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.
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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
Among its reported 2025 grants, the largest include National Academy of Education ($2,532,835), National Academy of Education ($1,753,042), William T Grant Foundation ($650,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| NATIONAL ACADEMY OF EDUCATION WASHINGTON, DC | NATIONAL ACADEMY OF EDUCATION/SPENCER POSTDOCTORAL FELLOWSHIP PROGRAMS (COHORTS 24-25, 25-26, 26-27) | $2,532,835 |
| NATIONAL ACADEMY OF EDUCATION WASHINGTON, DC | NATIONAL ACADEMY OF EDUCATION/SPENCER DISSERTATION FELLOWSHIP PROGRAMS (COHORTS 24-25, 25-26, 26-27) | $1,753,042 |
| WILLIAM T GRANT FOUNDATION NEW YORK, NY | SUPPORT FOR THE 2024 INSTITUTIONAL CHALLENGE GRANT PROGRAM AT THE WILLIAM T. GRANT FOUNDATION | $650,000 |
| WILLIAM T GRANT FOUNDATION NEW YORK, NY | SUPPORT FOR THE 2025 INSTITUTIONAL CHALLENGE GRANT PROGRAM AT THE WILLIAM T. GRANT FOUNDATION | $650,000 |
| COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY IN THE CITY OF NEW YORK NEW YORK, NY | SPENCER EDUCATION JOURNALISM FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM, 2024 - 2028 | $593,600 |
| MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY EAST LANSING, MI | CREATING TRANSFORMATIVE POSSIBILITY IN SCHOOLS AND COMMUNITIES | $483,044 |
| UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA BERKELEY BERKELEY, CA | LINGUISTIC VARIATION AND DISCIPLINARY ACTION ON AFRICAN AMERICAN CHILDREN IN SCHOOLS | $392,629 |
| UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS CENTER FOR RESEARCH INC LAWRENCE, KS | THE TRIBAL EDUCATION DEPARTMENT CAPACITY BUILDING PROJECT | $382,906 |
| FLACSO ARGENTINA | HISTORY TEACHING THROUGH DIALOGICAL CONTROVERSIES | $274,540 |
| BOSTON UNIVERSITY BOSTON, MA | RE-IMAGINING ALTERNATIVE EDUCATION | $250,850 |
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
Frequently Asked Questions
What does The Spencer Foundation fund?
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 con…
How do I apply for a grant from The Spencer Foundation?
The Spencer Foundation has made grants totaling approximately $250 million since beginning formal grant making in 1971. Recent grants include: • National Academy of Education/Spencer Postdoctoral Fellowship Programs (Cohorts 24-25, 25-26, 26-27): $2,532,835 (2025) • National Academy of Education/Spencer Dissertation Fellowship Programs (Cohorts 24-25, 25-26, 26-27): $1,753,000 (2025) The foundation awards grants across multiple categories including research grants and fellowship programs suppor…
What size grants does The Spencer Foundation award?
In 2025, The Spencer Foundation awarded 214 grants totaling $24.3M — an average of about $114K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
What is The Spencer Foundation's EIN?
The Spencer Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 36-6078558. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2025.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Spencer Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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