APF Grants Bridge Psychology Research with Direct Community Action

WASHINGTON – February 05, 2026 – The American Psychological Foundation (APF) is channeling $109,000 into two pioneering community programs, signaling a decisive shift toward applying psychological science directly to society's most urgent problems. The latest Direct Action Visionary Grants will fund a national virtual mentoring program for transgender and nonbinary youth and a trauma-intervention initiative for caregivers in marginalized communities of color.

These grants are the embodiment of APF's new 'Direct Action' initiative, a strategic effort to shorten the distance between psychological breakthroughs and the individuals who need them most. By funding evidence-based interventions on the ground, the foundation aims to create immediate, measurable change while simultaneously gathering data to inform future solutions.

"Driving meaningful change through psychological research requires us to think differently about how impact is defined and delivered," said APF CEO Dr. Michelle Quist Ryder. "That belief is at the heart of our Direct Action initiative, which is designed to ensure our collective efforts lead to real, measurable benefits for communities who need it most. We are proud to support these two community-centered programs and the very important work they are doing on the ground to apply evidence-based solutions in their work."

A New Model for Philanthropic Impact

Founded in 1953, the American Psychological Foundation has long supported the advancement of psychological knowledge. However, its Direct Action initiative, launched in 2024, represents a significant evolution in its mission. The program moves beyond traditional academic funding, which often involves long timelines for research to translate into practice. Instead, it prioritizes funding innovative initiatives and partnerships that can deliver prompt, evidence-based care directly within communities.

The Direct Action Visionary Grants specifically target programs serving populations dealing with the heavy psychological burdens of prejudice, bias, and bigotry, including racism, homophobia, and misogyny. The goal is not just to study these problems but to actively intervene and mitigate their harmful effects. This approach reflects a growing consensus in the mental health field that effective solutions must be community-led, culturally competent, and immediately accessible to be truly effective.

By embedding research components within these direct service programs, APF ensures that the interventions are not only helping people today but are also contributing to a body of knowledge on what works. This creates a powerful feedback loop where practice informs research and research refines practice, accelerating the development of scalable, impactful models.

Empowering Trans Youth in a Hostile Climate

One of the grants will support the expansion and evaluation of Trans Mentor Project, a national virtual mentoring program for transgender and nonbinary (trans) young people. Led by Dr. Beth Turetsky, the project addresses the profound isolation and mental health challenges faced by trans youth, particularly in an era of escalating legislative and social threats to their rights and safety.

Research from advocacy groups like The Trevor Project consistently shows that trans and nonbinary youth experience significantly higher rates of depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation, often linked to experiences of discrimination and a lack of affirming spaces. Trans Mentor Project directly counters this by connecting trans youth with trans mentors, fostering a sense of community, affirming their identities, and empowering them to build positive futures. The program's virtual model is crucial, as it overcomes geographical and social barriers that often prevent youth in unsupportive environments from accessing vital resources.

"Trans Mentor Project is a national virtual mentoring program that overcomes many of the barriers to accessing support and resources that transgender and nonbinary young people experience," said Dr. Turetsky. "APF's Direct Action Visionary Grant allows us to expand Trans Mentor Project's national reach and evaluate its impact in partnership with the trans young people it serves, ensuring it responds to their lived experiences and changing needs."

This grant, funded by APF's Franklyn Springfield Awareness Fund for LGBTQIA+ support, will not only help the project scale nationally but will also fund a robust mixed-methods study to formally assess its impact on youth resilience and well-being. The findings are expected to fill a critical gap in evidence-based solutions that help trans youth thrive.

Healing Generational Wounds in Communities of Color

The second grant recipient, Dr. Amy Hyoeun Lee from Hofstra University and John Jay College/CUNY Graduate Center, will lead a project to address systemic and intergenerational trauma in communities of color. The project builds on an established partnership with S.T.R.O.N.G. Youth, a Long Island, NY-based organization specializing in youth gun and gang violence prevention.

Marginalized communities face disproportionate rates of interpersonal trauma stemming from community violence, child maltreatment, racism, and discrimination. This chronic stress contributes to significant and lasting mental and physical health disparities. Dr. Lee's project aims to break this cycle by expanding access to a brief, skills-focused intervention for parents and primary caregivers called STAIR (Skills Training in Affective and Interpersonal Regulation).

Critically, the project uses a "task-shifting" model. This approach involves training trusted community members within S.T.R.O.N.G. Youth to deliver the intervention, a strategy designed to overcome common barriers to care like mental health stigma, systemic mistrust, and a shortage of culturally competent providers. By empowering a trusted local organization, the project ensures the intervention is relevant, sustainable, and delivered by people who understand the community's lived experiences.

"Support from APF will make it possible to bring an evidence-based, trauma-specific intervention directly to families through our work with a trusted community partner," said Dr. Lee. "This funding will help us build capacity within S.T.R.O.N.G. Youth to support the healing and long-term wellbeing of families of color affected by systemic and intergenerational trauma."

The initiative exemplifies how community-researcher partnerships can effectively address deep-seated health inequities by building psychological skills and resilience at the family and community level.

By funding these two distinct but philosophically aligned projects, the American Psychological Foundation is championing a new, more dynamic role for psychology in society. The grants represent a tangible investment in the belief that psychological science holds powerful tools for social justice, healing, and empowerment, especially when placed directly in the hands of the communities that need them most.