About Social Science Research Council
Mobilizing social science for the public good.
Focus Areas
social sciencescriminal justicepublic health and vaccinationart and community researchartificial intelligence and data policyreligion and public spherehigher education researchtechnology and society
Who They Fund
individual researchersresearch teamsacademic institutions
Funding Style
project-based funding
About Social Science Research Council
The Social Science Research Council funds research that turns social science into public-facing knowledge, with grants that frequently support universities, research teams, and academic institutions. In 2024, its largest listed awards reached $99,965 to Indiana University and $98,058 to the University of Tulsa, both labeled research grants. The council also backed Arizona State University at $81,390 and Documentary Educational Resources at $60,500, showing support that extends beyond traditional campus-based projects. Its portfolio includes fellowships and research grants tied to criminal justice innovation, vaccination demand, community arts, Japan studies, peacebuilding, religion and democratic renewal, data fluency, and community-led development. The legal name is SOCIAL SCIENCE RESEARCH COUNCIL, and Anna Harvey is the listed leadership contact. A defining feature is the mix of national research support and program-specific funding opportunities. Some grants are open to unsolicited applications, including several fellowship and research programs, while one listed fellowship in religion and democratic renewal is not open to unsolicited applications. The council’s work is centered on research-specific support rather than general operating aid, with awards structured around named programs and defined research purposes. Recent recipients include institutions across higher education and research sectors, indicating a grantmaking model built around project-based scholarship and policy-relevant inquiry.
What Social Science Research Council Funds
The council’s cause areas cluster around social research with public implications. In criminal justice, it awarded $120,000 fellowship support through the Arnold Ventures Criminal Justice Innovation Fellowships for post-doctoral causal research on cost-effective and scalable policy solutions. In public health, The Mercury Project funds evaluations of interventions designed to build vaccination demand around the world, with geography spanning Africa, Asia, and Latin America and the Caribbean. Arts and community research is another active lane: Arts Research in Communities (ARCC) Fellowships support embedded ethnographic research in partnership with community arts organizations. The council also funds the Data Fluencies Project, which offers research grants to Ph.D. students in the United States and Canada studying data-centric practices that advance socially beneficial outcomes. Separate opportunities support Japan studies development, peacebuilding in and around Africa, and research on religion and democratic renewal.
Financial Snapshot
Annual Giving
$127K
Total Assets
$68.9M
Total Revenue
$14.2M
Total Expenses
$15.5M
Typical Grant Size
Most grants fall between $40K and $60K, with a median of $54K.
25th Percentile
$40K
Median
$54K
75th Percentile
$60K
Geographic Reach
National16 states funded
Funding intensity
LowHigh
Headquarters
Leadership
ANNA HARVEY
Accepts unsolicited proposals
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