Research-Practice Partnerships: Collaborative Research for Educational Change
This grant funds collaborative, equity-focused education research partnerships between researchers and practitioners to address critical educational challenges and drive systemic change.
Funder: Spencer Foundation
Due Dates: May 12, 2026 (Applications open) | July 10, 2026 (Pre-Proposal deadline) | October 28, 2026 (Full Proposal, by invitation)
Funding Amounts: Up to $400,000 total for up to 3 years; maximum 15% indirect costs allowed.
Summary: Supports collaborative research partnerships between researchers and practitioners to address critical educational challenges and inequities.
Key Information: Pre-proposal required; only invited applicants may submit a full proposal.
Description
The Spencer Foundation's Research-Practice Partnership (RPP) Grants Program funds collaborative, participatory education research projects developed and carried out through sustained partnerships between researchers and a broad array of practitioners and policymakers. The program is designed to foster rigorous, long-term partnerships that address pressing educational problems, with a strong focus on equity and systemic, sustainable change in diverse learning contexts (including schools, higher education, community organizations, and informal learning settings).
Funded activities may include launching or expanding research, building research infrastructure, capacity development for partners and emerging scholars, and outreach or communication efforts. Central to the program is a commitment to disrupting educational inequities and supporting projects that foreground issues of inequality and generate new insights into educational processes, practices, and policies.
