The Spencer Foundation is a private foundation based in Chicago, Illinois, dedicated to supporting education research and strengthening the educational research community. Established in 1962 by Lyle M. Spencer, the founder and former president of Science Research Associates (SRA), the foundation received its major endowment following Spencer's death in 1968 and began formal grant making in 1971. The foundation operates with a staff of 9 employees and maintains an international presence with operations in Chile, Poland, and Nigeria.
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
—
Annual Giving
$24.3M
+21.4% YoY
Grant Count
214
-15.7% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$114K
+44.1% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The Spencer Foundation is committed to investigating ways in which education, broadly conceived, can be improved around the world. The foundation operates from the foundational belief that research is necessary to improvement in education.
The foundation's core activities include:
- Supporting high-quality investigation of education through its research programs
- Strengthening and renewing the educational research community through fellowship and training programs
- Strengthening connections among education research, policy, and practice through communication and networking activities
- Advancing equity and transforming educational systems through collaboration and rigorous methodologies
- Education journalism fellowship programs to create richer public conversation about education
Grantmaking
The Spencer Foundation has made grants totaling approximately $250 million since beginning formal grant making in 1971.
Ready to take the next step with The Spencer Foundation?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Fiscal Year 2024-2025:
- Total Assets: $664.8 million to $667 million
- Total Revenues: $81.5 million to $235.6 million
- Total Expenses: $36.1 million to $45 million
- Total Liabilities: $43 million
Historical Giving:
- The foundation has made grants totaling approximately $250 million since 1971
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | — | — | — |
| Revenue | — | — | — |
| Expenses | — | — | — |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | — | — | — |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
Grant Size Distribution
250 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
6 open opportunities from The Spencer Foundation
Racial Equity Research Grants
THE SPENCER FOUNDATION
Amount
Up to US $75,000
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Rapid Response Bridge Funding Program Grant
THE SPENCER FOUNDATION
Amount
Up to US $25,000
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Research Grants on Education: Large
THE SPENCER FOUNDATION
Amount
US $125,000 - US $500,000
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
No grants recorded for .
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Na'ilah Suad Nasir serves as President of the foundation.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
From 2025 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| DR NA'ILAH SUAD NASIR | PRESIDENT | 40 | $725,030 |
| ELIZABETH CARRICK | VICE PRESIDENT, ADMIN & CHIEF OF STAFF | 40 | $352,691 |
| ANDREASON BROWN | CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER & TREASURER | 40 | $327,453 |
| DORIS FISCHER | COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER & BOARD SECRETA | 40 | $119,787 |
| PRUDENCE CARTER | DIRECTOR | 1 | $10,000 |
| CARL COHN | DIRECTOR (OUTGOING FY25) | 1 | $10,000 |
| NONIE LESAUX | DIRECTOR | 1 | $10,000 |
| JANE PATTERSON | DIRECTOR | 1 | $10,000 |
| CECILIA RIOS-AGUILAR | DIRECTOR | 1 | $10,000 |
| MIKE WILLIAMS | DIRECTOR | 1 | $10,000 |
| TYRONE HOWARD | DIRECTOR (INCOMING FY25) | 1 | $7,500 |
| EDUARDO PADRON | DIRECTOR | 1 | $7,500 |
| ROB REICH | DIRECTOR | 1 | $7,500 |
| KIRABO JACKSON | DIRECTOR (INCOMING FY25) | 1 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The Spencer Foundation has awarded grants supporting:
Spencer Foundation awards literacy professor $60,000 grant | TWULiteracy research and professional development
Spencer Grant Funds History-Focused Professional Development for TeachersIndigenous perspectives in classrooms and communities
History-focused professional development for teachers
Spencer Grant Funds History-Focused Professional Development for TeachersVarious education research initiatives across multiple institutions
The foundation maintains active fellowship programs for postdoctoral researchers and dissertation fellows in partnership with the National Academy of Education.
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
What could you do with The Spencer Foundation on Grantable?
- Assess strategic fit with your organization
- Draft a tailored letter of inquiry
- Find open RFPs from this funder
- Monitor for new funding opportunities