Atom | Large Research Grants on Education: Large

Funder: Spencer Foundation

Due Dates: May 28, 2025 (Intent to Apply) | July 16, 2025 (Letters of Intent) | December 17, 2025 (Full Proposals by invitation)

Funding Amounts: $125,000 to $500,000 per project; duration 1 to 5 years; up to 15% indirect costs allowed.

Summary: Supports rigorous, intellectually ambitious education research projects with diverse methodologies to improve education broadly.

Key Information: Only one active research grant per PI/Co-PI allowed; proposals accepted from U.S. and international applicants; IRB approval not required at submission.

Description

The Spencer Foundation’s Large Research Grants on Education program funds education research projects that aim to improve education in a broad sense. The program supports field-initiated, rigorous, and intellectually ambitious research addressing pressing questions in education. It encourages proposals from a variety of disciplinary and methodological perspectives, including quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-methods approaches.

Projects must have budgets between $125,000 and $500,000 and may last from one to five years. Up to 15% indirect cost charges are permitted. The program limits PIs and Co-PIs to one active research grant at a time. Resubmissions are allowed, and feedback is provided to applicants.

The application process begins with an Intent to Apply form, due by 12:00 pm Central Time, followed by a Full Proposal submission for selected applicants. The review process involves external panel reviewers and internal staff and takes approximately 11 months from the Intent to Apply deadline. Grant payments are issued monthly.

The foundation welcomes proposals from both domestic and international researchers, but applications must be submitted in English and budgeted in U.S. dollars. The PI must be affiliated with a nonprofit or public/governmental institution.

Due Dates

Intent to Apply: May 28, 2025, 12:00 pm Central Time
Letters of Intent (for New Research): July 16, 2025
Full Proposals (by invitation only): December 17, 2025

Funding Amount

Award range: $125,000 to $500,000 total per project
Project duration: 1 to 5 years
Indirect costs: Up to 15% allowed
Only one active grant per PI or Co-PI at a time

Eligibility

Principal Investigators (PIs) and Co-PIs must have an earned doctorate or equivalent experience in education research-related professions.
PIs must be affiliated with a nonprofit organization or public/governmental institution.
Proposals accepted from U.S. and international applicants, but must be submitted in English and budgeted in U.S. dollars.
Only one active research grant allowed per PI or Co-PI at a time.
Resubmissions are permitted.

Application Process

Step 1: Submit an Intent to Apply form by the deadline (May 28, 2025).
Step 2: Selected applicants are invited to submit a Full Proposal.
Review: Full proposals are reviewed by external panels and internal staff.
Timeline: Review process takes approximately 11 months from the Intent to Apply deadline.
Award payments are issued monthly, typically in the third week.
IRB approval is not required at the time of submission.

Additional Information

The program encourages applicants to apply for funding tiers that best fit their project needs rather than automatically requesting the maximum amount.
Methodological diversity is encouraged, including quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-methods research.
The foundation supports research that contributes to the improvement of education broadly conceived.

External Links

Contact Information

Contact Method	Details
Email	info@spencer.org
Phone	+1 312-337-7000
Address	625 North Michigan Avenue, Suite 1600, Chicago, IL 60611, USA