Tag Archives: PhD Research

GDPC SPOTLIGHT RESEARCH GRANTS PROGRAM

Application Deadline: 31 July 2026, 23:59 UTC

LOCATION: USA

The Global Disaster Preparedness Center (GDPC) is pleased to announce the launch of its 2026 Spotlight Research Grants Program in partnership with the French Red Cross Foundation, focused on the theme of principled and accountable use of technology in humanitarian action. This initiative aims to deepen our understanding of how ICTs, including emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) can be applied humanely, ethically, and responsibly in humanitarian contexts by supporting original research in low- and middle-income countries. 

ELIGIBILITY:

Applicants must be affiliated with an accredited university at the time of submission, including PhD candidates, post-doctoral researchers, and faculty members. Teams of researchers are welcome to submit proposals.

Researchers should come from disciplines in social sciences and humanities, such as sociology, anthropology, law, human geography, management, behavioral studies, psychology,  etc.

Applications are open to researchers who are nationals of low- and middle-income countries, including least developed and upper-middle-income nations. Research must be focused on these countries. A list of eligible countries can be found here.

Proposed research projects must align with one of the program’s defined topics and clearly demonstrate how they contribute to the selected area of focus.

Projects must be feasible for completion within the eight-month program timeline, running from 1 November 2026 to 30 June 30 2027.

Researchers may conduct their research in any language, but the final research paper must be submitted in English or French. If translation into English is needed, the budget proposal should include estimated costs for translation services.

BENEFIT:

Awards provide $10,000 USD for research lasting up to eight months, with a completion deadline of June 30, 2027. This program supports applied and impactful research that can inform policy, planning, humanitarian programming, community action, and so on. Research must be original, and plagiarism will result in immediate disqualification at any stage of the grant process. Research can be conducted in English or French. 

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HARRY FRANK GUGGENHEIM DISTINGUISHED SCHOLAR AWARDS

Application Deadline: July 31, 2026, at 11:59:00 p.m. ET. 

LOCATION: USA

The Harry Frank Guggenheim Distinguished Scholar Awards (formerly the Harry Frank Guggenheim Research Grants) recognize leading researchers proposing to make a significant contribution to illuminating an issue of violence. The Foundation welcomes proposals from any of the natural and social sciences and allied disciplines that promise to increase understanding of the causes, manifestations, and control of violence and aggression. Highest priority is given to research that addresses urgent, present-day problems of violence—what produces it, how it operates, and what prevents or reduces it.  

The Foundation is interested in violence related to many subjects, including, but not limited to, the following:

Political extremism and nationalism

War

Crime

Terrorism

Family and intimate-partner relationships

Climate instability and natural resource competition

Racial, ethnic, and religious conflict

ELIGIBILITY:

Applicants for an award may be citizens of any country. While almost all recipients of these awards possess a PhD, MD, JD, or equivalent degree, there are no formal degree requirements for the award. The award, however, may not be used to support research undertaken as part of the requirements for a graduate degree. Applicants need not be affiliated with an institution of higher learning, although most are college or university professors.

Applicants must create an online account to begin the application process. They will next complete a Letter of Interest (LOI), a brief online questionnaire about their proposed project, research design, and budget. This must be submitted by 11:59.00 p.m. ET on July 31, 2026. The LOI will be assessed by the Foundation for the project’s suitability for funding consideration. If the LOI is approved, the applicant will be invited to submit a full proposal application, which will be due by 11:59.00 p.m. ET on September 11, 2026.

Guidelines for the second stage of the process (the proposal application) and advice for applicants can be found in the links below.
Online Application (Login required)

Application Guidelines (PDF)

Advice for Applicants (PDF)

Timing:

The application process will open on July 1, 2026. The first component of the process is a Letter of Interest (LOI) questionnaire, which must be completed online and submitted by July 31, 2026 at 11:59.00 p.m. ET. Approved applicants will be invited to submit a full application, which is due by September 11, 2026 at 11:59.00 p.m. ET. Letters of Reference will also be due by September 11, 2026 at 11:59.00 p.m. ET. Late submissions will not be reviewed.

Final decisions are made by the HFG Board of Directors during its December meeting. Awardees will be notified by email of the Board’s decision shortly afterwards. Awards typically commence on January 1. Later starting dates may be considered if the nature of the research warrants it.

BENEFIT:

Most awards fall within the range of $15,000 and $75,000 per year for periods of one or two years. Applications for larger amounts and longer durations will be considered but must be strongly justified. The awards are made to individuals (or sometimes two, or, rarely, three principal investigators) for specific projects, not general research support. They are not awarded to institutions for institutional programs. Individuals who receive research grants may be subject to taxation on the funds awarded.

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