The Mercatus Center at George Mason University advances classical liberal, market-oriented ideas by conducting policy-relevant economic research and cultivating scholars and public intellectuals who influence institutions and policy.
Mercatus Center Inc uses competitive fellowships and research grants to move classical liberal, market-oriented ideas into policy, scholarship, and student training. A defining feature of its grantmaking is the mix of university-based research support and structured talent development: the largest recent grant went to the University of Washington Seattle for $4,195,000 in research grants, while George Mason University received multiple awards across student development, education, and research. The center also backs specialized pathways for scholars at different stages, from PhD fellowships and undergraduate programs to online fellowships for high school students and early-career researchers. The grant list shows a funder that supports both institutions and individuals through affiliated programs, with awards tied to research, education, and public-facing scholarship. Its named programs include fellowships for economics, political economy, and institutional analysis, along with Emergent Ventures for innovators working on scalable ideas. Recent awards also extend beyond one campus, with grants to Cornell University, Yale University, Dartmouth College, and the Kyiv School of Economics. Across these relationships, the center appears to combine long-horizon academic support with shorter-form project funding and student pipeline building.
In higher education and research, Mercatus Center Inc backed the University of Washington Seattle with $4,195,000 for research grants, and also awarded Cornell University $332,113 in 2024 and $321,113 in 2025 for research and education grants. That pattern points to sustained support for university-based economic and policy research. Its fellowship and training work reaches earlier-stage scholars too. George Mason University received $764,235 in 2024 for student development and education, while the George Mason University Foundation received $223,000 in 2023 for university research and teaching and $166,000 in 2024 for student development and education. The center also funds education and research linked to international policy questions. Kyiv School of Economics received $1,100,000 in 2025 and $1,000,000 in 2024, both for research and education, showing continued support for that institution. Innovation and entrepreneurship are represented through Emergent Ventures, a program described as supporting scalable, zero-to-one ideas that can improve society.
$2.9M
$43.5M
$48.3M
$40.9M
Most grants fall between $20K and $65K, with a median of $35K.
25th Percentile
$20K
Median
$35K
75th Percentile
$65K
About 6% of grants go to recipients in CA.
Gary Leff
Sign up for a free Kindora account to access AI-generated insights into this funder's giving patterns, decision-makers, and fit signals.
Get Started FreeFree Kindora accounts unlock side-by-side comparisons with foundations that share this funder's focus areas and giving profile.
Get Started FreeSign up free to see how well your nonprofit fits this funder, get an AI-generated pitch, and unlock similar foundations.
Mercatus Center Inc’s recent grant sizes cluster around mid-five figures to low-six figures: the 25th percentile is $20,000, the median is $35,000, and the 75th percentile is $64,587. The recent grants list also includes several larger institutional awards, showing that the distribution includes both standard-sized grants and major research commitments. The grant record includes repeat recipients across multiple years, especially George Mason University, Cornell University, and the Kyiv School of Economics, which suggests recurring relationships rather than one-off awards only. The organization is a Pure DAF Provider and does not fund individuals directly. Its active programs are competitive and many accept unsolicited applications, including fellowships and internships for students and early-career scholars.
Mercatus Center Inc gives nationally, with all listed recent grants going to U.S. recipients. Maryland is the top state by grant count, while Virginia accounts for 6% of grants. Recent recipients include institutions in Seattle, New York, Fairfax, New Haven, Pasadena, and Baltimore, showing a broad spread across university and research hubs. The largest awards also reached Brooklyn and Huntington Beach through grantees associated with research and education work.
The recent grants data shows a strong emphasis on universities and college-affiliated entities. Examples include University of Washington Seattle, George Mason University, Cornell University, Yale University, Dartmouth College, and George Mason University Foundation, with award purposes labeled research grants, research and education grants, and university research and teaching.
Yes. Its active programs include fellowships and internships for high school students, undergraduates, graduate students, PhD students, and early-career scholars. Named programs include the Don Lavoie Fellowship, Elinor Ostrom Fellowship, Carl Menger Fellowship, and Ideas at Work summer internship.
The typical recent grant size sits at $35,000 median, with a 25th percentile of $20,000 and a 75th percentile of $64,587. The grant list also includes much larger institutional awards, including a $4,195,000 research grant to University of Washington Seattle.
No. The foundation gives nationally, and only 6% of grants go to recipients in Virginia. Maryland is the top state by grant count, and recent grants also went to organizations in Washington state, New York, Connecticut, California, Ohio, and North Carolina-related locations.
