The Human Sciences department seeks to fund research in response to big questions about human nature, religion and spirituality, flourishing, and other fundamental aspects of human experience.

The department supports basic and applied scientific research projects from within the social, behavioral, and cognitive sciences, especially those that seek to increase enthusiasm within the academy for neglected topics.

Human Sciences department is seeking proposals related to the following strategic priorities: Dynamics of Religious Change, Health, Religion, & Spirituality, Intellectual Humility, Religious Cognition, and Science of Virtues. We welcome theory-driven proposals that can accelerate research into these priorities by drawing inspiration from the fields of anthropology, computer science, demography, economics, geography, health sciences, neuroscience, psychology, public health, religious studies, and sociology. We privilege projects that embrace open science best practices.

While the majority of our grantmaking will occur within our strategic priorities, we continue to welcome innovative proposals for scientific research on topics beyond these priorities. Potential topics that could be a good fit for our Open Funding Track in Human Sciences include — but are not limited to — altruism, awe, creativity, forgiveness, future-mindedness, generosity, honesty, hope, human flourishing, imagination, innovation, joy, meaning, morality, purpose, reliability, religion, scientific practice, self-control, spirituality, thrift, well-being, and wisdom. Open track proposals should demonstrate exceptional promise to transform understanding at the frontiers of human knowledge or have high potential to meet critical methodological or conceptual challenges.