President’s Grants

The President’s Grants program is administered by the Josiah Macy Jr. Foundation, a private philanthropic organization focused on advancing the education and training of future health professionals. The Foundation supports initiatives that align with its strategic priorities, which include promoting diversity, equity, and belonging; increasing collaboration among future health professionals with an emphasis on exemplary team development; and preparing future health professionals to navigate ethical dilemmas. These grants serve as a complement to the Foundation’s Board Grants and provide more flexible, responsive funding support. President’s Grants are awarded at the discretion of the Foundation’s president and are reviewed by an internal team. Applications are accepted and considered on a rolling basis, allowing applicants to submit proposals at any time during the year. Each grant is limited to a duration of one year or less, with a maximum award amount of $25,000, including indirect costs that must not exceed 10% of the total budget. These grants are intended to support educational projects that advance health by engaging learners and focusing on the clinical learning environment. The Foundation emphasizes demonstration and evaluation projects over formal research. Eligible applicants include tax-exempt institutions or agencies. The Foundation does not fund individuals directly and excludes requests for general support, endowments, equipment purchases, construction or renovation projects, capital campaigns, or initiatives conducted outside the United States and its territories. Projects must align with the Foundation’s stated priority areas, directly engage learners, and show potential for impact beyond a local scope. Proposals are evaluated for relevance, significance, scalability, sustainability, and whether they are co-created with learners or focus on clinical learning settings. To apply, institutions must complete an online application that includes a cover letter on institutional letterhead signed by the principal investigator. The cover letter should describe the problem being addressed, the proposed project, and its significance to both the institution and the broader field of health professions education. Applicants must also identify the relevant Macy priority area(s), list the qualifications and contact details of project personnel, provide organizational background, and outline project goals, design, expected outcomes, evaluation methods, estimated budget, and any sources of co-funding. Up to two supporting documents may also be submitted. Applications can be saved and revisited online before submission; however, once submitted, applications cannot be reopened. The Foundation typically provides a response within two months of submission, either requesting additional information or issuing a funding decision. Prospective applicants are encouraged to review the application checklist and preview the full application before creating an online account. Questions regarding the grant process can be directed to the Foundation via email at applications@macyfoundation.org. While the President’s Grants offer rolling submission, the Foundation’s Board Grants follow a structured annual cycle and are only available via competitive Request for Applications (RFA), generally released each January. Board Grant applications are not accepted unless solicited. For both types of grants, interested parties are advised to monitor the Foundation’s announcements and sign up for its mailing list to stay informed about funding opportunities.