Action Fund

The Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies Action Fund provided seed grants intended to jumpstart early-stage multidisciplinary research projects tackling persistent problems of global underdevelopment. The Action Fund was supported by expendable gifts from FSI donors and matching funds from the Office of the President and FSI. The Action Fund projects range across disciplines, focusing primarily on problems in developing and transitioning societies. 

As Stanford's primary forum for multidisciplinary research on international issues, FSI actively promotes research collaborations that transcend traditional academic boundaries to influence public policy nationally and internationally. FSI's Action Fund was established to jump-start innovative, early-stage projects related to global underdevelopment, with the goal of creating new and promising areas of self-sustaining research at FSI and of building a community of scholars who are  interested in those questions. Strong projects are collaborative, outcomes-oriented, policy relevant, and provide training for graduate and undergraduate students.

GUAF provided grants of up to $40,000 for one year early-stage research projects, as well as $5,000 summer research travel grants for faculty and graduate students.

Awardees present their work during the Action Fund Friday seminar series.

A list of funded projects is available here.

The Action Fund completed its fourth round of funding in 2014, and now directs researchers interested in funding for interdisciplinary research in developing and transitioning economies to the new Global Development and Poverty initiative, a joint venture with the Stanford Institute for Innovation in Developing Economies at the Grauate School of Business.

Contact

For more information or to join our mailing list, contact Elena Cryst.