An independent foundation for the support and advancement of social science research since 1999

The Horowitz Foundation for Social Policy was established in 1997 as a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization to support the advancement of research and understanding in the major fields of the social sciences: specifically, in the fields of psychology, anthropology, sociology, economics, urban affairs, area studies, political science, and other disciplines. The Foundation aims to achieve its objectives primarily through direct assistance to individual scholars who require small grants to further their research with emphasis on policy-oriented studies.

Larger philanthropic organizations often overlook, or cannot accommodate, small grants for worthwhile projects or research in progress. Scholars in the initial stages of their careers, those not yet established, and those working at less prominent or overseas institutions in particular may have difficulty in securing funding for research. The HFSP seeks to fill this need by providing grants for smaller projects, in whole or part. By so doing, it intends to support policy-oriented research in the social science community, as well as to alert major foundations and academic institutions to the scholarship of social scientists with policy interests.

Irving Louis Horowitz and Mary E. Curtis established the Horowitz Foundation as an expression of their commitment to the social science community. In 1962 Horowitz founded Transaction, a publisher of record in international social sciences. From 1993 to 1997, prior to the establishment of the foundation, he provided assistance to social science scholars through Transaction Publishers’ Grants-in-Publication Program.

While certain Transaction personnel serve as Trustees and administer the Foundation’s activities without compensation, the grant making activities of the foundation are entirely separate from the business activities of Transaction. Recipients have no publishing obligation to Transaction’s publishing program. However, they are responsible for acknowledging funding support by the Foundation. They also are expected to send the Foundation a final report on their project upon its completion.