Direct Action Visionary Grants

The Direct Action Visionary Grants are offered by the American Psychological Foundation (APF) to support projects that translate psychological knowledge into direct interventions addressing urgent community needs. These grants aim to create an immediate impact while aligning with APF's mission to apply psychological science to benefit society and improve people's lives. APF is particularly committed to addressing issues rooted in prejudice, bias, intolerance, and bigotry, including but not limited to racism, antisemitism, homophobia, and misogyny. Applicants are encouraged to design interventions grounded in evidence-based psychological principles. Projects must address at least one of APF's four Visionary Priorities: serving marginalized communities, ending prejudice and stigma, preventing violence, and exploring mind-body health connections. Importantly, APF emphasizes practical implementation over purely academic research, focusing on reaching communities that urgently require support. Eligible applicants include individuals or organizations from diverse backgrounds, and they do not need to be psychologists or mental health professionals. However, each project must involve an expert in the evidence-based psychological foundation underpinning the work. Projects may take place in community, clinical, academic, or other nontraditional settings. APF also supports derivative projects that are part of larger initiatives, as long as they show clear innovation and impact. Funding of up to $60,000 is available per project. The grant does not permit indirect or overhead costs, and tuition fees are not allowable budget items. Instead, funds must be directed solely toward the execution of the proposed intervention. Examples of permissible uses include participant payments, travel, technology, open-access publication, and personnel stipends. The application process begins with a Letter of Intent (LOI), which should outline the project’s purpose, goals, methods, psychological evidence base, evaluation plan, and commitment from the applicant. LOIs are accepted on a rolling basis and reviewed quarterly, with deadlines on January 31, April 30, July 31, and October 31. Selected applicants are invited to submit a full proposal, which is then reviewed semi-annually by March 31 and September 8. IRB approval is required before disbursement of funds for projects involving human subjects. Applications must be submitted through the GivingData portal. While APF does not offer feedback on submissions, applicants can refer to detailed application instructions available on the portal and consult the FAQs. For assistance beyond the portal, applicants may contact the APF Programs team at programs@ampsychfdn.org. The upcoming LOI deadline is July 31, 2025, with award announcements typically following within three to four months.

Review APF Visionary Priorities and FAQs. Ensure innovation and strong methodology. IRB approval required before funds are released.