New Funding Opportunity: Division 16 Anti-Racism Action Grants (Up to $2,000)
If you’ve been looking for a way to move anti-racism in school psychology from statements to sustained action, Division 16 (School Psychology) of the American Psychological Association has opened a timely opportunity worth your attention.
The Division 16 Anti-Racism Action Grants are designed as catalyst grants—small but strategic awards intended to spark larger, long-term projects that advance anti-racism in research, practice, education/training, and policy.
This isn’t about symbolic gestures. It’s about doing the work, in partnership with communities, and creating tools, evidence, and practices that can be shared, replicated, and scaled.
Why These Grants Matter
Division 16 played a leading role in developing the School Psychology Unified Antiracism Statement and Call to Action (García-Vázquez et al., 2020). These grants represent the Division’s continued commitment to making that call actionable.
Rather than funding abstract commitments, the program prioritizes projects that:
- Engage community partners as true collaborators
- Lead to visible, usable outcomes
- Lay the groundwork for larger, sustainable anti-racism initiatives
In other words: this is funding for school psychologists who want to build something real—not just publish a position statement.
What Types of Projects Are Funded?
Proposals must focus on anti-racism action and fall into one of two categories:
1. Community-Engaged Projects
These projects prioritize direct benefit to communities and collaborative action. Successful proposals typically:
- Are co-designed with community or practitioner partners
- Produce replicable, shareable products
- Have both public and scholarly impact
Examples of deliverables include:
- Training modules or professional development tools
- Policy or practice guidelines for schools or agencies
- New technologies or educational resources
- Evaluation or technical reports tied to real-world implementation
2. Research Projects
These projects use qualitative and/or quantitative methods to advance new knowledge related to anti-racism in school psychology. Strong research proposals include:
- Clearly articulated research questions or hypotheses
- Thoughtful methods and analytic plans
- Evidence of collaboration with community or practitioner partners
Possible deliverables include:
- Peer-reviewed journal articles
- Edited or authored book proposals
- Conference presentations or special journal issues
A Built-In Support System: Post-Award Mentorship
Each funded project will be paired with a post-award mentor, helping grantees strengthen their work and connect it to a larger, long-term vision. This mentoring component reinforces the program’s emphasis on capacity building and sustainability rather than one-off activities.
Funding Details at a Glance
- Award amount: Typically $2,000 per proposal
- Project period: April 1, 2026 – March 31, 2027
- Start date: Projects must begin after April 1, 2026
Grant funds may not be used for overhead or indirect costs.
Who Is Eligible?
- Individuals, groups, or organizations working in school psychology
- Primary applicant must be a Division 16 member
- Preference given to applicants without prior extramural funding for the proposed project
What Reviewers Are Looking For
Proposals are evaluated using several criteria, with the following double-weighted in scoring:
- Significance: Does the project meaningfully advance anti-racism in school psychology research, practice, education, or policy?
- Quality of Activities: Are the design, methods, action plan, and deliverables thoughtful, rigorous, and appropriate to the project’s goals?
- Meaningful Partnership: Does the project demonstrate genuine collaboration and shared power with a community or constituency different from the primary investigator?
Additional criteria include:
- Potential to catalyze a larger, sustainable initiative
- A realistic one-year timeline
- A clear, justified budget
What You’ll Need to Apply
Applications must be submitted through the Division 16 portal and include:
- An abstract
- A five-page narrative (single-spaced, ≥11-pt font) addressing:
- Project description
- Design, methods, or action plan
- Analyses or evaluation
- Deliverables and timeline
- Team roles and responsibilities
- Organizational background
- Budget and budget justification
- Letters of support from:
- A community partner
- The applicant’s organization (e.g., school or university)
- A brief (≤5-page) CV for each author
📅 Application deadline: February 15, 2026
Questions? Reach Out Directly
Applicants are encouraged to contact the grant co-chairs with questions:
- Michelle Perfect, Co-Chair – mperfect@arizona.edu
- Antoinette Miranda, Co-Chair – halsellmiranda@gmail.com
Final Thought
In a time when anti-racism commitments are often loud but shallow, the Division 16 Anti-Racism Action Grants stand out for one reason: they fund action, partnership, and sustainability.
If you have a project idea that’s been waiting for a catalyst—or a community partnership ready to grow—this is a rare opportunity to move from intention to impact.
We’ll be watching closely to see what school psychologists build next.
