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Alfred P. Sloan Foundation

Annual Giving
$90.0M
Grant Range
$10K - $16.0M
Decision Time
2mo

Alfred P. Sloan Foundation

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $90 million
  • Success Rate: Highly competitive (specific % not publicly disclosed)
  • Decision Time: 8 weeks for letter of inquiry response; quarterly approvals for major grants (>$250K)
  • Grant Range: $10,000 - $16,000,000
  • Geographic Focus: United States (primarily)
  • Assets: $2.0 billion (as of 2022)

Contact Details

Address: 630 Fifth Avenue, Suite 2200, New York, NY 10111
Website: https://sloan.org/
EIN: 13-1623877

Applications begin with a Letter of Inquiry submitted via email to the relevant program director (see program pages for specific contacts).

Overview

Founded in 1934 by industrialist Alfred P. Sloan Jr., former president and CEO of General Motors, the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation is a not-for-profit grantmaking institution with assets totaling $2.0 billion. The Foundation awards approximately 200 grants annually (excluding Sloan Research Fellowships), totaling roughly $90 million in support of original research and broad-based education in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and economics. The Foundation's mission is to support high-quality, impartial scientific research; foster a robust, diverse scientific workforce; strengthen public understanding and engagement with science; and promote the health of the institutions of scientific endeavor. The Foundation operates through five main program areas: Research, Higher Education, Technology, Public Understanding of Science & Technology, and a New York City initiative.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Sloan Research Fellowships: Two-year $75,000 fellowships awarded annually to 126 early-career researchers in chemistry, computational and evolutionary microbiology, computer science, economics, mathematics, neuroscience, ocean sciences, and physics. Applications require nomination from a department head or senior researcher. Nomination period: July 15 - September 15 annually.

Research Program: Supports original scientific research in areas including:

  • Energy and environment
  • Quantum computing, artificial intelligence, and microprocessor chips
  • Mesoeconomics and regional economic development
  • Public works procurement and management
  • Economics of the caregiving sector
  • Matter-to-life research

Higher Education Program: Aims to create diverse, equitable, and inclusive pathways to and through STEM graduate education and the professoriate. Recent initiative: Exemplary Pathways to STEM Graduate Education (17 grants totaling $4.8 million) supporting partnerships between Minority Serving Institutions and universities with strong STEM programs.

Technology Program: Leverages advances in technology to benefit the research community, including support for open source software in research.

Public Understanding of Science & Technology: Supports books, theater, film, television, radio, and new media to bridge science and the humanities. Recent grants include:

  • Film Program: Over 800 film projects supported; $84,000 in prizes at 2025 Sundance Film Festival
  • Theater Program: Approximately 20 science plays commissioned annually
  • Books Program: Over 100 authors supported since 1993; typical grants around $50,000

Grant applications accepted on rolling basis via letter of inquiry; major grants (>$250K) approved quarterly.

Priority Areas

  • Original scientific research in STEM fields
  • Economics research focused on inclusive prosperity and quality of life
  • Diversity, equity, and inclusion in STEM higher education and the professoriate
  • Public engagement with science through arts and media
  • Open source software and technology infrastructure for research
  • Evidence-based policymaking in science and technology

What They Don't Fund

Subject Matter Exclusions:

  • Religion
  • Medical research
  • Research in the humanities

Recipient Type Exclusions:

  • Individuals (except through Books program and Research Fellowships)
  • For-profit institutions (with rare exceptions)

Political Activities:

  • Political campaigns, political activities, or lobbying

Fundraising and Infrastructure:

  • Endowments or fundraising drives
  • Purchase, construction, or renovation of buildings or laboratories (may support scientific equipment if essential to Foundation-supported research)

Education Level:

  • Pre-college education (except through New York City initiative)

Governance and Leadership

President and CEO (Incoming): Stacie Bloom, starting January 7, 2026. Bloom previously served as NYU's Chief Research Officer and Vice Provost for Research, where she oversaw NYU's rise to the top university for research spending in New York state and No. 12 nationally.

Interim President: Ruth Brenner (July 1, 2025 - January 6, 2026)

Previous President: Dr. Adam F. Falk (January 2018 - June 2025), former President of Williams College and theoretical physicist

Board Chair: Susan Tierney, Senior Advisor, Analysis Group

Board of Trustees includes:

  • Bonnie L. Bassler, HHMI Investigator and Professor of Molecular Biology, Princeton University
  • Francine Berman, Director of Public Technology and Research Professor, UMass Amherst
  • Judith Chevalier, William S. Beinecke Professor of Finance and Economics, Yale University
  • Thad Hill, Executive Chairman, Calpine Corporation
  • Paul A. Jacobson, EVP and CFO, General Motors Company
  • Farnam Jahanian, President, Carnegie Mellon University
  • Ray Jayawardhana, Provost and Professor of Physics & Astronomy, Johns Hopkins University

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

Important: The Alfred P. Sloan Foundation does not accept or review unsolicited grant proposals.

