WILLIAM T GRANT FOUNDATION INC

Support for institutional challenge grants - the institutional challenge grant supports university-based research institutes, schools, and centers in building sustained research-practice partnerships with public agencies or nonprofit organizations in order to reduce inequality in youth outcomes. The grant requires that research institutions shift their policies and practices to value collaborative research. Institutions will also need to build the capacity of researchers to produce relevant work and the capacity of agency and nonprofit partners to use research. The foundation closely collaborates with a small number of partner foundations to support approximately 4-5 new projects per year.

Support for youth service improvement grantees - the foundation makes a number of capacity-building and communications grants per year to convene our grantees for peer-learning opportunities. The foundation invests in organizations that can bolster grantees' success and afford networking opportunities by cultivating learning communities that support grantees in conducting their research; navigating challenging issues; expanding their networks across disciplines and fields; and strengthening relationships within teams, partnerships, and mentee-mentor pairs.

Meeting participation and sponsorship - in 2024, foundation staff led, participated in, or delivered virtual presentations at more than approximately 60 convenings in areas of interest to the foundation. These included foundation-sponsored grantee meetings, research conferences, and network building opportunities.