Research News

Limited Submission Opportunity: The Richard Davoud Donchian Foundation Grant Program

Applications due Oct. 19, 2023

These instructions are for VU investigators. VUMC investigators should contact LSO@vanderbilt.edu for more information.

Vanderbilt University may submit one application to The Richard Davoud Donchian Foundation Grant Program.

Overview

The Richard Davoud Donchian Foundation provides funds to nonprofit organizations whose programs result in the strengthening of the human spirit and the enhancement of personal integrity. The foundation channels most of its financial resources toward charitable organizations whose attention is concentrated on character development through leadership training, literacy, primary education, business integrity, spiritual enrichment and ethics.

Qualities sought by the Donchian Foundation in its partner organizations are: effective and dynamic personnel; passionate leadership; a bias against bureaucracy; prudent management and governance practices; and commitment to results and to the documented assessment of program impact.

The foundation focuses its grant making in three key areas: Literacy and Education; Humanitarian Efforts and Ethics and Personal Development.

Literacy and Education

With an interest in rethinking and reconfiguring curriculum, pedagogy and the other academic resources in schools and communities, the foundation focuses on programs that work toward long-term improvement in all aspects of education, but with an emphasis on literacy.

Humanitarian Efforts

To improve the lives and spirits of individuals and communities facing pressing circumstances, etc., including efforts to address children’s health.

Ethics and Personal Development

To enhance the moral, ethical, spiritual and physical well-being and progress of mankind. The foundation’s grant making activities are centered around the concept of social purpose enterprise that seeks to raise the standards of ethical excellence in society, moral character in the community, faith in the family, integrity in business and grassroots leadership in needy communities.

Guidelines

The majority of The Richard Davoud Donchian Foundation’s grant making is focused in the northeastern United States, although, occasionally, grants may be made in other regions of the country and/or abroad. The foundation encourages pilot initiatives that test new program models.

Priority will be given to requests that show specific plans for funding beyond the present.

Grants may range from a few thousand dollars up to $25,000. In unique circumstances, the foundation does consider a more significant grant for a program having a major impact in one or more of its interest areas.

See the program page for more information.

Internal application process

Interested faculty should visit https://vanderbilt.infoready4.com/#competitionDetail/1917372 to submit an application for the internal LSO competition and to find additional information about the opportunity. The deadline for the internal competition is Oct. 19, 2023.

Any questions about this opportunity or the LSO process may be directed to VU-LSO@vanderbilt.edu.