Research Grants (Science & Technology, STEM Education)

Research Grants (Science & Technology, STEM Education) is sponsored by The Richard Lounsbery Foundation. The Richard Lounsbery Foundation provides seed money or partial funding to novel projects and forward-looking leaders and teams in science and technology initiatives, and STEM education.

Richard Lounsbery Foundation | Inside Philanthropy OVERVIEW : The Richard Lounsbery Foundation supports STEM education, science and technology research, natural sciences and French-American relations in the Washington, D. C. area and beyond.

IP TAKE : Although the Richard Lounsbery Foundation has national and international interests, it is a significant funder of D. C. groups, especially with regard to STEM education for youth.

Overall, the foundation’s giving portfolio is highly academic and deeply international, heavily favoring research institutions, universities, and specialized scientific organizations. It “rarely accepts unsolicited inquiries,” so grantseekers will have to send a brief, one-page letter of inquiry via email and await an invitation to submit a full proposal.

Additionally, the Foundation is very strict about what it won’t fund, so carefully read eligibility guidelines here . PROFILE: Established in 1959, the Richard Lounsbery Foundation is a private foundation based in Washington, D. C.

Lounsbery was a New York City native born in 1882 into a wealthy family whose wealth came from work in the legal industry and mining operations. He and his wife, Vera, split their time between New York and Paris.

The Foundation aims to “enhance national strengths in science and technology through support of programs in the following areas: research that helps build bridges between outstanding groups outside the U.S. and American science; joint international research between nations in conflict; science and technology components of US policy issues; elementary and secondary science and math education, especially in New York City and Washington D.

C. ; historical studies and contemporary assessments of key trends in the natural sciences; and start-up assistance for establishing the infrastructure of research projects or new fields of research. ” Grants for K-12 Education and STEM Education The Richard Lounsbery Foundation’s giving local to the the D.

C. metro focuses on STEM education in-and-out-of K-12 schools. For instance, BioBus Inc received a recent grant for its mobile science lab for K-12 students in New York.

This funder also appears to support civic education and history of American innovation, with recent grants supporting the Alexander Hamilton Society, American Philosophical Society and the Columbia University Teachers College’s efforts involving a program titled “1776: Seedtime of American Education.

” Grants for Science Research and International Development An important sector of the Foundation’s giving involves international exchange and joint scientific research.

It supports “research that helps build bridges between outstanding groups outside the US and American science; joint international research between nations in conflict; and science and technology components of US policy issues” Recent recipients of grants involving international cooperation include the Parisian Academie des Sciences, French-American Cultural Foundation and NATO Science and Tech Organization.

The Foundation also hosts the Richard Lounsbery Award , given to biology or medicine investigators who are selected by a jury and encourage scientific exchanges between the U.S. and France. Other science-related grants fund niche projects nationally and abroad; a recent example includes a grant to the Alex Foundation’s project involving the comparison of a grey parrots’ intelligence to human children and adults.

Vera Lounsbery established the Richard Lounsbery Award to honor her husband in 1978. This award goes to biology or medicine investigators who are selected by a jury and encourage scientific exchanges between the U.S. and France. Grants range between about $25,000 and $200,000.

In a recent year, this funder gave $4,458,763 in total grants. National grantmaking often focuses on the Washington, D. C.

metro area and New York City. Otherwise, French-American cooperation is a priority in all areas of interest for this funder. The Lounsbery Foundation does not fund capital projects, equipment, fundraising events, political campaigns, for-profit businesses or individuals.

Read about recent giving here . However, the funder also supports nationwide causes that further U.S. policy issues and some international efforts too. This foundation does not accept unsolicited grant applications from nonprofits.

However, it does accept brief, one-page letters of inquiry to introduce a new idea to the foundation staff. Contact is accepted via email. Full proposal deadlines are December 15, March 15, June 15 and September 15.

Direct general questions to the staff at foundation@rlounsbery. org or (202) 872-8080.