Several active programs do. The Exploring Complex Solutions for a Complex World Fellowship, the PhD Fellowship at George Mason University, the Don Lavoie Fellowship, Emergent Ventures, the Elinor Ostrom Fellowship, the Carl Menger Fellowship, and Ideas at Work all list unsolicited applications as accepted.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kyiv School of Economics | Brooklyn, NY | $1,100,000 | 2026 | Research and Education Grants |
| George Mason University Foundation | Fairfax, VA | $185,887 | 2026 | General Support Grants |
| The Argument Inc | Washington, DC | $100,000 | 2026 | Research and Education Grants |
| Digital Harbor Foundation Inc | Baltimore, MD | $100,000 | 2026 | Research and Education Grants |
| Ukraine Global Scholars Foundation | Boston, MA | $100,000 | 2026 | Research and Education Grants |
| ChinaTalk Group LLC | New York, NY | $100,000 | 2026 | Research and Education Grants |
| California Institute of Technology | Pasadena, CA | $86,219 | 2026 | Research and Education Grants |
| The Econ Of LLC | Providence, UT | $65,000 | 2026 | Research and Education Grants |
| ARC Prize Foundation | San Francisco, CA | $50,000 | 2026 | Research and Education Grants |
| Edge Institute Inc | Austin, TX | $50,000 | 2026 | Research and Education Grants |
| Center for Innovative Governance Research | Washington, DC | $50,000 | 2026 | Research and Education Grants |
| Women's Health Fund | San Francisco, CA | $50,000 | 2026 | Research and Education Grants |
| Nucleate Bio | Brighton, MA | $50,000 | 2026 | Research and Education Grants |
| The David Network | Vienna, VA | $50,000 | 2026 | Research and Education Grants |
| Zero Billion Inc | San Francisco, CA | $40,000 | 2026 | Research and Education Grants |
| Energy for Growth Hub | Washington, DC | $40,000 | 2026 | Research and Education Grants |
| IncQuery LLC | Chicago, IL | $30,000 | 2026 | Research and Education Grants |
| Swiftink LLC | Ashburn, VA | $30,000 | 2026 | Research and Education Grants |
| 10 Academy | Santa Clara, CA | $30,000 | 2026 | Research and Education Grants |
| Deveillance Inc | Cambridge, MA | $30,000 | 2026 | Research and Education Grants |
| Le Sallay & Marabou International Studies Inc | Belmont, MA | $30,000 | 2026 | Research and Education Grants |
| Pan-American Lidar Initiative | San Francisco, CA | $30,000 | 2026 | Research and Education Grants |
| Normal Information Company | Newark, DE | $30,000 | 2026 | Research and Education Grants |
| Maiv Health | Cedar Park, TX | $27,000 | 2026 | Research and Education Grants |
| Xlogic Labs Inc | Dover, DE | $25,000 | 2026 | Research and Education Grants |
| Stephen Voss Photography Inc | Washington, DC | $25,000 | 2026 | Research and Education Grants |
| Vimes Inc | Brooklyn, NY | $25,000 | 2026 | Research and Education Grants |
| ACE Services LLC | Little Rock, AR | $25,000 | 2026 | Research and Education Grants |
| Fedmin Inc | San Francisco, CA | $25,000 | 2026 | Research and Education Grants |
| EconAI LLC | Phoenix, AZ | $20,000 | 2026 | Research and Education Grants |
| Octavia Technologies Inc | Claymont, DE | $20,000 | 2026 | Research and Education Grants |
| Purple Hydrogen Corp | Wilmington, DE | $20,000 | 2026 | Research and Education Grants |
| Arizona State University Foundation for A New American University | Tempe, AZ | $20,000 | 2026 | Research and Education Grants |
| Plymouth Street Inc | San Francisco, CA | $16,135 | 2026 | Research and Education Grants |
| ChatARV Inc | Dover, DE | $15,000 | 2026 | Research and Education Grants |
| Biolyth Technology LLC | Melbourne, FL | $15,000 | 2026 | Research and Education Grants |
| President and Fellows of Harvard | Cambridge, MA | $14,000 | 2026 | Research and Education Grants |
| Jade Hosting Corp | Newark, DE | $12,000 | 2026 | Research and Education Grants |
| The Hack Foundation | West Hollywood, CA | $11,500 | 2026 | Research and Education Grants |
| ArticleIP Inc | San Jose, CA | $10,000 | 2026 | Research and Education Grants |
| Pareto Works LLC | Washington, DC | $10,000 | 2026 | Research and Education Grants |
| Symbia Co | Lexington, KY | $10,000 | 2026 | Research and Education Grants |
| Associated Students of the University of California at Berkeley | Berkley, CA | $10,000 | 2026 | Research and Education Grants |
| Kou Records | New York, NY | $10,000 | 2026 | Research and Education Grants |
