The Ash Center supports HKS student-led events and initiatives as well as independent study. Preference is given to projects with Ash faculty involvement and applied learning opportunities that overlap with the Center’s core research and programmatic priorities.
Interested students may direct funding inquiries to Tim Glynn-Burke, Executive Director for Programs.
Research Grants
The Center awards research grants to HKS students for independent research projects on an ongoing basis. Research projects are selected based on several criteria:
- Connection to Ash Center-affiliated faculty (either in an informal or formal advisory capacity)
- Relevance to one of the Center's areas of focus
- Well-developed research plan and appropriate budget
We invite you to review examples of Policy Analysis Exercises, Second Year Policy Analyses, and independent research by Harvard Kennedy School students whose work was supported, in part, by the Ash Center.
download a copy of the 2021-22 student funding application
Please be sure to complete all fields of this application. In addition to the application and research project proposal, we also request a letter of recommendation or endorsement from a faculty member; this may be submitted with the proposal or emailed by the faculty member directly to Tim Glynn-Burke.
Student Group and Journal Support
The Ash Center supports many student organizations and journals which focus on one of our areas of interest. We welcome funding applications from groups and journals as well; please refer to the independent research application for guidelines on submitting an application. We also welcome "standard" proposals used by groups and journals to fundraise across HKS.
Student Democracy Innovation Grant Competition
Launching in the spring semester, 2022, the Ash Center will be kicking off its first-ever democracy innovation grant competition. HKS students will be eligible for small grants exploring an innovative policy, scholarly, cultural, or artistic theme related to democracy. Grants need not be limited to traditional student research support activities. Submissions could be related to the study, examination, or discussion of democracy -- including works of art, multimedia and technology projects, and other creative endeavors as well as traditional research undertakings. Initial awards made in the spring semester of 2022. Awardees will be expected to publicly share the results of their work funded by the grant competition as part of a virtual or in-person event hosted by the Ash Center. A formal grant competition application will be available later in the spring semester.