William T. Grant Foundation’s Institutional Challenge Grant

The Institutional Challenge Grant, administered by the William T. Grant Foundation, is a competitive funding opportunity aimed at fostering long-term, equitable research-practice partnerships between university-based research institutions and public agencies or nonprofit organizations. The central goal is to reduce inequality in youth outcomes by transforming how research is conducted and used within institutional frameworks. This grant seeks to incentivize structural change within academic institutions and enhance collaborative capacities with community-serving partners. The grant encourages partnerships in youth-related domains such as education, justice, mental health, foster care, immigration, child abuse prevention, and workforce development. It particularly supports teams with racially and ethnically diverse leadership, emphasizing African American, Latinx, Native American, and Asian American representation. Eligible partnerships must already be in existence, with a foundation of collaboration, though not so advanced that additional funding would have minimal added value. Each award offers $650,000 over three years, including $60,000 allocated for up to nine months of planning. The funding includes support for two years of full-time equivalent mid-career fellowships (funded by the Foundation), with a required third year funded by the applicant institution. The funding also supports institutional shifts and capacity building on both sides of the partnership, with a 15% cap on indirect costs. Following the three-year term, recipients may apply for a two-year continuation grant to sustain and deepen partnership impacts. Applications must be submitted via the Foundation’s online platform and include several components: a structured abstract, a 25-page narrative, budget forms and justification, resumes for all leads and fellows, partnership agreements, letters of endorsement from both the research institution and the partner organization, and an IRS determination letter. Applications open on May 15, 2025, and close on September 15, 2025, at 3 PM ET. Finalist interviews are scheduled for January 30, 2026, in New York City. Evaluation criteria focus on the strength and feasibility of the partnership, the clarity and impact of the proposed research agenda, the potential for lasting institutional change, and the quality of the capacity-building plan. Successful applicants must demonstrate mastery of collaborative research practices, clearly defined goals for reducing youth inequality, and actionable strategies for implementing and sustaining organizational change. Contact for questions is available via email at info@wtgrantfdn.org or by phone at 212.752.0071.