The Mind & Life Institute is seeking applications for the Mind & Life Research Grants. Mind & Life Research Grants are composed of four different grants: Francisco J. Varela Grants for Contemplative Research (Varela Grants), the Samuel B. Hanser Visionary Grant, the Laurisa S. Dill Legacy Award, and the BESS Family Foundation grants. These grants of up to $25,000 (USD) are awarded annually to developing scientists and scholars who have recently attended the Mind & Life Summer Research Institute.

The Mind & Life Research Grants fund rigorous examinations of contemplative practices with the ultimate goal that findings derived from such investigations will provide greater insight into contemplative practices and their application for reducing human suffering and promoting flourishing. Mind & Life views these grants as an essential feature of its overall strategy of building an interdisciplinary understanding of the mind and human behavior. These grants are a key vehicle for increasing the number of exemplary scientists, scholars, and clinicians involved in contemplative research. Strong proposals will meet the highest standards of rigor in the applicant’s field of expertise. Preference is given to proposals that incorporate first-person contemplative methods (e.g., introspective investigation and reports on subjective experience) into cognitive, behavioral, physiological, clinical, or socio-cultural research. Preference is also given to proposals that have the potential to contribute to interdisciplinary knowledge and to make connections across different disciplines. The Grants Program also encourages the active collaboration of researchers with contemplative scholars/practitioners in all phases of investigation.