Application Guidelines

With the resources I am committing to the foundation, I want to encourage the restoration of personal responsibility to its central place in American life and to limit government’s responsibilities to those areas the Founding Fathers intended.

Daniel C. Searle

The Searle Freedom Trust supports domestic public policy research and related activities in our primary areas of interest:

Economic Policy

SFT funds research and related activity on issues such as taxation, entitlements, government spending, and finance.

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Administrative State

SFT supports research and litigation on the administrative state and restoring the separation of powers.

Regulation

The foundation supports research on the rulemaking process and the costs and benefits of regulation.

Law & Litigation

SFT funds research and education on the legal system and backs public interest law initiatives.

Film & Media

SFT supports talent development programs for aspiring filmmakers and journalists.

Panoramic view of Nuclear power plant Jaslovske Bohunice with golden flowering field of ra

Environment & Health

The foundation funds research and outreach on the environment, public health, and health care policy.

Economic Mobility

The foundation funds research on putting people on a path toward success.

Education

SFT supports work on higher education finance and K-12 budgetary and governance issues.

Philanthropy

SFT provides support for research and advocacy to protect philanthropic freedom.

To apply, you'll need to fill out a short form and upload a document with a detailed project description, a report on previous grants (if applicable), and a project budget. We'll also need evidence of your organization's 501(c)(3) status.

The SFT board meets three times per year, and we have three deadlines: April 12, August 18, and December 15. We'll do our best to consider proposals received after these deadlines at our next meeting.

The Searle Freedom Trust does not support building projects, individuals, capital campaigns, or endowments. All grantees must be 501(c)(3) entities.

It is the foundation’s policy not to support unspecified overhead costs associated with university projects.

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