The United States Institute of Peace is an independent, nonpartisan federal institution created and funded by Congress to strengthen the nation's capacity to promote the peaceful resolution of international conflict.

Established in 1984, the Institute meets its congressional mandate through an array of programs, including grants, fellowships, conferences and workshops, library services, publications, and other educational activities.

The Objective of the Institute is to mobilize the best national and international talent from research organizations, academia, and government to support policy makers by providing independent and creative assessments of how to deal with international conflict situations by political means.

Grants program

 

The Institute of Peace has two principal grantmaking components -- unsolicited grants and solicited programs.

In the Unsolicited Grant program, any project that fits within the Institute's general mandate of international conflict management is eligible. There are no content or disciplinary restrictions.

In the Solicited Grant program, the Institute designates specific topics or themes of special interest to the Institute. Only projects on the themes and topics identified for each competition are eligible.

 

Types of Projects Funded

 

The United States Institute of Peace offers financial support for research, education and training, and the dissemination of information on international peace and conflict resolution.

The Institute invites proposals for projects that will:

(1) carry out basic and applied research on the causes of war and other international conflicts; on the ways in which conflicts have been or can be prevented, contained, or terminated; and on the condition and character of peace among states and peoples;

(2) develop curricula and texts for high school through post-graduate study and to conduct teacher-training institutes, workshops, and seminars on the causes of war, the processes of peacemaking, and the conditions of peace;

(3) conduct training, symposia, and continuing education programs for practitioners, policymakers, policy implementers, and the public that will develop their skills in international conflict management and war avoidance;

(4) undertake public information efforts, including development of video and radio projects, speakers' programs, community forums, debates, and the creation of complementary print or audiovisual materials to enhance public awareness of peacemaking and its complexities;

(5) increase information on international peace and conflict resolution and to enhance access to this information through the strengthening of library resources, the development of bibliographic databases and indexes, and the expansion of cooperative efforts in resource sharing.

Grants are generally not given for institutional support or development.

More information and application forms are available at www.usip.org