The Russell Sage Foundation primarily funds rigorous social science research at universities and research institutions that examines inequality, race, crime, poverty, and institutions shaping economic and social mobility. Its grants overwhelmingly support project-based empirical studies and experiments—often multi-year—on topics like policing and criminal justice, racial and political polarization, immigration and family reunification, and the role of higher education in intergenerational mobility. The foundation favors academically led, policy-relevant work rather than direct service delivery.
Russell Sage Foundation centers rigorous social science research on inequality, race, crime, poverty, and the institutions that shape economic and social mobility. A defining feature of its recent work is sustained support for university-based, policy-relevant studies that use empirical methods to examine questions such as policing, deportation, polarization, public benefits, and higher education outcomes. The foundation also backs scholars through residential and early-career programs, including a Visiting Scholars fellowship in New York City and multiple competitive research awards for PhD holders and early-career researchers. Recent grants show the range of that agenda. Cornell University received $199,096 for research on job seekers, while Columbia University received $181,173 for a project on how social media influencers shape the politics of young adults. Other awards have supported work on the geography of race, poverty, crime, and policing at the University of California Los Angeles; college access and upward mobility at Stanford University; and the origins and effects of the 2020 antiracism uprisings at Harvard University. Across these grants, the foundation favors projects that combine data analysis, field experiments, and research writing with clear social-science relevance.
Work on labor markets and financial vulnerability is a visible thread. Cornell University received $199,096 for Informing Overconfident and Insecure Job Seekers, and New York University received $133,824 for The Effect of SNAP on Financial Health. The foundation also funds research on criminal justice and policing. Rutgers University New Brunswick received $140,778 for Police Exposure and Socioeconomic Well-being among African American men, while Boston University received $119,043 for Changing Dominant Carceral Attitudes: A Deep Canvass Field Experiment. Immigration and deportation are another clear area of support. Washington University St Louis received $174,500 for National Study of Fear of Deportation: Wave 2. Higher education and mobility appear as well: Stanford University received $166,553 for Colleges and Upward Mobility in the US Over the Last Century, and University of Oklahoma received $137,249 for Backlash? Schooling Reassignments and the Politics of School Desegregation.
$7M
$492.6M
$46.8M
$20.7M
Most grants fall between $13K and $61K, with a median of $30K.
25th Percentile
$13K
Median
$30K
75th Percentile
$61K
About 13% of grants go to recipients in CA.
Top 7 recipient countries by grant volume for Russell Sage Foundation.
| Rank | Country | Grants | Total | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | United StatesDomestic | 598 | $25.9M | 97.2% |
| 2 | Canada |
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Concentrated, academically focused grantmaking: many repeat awards to major universities and research organizations for discrete research projects. Funding is distributed across top U.S. research institutions with multiple mid-sized grants per grantee (project grants rather than unrestricted operating support), emphasizing evidence-producing studies and collaborations rather than small grassroots or service grants.
Notable grantees: Harvard University, University of Michigan, New York University, University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), Columbia University
Typical awards are modest to mid-sized: the 25th percentile is $13,000, the median is $30,000, and the 75th percentile is $60,720. The recent list includes a few larger project awards, but most grants sit well below six figures. The foundation supports both one-time project grants and recurring scholar-development programs, including residential fellowships and early-career competitions. It also uses a letter-of-inquiry process for Core Research Grants, where only invited proposals move forward. Some programs accept unsolicited applications, including the Visiting Scholars Program, Early-Career Awards, Pipeline Grants, Dissertation Research Grants, and several criminal-justice competitions.
Russell Sage Foundation gives nationally, with most grants going to California recipients. New York still receives a meaningful share, at 13% of grants. Recent awards reached universities and research organizations in Los Angeles, New York City, Ithaca, Brooklyn, New Brunswick, Berkeley, and Stanford, along with institutions in Cambridge, Boston, Philadelphia, Chicago, and Washington, DC. The recipient-country distribution is overwhelmingly US-based, with small numbers of grants to Canada, American Samoa, Hungary, Italy, the United Kingdom, and Eswatini.
It supports empirical social-science research on inequality, race, crime, poverty, mobility, immigration, and related institutions. Recent grants include projects on job seekers, social media and young adults, antiracism uprisings, deportation, policing, public benefits, and higher education access and outcomes.