| The Xheladin and Xhufe Morina Foundation | Cambridge, MA | $10,000 | 2026 | Research and Education Grants |
| Chinese Reconciliation Project Foundation | Tacoma, WA | $10,000 | 2026 | Research and Education Grants |
| Climate Equity Partners LLC | Jersey City, NJ | $10,000 | 2026 | Research and Education Grants |
| Talent Market | Washington, DC | $10,000 | 2026 | General Support Grants |
| Epoch Artificial Intelligence Inc | San Francisco, CA | $10,000 | 2026 | Research and Education Grants |
| Caribbean Progress Studies Institute Inc | Huntington Beach, CA | $7,300 | 2026 | Research and Education Grants |
The Argument Inc
$100,000Research and Education Grants
ChinaTalk Group LLC
$100,000Research and Education Grants
The Econ Of LLC
$65,000Research and Education Grants
ARC Prize Foundation
$50,000Research and Education Grants
Edge Institute Inc
$50,000Research and Education Grants
Women's Health Fund
$50,000Research and Education Grants
Nucleate Bio
$50,000Research and Education Grants
The David Network
$50,000Research and Education Grants
Zero Billion Inc
$40,000Research and Education Grants
IncQuery LLC
$30,000Research and Education Grants
Swiftink LLC
$30,000Research and Education Grants
10 Academy
$30,000Research and Education Grants
Deveillance Inc
$30,000Research and Education Grants
Le Sallay & Marabou International Studies Inc
$30,000Research and Education Grants
Pan-American Lidar Initiative
$30,000Research and Education Grants
Normal Information Company
$30,000Research and Education Grants
Maiv Health
$27,000Research and Education Grants
Xlogic Labs Inc
$25,000Research and Education Grants
Stephen Voss Photography Inc
$25,000Research and Education Grants
Vimes Inc
$25,000Research and Education Grants
ACE Services LLC
$25,000Research and Education Grants
Fedmin Inc
$25,000Research and Education Grants
EconAI LLC
$20,000Research and Education Grants
Octavia Technologies Inc
$20,000Research and Education Grants
Purple Hydrogen Corp
$20,000Research and Education Grants
Research and Education Grants
Plymouth Street Inc
$16,135Research and Education Grants
ChatARV Inc
$15,000Research and Education Grants
Biolyth Technology LLC
$15,000Research and Education Grants
Jade Hosting Corp
$12,000Research and Education Grants
ArticleIP Inc
$10,000Research and Education Grants
Pareto Works LLC
$10,000Research and Education Grants
Symbia Co
$10,000Research and Education Grants
Associated Students of the University of California at Berkeley
$10,000Research and Education Grants
Kou Records
$10,000Research and Education Grants
The Xheladin and Xhufe Morina Foundation
$10,000Research and Education Grants
Chinese Reconciliation Project Foundation
$10,000Research and Education Grants
Climate Equity Partners LLC
$10,000Research and Education Grants
Epoch Artificial Intelligence Inc
$10,000Research and Education Grants
Caribbean Progress Studies Institute Inc
$7,300Research and Education Grants
Current and upcoming funding from Mercatus Center that your nonprofit may be able to apply for.
Who can apply: Open to AI researchers and entrepreneurs, including credentialed and uncredentialed talent. The program focuses on high-potential talent in emerging economies.
Deadline: No application deadline; applicants are encouraged to apply quickly because funds are limited.
Administered by Emergent Ventures (program of the Mercatus Center at George Mason University)
Who can apply: Applicants should explain how their project will transform Africa and/or the Caribbean. General Emergent Ventures age and international eligibility rules also apply.
Deadline: No deadline; applicants are encouraged to apply promptly because funds are limited.
Administered by Emergent Ventures (program of the Mercatus Center at George Mason University)
Who can apply: Open to applicants with innovative ideas for fostering STEM talent discovery and development, particularly projects increasing representation from diverse communities.
Deadline: No deadline; applicants are encouraged to apply quickly because funds are limited.
Track these deadlines, get reminders, and see how well your nonprofit fits — free with a Kindora account.
Create a free accountDeadlines and eligibility are summarized from public sources and may change — always confirm the details on the funder's official application page before applying.
