Grant-Making Activities

The National Institute launched its Grants Program (originally called the Seed Grant Program) in 2011 to support outstanding graduate students in the social sciences. Through these grants, NISS recognizes and supports path-breaking research in multiple fields. NISS grants supplement a university’s financial support and other funding that the student already has in place.

Over the past several years, NISS has supported several outstanding graduate students in the social sciences. Based on the success of this pilot program, and following extensive deliberations within the Grants Committee and the Board of Trustees, the Board voted in 2021 to substantially expand and systematize the National Institute’s grant-making activities.

NISS now sponsors a two-track grants program. First, NISS hosts an annual Dissertation Grant Program that supports graduate students completing dissertations in the social sciences. Any accredited university may nominate a candidate to receive a grant to support the completion of a dissertation. Second, NISS partners with professional associations in the social sciences to support graduate students delivering papers and making presentations at their annual meetings.

Please direct all enquiries concerning the National Institute’s Grants programs by email to grants@socialsciencesinstitute.org

2024 Dissertation Grants Program

The National Institute of Social Sciences is pleased to launch its Dissertation Grants Program for 2024. NISS Dissertation Grants are designed to support outstanding Ph.D. students who need additional resources to complete doctoral work that promises to significantly advance their fields of study.

For 2024, NISS is seeking nominations in the fields of Anthropology, Economics, History, Political Science, Psychology, and Sociology. Interdisciplinary projects that include one or more of these fields as a major component may also be considered.

The submission deadline for this year’s competition is Monday, May 6, 2024 at 5:00 pm ET.

You can learn more and submit an application or donate to the Grants Program using the links at left.

Travel Grants
& Prizes

The National Institute of Social Sciences is piloting a set of partnerships with the American Anthropological Association, the American Historical Association, the American Political Science Association, and the American Sociological Association to support graduate students in the social sciences.

The NISS supported four students who participated in the American Historical Association’s 2020 Annual Meeting in New York. [more]

Questions? Please contact the Grants Committee at grants@socialsciencesinstitute.org.

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