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Find similar grantsResearch Grants is sponsored by Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation. This opportunity supports mission-aligned projects and measurable outcomes.
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Research grants provide for projects that build deeper understanding of our strategic priorities , address gaps in our knowledge, or translate findings into practice. Research is vital to dismantling systemic barriers and achieving our 2035 strategic vision . What is the focus for Research grant funding in 2026?
The Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation invites field-initiated research proposals advancing our understanding of how to expand equitable economic mobility and increase opportunity. We invite proposals driven by questions already at the forefront of your research that follow innovative lines of inquiry and that expand new or existing research on equitable economic mobility.
Funding amount: $150,000 or more per year Funding disbursement cycle: Annually Summer 2026 Grant Opportunity Webinar Dr. Yvonne Owens Ferguson (Chief Research, Learning, and Evaluation Officer) discusses the vision and the goals for the Research grant opportunity opening in summer 2026. Dr. Josh Akers (Director of Research) facilitates a panel conversation on competitive research proposal with currently funded research grantees.
Understanding equitable economic mobility Opportunity for economic mobility in the United States has narrowed over time. For children born in 1940, 90 percent earned more than their parents; for those born in 1980, that figure fell to 50 percent ( Chetty et al 2017 ).
Recent research shows mobility remains profoundly uneven by race, class, and geography, reflecting significant differences in the conditions under which people live, learn, work, and build wealth ( NASEM 2025 ). Too often, economic mobility is studied at the level of the individual: how to support a community college student carrying debt, help an adult learner access training, or expand access to capital for an entrepreneur.
These questions matter, but they offer only partial accounts of how mobility works. A systems perspective asks a different set of questions: where opportunity exists, where access is limited, and where connections between education, work, entrepreneurship, and wealth-building are absent or broken.
The Foundation’s key strategic priorities – college access and completion, workforce and career development, and entrepreneurship – are demonstrated levers for economic mobility. But these levers are limited by persistent inequity. In 99 percent of U.S. Census tracts, the Black-white wealth gap persists from childhood to adulthood ( Chetty et al 2019 ).
Parental wealth, which diverges along racial lines, mediates college access ( Perry et al 2024 ). Entrepreneurs continue to face significant wealth disparities based on race ( Perry et al 2024 ). Workers with a financial cushion are more selective in job searches, more willing to take on risky, high-paying roles, and more likely to advance in their careers ( Mercan and Nichols 2025 ).
The Foundation seeks research proposals that look across these systems identifying where opportunity is present, where access is constrained, and where connections are missing. The intent is generating opportunities for systems change. This funding opportunity supports research that advances equitable economic mobility.
Projects may span one or more years, with a minimum budget of $150,000 per year. We solicit applications annually in the summer and deliver award notifications in winter. This funding opportunity is “field-initiated,” meaning we do not prescribe research questions or approaches.
We seek the strongest proposals that advance equitable economic mobility and meaningfully shape how it is publicly understood and addressed. We seek rigorous, technically sound work that makes significant contributions to the field and public understanding of equitable economic mobility.
Proposals should demonstrate clear alignment between theoretical positioning, research questions, and study design, and should clearly define and operationalize key variables such as inequity and mobility. Proposals must clearly describe intended outcomes – immediate and long-term. We welcome methodological, geographical, and disciplinary diversity, including participatory approaches and rigorous evaluations.
Applicants should make a clear case for why their chosen approach fits their research question. We also welcome cross-disciplinary collaborations and multi-method designs that advance understanding of economic mobility. The Foundation is committed to advancing equitable economic mobility in the Kansas City region.
Please note that Kansas City spans the states of Missouri and Kansas. Competitive proposals will demonstrate how their research produces insights relevant to the Kansas City region. Proposed work need not take place in Kansas City, but applicants should explain how findings, comparisons, or lessons from other contexts apply to Kansas City.
This is a single-submission application process – applicants will submit a full proposal, which will then enter a phased review process. A full application preview (PDF) is available to assist applicants in preparing submissions. Funding parameters and webinar live on website.
Application portal opens. Check your eligibility > Applications due; application portal closes. Applicants notified of funding decisions.
A panel comprised of the Foundation’s Research, Learning, and Evaluation (RLE) team and Impact Officers review all applications. A subset of applications will advance to phase 2, where applications receive peer academic review and additional internal review. Strong proposals will demonstrate the following: ✓ Well-developed research question(s) with strong alignment between theoretical framing, methods, and study design.
✓ Alignment with the goals and scope of the funding call. ✓ Demonstrated relevance to understand economic mobility in Kansas City. ✓ Feasible, logical, and defensible methods ✓ Dissemination plan with clear pathways to impact.
✓ Timelines, budget, and staffing plans that are appropriate for the proposed work. ✓ Subject matter expertise and experience managing work of this scope. ✓ Equitable approaches and processes as applicable.
✓ For community-engaged research: plans to develop and sustain partnerships, evidence of mutually beneficial community collaboration, and appropriate compensation for engaged work. Reporting & evaluation expectations Measuring impact, communicating research findings, and disseminating what is learned are priorities for the Foundation.
Applicants with skillsets in research translation and impact are encouraged to highlight this experience in their proposal. The Foundation will work with all funded grantees to share research products with relevant audiences. Research grantees can expect to work with the Foundation staff in the following ways: Participation in communities of practice, including convenings and sharing results and approaches.
Collaboration with Foundation staff to facilitate translation and broaden the impact of funded work. Advising Foundation staff and/or community partners on best practices in their area of expertise. Frequently asked questions Please refer to the funding FAQ page for cross-cutting questions about the Foundation’s funding approach.
