Deadline: 14-Nov-2025
The Spencer Foundation is accepting proposals for its Research-Practice Partnerships (RPP) program, an initiative designed to foster long-term collaborations between academic researchers and education practitioners.
This program aims to bridge the divide between research and practice by supporting partnerships that co-develop and study solutions to critical educational challenges in authentic settings.
The RPP program funds projects that generate useful, actionable knowledge for improving education while strengthening the capacity of both researchers and practitioners to work together. Grants of up to USD 400,000 are available for projects lasting up to three years, providing sustained support for research, partnership-building, and implementation. The program prioritizes projects that demonstrate mutual benefit, shared governance, and a clear plan for long-term collaboration.
Eligibility for this grant requires that proposals focus on research and related activities that advance collaborative partnerships between academic researchers and a wide range of educational practitioners. Principal Investigators (PIs) and Co-Principal Investigators (Co-PIs) must have either an earned doctorate in a relevant field or equivalent professional experience suitable for this program. If the practitioner or policymaker partner does not hold a doctorate, they must demonstrate professional expertise and leadership experience in their domain. Graduate students may be part of the research team but cannot serve as PI or Co-PI.
The PI must be affiliated with a non-profit or public institution capable of administering the grant. This includes universities, school districts, research institutions, and non-profit organizations with recognized 501(c)(3) or equivalent status. The administering PI may represent either the research or practitioner side of the partnership, but there must be at least one Co-PI from the partner organization to ensure balanced collaboration.
Proposals are welcome from both U.S. and international applicants, and all submissions must be written in English with budgets presented in U.S. dollars. The Spencer Foundation does not provide grants directly to individuals, and each PI or Co-PI may only hold one active Spencer research grant at a time.
Through this opportunity, the Spencer Foundation continues to promote the co-creation of knowledge that is grounded in real-world practice and informed by rigorous research. The RPP program provides a platform for partnerships that strengthen educational systems, inform policy, and advance equitable, evidence-based improvements in teaching and learning.
For more information, visit Spencer Foundation.
