The ImpactLab for Applied Social Science Research supports research that connects scholarship to public problems. Working with governments, nonprofit organizations, and community partners, the ImpactLab produces evidence-based insights that advance solutions for the public good in North Texas and beyond.

For the 2026–2027 academic year, the ImpactLab offers two grant programs for the College of Liberal Arts & Social Sciences: Faculty Seed Grants and Graduate Student Project Grants. Both fund applied research with clear policy relevance and potential community impact.

Projects may be grounded in academic research, but proposals should go beyond contributions to the scholarly literature. Strong applications explain how the work connects to public problems, policy debates, government or nonprofit practice, or community needs in the Dallas–Fort Worth area and beyond.

Faculty Seed Grants

These awards are intended to help faculty move promising projects toward a larger external funding application. Projects may be at an early stage, but proposals must explain how the requested support will generate evidence, partnerships, or preliminary results needed to develop a competitive external proposal.

Graduate Student Project Grants
These awards are intended to support graduate student research, with strong priority given to thesis and dissertation projects. Projects may be at an early stage, but applicants should explain how the requested support will help them complete a clearly defined stage of the research, such as data collection, fieldwork, analysis, or partner engagement.