Research Grants on Education: Large
Spencer Foundation’s Large Research Grants fund innovative, multidisciplinary research projects that advance foundational knowledge and improve education across diverse settings and methodologies.
Funder: Spencer Foundation
Due Dates: July 7, 2026: Full Proposal (by invitation) deadline
Funding Amounts: $125,000–$500,000 per project; project duration 1–5 years; 15% indirect costs allowed.
Summary: Supports ambitious, field-initiated research projects that advance knowledge and improve education across diverse settings and methodologies.
Key Information: Preproposal required; only invited applicants may submit a full proposal.
Description
The Large Research Grants on Education Program, offered by the Spencer Foundation, funds rigorous, innovative research projects that address significant questions in education. This field-initiated program welcomes proposals from a wide range of disciplines, methodologies, and perspectives, emphasizing research that advances foundational knowledge and contributes meaningfully to educational discourse and practice. Projects may address educational issues in varied settings—including classrooms, workplaces, families, and communities—both within the U.S. and internationally. The program encourages multidisciplinary and multigenerational teams and values methodological diversity, including quantitative, qualitative, mixed-methods, ethnographies, and participatory approaches.
