Deadline: 15 July 2025
The Leakey Foundation has announced its Research Grant Program to support both PhD dissertation research and post-PhD research across multiple disciplines related to human origins, evolution, and behavior.
They prioritize funding for the exploratory phases of promising new research projects and innovative, multidisciplinary approaches that expand the boundaries of our current understanding.
This program exclusively funds research related to human origins, including dissertation research and exploratory studies. The disciplines supported include archaeology, biological anthropology, paleoanthropology, primate behavioral ecology, genetics, geology, anatomy, morphology, paleobotany, and paleoclimatology.
They welcome proposals from researchers at all stages of their careers, especially PhD candidates. If your research aligns with their mission and you have an innovative or multidisciplinary project, they encourage you to apply.
Focus Areas
- Their current funding focus areas include:
- Paleoanthropology of the Miocene, Pliocene, and Pleistocene
- Primates: Evolution, behavior, morphology, ecology, endocrinology, genetics, isotope studies
- Modern hunter-gatherer groups
Funding Information
- Up to $20,000 for PhD candidates
- Up to $30,000 for post-PhD researchers
Eligible Expenses
- The grant can only be used for expenses directly related to your research and essential to the project such as travel, living expenses during fieldwork, supplies, and research expenses.
- Aid is not offered for salary and/or fringe benefits of applicant or senior project personnel, child care, equipment, travel to meetings, institutional overhead, publication costs, or institutional support.
Eligibility Criteria
- Your research must be relevant to human origins and evolution.
- Applications are open to advanced doctoral students or post-PhD researchers.
- PhD students must be advanced to candidacy (all but dissertation).
- There are no citizenship requirements. Applications are open to candidates from anywhere in the world.
- Applicants must be affiliated with an institution such as a university or museum. They do not give directly to individuals.
- Resubmittals are welcome and encouraged.
- If you have received a Leakey Foundation grant in the past, you must complete all reporting requirements before receiving a new one.
For more information, visit The Leakey Foundation.
