Vision

The Ostrom Workshop will serve as a campus asset for all social scientists and help the social sciences play a more prominent role in the future of Indiana University (see introductory video below).

What We Do

The Ostrom Workshop focuses on the study of governance as it relates to a variety of research areas. As of July 2016, we have established four research programs: Cybersecurity and Internet Governance; Data Management and Information Governance; Natural Resource Governance; and Political, Economic, and Legal Institutions and Organizations (PELIO). Over the next three years, we plan to add other programs, including financial organizations, international organizations, public health, and education.

We seek to leverage the knowledge produced both within and across research programs in order to enhance educational opportunities for students at IU and worldwide, produce innovative and policy-relevant research, and increase the scope for multidisciplinary collaborations.

• Strategic plan
• Informational flyer

Our Goals

• Build multiple research programs, each headed by a Program Director recruited from the best scholars across the globe;
• Develop promising young scholars by supporting their graduate work while at IU (Ostrom Fellowships), funding their research (Graduate Research Awards), and connecting them with scholars outside IU (Visiting Scholars Program);
• Support senior scholars by providing help in writing grant proposals, funding their research (Faculty Research Awards), and connecting them with other scholars outside IU (Visiting Scholars Program).

Funding Sources/Endowment

The Ostrom Workshop relies on a three-pronged approach to funding: university funds, the Ostrom Workshop’s endowments, and external grants. On average, university funds make up roughly one-third of the Ostrom Workshop’s annual budget. These varied sources of funding enable the Ostrom Workshop to engage in a wide range of activities, and to sustain its research interests over time.

In addition to university funding, the Ostrom Workshop draws on its endowments, the largest of which is the "Tocqueville Fund for the Study of Human Institutions." The Ostrom Workshop also receives generous support from a number of external granting agencies such as the National Science Foundation, US Department of Agriculture, and VERITAS Fund for Higher Education Reform.

Contributions to the Ostrom Workshop can be made online via the Give Now button. Visit our Giving page to learn more about supporting the mission of the Ostrom Workshop.