Small Research Grants on Education Program 2026

🌟 About Spencer Foundation Small Research Grants on Education Program

The Small Research Grants on Education Program is designed to support high-quality education research that contributes directly to improving educational theory, policy, and practice. The program prioritizes studies that are intellectually ambitious, methodologically rigorous, and technically sound. It encourages innovative research ideas that respond to the most urgent and compelling challenges in education today.

💰 Benefits

• Funding education research projects with total budgets of up to USD 50,000.

📋 Eligibility Criteria

Principal Investigator (PI) Requirements

To be eligible as a Principal Investigator or Co-Principal Investigator, applicants must:

• Hold an earned doctorate in an academic discipline or professional field.
• Be affiliated with an eligible non-profit or public/governmental organization.

Note: Graduate students may participate as members of the research team but cannot serve as PIs or Co-PIs.

Eligible Institutions

The PI’s institution must:

• Be capable of administering the grant.
• Have recognized non-profit or public status.

Eligible organizations include:

• Non-profit or public colleges and universities.
• School districts.
• Research institutions and research facilities.
• Public or governmental organizations.
• Other organizations with recognized non-profit status.

Important: Grants are not awarded directly to individuals.

Geographic Scope and Language Requirements

• Applications are accepted from both U.S.-based and international researchers.
• Proposals must be submitted in English.
• Budgets must be prepared and submitted in U.S. dollars.

This global eligibility allows researchers worldwide to contribute to advancing education research.

📝 Application Process

To apply for the Spencer Foundation Small Research Grants on Education Program, follow these steps:

1. Develop a clearly defined education research question grounded in existing literature.
2. Design a rigorous and methodologically sound research plan.
3. Confirm eligibility of the PI, research team, and administering institution.
4. Prepare a detailed budget not exceeding USD 50,000.
5. Ensure the proposed timeline falls within one to five years.
6. Submit the complete application in English during an open application cycle.

Successful proposals clearly demonstrate both intellectual ambition and technical feasibility.

📅 Application Deadline

15 April, 2026

🔗 Application Portal

• View details of the Spencer Foundation Small Research Grants on Education Program here.
• Apply for the program through the Spencer Foundation Application Portal.

For more information, visit the official Spencer Foundation website or contact the foundation directly.

• Funding education research projects with total budgets of up to USD 50,000