The Small Research Grants program is intended to support education research projects with budgets of $50,000 or less. In keeping with the Spencer Foundation’s mission, this program aims to fund academic work that will contribute to the improvement of education, broadly conceived.
Opportunity
Historically, the work they have funded through these grants has spanned, a range of topics and disciplines, including education, psychology, sociology, economics, history, and anthropology, and they employ a wide range of research methods. The following examples of recently funded small grants illustrate the diversity of what they support:
- an experimental study of how college students use visual representations in solving math problems
- a study exploring the process of racial and rural identity formation among African American high-school students who attend de facto segregated schools in the rural South
- a mixed-methods study focusing on the different types of knowledge novice and experienced teachers draw on in teaching for reading comprehension
Eligibility
- Principal Investigators (PIs) and Co-PIs applying for a research grant must have an earned doctorate in an academic discipline or professional field, or appropriate experience in an education research-related profession.
- The PI must be affiliated with a college, university, school district, non-profit research facility, or non-profit cultural institution that is willing to serve as the fiscal agent if the grant is awarded. The Spencer Foundation does not award grants directly to individuals.
- Proposals are accepted from the U.S. and internationally, however all proposals must be submitted in English and budgets must be proposed in U.S. Dollars.
Funding Available
- Maximum amount: $50,000 USD (budget may NOT include indirect cost charges)
Helpful Links
- Full details regarding the Small Research Grants
Deadlines
| Pre-Proposal/Full Application: | ||
| CURO Internal Deadline for Review | Please contact your Research Facilitator. | |
| cuResearch Checklist Deadline |
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| Submission to sponsor |
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4:00 PM (CDT) |
* Please note that Small Research Grant proposals are accepted 4 times per year.
Submitting Your Application
- Applications must be submitted via cuResearch, through which Departmental and Associate Dean’s approval must be provided to complete the online application process.
- More information on cuResearch can be found here.
Internal Contacts
If you would like assistance with proposal development and/or a substantive review of your proposal, please contact the appropriate Research Facilitator.