Funding Opportunities

Kenneth B. and Mamie P. Clark Grant

The Kenneth B. and Mamie P. Clark Fund supports research and demonstration activities that promote the understanding of the relationship between self-identity and academic achievement with an emphasis on children in grade levels K–8.

Deadline: June 19, 2024
Amount: $9,000
Sponsors: APF

The Kenneth B. and Mamie P. Clark Fund supports research and demonstration activities that promote the understanding of the relationship between self-identity and academic achievement with an emphasis on children in grade levels K–8. This grant alternates every other year between an early career psychologist and a graduate student – in 2024, this grant is available to graduate students.

The Kenneth B. and Mamie P. Clark Fund was established in 2003 to honor the Clarks and to perpetuate their work as pioneers in understanding the psychological underpinnings of race relations and in addressing social issues such as segregation and injustice.

The Clarks were the first and second African-Americans to receive PhDs from Columbia University. Their famous doll experiments, in which they asked children to express their likes and dislikes about brown-and white-skinned dolls, led the Clarks to conclude that the segregation in schools and society was psychologically damaging to the children. These studies are believed to be the first social science evidence considered as hard fact by the U.S. Supreme court, in Brown v. The Board of Education of Topeka.

Eligibility

APF encourages applicants from diverse backgrounds with respect to age, race, color, religion, creed, nationality, ability, sexual orientation, gender, and geography.

The 2024 grant will support a graduate student.

Familiarity with the Clarks’ work is essential:

  • Kenneth Bancroft Clark, Library of Congress, Manuscript Division, Washington, D.C.
  • Mamie Phipps Clark, Manuscripts Division, New York Public Library, New York.
  • Markowitz, G. & Rosner, D. (1996). Children, Race and Power: Kenneth and Mamie Clark’s Northside Center. Charlottesville: University Press of Virginia.

Application Instructions

Application Materials:

  • project proposal
  • project timeline 
  • detailed budget and justification
  • CV

Evaluation Criteria 
Applications will be evaluated on: 

  • conformance with stated program goals and qualifications
  • quality and potential impact of proposed work
  • originality, innovation, and contribution to the field with proposed project
  • applicant’s demonstrated competence and capability to execute the proposed work
  • allocation of resources and criticality of funding for execution of work (particularly if part of a larger funded effort)

Please be advised that APF does not provide feedback to applicants on their proposals.

Please review our Program FAQs for important details on the application process.

Recent Recipient

Anjuii Barrett

Washington University in St. Louis

“A Cross-Cultural Exploration of How Environment Impacts Black Children’s Learning and Social Preferences in Educational Contexts”

Past Recipients

2024

Anjuii Barrett, Washington University in St. Louis
“A Cross-Cultural Exploration of How Environment Impacts Black Children’s Learning and Social Preferences in Educational Contexts”

2023

Dr. Nicole A. Telfer, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
“Parents’ Ethnic-Racial Socialization Practices Among Young Black Students with Disabilities”

2022

Lashawn Ford, Spalding University
“Identifying and Assessing Youth Racial Trauma”

2021

Abby Hughes-Scalise, PhD, Augsburg University and Jené Carter, PhD, Allina Health

2020

Dacey Bashaw, Claremont Graduate School

2019

Kristia Wantchekon, PhD, Harvard University

2018

Sally Grapin, PhD, Montclair State University

2017

Hyesung Grace Hwang, Washington University in St. Louis

2016

May Ling Dodge Halim, PhD, California State University, Long Beach

2015

Krystal Thomas, Virginia Commonwealth University

2014

Saskias Casanova, PhD, Arizona State University 

2013

Yamanda Wright, University of Texas at Austin
“Racial Mistrust, Perceptions of Discrimination, and Academic Achievement Among African American and European American Children”

2012

Michael Strambler, Yale University