John Templeton Foundation Grant Program

John Templeton Foundation Grant Program

Status: ACTIVE
Funder: The John Templeton Foundation
Last Updated: May 02, 2025

Summary

The John Templeton Foundation Grant Program aims to inspire awe and wonder through interdisciplinary research and public engagement. By funding bold ideas that challenge conventional thought, the foundation fosters curiosity and understanding. It supports various funding areas, including character virtue development, individual freedom, life sciences, and public engagement. The foundation seeks to create a world where individuals pursue meaningful lives, motivated by love and a desire for knowledge.

Overview

Inspiring Awe & Wonder The mission of the John Templeton Foundation is to support interdisciplinary research and catalyze conversations that inspire awe and wonder.  We are working to create a world where people are curious about the wonders of the universe, free to pursue lives of meaning and purpose, and motivated by great and selfless love. Our Values At the John Templeton Foundation, we are: Humble in our approach. We are committed to the process of discovery and are willing to take risks in pursuit of knowledge. We seek diverse perspectives, and we engage with new ideas. Intellectually rigorous. We seek to push the boundaries of scientific and spiritual understanding. To do so requires us to be both rigorous and thorough. Motivated to improve the lives of others. We believe people worldwide will lead purposeful lives by continuously working toward spiritual growth and a better understanding of the virtues by which they want to live. Committed to human dignity and individual freedom. We see freedom and competition as enabling conditions that spur innovation, creativity, discovery, and the pursuit of knowledge. Free societies allow individuals and communities to live full and meaningful lives. Our Grants The Foundation offers grants in support of research and public engagement in our major Funding Areas. We invest in bold ideas from contrarian thinkers — ideas that cross disciplinary boundaries and challenge conventional assumptions. And we fund innovative programs that engage the public with these ideas, in an effort to open minds, deepen understanding, and inspire curiosity. Funding Areas The John Templeton Foundation supports interdisciplinary research and catalyzes conversations that inspire awe and wonder. Our funding areas define our philanthropic priorities and advance our aspiration to create a world where people are curious about the wonders of the universe, free to pursue lives of meaning and purpose, and motivated by great and selfless love. We welcome grant applications to support field-leading research and high impact public engagement programs in these areas. Character Virtue Development The Character Virtue Development funding area supports research and catalyzes conversations that seek to advance the science and practice of character, with a focus on moral, performance, civic, and intellectual virtues such as humility, gratitude, curiosity, diligence, and honesty. Individual Freedom & Free Markets The Individual Freedom & Free Markets funding area supports education, research, and outreach projects to promote individual freedom, free markets, free competition, and entrepreneurship. Life Sciences The Life Sciences funding area supports projects that seek novel and fundamental insights into the meaning and significance of life processes, by which we can better understand humanity’s place within nature. Mathematical & Physical Sciences In our Mathematical and Physical Sciences funding area, we support research seeking to shed light on the fundamental concepts of physical reality. We also explore the interplay between these sciences and broader human experience. Public Engagement The Public Engagement funding area supports content projects that include video, audio, public events, and print media. In addition, we seek proposals that support the next generation of thought leaders, generate durable courses and programming at leading universities. Religion, Science, & Society The Religion, Science, & Society funding area will seek to advance our collective understanding of the ways in which religious and spiritual beliefs and practices affect human flourishing and to apply those insights to society in meaningful and practical ways.

Eligibility

You can learn more about this opportunity by visiting the funder's website. Generally, we fund discrete projects. Our process and forms are not designed for other types of requests such as donations, operational support, or program support. Anyone can request funding from the foundation. Generally, we fund charitable entities that operate inside and outside of the United States.The Foundation has made grants to organizations from around the world.On rare occasions, we may fund individuals and for-profit companies doing charitable work that is consistent with our tax-exempt status. The Foundation allows projects to include an overhead/indirect cost component that is no more than fifteen percent (15%) of the total direct expenses.  Applicants may submit more than one funding inquiry to the Foundation.

Ineligibility

The Foundation typically does not provide challenge grants. The Foundation generally does not fund buildings, renovations, or capital campaigns; direct-service programs; scholarships for college or graduate school; general operating support for organizations; or disaster relief. The Foundation will not fund any project for more than five years.