The Royal Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland (RAI) is dedicated to the advancement of anthropology in its broadest and most inclusive sense. As the world's longest-established scholarly association in this field, it functions as a non-profit, independent charity with a commitment to fostering research and education in anthropology. Governed by an annually elected Council and supported by a Royal Patron, HRH The Duke of Gloucester, the RAI aims to promote the study of humankind globally.
The grant program, a collaboration between the Association of Social Anthropologists (ASA) and the Royal Anthropological Institute (RAI), focuses on supporting young scholars in social anthropology. It aims to assist those who are financially disadvantaged and are already engaged in research but require additional funds to complete their work. The broad goal is to foster the completion of anthropological research, facilitating contributions to the field by emerging scholars facing economic hurdles.