Its grants are typically project-based and often go to universities or research institutions. The foundation uses competitive programs such as Core Research Grants, Causal Research on the Criminal Justice System grants, Dissertation Research Grants, and early-career pipelines, plus residential fellowships for scholars in New York City.
The distribution is relatively concentrated around smaller awards: the 25th percentile is $13,000, the median is $30,000, and the 75th percentile is $60,720. Recent grants show some larger individual project awards, including $199,096 to Cornell University and $181,173 to Columbia University.
Yes, for several programs. The Visiting Scholars Program, Early-Career Awards, Pipeline Grants, Dissertation Research Grants, and the criminal-justice grant competitions all accept unsolicited applications. Core Research Grants use a letter-of-inquiry stage before invited proposals are considered.
It gives nationally, but California has the highest grant count. New York recipients account for 13% of grants, and recent awards have gone to institutions in Los Angeles, New York City, Ithaca, Brooklyn, New Brunswick, Berkeley, and Stanford.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
| 6 |
| $161K |
1.0% |
| 3 | Australia | 4 | $594K | 0.7% |
| 4 | Italy | 2 | $20K | 0.3% |
| 5 | Hungary | 2 | $17K | 0.3% |
| 6 | United Kingdom | 2 | $10K | 0.3% |
| 7 | Switzerland | 1 | $8K | 0.2% |
Recipient country reflects the grantee's headquarters per IRS 990-PF and Schedule F filings, not the program's implementation country.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NORTH CAROLINA STATE UNIVERSITY | RALEIGH, NC | $117,364 | 2026 | POLICE EXPOSURE AND SOCIOECONOMIC WELL-BEING AMONG AFRICAN AMERICAN MEN |
| BROOKINGS INSTITUTION | WASHINGTON, DC | $109,000 | 2026 | CAN TRANSFER PATHWAYS PROMOTE DIVERSITY AFTER THE 2023 SUPREME COURT DECI... |
| UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES | LOS ANGELES, CA | $100,000 | 2026 | POLITICAL SOLIDARITY AND POLITICAL ACTION AMONG PEOPLE OF COLOR |
| NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES | WASHINGTON, DC | $100,000 | 2026 | GLOBAL FORCED MIGRATION AND U.S. RESETTLEMENT |
| STANFORD UNIVERSITY | STANFORD, CA | $100,000 | 2026 | A PUBLIC PLATFORM FOR OPEN MIXED-METHODS RESEARCH |
| GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY | WASHINGTON, DC | $99,996 | 2026 | HOW DOES APPLICATION ASSISTANCE AFFECT THE RECEIPT OF UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFI... |
| UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO | CHICAGO, IL | $99,036 | 2026 | HOW HOMEOWNERSHIP STABILIZES AND DESTABILIZES WOMENS LIVES |
| NEW YORK UNIVERSITY | NEW YORK, NY | $98,816 | 2026 | BAY AREA THRIVING FAMILIES: QUALITATIVE ASSESSMENT |
| SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY | SYRACUSE, NY | $98,512 | 2026 | GROWING UP IN COURT |
| UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA SAN DIEGO | LA JOLLA, CA | $97,511 | 2026 | THE GEOGRAPHY OF RACE AND ETHNICITY IN THE UNITED STATES |
| ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY | TEMPE, AA | $96,355 | 2026 | BUILDING A QUALITATIVE DATA INFRASTRUCTURE ON HOW GUNS SHAPE POLITICAL LIFE |
| STANFORD UNIVERSITY | STANFORD, CA | $96,291 | 2026 | THE GREAT WORK FROM HOME DIVIDE |
| UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA BERKELEY | BERKELEY, CA | $95,459 | 2026 | LONG RUN IMPACTS OF WOMEN'S EDUCATION |
| UTAH STATE UNIVERSITY | LOGAN, UT | $94,843 | 2026 | COMMUNITY IMPACTS OF IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT |
| JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY | BALTIMORE, MD | $91,433 | 2026 | HOW DO HIGH-ACHIEVING LOW-INCOME STUDENTS MAKE POSTSECONDARY DECISIONS? I... |
| COLBY COLLEGE | WATERVILLE, ME | $91,253 | 2026 | RURAL WORK, PRECARITY AND RESILIENCE |
| CORNELL UNIVERSITY | ITHACA, NY | $86,902 | 2026 | SOCIOECONOMIC AND RACIAL DISPARITIES IN DRIVERS LICENSE SUSPENSION |
| UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA BERKELEY | BERKELEY, CA | $86,250 | 2026 | GEOGRAPHIC AND NEIGHBORHOOD DIFFERENCES IN INTERGENERATIONAL EARNINGS MOB... |
| CORNELL UNIVERSITY | ITHACA, NY | $83,519 | 2026 | THE CONTEXT AND LIFE COURSE OF RACIAL/ETHNIC IDENTITIES AMONG MULTIRACIAL... |
| BROWN UNIVERSITY | PROVIDENCE, RI | $83,396 | 2026 | ESTIMATING THE EXPERIENCE OF A WORKER'S FIRST JOB |
| UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN | ANN ARBOR, MN | $82,898 | 2026 | ENFORCING INEQUALITY |
| UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON | HOUSTON, TX | $81,395 | 2026 | A FIRST EXAMINATION OF ACADEMIC AND EARLY-CAREER OUTCOMES OF REFUGEE AND ... |
| UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES | LOS ANGELES, CA | $80,964 | 2026 | EMERGENCY EDUCATION AND SOCIAL INEQUALITIES: EVIDENCE FROM WWII IN THE U.S. |
| ENVIRONMENTAL DEFENSE FUND | WASHINGTON, DC | $78,010 | 2026 | INEQUITIES IN THE DISTRIBUTION OF MORTGAGE DISTRESS FOLLOWING FLOOD EVENTS |
| UNIVERSITY AT ALBANY STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK | ALBANY, NY | $75,000 | 2026 | ANTI-IMMIGRANT POLICIES, RHETORIC AND VIOLENCE IN A NEW DESTINATION ETHNI... |
| GRADUATE CENTER CITY UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK | NEW YORK, NY | $75,000 | 2026 | PUBLIC OPINION AND NEW YORKS ASYLUM CRISIS |
| UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA | LOS ANGELES, CA | $75,000 | 2026 | THE LABOR MARKET IMPACTS OF REMOTE WORK |
| UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI | CORAL GABLES, FL | $75,000 | 2026 | FORTY ACRES AND A MULE: LOCAL REPARATIONS POLICIES IN COMPARATIVE PERSPECTIVE |
| GEORGIA TECH RESEARCH CORPORATION | ATLANTA, GA | $75,000 | 2026 | THE EFFECTS OF DIAPER TAXES ON MATERNAL EMPLOYMENT |
| JOAN & SANFORD I WEILL MEDICAL COLLEGE OF CORNELL UNIVERSITY | NEW YORK, NY | $75,000 | 2026 | STATE RECREATIONAL CANNABIS LAWS AND RACIAL DISPARITIES IN THE CRIMINAL J... |
| UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA RESEARCH FOUNDATION INC | TAMPA, FL | $75,000 | 2026 | PLACE-, HOME-MAKING, AND INCORPORATION AFTER POST-DISASTER MIGRATION |
| UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO | CHICAGO, IL | $75,000 | 2026 | COMPLEMENTS TO WORK: CHILDCARE SUBSIDIES AND FEMALE LABOR SUPPLY |
| AMERICAN UNIVERSITY | WASHINGTON, DC | $75,000 | 2026 | ESCAPE FROM THE CRIMINAL STATE |
| BARUCH COLLEGE CITY UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK | NEW YORK, NY | $74,984 | 2026 | POST-DEPORTATION EXPERIENCES IN EL SALVADOR: A FAMILY COMMUNICATION APPROACH |
| NORTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY | BOSTON, MA | $74,973 | 2026 | THE CONSEQUENCES OF EXPUNGEMENT POLICY ON IMMIGRATION OUTCOMES |
| UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS AMHERST | AMHERST, MA | $74,900 | 2026 | UNDERSTANDING THE VOICES OF AN INCREASINGLY DIVERSE ELECTORATE THROUGH TH... |
| UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE KNOXVILLE | KNOXVILLE, TN | $74,800 | 2026 | LEGAL REPRESENTATION IN EVICTION COURT |
| UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS AMHERST | AMHERST, MS | $74,676 | 2026 | EVOLUTION, PATHWAYS, AND BEHAVIORAL PATTERNS OF THE ECONOMIC ELITE |
| BOSTON COLLEGE | CHESTNUT HILL, MA | $71,733 | 2026 | HOW MUCH DO OLDER WORKERS VALUE RETIREE HEALTH INSURANCE? |
| CHAPMAN UNIVERSITY | ORANGE, CA | $71,200 | 2026 | POLARIZATION AND PARTISAN NORMS |
| UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN | AUSTIN, TX | $69,999 | 2026 | EVALUATING THE IMPACT OF INVESTOR OWNERSHIP OF CHILDCARE CENTERS |
| UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA IRVINE | IRVINE, CA | $69,360 | 2026 | INHERITING GOOD CREDIT |
| STANFORD UNIVERSITY | STANFORD, CA | $66,197 | 2026 | THE G.I. BILL AND BLACK-WHITE WEALTH DISPARITIES |
| UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA BERKELEY | BERKELEY, CA | $66,000 | 2026 | HOW SPONSORS LEGAL STATUS AND RELATIONSHIP TO CHILDREN SHAPE UNACCOMPANI... |
| UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH | PITTSBURGH, PA | $64,705 | 2026 | INDIVIDUAL WORKER-OWNER CENSUS |
| STANFORD UNIVERSITY | STANFORD, CA | $63,718 | 2026 | BEYOND REPRESENTATION |
| BROWN UNIVERSITY | PROVIDENCE, RI | $61,233 | 2026 | CLIMATE POLITICS AS STATUS POLITICS |
| COLLEGE OF WILLIAM AND MARY | WILLIAMSBURG, VA | $57,163 | 2026 | THE LONG-RUN IMPACTS OF ZONING THE SUBURBS |
| UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA RIVERSIDE | RIVERSIDE, CA | $55,592 | 2026 | IMMIGRATION AND EDUCATION: EARLY INSIGHTS FROM THE BUSLIFT TO NYC |
| UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA SAN DIEGO | LA JOLLA, CA | $53,754 | 2026 | UNEQUAL TREATMENT OR UNEQUAL OPPORTUNITY? EMPLOYER AND LOCATION EFFECTS I... |
NORTH CAROLINA STATE UNIVERSITY
$117,364POLICE EXPOSURE AND SOCIOECONOMIC WELL-BEING AMONG AFRICAN AMERICAN MEN
CAN TRANSFER PATHWAYS PROMOTE DIVERSITY AFTER THE 2023 SUPREME COURT DECI...
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES
$100,000POLITICAL SOLIDARITY AND POLITICAL ACTION AMONG PEOPLE OF COLOR
STANFORD UNIVERSITY
$100,000A PUBLIC PLATFORM FOR OPEN MIXED-METHODS RESEARCH
Current and upcoming funding from Russell Sage Foundation that your nonprofit may be able to apply for.
Who can apply: Supports multi- or interdisciplinary teams addressing nationally significant social, economic, or political challenges affecting social and living conditions in the United States. Additional eligibility and budget details are not provided in the scraped content.
GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY
$99,996HOW DOES APPLICATION ASSISTANCE AFFECT THE RECEIPT OF UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFI...
HOW HOMEOWNERSHIP STABILIZES AND DESTABILIZES WOMENS LIVES
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA SAN DIEGO
$97,511THE GEOGRAPHY OF RACE AND ETHNICITY IN THE UNITED STATES
ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY
$96,355BUILDING A QUALITATIVE DATA INFRASTRUCTURE ON HOW GUNS SHAPE POLITICAL LIFE
STANFORD UNIVERSITY
$96,291THE GREAT WORK FROM HOME DIVIDE
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA BERKELEY
$95,459LONG RUN IMPACTS OF WOMEN'S EDUCATION
UTAH STATE UNIVERSITY
$94,843COMMUNITY IMPACTS OF IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT
JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY
$91,433HOW DO HIGH-ACHIEVING LOW-INCOME STUDENTS MAKE POSTSECONDARY DECISIONS? I...
SOCIOECONOMIC AND RACIAL DISPARITIES IN DRIVERS LICENSE SUSPENSION
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA BERKELEY
$86,250GEOGRAPHIC AND NEIGHBORHOOD DIFFERENCES IN INTERGENERATIONAL EARNINGS MOB...
