Spencer Announces New Funding Program for Transformative Research

Program Link: https://www.spencer.org/transformative-research-program

Sponsor: The Spencer Foundation

Value: Up to $3.5 million. Transformative Research Grants are open only to those who have completed a Vision Grant.

Description: Spencer is launching a new grant program to support methodologically and disciplinarily diverse, collaborative research projects designed to reimagine education systems for equity.

New Programs

Supporting Transformative Research for Equity

We have identified a critical need for research that will transform educational systems. Fostering this kind of transformative research will require creating spaces for scholars to work in novel ways – to imagine new ways of transforming education at a systemic level; to work across methods and disciplines; and to collaborate with policymakers, practitioners, community members, and others. Our strategy is to support this work via our new (1) Vision Grants (VG), and (2) Transformative Research Grants (TRG).

Vision Grants

Building the Field Through Collaborative Work

The Vision Grants are designed for teams to plan multi-method and/or interdisciplinary, collaborative studies that address a clear opportunity or challenge whose solution could transform educational systems toward equity.

Transformative Research Grants

Reimagining Education Through Collaborative, Interdisciplinary, Impactful research

The Transformative Research Grants are open only to those who have completed a Vision Grant. They are research grants, of up to $3.5 million, which will allow teams to execute the research and impact plans outlined in their Vision Grants, with the ultimate goal of creating more equitable education systems. We intend to fund one to two of these grants annually.

Today’s investment in 1,054 researchers, including 338 early career researchers, through the NFRF program highlights the government’s commitment to keeping interdisciplinary research at the forefront to build a global brand that will attract talent and capital for years to come.

Contact: If you have any questions, contact nandini.maharaj@ubc.ca