Step 1: Identify Relevant Program
Review program descriptions at https://sloan.org/programs/. Each program page includes goals, strategies, recent grants, and application information. Note that not all programs accept unsolicited inquiries.

Step 2: Submit Letter of Inquiry
Submit a Letter of Inquiry via email to the appropriate program director. Requirements vary by program:

  • Typical length: 2-4 pages (excluding budget and supplemental materials)
  • Font: 11-point
  • Format: PDF or Microsoft Word
  • Must include: Core research question(s), current knowledge gaps, proposed methodologies, team composition (including DEI), expected outputs and dissemination plans, estimated total project cost, amount requested from Sloan

Step 3: Invitation to Submit Full Proposal
Grantseekers with promising letters of inquiry will be invited to submit a formal grant proposal.

Decision Timeline

  • Letter of Inquiry Response: Up to 8 weeks
  • Grant Review Process: "Extremely rigorous" process designed to mimic peer review at high-quality academic journals
  • Independent Review: Foundation may seek independent expert review depending on funds requested and project complexity; applicants receive opportunity to respond in writing to reviewer comments
  • Approval: Year-round for smaller grants; quarterly for major grants (>$250K)
  • Books Program Specific: January deadline applicants receive decision by May 31; May deadline applicants receive decision by October 31

Important Planning Note: Work with program director to ensure sufficient time for submission, redrafting, independent review, and amendments following review.

Success Rates

Specific acceptance rates are not publicly disclosed. The Foundation is described as "highly competitive" with a rigorous, peer review-style evaluation process. The Sloan Research Fellowship has a particularly distinguished track record: since 1955, 42 fellows have won Nobel Prizes, 16 have won the Fields Medal in mathematics, and 63 have won the National Medal of Science.

The Foundation receives a high volume of inquiries, as evidenced by the 8-week response time for letters of inquiry.

Reapplication Policy

Specific reapplication policies for unsuccessful applicants are not publicly disclosed. Applicants are encouraged to contact the relevant program director for guidance on reapplication.

Application Success Factors

Foundation's Selection Criteria (direct from application guidelines):
"In each of its grants programs, the foundation seeks proposals for original projects with a high expected return to society which are led by outstanding individuals or teams and for which funding from the private sector, government or other foundations is not yet widely available."

Critical Application Advice from the Foundation:

  1. Write for Non-Specialists: "Proposal narratives should be written in a style accessible to an interested non-specialist, as they are read by all senior staff inside the Foundation."

  2. Highlight Cross-Program Connections: "If your effort connects to or benefits other programs or areas of Sloan Foundation interest such as advancing diversity in STEM higher education or promoting public understanding of science, point this out."

  3. Be Explicit About Project Management: "Be explicit about the duration of the project (e.g. 12 or 18 months) and be clear about management. Make constructive use of milestones to the extent applicable, including a schedule of events over time indicating when certain things should be accomplished."

  4. Include Letters of Support Strategically: "Include Letters of Support if a project's success depends crucially on support of key figures other than the Principal Investigator."

  5. Study Past Grants: "Interested applicants are encouraged to browse through some of the grants made in the program to get a feeling for the kind of projects the program supports." (Browse grants database at https://sloan.org/grants-database)

  6. Follow Formatting Requirements Strictly: "Adhere to the formatting and content requirements laid out in the grant application guidelines, as these requirements are inflexible and proposals not meeting these requirements will not be considered." Keep proposals compact (no more than 3 files).

Recent Successful Projects (examples of funded work):

  • Howard University, Spelman College, and MIT partnership to develop an introductory course in data science and economics
  • University of Puerto Rico-Mayagüez and University of Pittsburgh partnership for energy systems research collaborations
  • Cristina Costantini's film SALLY (Feature Film Prize winner, 2025)
  • Roxanne Khamsi's "Evolution Inside Us" book project ($50,200)
  • $16 million commitment to Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS-V)
  • $30 million multiyear initiative to make STEM doctoral programs more equitable

Key Language and Terminology:

  • Emphasize "original" research or projects
  • Highlight "high expected return to society"
  • Demonstrate that funding is "not yet widely available" from other sources
  • For higher education projects, emphasize "diversity, equity, and inclusion"
  • For public understanding projects, focus on "bridging science and the humanities"

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • No unsolicited proposals: Must start with a Letter of Inquiry; build relationship with program director before full proposal
  • Originality is paramount: Foundation seeks projects that are truly novel and not easily funded elsewhere
  • Accessibility matters: Write proposals that non-specialists can understand; senior staff read all applications
  • Rigorous review ahead: Prepare for peer review-style evaluation with potential for independent expert review and revisions
  • Timeline planning essential: Allow months for the full process from letter of inquiry through potential revisions to quarterly approval (for major grants)
  • Cross-program synergies valued: Projects connecting multiple Foundation interests (e.g., research + DEI, science + public understanding) are attractive
  • Study the portfolio: Review the grants database to understand what types of projects succeed in your program area

References

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