THE CONTEXT AND LIFE COURSE OF RACIAL/ETHNIC IDENTITIES AMONG MULTIRACIAL...
BROWN UNIVERSITY
$83,396ESTIMATING THE EXPERIENCE OF A WORKER'S FIRST JOB
UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN
$82,898ENFORCING INEQUALITY
UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON
$81,395A FIRST EXAMINATION OF ACADEMIC AND EARLY-CAREER OUTCOMES OF REFUGEE AND ...
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES
$80,964EMERGENCY EDUCATION AND SOCIAL INEQUALITIES: EVIDENCE FROM WWII IN THE U.S.
INEQUITIES IN THE DISTRIBUTION OF MORTGAGE DISTRESS FOLLOWING FLOOD EVENTS
UNIVERSITY AT ALBANY STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK
$75,000ANTI-IMMIGRANT POLICIES, RHETORIC AND VIOLENCE IN A NEW DESTINATION ETHNI...
GRADUATE CENTER CITY UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK
$75,000PUBLIC OPINION AND NEW YORKS ASYLUM CRISIS
FORTY ACRES AND A MULE: LOCAL REPARATIONS POLICIES IN COMPARATIVE PERSPECTIVE
THE EFFECTS OF DIAPER TAXES ON MATERNAL EMPLOYMENT
JOAN & SANFORD I WEILL MEDICAL COLLEGE OF CORNELL UNIVERSITY
$75,000STATE RECREATIONAL CANNABIS LAWS AND RACIAL DISPARITIES IN THE CRIMINAL J...
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA RESEARCH FOUNDATION INC
$75,000PLACE-, HOME-MAKING, AND INCORPORATION AFTER POST-DISASTER MIGRATION
UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO
$75,000COMPLEMENTS TO WORK: CHILDCARE SUBSIDIES AND FEMALE LABOR SUPPLY
POST-DEPORTATION EXPERIENCES IN EL SALVADOR: A FAMILY COMMUNICATION APPROACH
THE CONSEQUENCES OF EXPUNGEMENT POLICY ON IMMIGRATION OUTCOMES
UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS AMHERST
$74,900UNDERSTANDING THE VOICES OF AN INCREASINGLY DIVERSE ELECTORATE THROUGH TH...
UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE KNOXVILLE
$74,800LEGAL REPRESENTATION IN EVICTION COURT
EVOLUTION, PATHWAYS, AND BEHAVIORAL PATTERNS OF THE ECONOMIC ELITE
BOSTON COLLEGE
$71,733HOW MUCH DO OLDER WORKERS VALUE RETIREE HEALTH INSURANCE?
UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN
$69,999EVALUATING THE IMPACT OF INVESTOR OWNERSHIP OF CHILDCARE CENTERS
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA IRVINE
$69,360INHERITING GOOD CREDIT
STANFORD UNIVERSITY
$66,197THE G.I. BILL AND BLACK-WHITE WEALTH DISPARITIES
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA BERKELEY
$66,000HOW SPONSORS LEGAL STATUS AND RELATIONSHIP TO CHILDREN SHAPE UNACCOMPANI...
STANFORD UNIVERSITY
$63,718BEYOND REPRESENTATION
BROWN UNIVERSITY
$61,233CLIMATE POLITICS AS STATUS POLITICS
COLLEGE OF WILLIAM AND MARY
$57,163THE LONG-RUN IMPACTS OF ZONING THE SUBURBS
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA RIVERSIDE
$55,592IMMIGRATION AND EDUCATION: EARLY INSIGHTS FROM THE BUSLIFT TO NYC
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA SAN DIEGO
$53,754UNEQUAL TREATMENT OR UNEQUAL OPPORTUNITY? EMPLOYER AND LOCATION EFFECTS I...
Deadline: LOI deadline December 1, 2026; invited proposal deadline February 22, 2027; funding decision June 2027.
Who can apply: Early-career scholars (Assistant Professors, Adjunct Assistant Professors, and Lecturers who received the Ph.D. within the last 10 years). Applicants must not have previously received an RSF Trustee or Presidential research grant or a visiting fellowship from RSF.
Deadline: Competition deadline usually in the Fall for funding the following summer; see RSF application deadlines page for current cycle.
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