FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES
The UCLA Luskin Institute on Inequality and Democracy supports UCLA scholars working on at least one of the Institute’s research themes. Products should demonstrate an explicit public orientation, i.e. an intent of speaking to public issues, engaging with advocates or civic organizations, and/or addressing audiences that lie beyond the university. The Institute is especially interested in projects that challenge inequality by strengthening democracy, or strengthen democracy by challenging inequality.
Inequality and Democracy Doctoral Awards (Applications closed: Next cycle Fall 2026)
- APPLICATION DEADLINE: Applications closed on Friday, November 7, 2025 at 5pm PT.
- FUNDING DECISION: End of Fall Quarter and funds will be available for use in January 2026.
- AWARD AMOUNT: 2 awards in the amount of $10,000 each.
The UCLA Luskin Institute on Inequality and Democracy is pleased to announce the third round of the Ideas and Organizing Doctoral Awards. This award will support two (2) UCLA doctoral students whose work advances the Institutes’ goals of strengthening democracy and combatting inequality. We invite applications from registered UCLA doctoral students across all disciplines whose research aligns with at least one of the Institute’s key themes: Social movements and democratic struggle; American youth and the future of democracy; Building a multiracial democracy; Affordability, economic inequality, and democratic dysfunction; Global threats to democracy; American oligarchy; Democratic governance and institutional reform. See previously funded doctoral research projects here.
Criteria & important notes:
- Applicant must be registered and in good standing in a doctoral program at UCLA during the quarters when the application is due and when award payment is made.
- Those who have engaged with advocacy, civil society, and political organizations promoting equality and/or democracy are encouraged to apply.
- When possible, we do our best to distribute our resources widely. Thus, review committees prioritize applicants who have not received recent awards from the Institute.
- Applicants who receive financial aid are advised to consult with their Graduate Advisor and the Financial Aid Office about the potential effects of this award on their financial aid package.
UCLA Luskin Graduate Student Capstone Awards (Applications closed: Next cycle Fall 2026)
- APPLICATION DEADLINE: Applications closed on December 15, 2025 at 8pm PT.
- FUNDING DECISION: Mid-January 2026.
- AWARD AMOUNT: Up to $2,000.
The Institute is offering the Graduate Research Grant application for UCLA Luskin students’ research and capstone projects. This application is jointly offered by the Luskin Institute on Inequality and Democracy, Institute of Transportation Studies (ITS), Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies, and the Luskin Center for Innovation. Each center funds projects that fit within its respective research priority areas. The Institute will be looking to support research that aligns with at least one of its key research themes:
Social Movements and Democratic Struggle
Grassroots activism, labor organizing, and protest movements
Historical studies of mass movements and progressive political change
The role of business and the wealthy as allies in shaping democratic reforms
American Youth and the Future of Democracy
Civic engagement and political views of America’s youth
Social, economic, and political challenges that especially impact the young
Politics in the age of social media
Building a Multiracial Democracy
The politics of racial justice, immigration, and political inclusion
Race, ethnicity, and politics in the US and globally
Histories of ethnoracial exclusion, resistance, and reform
Affordability, Economic Inequality, and Democratic Dysfunction
The impact of economic experience and expectations on political attitudes and behavior
The political impact of individual, community, and national economic conditions
Global Threats to Democracy
Comparative studies of democratic backsliding and resilience
Lessons from alternative electoral systems and alternative electoral funding mechanisms
The global interplay of economic and political inequalities
American Oligarchy
Taming the power of money in American politics
Addressing the Supreme Court’s decades-long crusade against campaign finance limits
The corrupting influence of billionaires in politics and policy
Organized interests and the power of corporations in American governance
Democratic Governance and Institutional Reform
Institutional reforms to secure voting rights, reduce polarization, enhance democratic responsiveness, and improve government performance
Gerrymandering and redistricting reforms
Alternative voting systems (eg, ranked choice voting, fusion voting, multimember districts)
UCLA Faculty Seed Grants & Working Groups (Applications closed: next cycle Winter 2027)
- APPLICATION DEADLINE: Applications closed on Friday, May 31, 2026 at 5:00pm PT.
- FUNDING DECISION: June 2026. Funds available for use beginning in July 2026 and must be expended by May 31, 2027.
- AWARD AMOUNT: Up to 3 awards with a maximum budget of $10,000 each.
The UCLA Luskin Institute on Inequality and Democracy invites proposals from UCLA faculty for grants to support research or a faculty working group related to the Institute’s key research themes:
- Social Movements and Democratic Struggle
- American Youth and the Future of Democracy
- Building a Multiracial Democracy
- Affordability, economic inequality, and democratic dysfunction
- Global threats to democracy
- American Oligarchy
- Democratic Governance and Institutional Reform
ELIGIBILITY:
All UCLA Academic Senate and Non-Senate faculty are eligible. Faculty may apply for seed grants to fund research or to support a faculty working group. If applying for a research seed grant, faculty are eligible either on an individual basis or as a team. If applying for a working group, each working group must be comprised of at least three (3) faculty. In the case of any group applications for either a research seed grant or a faculty working group, a lead researcher must be identified. Faculty with current grants from the Institute who wish to apply must clearly demonstrate how additional funding will be used to expand and/or deepen the research and its impacts.
GRANT REQUIREMENTS:
Research funds must be expended by May 31 of the following year after funding was dispersed. Any remaining funds will be recalled. Grantees are expected to provide the UCLA Luskin Institute on Inequality and Democracy with a project summary and 2-3 images representative of the project. Projects that receive grants must acknowledge the UCLA Luskin Institute on Inequality and Democracy in all programs, public information materials, social media, and publications resulting from the grant.
PROPOSAL:
Please submit a research proposal (not to exceed two pages, double-spaced) outlining the key research questions and contributions of the project. While we are not looking for an elaborate proposal and/or research design, we would like to understand the methodologies you plan to use in such research and how these are aligned with the theoretical and conceptual stakes of the work. The proposal should address the themes and priorities listed in this call. Faculty working groups are expected to be collective endeavors with the intent of exploring a shared field of inquiry. Working group proposals should explain the purpose of the working group and its projected activities (for example, meetings, speakers, reading circles and so forth). In addition, please submit a budget and a short two-page CV for each of the faculty researchers involved in the project.
