American Council of Learned Societies Awards the Philosophy of Science Association 2026 Intention Foundry Microgrant
Microgrant Supports Project that Advances Equity and Well-Being for Scholars
The Philosophy of Science Association has been awarded a 2026 Intention Foundry Learned Society Extended Engagement Microgrant by the American Council of Learned Societies (ACLS). The microgrants support efforts by ACLS member societies that address the social, intellectual, and financial precarity scholars currently face.
From the program’s largest applicant pool to date, ACLS awarded 20 microgrants, including
seven multi-society collaborative projects. Applicants proposed projects that centered equity,
justice, and wellbeing for scholars who disproportionately experience precarity in their fields,
while also noting how the projects would inform their societies’ strategic priorities.
“The spirit behind these microgrants has always been to center the needs of those scholars
most marginalized in their fields,” noted Keyanah Nurse, Senior Program Officer of Intentional
Design for an Equitable Academy (IDEA) Programs and lead of the Intention Foundry.
“However, in this final round of funding, we also wanted to support projects that aim to make key cultural interventions in their societies, whether that be through mentoring, public engagement, or advocacy.”
Supported by the Mellon Foundation, the Intention Foundry (IF) was established in 2021 as a
series of in-person and virtual workshops in which ACLS member societies collaborated with
scholars and higher education administrators to develop and pilot actionable solutions to
advance equity, inclusion, and justice in their fields. That first phase, which occurred from 2021-2023, set the foundation for the program’s second phase (2024-2026), which has featured the Learned Society Extended Engagement Microgrants, as well as the Beyond Precarity: Incubators for Secure Futures series, which offer thematically focused virtual and in-person opportunities for scholars to break down institutional and disciplinary silos, learn transformative skills, and imagine future directions for higher education. The program will host its final incubator convening in June 2026.
