URL: https://wtgrantfoundation.org/funding/william-t-grant-scholars-program

NOTE: The foundation has not yet opened the 2026 call for this LSO but will on March 27, 2026. The internal competition is announced in anticipation to allow prospective applicants sufficient time to prepare their materials. All information in this announcement is subject to change.

Objectives

The William T. Grant Scholars Program supports career development for promising early-career researchers in the social, behavioral, and health sciences in each cycle. The program funds five-year research and mentoring plans that significantly expand researchers’ expertise in new disciplines, methods, and content areas, and encourages scholars to tackle important questions that will advance theory, policy, and practice for young people (aged 5-25). Between 4 and 6 Scholars are selected each cycle.

Awards are based on applicants’ potential to become influential researchers, as well as their plans to expand their expertise in new and significant ways. Applications should make a cohesive argument for how the applicant will expand their expertise. Proposed research plans must address questions that are relevant to policy and practice in the Foundation’s focus areas: reducing inequality and improving the use of research evidence.

Funding Information

$425,000 over five years, including up to 7.5% indirect costs. Awards begin July 1 of the award year (2027).

Eligibility

Applicants must have received their doctoral degree within seven years of submitting their application (2018-2026). In medicine, the seven-year maximum is dated from the completion of the first residency.

Applicants must be employed in career-ladder positions, which can mean holding a tenure-track position, or being in a pathway to advancement in a research career at the nominating organization and the organization is fiscally responsible for the applicant’s position.

Internal Selection

The internal selection process depends on whether your grants are managed by BU (CRC and BUMC) or Boston Medical Center. If you are unsure whether your grants are managed by BU or BMC, please consult the BUMC Home Institution Finder. Use that information to guide which of the processes listed below you should follow.

BU Process

Each school/college at BU may nominate a single applicant. This call is open to eligible faculty at any school/college.

Interested faculty should submit the following materials via InfoReady Review by 3/12/2026:

  • 2-page Five-Year Research Plan Summary describing the rationale for the research, its contributions to the Foundation’s Current Research Interests, significance to informing policy and/or practice, and how it will expand your expertise. References may be included on one additional page.
    • Use the Abstract Form provided on the William T. Grant Scholars website for reference on how to format both the Research Summary and the Five-Year Mentoring Plan. Examples of application materials are available on the Applicant Resources
  • 1-page Five-Year Mentoring Plan describing the expertise to be acquired, the proposed mentors, rationale for choosing them as mentors, and examples of anticipated mentoring activities. No references should be used in this statement.
  • Names and contact information for 3 people providing Reference Letters
  • Names and contact information for up to 2 people providing Mentor Letters
    • These letters will be expected to describe the mentor’s relationship with the applicant, how the mentor and mentee will interact, and expertise the mentor will bring. The letters are not required for the internal application.
  • Updated CV (Biosketches are not permitted)

All applications will be reviewed by the associated school/college’s Dean and/or Associate Dean of Research (ADR) who recommends a nominee. The Office of Research will provide Letters of Independence if multiple major academic units are nominating individuals for this opportunity.

BMC Process

If you are a faculty member who works in BMC space, please contact the Program Manager of Strategic Research Growth, Carolina Giudice (carolina.giudice@bmc.org) by Friday, February 13, 2026 for instructions on next steps. Additional materials are not required at this stage.

Deadlines

BMC Expression of Interest Due: Friday, February 13, 2026

BU Internal Materials Due: Thursday, March 12, 2026 by 11:59 pm ET

Anticipated Notification Date: Friday, April 3, 2026

Reference & Mentor Letters Due: Wednesday, June 10, 2026 by 3:00 pm ET

Sponsor Deadline: Tuesday, June 30, 2026 by 3:00 pm ET

 

Information For...