Community Psychoanalysis Grant

Written By Jamie Cunningham

The Community Psychoanalysis grant aims to increase access to psychoanalysis and psychoanalytic therapy for those who have historically been excluded from such treatments for reasons such as class, race, gender presentation, disability status, or sexual orientation.

Grants of up to $10,000 are available to support several initiatives: 

  1. Private and group practices and training institutes developing innovative programs to improve access to treatment. 

  2. The expansion of training and supervision for students, candidates and early career clinicians in the treatment of underserved populations.

  3. Research centered on psychoanalysis and the needs of underserved communities, outreach into these communities, and the development of innovative and experimental treatment projects.

Eligibility

 Applicants must:

  • Be an individual, group, or institution, with a demonstrated interest in psychoanalytic and/or psychodynamic practice.

  • Work from a psychoanalytic or psychoanalytically-informed perspective and demonstrate ongoing didactic or collaborative programs centered on analytic theory and technique. 

  • Be willing to provide specified follow-up information to the FCP on the impact and effectiveness of the grant. As well as define a vision for working with the foundation and engaging more broadly with the efforts of FCP. 

Application Materials

  • Project proposal

    • FCP is open to developing projects together. If you are a prospective applicant that has the seed of a project idea we encourage you to apply, be explicit about where you are in the ideation phase, and what you’ll need in order to move forward.

    • Please include a note in your proposal about whether or not you would need/like space in our office.

  • Project Timeline

  • Detailed budget and justification

  • CV of one or two individuals who will supervise the proposed project

  • Two letters of support/recommendation 

Evaluation Criteria

Preference will be given to proposals that look specifically to work with FCP on-site, as well as work directly with the community of Brooklyn that might make use of FCP and its space, address local issues that directly impact the community FCP is serving, and the development of programs that can be ongoing with FCP.

This does not mean we would exclude consideration of projects elsewhere, or even internationally, as long as the proposal shows how the research will involve a continued didactic exchange with FCP. 

Grant applications will be evaluated based on several factors:

  1. Justification: The rationale for the proposal is in line with the mission of the Foundation, particularly expanding access to psychoanalytic psychotherapy and psychoanalysis. 

  2. Community Goals: The proposal’s ability to meet the needs and goals of the target community.

  3. Feasibility: The proposal clearly outlines the budget, timeline and other needs, as well as specifies the needs for the project to be sustainable.

  4. Assessment: The proposal includes means for evaluating the project’s goals.  This may include both measurable/quantitative and/or qualitative information, as well as, didactic aspects of the project to be shared with the foundation.  

Examples of Projects

  • Creation or expansion of creative psychoanalytic media such as zines, podcasts, advice columns

  • Conferences with themes consistent with the mission of community psychoanalysis

  • Community-facing educational programming such as workshops for parents or accessible classes on psychoanalytic theory for the lay public

  • Developing effective triage methods to improve access to treatment

  • Art therapy workshops

  • Working with underserved parents, new parents, and families with young children

  • Affinity groups for analysts of shared identities to connect and build community 

  • After-school programs consistent with psychoanalytic principles, targeting underserved schools and communities

  • Clinical programs for incarcerated or formerly incarcerated persons

  • Educational events in unique settings such as prisons, women’s shelters, housing for seniors, or NYCHA housing

  • Expansion of psychoanalytic group therapy offerings

  • Drop-in hours for consultations or “talk sessions” 

  • Didactic training in working with trauma, psychosis, chronic medical illness, disabled populations

  • Outreach and events with spiritual/religious communities 

  • Work with the opioid crisis and questions of chronic pain more generally

 

Proposals will be reviewed on a rolling basis.

Jamie Cunningham
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Fellowship for Emerging Psychoanalysts