Suggested terms
LIRA
The State of the Nation’s Housing 2026
Accessory Dwelling Units

Grants

Grants for Student-Organized Events & Projects

 

In addition to fellowships and research grants, we provide grants for conferences, events, and projects sponsored by student groups that focus, at least in part, on issues related to housing and community development. Our support for events comes with a requirement that we be listed as a co-sponsor. If requested, we may also be able to help with planning and/or publicizing the event.

This funding has supported a variety of activities including:

  • Shuffle: Documentary Screening and Conversation, a special April 2026 screening of an award-winning documentary about the for-profit detox industry that targets low-income and unhoused communities. Organized by the Harvard Student Coalition on Health and Housing, the event included a conversation with the film's director.
  • Mexico Conference 2026, a March 2026 conference organized by the Association of Mexican Students at Harvard that included a panel focused on how urban design and investments in public spaces can help transform housing developments into resilient communities.
  • HOMECAST: Shaping the Future of Housing Through Data-Driven Innovation, a September 2025 conference organized by Doctor of Design students at GSD that explored how predictive analytics and AI are reshaping housing systems in the face of climate change and economic shocks.  
  • The Housing, Infrastructure, Policy & Design Symposium @Harvard, a February 2025 event organized by students from HKS and GSD that included several housing-focused discussions as well as an exhibition of student work, including some by Center-funded summer fellows.

The Center also provides funding to help graduate students carry out, complete, and present a variety of housing-related projects. Recent grants have supported the purchase of equipment needed for a project focused on optimizing ventilation in older buildings and low-income housing, provided funding that allowed a Center-funded summer fellow to finish a project mapping displacement risks in Boston, and covered travel expenses for students who were finalists in a HUD-sponsored affordable housing competition.

How to Apply

Send a cover letter and the application form to David Luberoff, Director of Fellowships and Events: [email protected]. You can also reach out to him if you have questions about these grants or if you need other assistance in planning student-run activities. There is no deadline; applications are considered on a rolling basis throughout the year.

Our Mission

The Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies strives to improve equitable access to decent, affordable homes in thriving communities. We conduct rigorous research to advance policy and practice, and we bring together diverse stakeholders to spark new ideas for addressing housing challenges. Through teaching and fellowships, we mentor and inspire the next generation of housing leaders.

About Us
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