Strategic Initiatives
The New Civics
Budgets Over $50,000
Investigators of projects with budgets over $50,000 are asked to submit a preliminary proposal as the first step in the review process. If the Foundation is interested in the project, the Principal Investigator will be invited to submit a full proposal.
Eligibility and Restrictions:
- 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, research facility, school district, or cultural institution that is willing to serve as the fiscal agent if the grant is awarded. Research Grant proposals from individuals are not eligible.
- 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.
- PIs and Co-PIs may only hold one active research grant from the Spencer Foundation at a time. Simultaneous submissions to Spencer from PIs and Co-PIs are discouraged due to this policy.
Deadlines and Review Process
The next deadline for preliminary proposals is 4:00pm CST, Tuesday, May 14, 2013. Below is a timeline for this review cycle for the Initiative on The New Civics; as future cycles are scheduled, they will be posted to this website:
Preliminary Proposal Deadline: May 14, 2013
Prelim Decision Notification: June 12, 2013
Invited Full Proposal Deadline: July 23, 2013
Final Funding Decision Notification: February 2014
Submission Guidelines
Preliminary proposals must be submitted electronically using the Spencer Foundation’s online system. Below are the basic steps for submission.
Step 1 - Registration: The PI must register and create a profile by clicking on the link below and then clicking the “Register Here” button.
Step 2 - My Profile: After logging in, you must complete the information requested on the My Profile page (upper right corner of the screen) and upload your current CV.
Step 3 - New Proposal: Click the New Proposal tab and choose the Major Grant button for the New Civics Initiative. As you work on your preliminary proposal, consider the two following tips:
Tip #1: Remember to frequently click the “Save Draft” button at the bottom of the application page. Changes you make will not be recorded until you click the “Save Draft” button; click it often.
Tip #2: You will be required to upload PDF files during this process. If your file name has special characters within it (e.g. period, dash, etc), the file will not upload. Remove all special characters from your file names before attempting to upload them.
DETAILED GUIDELINES, click here. We strongly recommend you print out these guidelines to refer to as you go through the online application.
ONLINE APPLICATION, click here.
Criteria for Review
The criteria we will use in evaluating proposals include:
- Likelihood that answers to the research questions will advance understanding about the civic action and learning-experience connections;
- Implications for educational improvement, including but not limited to curricula, classrooms, and schools;
- Methodological rigor and the appropriateness of the research design to the research questions;
- Generalizability of the study beyond the project's specific populations and research sites.
Although individual projects are not required to address or include each of the priorities below, we will strive to include in the Initiative portfolio studies that attend to the following:
- Outcomes aligned with institutional or systemic change;
- Populations of interest, including non-college-bound youth, less economically privileged youth, members of diverse racial and ethnic groups, and immigrant youth;
- Attention to developmental patterns (age ranges that extend from childhood through age 30).
Questions
Answers to frequently asked questions about applying for a research grant from the Spencer Foundation can be found by clicking on our Research FAQ page. Please direct any additional questions regarding the proposal submission process to Annie Brinkman, Grants Manager, at abrinkman@spencer.org or 312-274-6511.