The Labor Research and Action Network (LRAN) brings together workers’ rights advocates, academics, and students with the shared goal of building workplace and economic power for workers in the United States. One of the organization’s key objectives is to help develop the next generation of labor researchers to work in collaboration in identifying and solving obstacles as we build a better, more inclusive labor movement.

LRAN is pleased to announce a competition for seed grants ranging from $1,000-$3,000 for labor folks who are engaged in research as activists, policy makers and/or academics. Consistent with LRAN's mission, we strongly encourage collaborative efforts and activist scholarship, and projects directly relevant to workers and workers' rights organizations will be prioritized.

We encourage applicants not connected to an academic institution to apply. If you need support with your project proposal, please reach out to us. Students in all academic disciplines are encouraged to apply.

Applicants should submit a single PDF that includes the following information:

1- A brief project proposal (no more than five pages, double-spaced). For academic applicants, please include information about whether IRB approval is required and, if needed, where the applicant is in the IRB process. All applicants must address the following:
A) Identify the problem you are trying to address.
B) Indicate your specific research question.
C) Explain why the labor movement should be interested in this research and the problem it seeks to address.
D) Explain what data you are collecting, how you plan to collect it, and what process or method you will use for analysis.

2- A detailed budget that explains how the funds will be used. Please note that LRAN grant money may not be used for overhead, tuition, or fees at the applicant’s university. Funds will be disbursed as reimbursement for budgeted research expenses.

3- For graduate students, a letter signing off on the proposal from the student’s academic advisor. For all other labor applicants, a letter recommending the proposal from a colleague or collaborator.

4- C.V. or resume

5- If the proposed project collaborates with a union or other worker organization, please add the name, email, and phone number of the applicant’s contact at the host organization.

Winners will be required to provide status reports on the state of their research projects six months and one year after receiving their awards.

For a sample successful application, refer here. Completed applications should be sent to lrangrants@jwj.org in a single PDF with “LRAN New Scholars Research Grant” in the subject line. Grantees will receive a travel stipend of up to $500 to report their research proposal at the 2024 LRAN Conference. The application deadline is November 27th, with winners announced by December 15, 2023.

For more information on LRAN, see https://www.lranetwork.org.