According to its mission, the John Templeton Foundation serves as a philanthropic catalyst for discoveries relating to the deepest and most perplexing questions facing humankind. They support research on subjects ranging from complexity, evolution, and emergence to creativity, forgiveness, and free will.

The John Templeton Foundation has decided on strategic priorities. Altogether, the investment in these 12 priorities will account for 80 percent of the grantmaking over the next five years in the Science & the Big Questions funding area, totaling approximately $325 million. In Science & The Big Questions funding area funding for e.g. Natural Sciences and Human Sciences is provided.

The application process has two stages: Grant consideration begins with an initial Online Funding Inquiry (OFI) and, if invited, a detailed Full Proposal. The foundation distinguishs between small and large financial requests: Small Grants are defined as requests for $234,800 (USD) or less. Large Grants are defined as requests for more than $234,800 (USD).