean functions as Earth’s primary life support system. It produces half the oxygen we breathe, regulates our global climate, and sustains the livelihoods of over 3 billion people. Yet, human activities are putting our ocean in serious danger. Pollution and unsustainable industrial practices are damaging ocean habitats that are crucial for climate regulation, sustaining marine biodiversity, and supporting the global blue economy.

To combat this, we need to promote “Ocean Literacy” – an understanding of the ocean’s influence on humanity and humanity’s influence on the ocean. The knowledge-deficit model of ocean literacy assumes that increasing public education and awareness about the marine environment will lead to pro-ocean actions. However, it has not sparked large-scale behavior change.

Education without emotional resonance does not move people to act. To save our ocean, we have to expand what it means to be ocean literate. We need to foster and support ocean stewards: people who feel connected to the ocean and take responsibility for enacting change in their communities.

What we aim to fund with this call

The National Geographic Society aims to invest in ocean literacy by funding projects that focus on community-based projects that help people form strong emotional bonds with the ocean and develop or deepen a sense of ocean identity through immersive learning experiences. These projects will address the socioeconomic, psychological, cultural, and physical barriers to developing or embodying an ocean connection. This call values a “one water system” perspective, which emphasizes the fundamental understanding that all water on Earth is interconnected. As such, we aim to reach populations who are often excluded from conservation dialogues. Through these projects, learners will gain the knowledge, skills, and attitudes needed to develop a reciprocal relationship with the ocean, becoming ocean stewards.

Projects funded through this RFP must:

• Be led by an individual with a strong connection to and/or an existing track record of work in the community(ies) where the project will take place, or by a member of the community themselves, and be designed with the community and/or reflective of the community’s needs
• Tailor ocean literacy to their specific cultural and geographic realities

We are particularly interested in projects that are transdisciplinary, mixing natural and social sciences. For example, projects that combine storytelling, local knowledge, and ocean-focused design

This RFP is also interested in projects in National Geographic-Lindblad Expeditions destinations, including the Arctic, Asia, Baja California, Costa Rica and Panama, Europe and the Mediterranean, Patagonia, the Peruvian Amazon, the Pacific Northwest, Southeast Alaska and British Columbia, the South Pacific, and the United Kingdom and Ireland. For more detailed information on targeted areas within these regions, please refer to the targeted areas document.

Proposals may contain one or both elements of the following:

• Project: a pilot of a new learning solution, or scaling of a learning solution with some evidence of effectiveness, to a new geography or population of learners
• Research: Measurement of the effectiveness of educational innovations

Projects must pilot, scale, or measure the effectiveness of educational innovations that develop learners of all ages’ skills, attitudes, and knowledge needed to foster ocean stewardship

Candidate must demonstrate a strong connection to and/or an existing track of work in the community(ies) where the project will take place; the project should be designed in response to community needs and include ongoing collaboration or co-creation with the local community(ies) throughout the project.

Funding

• Grant recipients become members of the Explorer Community and eligible for future funding, learning and networking opportunities.
• All Ocean RFP grantees will become part of a cohort experience to include virtual gatherings intended to promote networking amongst grantees, relationship building, sharing of lessons learned, and impact communications

Funding may be awarded in either a Level I or Level II grant. (See the guidelines/details on Level I and Level II.)

Level II Grant

What is a Level II (LII) grant?

LII grants are designed for individuals who are more established in their field, have previously received a grant from the National Geographic Society, or are seeking a higher level of funding. You are not required to have previously received a grant from the National Geographic Society to apply for this opportunity.

Projects at this level should push the boundaries of the applicant’s field or discipline and be designed to achieve significant and tangible impacts. LII grants are open to those who are already National Geographic Explorers, as well as those who are not Explorers.

The Just Tech Fellowship, supported by the Social Science Research Council, aims to empower diverse researchers and practitioners to address injustices arising from new technologies. With a two-year award of $100,000 annually, this fellowship fosters collaboration and community engagement, promoting equitable tech futures. It focuses on the intersection of technology and social justice, encouraging insights from historically marginalized groups to inform structural change and create a more just society.

The Mutual of America Foundation Community Partnership Award honors exemplary nonprofit organizations in the U.S. that foster collaborative partnerships across sectors. Annually, a national competition showcases numerous organizations demonstrating impactful community partnerships. Six organizations receive recognition, including the Thomas J. Moran Award, which offers $100,000, and the Frances R. Hesselbein Award, granting $75,000. Since 1996, the award has acknowledged 262 partnerships, emphasizing Mutual of America's commitment to societal improvement through collaboration.

The National Park Service (NPS) invites applications for Master Cooperative Agreements from participants in the Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Units (CESU) network across various regions. This initiative fosters collaboration among federal agencies, tribes, academic institutions, and conservation organizations to enhance resource stewardship. With 390 non-federal partners and 15 federal agencies, the CESU network supports interdisciplinary projects addressing diverse environmental and cultural heritage issues. Applications are continually accepted until the announcement's closing date.