Below, find some frequently asked questions specific to our research grant pathway. Note that this section will be updated on a rolling basis. For further support, please contact us .
Does the Kauffman Foundation have an indirect cost policy? Yes, the Foundation has an indirect cost policy that applies to Research grants, Project grants, and Collective Impact grants. Learn more > Does my research need to focus on, or be conducted in, Kansas City?
No. However, strong proposals will clearly articulate how findings will provide insight relevant to the Kansas City region. What do you mean by the Kansas City region? When we say “Kansas City region”, we are generally referring to the six-county region of the metro area, which includes Cass, Clay, Jackson, Johnson, Platte, and Wyandotte counties.
This region spans the states of Kansas and Missouri. Explore our list of previously funded Research grantees below or visit our Grants Database . American Institute for Boys and Men (2026) Support for research exploring how to support college access and completion for men.
Support for research exploring Main Street entrepreneurship. Brookings Institution (2026) Support for research identifying policies for reskilling and workforce development to maximize the benefits of AI. George Mason University (2026) Support for research exploring the role that HBCUs play in advancing economic mobility for entrepreneurs.
Johns Hopkins University (2026) Support for research exploring alternative credentials and economic mobility. Land Use Atlas, Inc. (2026) Support for research exploring the impact of zoning conditions in jurisdictions across Missouri and Kansas. Nonprofit Knowledge Works, Inc. (2025) Support for the research and development of a scalable wealth gap simulator.
Regents of the University of Michigan (2025) Support for research exploring the impact of student debt on entrepreneurship and innovation. Support for research exploring small business clustering and economic wellbeing outcomes for entrepreneurs and surrounding neighborhoods across five cities.
Rutgers the State University (2026) Support for research exploring how ESOP firms in the Kansas City area affect worker outcomes and economic mobility. Tennessee Technology Development Corporation (2026) Support for research examining the potential of consortiums to advance tech transfer at smaller universities.
The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois (2025) Support for research exploring the impact of agglomeration economies. The Regents of the University of California at San Diego (2025) Support for research exploring potential barriers in the small business loan application process.
The Regents of the University of California, Davis (2026) Support for research exploring the relationship between Hispanic Serving Institution activities and equitable economic mobility. The Urban Institute (2025) Support for a mixed-methods research project to examine the state-level costs of opportunity hoarding in education, including monopolization of resources and exclusionary practices.
The Urban Institute (2026) Support for research examining how AI is currently being used in workforce development programs to help people find jobs. Support for research exploring occupational licensing barriers.
University of Kansas Center for Research, Inc. (2026) Support for research examining how community college enrollment, remedial coursework, and bachelor’s degree attainment affect students’ wages and educational outcomes in Kansas.
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (2026) Support for research that examines how the Early College High School Model removes socio-cultural, academic and financial barriers for students to enter post-secondary education. University of Washington (2026) Support for research exploring a series of questions around income inadequacy, basic needs, and equitable economic mobility.
Washington University (2025) Support for research evaluating how Corporate Work-Study Program (CWSP), which provides professional work experience and college preparation, impacts social mobility. Washington University (2025) Support for research exploring the community wealth-building model in the Kansas City area. Visit the Grants Database Chetty, R.
, Hendren, N. , Grusky, D. , Hell, M.
, Manduca, R. , & Narrang, J. (2017).
The Fading American Dream: Trends in Absolute Income Mobility Since 1940 . Science , 356(6336), 398-406. Chetty, R.
, Hendren, N. , Jones, M. , & Porter, S.
(2019). Race and Economic Opportunity in the United States: An Intergenerational Perspective . The Quarterly Journal of Economics .
135(2), 711-783. Mercan, Y. , & Nicols, J.
(2025). Understanding the Role of Wealth in Worker Flows . Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City, Economic Review , 110 (8).
National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM). 2025. Economic and Social Mobility: New Directions for Data, Research, and Policy .
Washington, D. C. : The National Academies Press.
Perry, A. , Donoghoe, M. , & Stephens, H.
(2024, February 15). Closing the Black employer gap: Insights from the latest data on Black-owned businesses . Brookings.
Scoring criteria used to review proposals for this grant.
Based on current listing details, eligibility includes: Open to researchers and organizations. Projects may span one or more years. The Foundation funds programs nationally and within the Kansas City area. Applicants should confirm final requirements in the official notice before submission.
Current published award information indicates $150,000 or more per year Always verify allowable costs, matching requirements, and funding caps directly in the sponsor documentation.
The current target date is June 30, 2026. Build your timeline backwards from this date to cover registrations, approvals, attachments, and final submission checks.
Federal grant success rates typically range from 10-30%, varying by agency and program. Build a strong proposal with clear objectives, measurable outcomes, and a well-justified budget to improve your chances.
Requirements vary by sponsor, but typically include a project narrative, budget justification, organizational capability statement, and key personnel CVs. Check the official notice for the complete list of required attachments.
Yes — AI tools like Granted can help research funders, draft proposal sections, and check compliance. However, always review and customize AI-generated content to reflect your organization's unique strengths and the specific requirements of the solicitation.
Review timelines vary by funder. Federal agencies typically take 3-6 months from submission to award notification. Foundation grants may be faster, often 1-3 months. Check the program's timeline in the official solicitation for specific dates.
Many federal programs offer multi-year funding or allow competitive renewals. Check the official solicitation for continuation and renewal policies. Non-competing continuation applications are common for multi-year awards.