Advancing Financial Wellbeing, Resilience, and Equity for LMI Communities
The Institute of Consumer Money Management (ICMM) is committed to improving the financial wellbeing, resilience, and equity of low-to-moderate income (LMI) individuals and families. Beginning in 2026, ICMM will introduce a tiered grant funding framework to support a diverse range of projects, from small-scale pilots to large-scale impact initiatives.
Our approach balances applied, “research-to-practice” projects (~70%) with foundational basic research (~30%), ensuring our grants generate both immediate, actionable insights and long-term knowledge.
Current Grant Opportunities
Request for Proposals: Literature Review on Unbanked Americans
Application Due: March 31, 2026
The Institute for Consumer Money Management (ICMM)* invites proposals to conduct a comprehensive literature review on individuals in the United States who are unbanked or underbanked. ICMM seeks to deepen the field’s understanding of the drivers, consequences, and potential solutions related to limited engagement with mainstream financial services.
Our Focus Areas
We prioritize research and projects that address pressing financial challenges in LMI communities, including:
- Emergency savings
- Housing stability
- Retirement security
- Financial education
- Financial inclusion
Guiding Principles
All ICMM-funded projects are expected to:
- Advance our mission and equity goals: Projects must clearly benefit LMI communities and address equity and inclusion.
- Demonstrate rigor and measurable impact: Projects should use sound methods and define clear outcomes, scaled to project size.
- Bridge research and practice: Proposals should connect academic research to practical interventions with a plan for real-world use.
- Plan for sustainability or scale: We look for ideas that can grow or have lasting impact beyond the grant period.
Grant Tiers
Small Grants:
Seed/Innovation
Funding & Duration
- $25K–$75K
- 6-12 months
Project Focus
- Early-stage pilots of innovative ideas
- Proof-of-concept work
Expected Deliverables
- Short report or working paper
- Preliminary findings
- Foundation for larger study
Medium Grants:
Implementation
Funding & Duration
- $100K–$200K
- 12–24 months
Project Focus
- Applied research or program implementation with rigorous design
Expected Deliverables
- Peer-reviewed article or policy brief
- Measurable outcomes for ~500 participants
- Tools/resources for practitioners
Large Grants:
Impact & Scale
Funding & Duration
- $250K–$400K
- 24–36 months
Project Focus
- High-impact initiatives with national or sector-wide relevance
Expected Deliverables
- Multiple publications
- Policy briefs
- Evidence of large-scale outcomes (~1,500+ participants)
- Influence policy change
How to Apply
Submission details and proposal requirements can be found in each RFP posting and may differ based on the grant size and funding amount. Please check the grant opportunities list for details on open grants.
Expectations for reporting are scaled to the grant size: Small projects may submit a short final report, while larger projects may provide annual updates and a comprehensive evaluation.
All inquiries for grants can be sent to rreeves@icmmnc.org.
Partnering with ICMM
ICMM seeks partners who share our vision for equitable, evidence-based solutions to financial challenges. By funding research-to-practice projects, we aim to empower organizations, policymakers, and communities with tools and insights that foster long-term financial wellbeing.
Together, we can turn innovative ideas into lasting impact.
