Diversity & Inclusion Grants

Comprehensive funding opportunities for underrepresented researchers in STEM and academia.

🌈 Browse by Identity & Background

Category Programs Description Link
👩‍🔬 Women in STEM 15+ grants Fellowships, research grants, and career development for women at all stages View
🏳️‍🌈 LGBTQ+ Researchers 10+ grants STEM-specific and field-agnostic support for LGBTQ+ students and researchers View
♿ Researchers with Disabilities 10+ programs Direct scholarships, federal supplements, and accommodation funding View
📚 First-Gen & Low-Income 8+ grants Support for first-generation scholars and intersectional funding View
🏛️ Institutional Programs Major initiatives Strategic guide to university programs (CBL, MUREP, NSF BPE) View
🌍 International D&I Programs Select programs Non-US opportunities (UK, EU, Global South) View

🔑 Understanding D&I Funding Models

Two Primary Models:

1. Direct Individual Support

Traditional fellowships and scholarships where individuals apply directly:

  • Examples: AAUW Fellowships, Point Foundation, NFB Scholarships
  • Strategy: Browse categories above and apply directly

2. Institutional & Programmatic Grants

Large awards to universities that create internal support programs:

  • Examples: Clare Boothe Luce Program, NASA MUREP, McNair Scholars
  • Strategy: Identify universities with these grants for supportive environments

📊 Funding Landscape Overview

Three Pillars of D&I Funding

1. Federal Agencies

  • NSF - Broadening Participation programs
  • NIH - Diversity Supplements
  • NASA - MUREP, MOSAICS
  • DOE - DEI Requirements

2. Private Foundations

  • AAUW - Women’s education (since 1888)
  • L’Oréal-UNESCO - Women in Science
  • Point Foundation - LGBTQ+ scholars
  • Robert Wood Johnson Foundation - Health equity

3. Professional & Corporate

  • IEEE - Women in Engineering
  • oSTEM - LGBTQ+ in STEM
  • Google - Lime Scholarship (disability)
  • Microsoft - Research Dissertation Grants

✨ Key Trends in D&I Funding

Intersectional Approach

Modern grants increasingly recognize multiple identities:

  • Ford Foundation Fellowships
  • RWJF New Connections ($50,000)
  • W.T. Grant Foundation programs
  • Microsoft Research Dissertation Grant

Resource Distribution

🌟 Well-Funded (Oasis):

  • Women in STEM - Robust support at all career stages

🏜️ Resource Gaps (Desert):

  • First-Generation - Primarily institutional support (McNair)
  • Disability - Fewer direct fellowships; mainly supplements/accommodations

🎯 Quick Start by Career Stage

Undergraduates

Graduate Students

Postdocs

Faculty

📖 How to Use This Section

  1. Browse by Identity: Start with the category that matches your background
  2. Check Intersectional Grants: Many programs support multiple identities
  3. Explore Institutional Programs: Find universities with funded D&I commitments
  4. Understand Mechanisms: Know whether you apply directly or through a PI/institution

🔗 Related Resources

Note: This section focuses on grants specifically designed to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion. Many grants in other sections also welcome diverse applicants—these are the programs with explicit D&I missions.

← Back to Wiki Home

Table of contents