"IHS trusted me before I'd proved myself. That first survey taught me how to be a quantitative researcher. Maybe I wouldn't have applied to Harvard. It seemed like such a long shot."
Find Support for Research That Advances a Free Society
Questions about the foundations of free societies—how institutions endure, how power is constrained and held accountable, how people build lives of meaning and purpose—are central to the humanities and social sciences.
That’s why IHS supports related scholarship at every career stage, from foundational work in philosophy and social theory to applied questions in energy, housing, health care, and governance. We move quickly, trusting researchers to follow their questions wherever they lead.
Support at Every Stage
GRADUATE & POSTDOC RESEARCH
IHS provides funding and mentorship when they matter most for early-career researchers. We support dissertations, first publications, and transitions to the next stage.
FACULTY RESEARCH
Our grant funding and cross-disciplinary network supports rigorous, independent scholarship and helps it reach the practitioners who need it most.
UNDERGRADUATE EDUCATION
IHS provides funding for faculty to introduce undergraduate students to the core themes of the liberal tradition.
Funding Opportunities
Request For Proposals
IHS issues focused RFPs on research questions where rigorous liberal scholarship is most urgently needed. Recent calls for proposals include:
Debating AI Existential RiskLearn More
IHS invites academic scholars whose research pertains to AI to apply for funding, especially those weighing the practicality of the social, political, or economic mechanisms behind AI risk. We are especially interested in proposals from scholars in the social sciences and humanities who can bring insights from disciplines focused on studying human behavior and the adoption and implementation of new technologies.
Reforming the Balance of PowersLearn More
IHS invites academic scholars whose research pertains to reforming the balance of powers in the United States government to apply for funding. We are especially interested in proposals examining state and local governance, unitary executive theory, and relations between Congress and the Executive Branch. We’re also interested in historical research on such topics as executive power during the Founding Era, presidential involvement in electoral college vote counting, and presidential appointments and emergency powers.
Advancing the TraditionLearn More
Do your research interests sit outside our current RFPs? IHS welcomes proposals that hold significant promise for advancing the liberal intellectual tradition. There is no formal RFP associated with such awards, and funding opportunities are limited and highly competitive. If you have an idea you think might qualify, please send a brief overview to Funding@TheIHS.org, and our team will be in touch about next steps.
Graduate Funding
Flexible Teaching & Resource Funding
Upcoming Scholar Events
ScholarsEdge Demo: Cost of Living
Explore how the ScholarsEdge Cost of Living tool helps scholars quickly analyze local economic and social conditions.
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Local Governance and Political Order: A Graduate Papers Workshop
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Entrepreneurship and Opportunity: A Proposals Workshop
View Event Find Opportunities on ScholarsEdge
Preview a curated selection of funding, programs, and resources for undergraduates, graduate students, and faculty. Sign in to ScholarsEdge to explore the full list, personalized to your stage and interests.
What Scholars Say
"IHS always put me in the rooms with people asking really difficult questions that challenge me to think harder about myself and my research."
"I always recommend my students reach out to IHS. I tell them, 'if these ideas are something you want to continue exploring, there's this wonderful resource.'"
FAQS
IHS offers fellowships, research grants, and program support tailored to different career stages. You can find funding opportunities here.
Applications vary by program. Follow the application instructions provided for each fellowship or grant.
Yes. ScholarsEdge provides research tools and easy connections with the other members of our community. IHS offers many resources to all members of our network.
No. IHS funds rigorous inquiry within the liberal tradition, and awarded scholars retain full independence over research design, analysis, and publication.
IHS follows the wisdom of Frederick Douglass: “I would unite with anybody to do right and with nobody to do wrong.” That’s why we work with more than 1,500 individual donors and foundations from across the liberal spectrum—left, classical, and conservative—all with the aim of advancing the principles of freedom and human flourishing. As a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit, IHS maintains its own governance and leadership structure, and no donor controls IHS's research agenda, scholar selection, or institutional direction.
