Research Grants on Education: Small
Forecasted
Research Grants on Education: Small supports scholars pursuing rigorous, field-initiated education research to develop foundational knowledge, improve education, and shape educational discourse.
Funder: Spencer Foundation
Due Dates (Anticipated): January 2027 (First Cycle) | July 2027 (Second Cycle)
Funding Amounts: Up to $50,000 for 1–5 years, plus up to $10,000 for an eligible supplemental course release
Summary: Supports rigorous, field-initiated education research that develops foundational knowledge and contributes to improving education.
Key Information: PIs and Co-PIs must hold earned doctorates, and a nonprofit or public/governmental institution must administer the grant.
Description
The Spencer Foundation’s Small Research Grants on Education program supports rigorous, intellectually ambitious, technically sound research on pressing questions and compelling opportunities in education. This field-initiated program does not prescribe a particular topic, discipline, research design, method, or location. Its goal is to develop foundational knowledge with a lasting impact on educational discourse.
The program welcomes scholars at various career stages, working domestically or internationally. Research may examine learning throughout life in classrooms, workplaces, families, communities, or on the playing field. Supported approaches include quantitative, qualitative, mixed-methods, ethnographic, computational, design-based, participatory, and historical research. Projects may combine varied data sources or involve sustained collaboration with practitioners and community members.
