Gender Disparities in Grant Submissions and Allocations: Examining Patterns Across STEM and Non-STEM Fields

Abstract

Gender inequality remains a persistent challenge in academia, shaping career trajectories and access to critical resources. Research funding plays a central role in academic advancement, yet studies of gender disparities often overlook how patterns vary across disciplines and stages of the grant process. This study analyzes gender differences in both the submission and allocation phases using administrative data from four national Israeli funding agencies, covering nearly 5000 applications submitted over two years (2017–2018). It examines two key dimensions within both stages—PI gender and grant amount—and disaggregates results across 12 academic fields. The findings indicate isolated, rather than systematic, gender inequalities, with disparities appearing more frequently in STEM fields but remaining limited overall. The results underscore the importance of field-specific analysis for understanding gender inequality and suggest that targeted interventions, rather than uniform policies, are needed to promote gender equity in research funding.