Deadline: 02-Oct-2026
The American Psychological Foundation’s Steven O. Walfish Competition offers up to two $2,000 grants to graduate students and early career psychologists to support innovative clinical, practical, or research manuscripts that advance the practice of psychology and contribute to the professional knowledge base.
Program Overview
The Steven O. Walfish Competition, administered by the American Psychological Foundation (APF), is designed to encourage and support the next generation of psychologists in expanding knowledge related to the practice of psychology.
The competition funds innovative manuscripts that address evolving standards, methods, and service delivery approaches in psychological practice, with a strong emphasis on practical relevance, originality, and impact.
Funding Details
Award Amount
- Up to two grants of USD 2,000 each
- Awards are available to both graduate students and early career psychologists
Additional Benefits
Grant recipients are encouraged to use funds to:
- Attend the APA Convention to present their work
Awardees may also receive:
- Consideration for publication in Practice Innovations, the APA Division 42 journal
- One-year free membership in APA Division 42
Eligible Use of Funds
Funding may be used only for direct project costs, including:
- Open access or publication fees
- Participant compensation
- Technology and software expenses
- Travel for research activities or dissemination of findings
- Non-PI personnel stipend or salary support
- Supplemental training
- PI stipend or salary support, when clearly justified
All budget lines must include a detailed justification demonstrating their necessity to the project.
Costs Not Allowed
- Organizational indirect, administrative, or overhead costs
- Tuition or academic fees
If an institution accepts funds on behalf of the applicant, it must formally confirm that all indirect and overhead costs are waived, ensuring the full award is used for the funded proposal.
Who Can Apply
Applicant Eligibility
Applicants must be:
- Graduate students within two years or less of completing a doctoral degree, or
- Early career psychologists within ten years of earning a doctoral degree
Applicants must submit a manuscript that has not been previously published and serve as the Principal Investigator (PI) and primary contact for the application.
Diversity and Inclusion
Applications are welcomed from individuals of diverse backgrounds, including differences in:
- Age
- Race and color
- Religion and creed
- Nationality
- Ability
- Sexual orientation and gender identity
- Geographic location
International Applicants
- International applicants are eligible
- Applicants must be based in a country with diplomatic relations with the United States
- All application materials must be submitted in English
Manuscript Focus Areas
Applicants must submit manuscripts that present clinical, practical, or research innovations related to psychological practice.
Eligible topics include, but are not limited to:
- Population-based practice issues
- Procedure- or technique-based practice innovations
- Diagnosis-based practice issues
- Service delivery models describing a practice innovation
Manuscripts should address evolving standards, practices, and methodologies in psychology and demonstrate clear relevance to applied practice.
Authorship and Collaboration
- A Co-PI may be included, though the applicant remains the PI
- For multi-authored manuscripts, applicants must:
- Clearly describe the role of each co-author
- Identify the award candidate as the primary contributor
Required Application Materials
A complete application must include:
- Curriculum Vitae (CV)
- Unpublished manuscript formatted according to the APA Publication Manual
- Letter of recommendation from:
- A colleague or mentor
- Ideally an APA Division 42 member or another psychologist
- Not related to the applicant and not a co-author
- Statement of publication rights, confirming that Practice Innovations has the right of first refusal for publication of winning manuscripts
Incomplete applications may not be considered.
Review and Evaluation Criteria
Applications are evaluated based on:
- Goals and potential impact
- Innovation and originality
- Methodology and overall quality
- Applicant competency and contribution
Strong submissions clearly demonstrate how the manuscript advances psychological practice and contributes meaningful insights to the field.
Why This Competition Matters
The Steven O. Walfish Competition plays a key role in:
- Supporting early scholarly and professional development
- Promoting innovative practice-based research
- Encouraging dissemination of applied psychological knowledge
- Connecting emerging psychologists with APA Division 42 and broader professional networks
Conclusion
The APF Steven O. Walfish Competition provides financial support, professional recognition, and publication opportunities for graduate students and early career psychologists whose work advances the practice of psychology.
By funding innovative manuscripts and promoting dissemination through APA platforms, the competition helps shape the future of psychological practice and professional excellence.
For more information, visit American Psychological Foundation.
