Finra Foundation: General Grant Program

Finra Foundation: General Grant Program

Status: ACTIVE
Funder: Finra Investor Education Foundation
Amount: US $50,000 - US $100,000
Last Updated: January 08, 2026

Summary

The FINRA Investor Education Foundation's General Grant Program funds educational and research projects aimed at enhancing financial literacy among underserved populations. Grants ranging from $50,000 to $100,000 support initiatives that promote financial inclusion and address systemic inequities. The foundation prioritizes projects that utilize existing data to improve understanding of financial capability and well-being. Applications are accepted anytime, with a focus on sustainability beyond the grant period.

Overview

FINRA Investor Education Foundation Grant Through the General Grant Program, the FINRA Investor Education Foundation funds research and educational projects that empower underserved Americans with the knowledge, skills and tools to make sound financial decisions throughout life. The Foundation especially welcomes applications for research projects of approximately $50,000–$100,000 that use data from the National Financial Capability Study (and other existing data sets) to advance understanding of the relationships among financial literacy, financial capability and financial well-being. Priority is also given to projects that further financial inclusion and address systemic financial inequities based on race, ethnicity, gender, disability status, and other social differences. The first step in applying for a FINRA Foundation grant is the submission of the Project Concept Form found here. Certain applicants will be invited to submit a full grant proposal. Applicants invited to prepare a full proposal will receive detailed submission instructions. Grant Amounts Most grants approved by the FINRA Foundation are under $100,000. Indirect costs or overhead must not exceed 10% of direct costs. Timing The FINRA Foundation accepts Project Concept Forms at any time. The Foundation will respond to your Project Concept Form within one month of receipt and either decline the request or invite a full proposal. The entire decision-making process—from the submission of a Project Concept Form to a notification of funding—takes several months. Grant Duration Most grants are completed within 24 months. The FINRA Foundation looks favorably upon projects that demonstrate sustainability beyond the grant period. Grant Priorities Of particular interest to the Foundation are projects that: Expand the body of knowledge and/or provide practical materials that will have a positive impact on financial capability, investor education, or investor protectionResearch methods to improve disclosure to investors about investments and financial servicesEncourage investors to check the background of financial professionals prior to doing business with themEmpower the nation's young people that are about to enter the workforce to better prepare for retirement and to meet other financial goalsBetter prepare older Americans for handling their finances during retirementEncourage women and minority populations to take control of their financial future through investor education, and that further financial inclusion and address systemic financial inequities based on race, ethnicity, gender, disability status, and other social differencesAdvance practice, policy, and thought in the fields of financial capability, investor education, and investor protection Types of Projects The Foundation seeks to fund projects that advance its mission through: Educational projects or programs. Funding is for programs that respond to an unmet financial education, investor education or investor protection need for a target audience.Research. Funding is for research that expands the body of knowledge and offers solutions in the field of financial education, investor education and investor protection.Combination of research and educational program. Funding is for initiatives that lead with a research element and follow with a high-impact financial education, investor education or investor protection project based upon the results of the research.

Eligibility

You can learn more about this opportunity by visiting the funder's website. Eligibility is limited to IRS-designated 501(c)(3) organizations and to state and other public colleges and universities.The Foundation accepts grant proposals from persons of any race, color, creed, age, sex, disability, and national or ethnic origin.Indirect costs or overhead must not exceed 10% of direct costs.

Ineligibility

The Foundation will not award grants to:Individuals Organizations affiliated with a current director, officer or staff member of the FINRA Foundation Organizations affiliated with any person involved in the review or approval of grants or the organization that employs such a person Organizations affiliated with a current member of the FINRA Board of Governors Securities firms regulated by FINRA Organizations affiliated with a securities firm or individual regulated by FINRA, such as a foundation established by a securities firm Securities regulators, self-regulatory organizations or securities industry trade associations Organizations that are “disqualified persons” pursuant to Article III, Section 3(d) of FINRA By-Laws Organizations that discriminate on the basis of age, color, disability, marital status, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or veteran statusThe Foundation will generally not consider proposals to fund:International programs or projects Projects that are local in nature and scope Expenses that are not directly related to the project for which funding is sought Salaries of permanent staff; for example, prorated salaries of administrative and executive personnel, or oversight and coordination activities of a project principal (modest amounts for release time of university professors are acceptable) Capital costs (such as building and construction) or equipment (such as computer hardware and office furniture) Pass-through funding; for example, if the 501(c)(3) organization plans to turn over the funding to a proprietary organization or consultant Projects with a potential conflict of interest Conferences and similar activities that fail to provide a long-term solution or sufficiently broad outreach Distribution methodologies that require ongoing maintenance when the ability to perform upkeep without continued funding is questionable (for example, materials with a short “shelf life” that would require ongoing funding for frequent updating) Projects with proprietary elements (such as for-profit activities), use or purchase of copyrighted or trademarked materials, and proprietary research Lobbying, political contributions, fund-raising events or similar activities designed to influence legislation or intervene in political campaigns Donations, endowments, challenge grants, matching funds and similar programs Direct or matching payments to members of the public, such as scholarships, assistance with personal and family financial difficulties, registration fees for conferences and training, or similar activities