The Community Action Research Initiative (CARI) Grants

The Community Action Research Initiative (CARI) Grants is sponsored by American Sociological Association (ASA). Supports sociologists working with community organizations to tackle pressing social issues.

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Community Action Research Initiative Grants Last Updated: March 24, 2026 The Community Action Research Initiative (CARI) Grants Applications will open April 9, 2026. Application Deadline: August 28, 2026 (by 5:00 p. m.

ET) The American Sociological Association encourages applications for the Community Action Research Initiative (CARI) grants. CARI grants are for projects that bring social science knowledge and methods to bear in addressing community-based problems.

Applicants must be seeking to work with community organizations or community action initiatives, and must hold a PhD in sociology or be enrolled in a graduate program that grants a PhD in sociology. Applications are encouraged from individuals working in a variety of settings including academic institutions, research institutes, private and non-profit organizations, and government agencies.

ASA membership is not a criterion for applying but membership is required to receive a grant. All ASA members are obligated to follow the ASA Code of Ethics , and grantees must provide pertinent IRB approval if necessary. Grants are for up to $3,000 of direct costs.

Funds cannot be used for institutional overhead, scholarly meeting expenses, or the principal investigator’s salary.

Note for current graduate student applicants : In accordance with the original provisions of the CARI grants, applications must be for projects that are separate and distinct from dissertation work and cannot be used to support dissertation research work including but not limited to collecting preliminary or supplemental data.

For applicants interested in dissertation support, see the ASA Doctoral Dissertation Research Improvement Grant ( DDRiG ). Congratulations to the 2025 CARI grant recipients . Read about past winners here .

A complete application consists of: Contact Information: Name(s) of Principal Investigator(s), current institution or organization, mailing address, email address A description of the project, including its goals, how those goals will be met, and the sociological connection to a policy issue (500-word limit) A description of the community organization or community action initiative with which you are planning to work, and how your project relates to the mission of the organization or initiative (500-word limit) A description of the expected tangible outcomes of the project, including your dissemination strategy for any findings (dissemination need not occur during the grant period) (500-word limit) A one-page letter of support from the community organization or community action initiative that will be partner to the project A CV for each Principal Investigator A detailed project budget and timeline Applications Open: April 9, 2026 Application deadline : August 28, 2026 (by 5:00 p.

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