Russel Sage Foundation

The program on Behavioral Economics supports novel research that uses insights and methods from psychology, economics, sociology, political science and other social sciences to examine and improve social and living conditions in the United States. We seek investigator-initiated research proposals that will broaden our understanding of the social, economic and political consequences of actual behaviors and decisions. Read More

The program on the Future of Work supports research on the causes and consequences of changes in the quality of jobs for less- and moderately-skilled workers in the United States. We are especially interested in proposals that address important questions about the interplay of market and non-market forces in shaping the wellbeing of workers, today and in the future. Read More

RSF’s newest program on Race, Ethnicity, and Immigration supports research on the social, economic, and political effects of the changing racial and ethnic composition of the U.S. population, including the transformation of communities and ideas about what it means to be American. We are especially interested in innovative research that examines the roles of race, ethnicity, nativity, and legal status in outcomes for immigrants, U.S.-born racial and ethnic minorities, and native-born whites. Read More

The program on Social Inequality supports innovative research on whether rising economic inequality has affected social, political, and economic institutions, and the extent to which increased inequality has affected equality of opportunity, social mobility, and the intergenerational transmission of advantage. We seek investigator-initiated research projects that will broaden our understanding of the causes and consequences of rising economic inequalities in the United States. Read More

This special initiative supports innovative social science research on the social, economic and political effects of the Affordable Care Act. We are especially interested in funding analyses that address the extent to which the ACA has affected outcomes such as financial security and family economic wellbeing, labor supply and demand, family and children’s outcomes, and participation in other social safety net programs. Read More

This special initiative, in collaboration with the JPB Foundation, supports innovative social science research that explores how biological mechanisms interact with the environment to influence individuals’ social and economic outcomes. We seek projects that take advantage of new theories, concepts, and indicators from neuroscience, endocrinology, immunology and physiology, genetics and epigenetics to further our understanding of socioeconomic attainment and other social science issues that are relevant to RSF’s core program areas. We are primarily interested in research that explores and improves our understanding of social and economic predictors and outcomes. Read More

The special initiative on Computational Social Science supports innovative social science research that brings new data (e.g. public and private administrative databases, and new sources of information from online transactions, social-media interactions, and internet searches) and methods (e.g. machine learning, text analysis, social media, online surveys and experiments) to bear on questions of interest in its core programs. The initiative has added a new topic of interest: algorithmic bias/fairness. Limited consideration will be given to research that focuses primarily on methodologies, such as causal inference and innovations in data collection. Read More

The Russell Sage Foundation offers small grants to support high quality research in behavioral economics and to encourage young investigators (Ph.D. students and recent graduates) to enter this developing field. Read More

The RSF/Carnegie Corporation Initiative on Immigration and Immigrant Integration supports innovative research on the effects of race, citizenship, legal status and politics, political culture and public policy on outcomes for immigrants and for the native-born of different racial and ethnic groups and generations. Read More

The RSF/Kellogg Foundation’s Initiative on Non-Standard Employment supports innovative social science research on the causes and consequences of the increased incidence of alternative work arrangements. Read More