Established in 1962, the Spencer Foundation is dedicated to the belief that research is necessary to the improvement of education. The foundation supports high-quality investigations of education-related topics through its research programs and works to strengthen and renew the educational research community through its fellowship/training programs and related activities.

Through its New Civics initiative, the foundation is accepting research proposals that ask critical questions about how education can more effectively contribute to the civic development of young people. Of special interest are projects designed to improve understanding of the avenues for and impediments to civic learning and civic action among young people who do not attend college, who reside in marginalized communities, who are recent immigrants or immigrants of different legal statuses, or who are less economically privileged.

The program awards grants of up to $350,000, typically extending over periods of one to four years.

Scholars in education, the social sciences, and the humanities are invited to apply.

For grant requests of up to $50,000, proposals must be received no later than February 6, 2014. For projects that require a higher level of funding (up to $350,000), the deadline for preliminary proposals is April 29, 2014.

For more information please refer to the RFP: http://www.spencer.org/content.cfm/the-new-civics-rfp