Varela Grants

Applications for the 2025 cycle will open July 31, 2025.

Updated December 17th, 2024

Learn more about the 20th anniversary of the Francisco J. Varela Grants.

The Mind & Life Francisco J. Varela Research Grants—an important and integral component of Mind & Life’s support of contemplative scientists and scholars—are based on neuroscientist and philosopher Francisco J. Varela’s belief that contemplative practices offer modern science novel, valuable methods for investigating human experience.

The Varela 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 applications for reducing human suffering and promoting flourishing.

Proposals are encouraged across broad domains, including: cognitive science, clinical psychology, education, anthropology, neuroscience, health/medical, social science, and humanities. 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. This grant program encourages the active collaboration of scientists with contemplative scholars/practitioners in all phases of research.

Grants of up to $25,000 (USD) are awarded annually through a competitive application, review, and selection process. Varela Grants are intended for early-career scientists and scholars. To be eligible for a 2025 Varela Grant, applicants must be either graduate students, post-doctoral fellows, or junior faculty. In addition, they must have attended the Mind & Life Summer Research Institute in 2021 or later.

Mind & Life wishes to express our deep thanks to the Hershey Family Foundation for their generous support of this program since its inception.

Please read the full Request for Proposals (RFP) for more information:

**NOTE: There is a different application cycle and process for the European Varela Awards. Please visit the Mind & Life Europe website for more information. Applicants may only apply for one type of Varela grant in a given year.

For any questions about the Mind & Life Research Grant program, please see the FAQ, or email grants@mindandlife.org.