RESEARCH GRANTS ON EDUCATION: SMALL. SPENCER FOUNDATION
PROGRAM STATEMENT
The Small Research Grants on Education Program supports education research projects that will contribute to the improvement of education, broadly conceived, with budgets up to $50,000 for projects ranging from one to five years. Eligible investigators may also request additional supplemental funds for a course release. We accept applications three times per year.
This program is “field-initiated” in that proposal submissions are not in response to a specific request for a particular research topic, discipline, design, or method. Our goal for this program is to support rigorous, intellectually ambitious and technically sound research that is relevant to the most pressing questions and compelling opportunities in education. We seek to support scholarship that develops new foundational knowledge that may have a lasting impact on educational discourse.
ELIGIBILITY AND RESTRICTIONS
Eligibility
Proposals to the Small Research Grants on Education program must be for research projects that aim to study education. Proposals for activities other than research are not eligible (e.g., program evaluations, professional development, curriculum development, scholarships, capital projects, software development). Additionally, proposals for research studies focused on areas other than education are not eligible.
Principal Investigators (PIs) and Co-PIs applying for a Small Research Grant on Education must have an earned doctorate in an academic discipline or professional field, or appropriate experience in an education research-related profession. While graduate students may be part of the research team, they may not be named the PI or Co-PI on the proposal.
The PI must be affiliated with a non-profit organization or public/governmental institution that is willing to serve as the administering organization if the grant is awarded. The Spencer Foundation does not award grants directly to individuals. Examples include non-profit or public colleges, universities, school districts, and research facilities, as well as other non-profit organizations with a 501(c)(3) determination from the IRS (or equivalent non-profit status if the organization is outside of the United States).
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.
Restrictions
Proposed budgets for this program are limited to $50,000 total and may not include indirect cost charges per Spencer’s policy. Eligible investigators may also request additional supplemental funds for a course release. See the Optional Supplemental Course Release section for details.
Projects proposed may not be longer than 5 years in duration.
PIs and Co-PIs may only hold one active research grant from the Spencer Foundation at a time. (This restriction does not apply to the administering organization; organizations may submit as many proposals as they like as long as they are for different projects and have different research teams.)
PIs and Co-PIs may not submit more than one research proposal to the Spencer Foundation at a time.
HOW TO APPLY
The application process begins with a full proposal; there is no requirement to submit an intent to apply form. Full proposals for a Small Research Grant on Education are due by 12:00pm Noon central time on the deadline date.
DEADLINES
- Deadlines Applications Open February 23, 2024.
- Full Proposal Deadline April 30, 2023, 12:00 PM Noon (Central Time).
QUESTIONS
Please Cynthia Soto smallgrants@spencer.org with any questions.
CALENDARIO INTERNO
-23/02/2024: Apertura del concurso.
-27/02/2024: Difusión del concurso desde la VRIDT.
-01/04/2024: Fecha límite para informar a la Dirección de Investigación, sobre la participación en el concurso, completando el Formulario de Iniciativa de Proyectos (FIP) a través del sistema SIVRIDT.
Video Tutorial: ingresar aquí
-10/04/2024: Fecha límite para enviar el Formulario de Autorización de Proyectos (FAP) a través del sistema SIVRIDT.
Video Tutorial: ingresar aquí
-22/04/2024: Fecha límite para enviar los documentos de avances del proyecto a través del sistema SIVRIDT (Carta de recomendación que debe firmar el Director/la Directora de la Unidad, otro).
Vídeo Tutorial: ingresar aquí
-26/04/2024: Plazo máximo de la VRIDT, para solicitar mejoras o ajustes a los proyectos.
–30/04/2024 12:00 PM Noon (Central/Chicago time) Plazo máximo para postular Full Proposal a través de la plataforma de postulación.
-30/05/2024: Plazo máximo para respaldar (subir) los documentos postulados del concurso en el sistema SIVRIDT.
Video Tutorial: ingresar aquí
Link Concurso: https://www.spencer.org/grant_types/small-research-grant
Correo de contacto: smallgrants@spencer.org