FOR RESEARCH RELATED TO HUMAN ORIGINS
Uncover the human story
Since 1968, The Leakey Foundation has awarded over 3,000 grants to support groundbreaking human origins research in 110 countries.
The Leakey Foundation is dedicated to advancing knowledge of human origins, evolution, behavior, and survival. Our research grants enable scientists to carry out the multifaceted research necessary for understanding humanity’s past, present, and future. We take pride in supporting PhD research, exploratory studies, and students seeking to study prehistory or living primates in their home countries.
We fund projects across a broad range of scientific disciplines and provide scholarships to a global community of students pursuing advanced degrees or field research training related to human origins.
We also offer emergency grants for long-term primate field research projects experiencing a gap in funding or other emergency that threatens their ability to carry out their work.
Explore this page to find the grant or scholarship that’s right for you.
Research Grants
This program funds multidisciplinary research related to human origins, including dissertation research and exploratory studies. Disciplines supported include but are not limited to archaeology, biological anthropology, paleoanthropology, primate behavioral ecology, genetics, geology, anatomy, morphology, paleobotany, and paleoclimatology.
When to apply
- January 10 for spring cycle
- July 15 for fall cycle
Amount
- Up to $20,000 for PhD candidates
- Up to $30,000 for post-PhD scientists
Who can apply
- Applicants from any country
- PhD candidates
- Post-PhD scientists
Franklin Mosher Baldwin Fellowship
This prestigious program provides scholarships to outstanding graduate students from countries with limited opportunities for advanced training and education in fields of research related to human origins.
When to apply
- February 15 for first-year applicants
- March 1 for returning applicants
Amount
- Up to $15,000
- Most Baldwin Fellows receive two years of funding
Who can apply
- Open to applicants from countries with limited opportunities for education related to human origins
- Applicants must be accepted to or currently attending a graduate-level program
Francis H. Brown African Scholarship
The goal of this program is to expand human knowledge and scientific interest in earth sciences and botany related to human origins by providing financial assistance to East African researchers and students pursuing research in these areas.
When to apply
- January 10 for spring cycle
- July 15 for fall cycle
Amount
- Up to $15,000
- Most Baldwin Fellows receive two years of funding
Who can apply
- Graduate students or post PhD researchers of African heritage who are citizens of Burundi, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Somalia, South Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, or Eritrea
- Applicants must be pursuing education or research in earth sciences or botany related to human origins
Joan Donner Field School Scholarship
This scholarship provides up to $2,000 towards field school tuition for students who are from countries with limited resources to support training in fieldwork related to human origins research. Priority is given to students from regions where primates and fossils are found.
When to apply
- Applications open year-round
Amount
- Up to $2,000 per student
Who can apply
- Open to students enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate program in a country where there are limited resources for academic development
- Applications must be submitted by the field school director, not the student
Emergency Fund for Primate Field Research
This program provides up to two years of emergency funding to keep long-term primate field sites operational until other funding can be secured. Priority is given to sites with a clear research and conservation focus experiencing a gap in funding or other emergencies that threaten the loss of long-term datasets.
When to apply
- Applications open year-round
Amount
- Up to $25,000
- After evaluation, a second year may be funded
Who can apply
- Open to applicants from any country
- Long-term primate field research projects with 10 or more years of behavioral data