Ludlow Institute
Research Grants

Help shape a future where
personal privacy is the norm,
not the exception.

The Ludlow Institute is currently funding:

Research papers exploring surveillance technology


Everyday devices and platforms track and exploit user data, often without awareness or consent. We fund public-interest researchers who investigate data collection using legal, ethical, and publicly accessible methods. By exposing underreported practices and analyzing protective solutions, Ludlow Institute Research Grants foster accountability, transparency, and better privacy for everyone.

Why It Matters

Each discovery, whether exposing insecure data flows, identifying overlooked firmware behaviors, or verifying the claims of privacy tools, helps people take back control of their digital lives. By supporting or participating in our grants program, you help uncover hidden surveillance, strengthen protective technologies, and shift how everyday systems are built and understood.

Get Involved

  • Apply: If you’re passionate about privacy, submit a proposal and help reshape the digital landscape. See details below for what to include in grant proposals.

  • Donate: Fuel independent research, supporting game-changing investigations into hidden surveillance.

Join us as a catalyst for greater transparency, accountability, and personal freedom in an ever-more connected world.

How to Apply

To apply, click the “Apply” button above, and include:

  • Your name

  • Contact email

  • Research title

  • One-paragraph research summary

  • The tier that best fits your research (see below)

  • One-paragraph summary of your experience with that kind of work

  • Link to past work (if applicable)

  • Country of residence (If in the U.S. are you legally allowed to work here?)

  • Estimated timeline and budget for work.

Tip: Strong proposals often combine tiers. Don’t hesitate to team up with someone who complements your skill set.

Tier Overview

Tier 1: Non-Technical Analysis
For journalists, policy researchers
Analyze privacy policies, documentation, and audits. No tools needed—just sharp reading and research.

Tier 2: Network Traffic Analysis
For ethical researchers
Capture and analyze publicly visible traffic patterns.

Tier 3: API Behavior Analysis
For security engineers
Inspect how apps communicate with servers, manipulate API calls, and analyze TLS behaviors.

Tier 4: Hardware & Firmware Analysis
For hardware specialists and systems analysts
Analyze how consumer devices collect and transmit data by inspecting publicly available firmware, accessible debug interfaces, and standard logging behavior.

What You'll Deliver

  • Final Paper: 10–25 pages, open-access (arXiv preferred), with recommended structure (title page, abstract, findings, etc.)

  • Progress Reports: Quick check-ins at each milestone

Grant Sizes

"Budgets range from $500 for brief investigations to $10,000+ for advanced technical projects."


We help you publish, share, and amplify your work, with exposure on our platforms and media coordination.