Steven A. Stahl Research Grant

Overview

_NOTE: This is a blind review process, applications must not include any identifying information, including names and institutional affiliations, except in the applicant information section._

Awards and Grants

ILA recognizes and celebrates the outstanding contributions of individuals and chapters in our network who are committed to our shared mission of connecting research and practice to improve the quality of literacy learning across the globe.

Steven A. Stahl Research Grant

This US$1,000 award was established to honor the memory and work of Steven A. Stahl by encouraging and supporting promising graduate students in their research. This grant is awarded biennially to a recipient with at least three years of teaching experience who is conducting classroom research (including action research) focused on improving reading instruction and children's reading achievement.

Eligibility

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Application Details

2025 Steven A. Stahl Research Grant
Submission Guidelines
ABOUT THE AWARD
The International Literacy Association (ILA) Steven A. Stahl Research Grant was established by
Katherine Dougherty Stahl to honor the memory and work of her late husband. The grant is given
biennially to one promising graduate student conducting classroom research on reading and includes
monetary support in the amount of US$1,000.
ELIGIBILITY AND SELECTION CRITERIA
Applicants for the Steven A. Stahl Research Grant must be graduate students who have at least three
years of pre-K–12 teaching experience (students ages 4–18) and wish to conduct classroom research
(including action research) in reading and literacy instruction that is empirically rigorous and focuses on
improving reading instruction and children’s reading achievement.
Proposals will be evaluated on the following:
● Research question
● Rationale for the research
● Literature review
● Methodology
● Research significance
● Clarity, cohesion, and specificity of proposal
● Budget and timeline for project
To be eligible, all applicants (including coapplicants) must be ILA members in good standing and
maintain active membership through June 30, 2026.
Please note that candidates may apply for more than one ILA research grant but are limited to accepting
only one research award per year.
APPLICATION PROCESS
Applications are submitted through an online process. A research description and reference list,
prepared in strict adherence to the guidelines below, should be uploaded as one (1) document
(preferably a PDF). Budget information detailing anticipated expenses is also required.
Revised/Updated July 2024

Because of the blind review process, applications must not include any identifying information, including
names and institutional affiliations, except in the applicant information section. Failure to remove all
identifying information may result in disqualification.
Research Description
The description of the proposed classroom research should be as specific as possible (up to 15 double-
spaced pages, in 12-point Times New Roman, Arial, or Courier font, with 1-inch margins on all
sides) and include the following items in the order listed below:
Research Question. Identify the research question, problem, or hypothesis being studied.
Rationale for the Research. Provide a detailed rationale for the study. Relate the proposed research
question to relevant, supporting research literature and data and indicate how previous research and
theoretical frameworks inform and justify the proposed research. The rationale should address the
potential significance of the research on reading research and practice.
Literature Review. What do you already know about the question from any professional literature and
from your own experiences that will help you with the project? (Please include citations.)
Methodology. Describe the method to be applied and include a description of subjects, materials, and
procedures where appropriate. Consider the following kinds of information:
1. Population or data resource
2. Sample methods (procedures and description as appropriate)
3. Data collection or observation procedures including instruments
4. Procedures (materials, detailed timeline, and work plan)
5. Data analysis (framework and method)
Research Significance. Discuss the potential impact of your work on research and practice in literacy,
addressing what populations will benefit and in what ways.
References
Please provide complete bibliographic information for all sources cited in the proposal. References
should be formatted using American Psychological Association (APA) 7th edition style. To accommodate
the blind review process, if the submitter’s own publications are cited, the submitter should substitute the
word Author in the citations (e.g., Author, 2019) and substitute all coauthor names with Coauthor (e.g.,
Author, Coauthor, 2019).
Budget
Applicants may request up to US$1,000. Anticipated expenses should be submitted along with the
rationale for each line item. Please note that institutional overhead or indirect costs are not covered
under this grant.
Revised/Updated July 2024

SUBMISSION TIMELINE
To be considered for the 2025 Steven A. Stahl Research Grant, applications must be completed and
all required materials submitted no later than February 3, 2025, at 11:59 p.m. ET. Applicants will be
notified of the results before June 30, 2025. Those not selected may reapply for consideration the
following year.
SELECTION PROCESS
A blind review will be conducted by members of the ILA Steven A. Stahl Research Grant
Committee.
Decisions will be based on the quality of the application and supporting materials. The grant will be
given only in years when the committee concludes there is a high-quality application that meets the
rigorous standards outlined above.
GRANT RECIPIENT REQUIREMENTS AND FUNDS
Proposed projects must be completed within two years of the award date. The grant recipient is expected
to provide an interim report at the midpoint of the study and a final report at the completion of the study.
The format for these reports will be supplied to grant recipients no later than July 1, 2025.
Grant funds will be distributed in three payments. The first installment (45% of grant) will be disbursed at
the beginning of the study; the second installment (45%) when an interim report is submitted; and the
final installment (10%) upon receipt of the final report. ILA does not support any indirect costs associated
with its grants.
Upon completion of the project, the grant recipient is encouraged to submit an article for publication in
one of ILA’s three peer-reviewed journals. Please note that ILA reserves first rights of refusal to publish
any material developed under this grant prior to the grant recipient submitting to a non–ILA publication.
Please direct any questions about eligibility, selection criteria, the application process, and/or the
selection process to ILAAwards@reading.org.
FURTHER GUIDANCE FOR APPLICANTS
ILA and the Steven A. Stahl Research Grant Committee recommend that applicants seek mentorship
(such as from an academic advisor) to prepare the best possible submission. In addition, there are
numerous resources available to help with preparing grant proposals including, but not limited to, the
following:
• https://www.spencer.org/resources/a-guide-to-writing-successful-field-initiated-research-grant-
proposals
Revised/Updated July 2024

• https://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/grant-proposals-or-give-me-the-money/
• https://extranet.who.int/kobe_centre/sites/default/files/pdf/WHO%20Guidance_Research%20Met
hods_Health-EDRM_6.3.pdf
• https://www.wes.org/advisor-blog/how-to-write-a-grant-application/
• https://www.ukri.org/blog/12-top-tips-for-writing-a-grant-application/
Revised/Updated July 2024