Application Deadlines
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Core Research Grants (Core Programs and Special Initiatives)
Funding Guidelines for March 11, 2025 Deadline
RSF will accept letters of inquiry (LOIs) under the core programs for Race, Ethnicity and Immigration and Behavioral Science and Decision Making in Context. The foundation will also accept LOIs under its special initiatives on Promoting Educational Attainment and Economic Mobility among Racially, Ethnically, and Economically Diverse Groups after the 2023 Supreme Court Decision to Ban Race-Conscious Admissions at Colleges and Universities and Immigration and Immigrant Integration.
LOIs must include specific information about the proposed data and research design. After peer review, about 15% of those who submit an LOI will receive an invitation to submit a proposal. If you are unsure about the foundation's expectations, we strongly recommend that you review the grant writing guidelines on our website and also view an instructional webinar.
*ALL applications (LOIs & Proposals) are due by 2pm ET/11am PT
| Letter of Inquiry Deadline | Invited Proposal Deadline | Funding Decision | Grant Start Date (on/after) |
| July 24, 2024 | Oct 24, 2024 | Mar 2025 | May 1, 2025 |
| Oct 29, 2024 | Feb 19, 2025 | Jun 2025 | Sept 1, 2025 |
| Mar 11, 2025 - see restrictions | Jun 17, 2025 | Nov 2025 | Jan 1, 2026 |
| July 16, 2025 | Oct 27, 2025 | Mar 2026 | May 1, 2026 |
Before applying, review our Budget and Eligibility requirements
Pipeline Grants Competition
The next deadline is expected to be in October 2025
Note: Applicants can apply for either the Pipeline Grants Competition or the October LOI deadline, but not both.
Dissertation Research Grants
The next deadline is 2pm ET on February 4, 2025
Causal Research on the Criminal Justice System
The next deadline is 2 pm ET on April 3, 2025
- See information about the program on Causal Research on the Criminal Justice System
Fellowships (Visiting Scholars, Visiting Journalists, Visiting Researchers)
Visiting Scholars
| Year in Residence | Application Deadline | Decision |
| 2026-2027 | June 25, 2025 (2pm ET) | December 2025 |
Visiting Journalists & Visiting Researchers
Only Visiting Researcher applications will be considered for the May 6, 2025 deadline. The Foundation will not be accepting Visiting Journalist applications in 2025.
| For Residency Between | Application Deadline | Decision |
| September 2025 - June 2026 | May 6, 2025 (2pm ET) | June 2025 |
- Submit a Visiting Journalist Application
- See information on Visiting Journalists
- See information on Visiting Researchers
Summer Institutes
RSF Journal