Grants

The TIAA Institute supports research and thought leadership through its grants program.

Research grants: Filling important knowledge gaps

The TIAA Institute is partnering with the Wharton School’s Boettner Center/Pension Research Council at the University of Pennsylvania to solicit research proposals focused on retirement and behavioral finance. The deadline for research proposal submissions is May 23, 2025, at 5 p.m. ET. For eligibility requirements, further details, and instructions on how to submit a proposal, please see the 2025 Request for ProposalsOpens pdf.

We have a strong interest in the following thematic areas, but we also welcome proposals on other topics that focus on household retirement security:

  • Income, consumption, and insurance in retirement
  • Behavioral dimensions of retirement decision-making
  • The role of guidance and advice
  • Technological change and retirement
  • Macroeconomic and demographic trends affecting retirement well-being

Strategic Collaborations

The TIAA Institute collaborates with leading organizations, such as the Pension Research Council, to fund research and advance knowledge in our areas of focus, including the behavioral dimensions of financial wellness.

Featured Fellows

Jeffrey Brown

Josef and Margot Lakonishok Professor in Business and Dean, College of BusinessUniversity of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Olivia S. Mitchell

International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans
Professor Professor of Insurance and Risk Management and Business Economics and Public Policy
Executive Director, Pension Research Council
University of Pennsylvania