HFG Distinguished Scholars

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The Harry Frank Guggenheim Distinguished Scholar Awards (formerly the Harry Frank Guggenheim Research Grants) recognize leading researchers proposing to make a significant contribution to illuminating an issue of violence.

The Foundation welcomes proposals from any of the natural and social sciences and aligned disciplines that promise to increase understanding of the causes, manifestations, and control of violence and aggression. Highest priority is given to research that addresses urgent, present-day problems of violence—what produces it, how it operates, and what prevents or reduces it.  

The Foundation is interested in violence related to many subjects, including, but not limited to, the following:

• War
• Crime
• Terrorism
• Family and intimate-partner relationships
• Climate instability and natural resource competition
• Racial, ethnic, and religious conflict
• Political extremism and nationalism

The Foundation supports research that investigates the basic mechanisms in the production of violence, but primacy is given to proposals that make a compelling case for the relevance of potential findings for policies intended to reduce these ills. Likewise, historical research is considered to the extent that it is relevant to a current situation of violence. Examinations of the effects of violence are welcome insofar as a strong case is made that these outcomes may serve, in turn, as causes of future violence. 

The Distinguished Scholar Awards 

Most awards fall within the range of $15,000 to $45,000 per year for periods of one or two years. Applications for larger amounts and longer durations will be considered but must be strongly justified. The awards are made to individuals (or sometimes two or, rarely, three principal investigators) for specific projects, not general research support. They are not awarded to institutions for institutional programs. Individuals who receive research grants may be subject to taxation on the funds awarded.

Timing

Applications must be submitted by August 1, for a decision in December. Final decisions are made by the Board of Directors at its meeting in December. Applicants will be informed promptly by email of the Board’s decision. Awards ordinarily commence on January 1, but later starting dates may be requested if the nature of the research deems this appropriate.

Eligibility

Applicants for an award may be citizens of any country. While almost all recipients of these awards possess a Ph.D., M.D., J.D., or equivalent degree, there are no formal degree requirements for the award. The award, however, may not be used to support research undertaken as part of the requirements for a graduate degree. Applicants need not be affiliated with an institution of higher learning, although most are college or university professors.

Application

Candidates for the Harry Frank Guggenheim Distinguished Scholar Award may apply online annually between May 1 and August 1. Applicants must create an account to access the application and guidelines. The guidelines are also available through the second link below.

Online Application (Login required)

Application Guidelines (PDF)

Advice for Applicants (PDF)

Recent Recipients

2025

Nicholas Barnes (International Affairs, University of St. Andrews) and Juan Masullo (Political Science, Leiden University). Under the Iron Fist: Examining Public Security Policy Preferences of Favela Residents in Rio de Janeiro
Anjuli Fahlberg (Sociology, Tufts University). How States of Exception Impact Lived Experiences of Violence in Gang Territories: A Comparison of El Salvador and Honduras
Jonathan Green (Journalism, Independent Scholar). The Devil Can Cite Scripture: A Story of Violent Religion and the Revenge of America's Most Dangerous Cult
Haroro Ingram (Political Science, The Australian National University). The Promises of Revolutionary Violence: Propaganda, Recruitment, and Motivational Pathways to Violence in the Southern Philippines
Stephen Kapinde (Social Sciences, Pwani University and the University of London). “Performance of Injustice": Mainstreaming Religious Actors in Transitional Justice Processes towards Taming Political Violence in Conflicting Democracies in Africa
Roudabeh Kishi (Political Science, University of Denver). Improving Early Warning Models Outside of Conflict Zones: A Case Study of the US
Roni Porat (Political Science, Hebrew University of Jerusalem), Yuval Ofek-Shanny (Economics, University of Haifa), and Analia Schlosser (Economics, Tel-Aviv University). Reducing Violence Through Cross-Ethnic Teachers: Insights from the Israeli Education System

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