The Spencer Foundation
Accepts applications
The Spencer Foundation is a private foundation in Chicago, Illinois. In tax year 2024 it gave $22.8 million in 214 grants; the typical grant was $74,960 and the largest $2.5 million. It accepts applications; its filing gives the instructions below.
From its IRS Form 990-PF for tax year 2024.
- Grants paid, 2024$22.8 million
- Number of grants214
- Typical grant$74,960
- Largest grant$2.5 million
- Assets$665 million
- New grantees50%
Giving in 2024 was down from $33.2 million the year before.
50% of its 2024 grantees had not received a grant from it the year before, a sign it is open to new organizations.
Giving by year
| Tax year | Grants paid | Number of grants | Assets |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | $33.2 million | 254 | $667 million |
| 2024 | $22.8 million | 214 | $665 million |
How to apply
| Contact | Dr Na'llah Suad Nasir 625 Michigan Ave Suite 1600, Chicago, IL 60611 |
|---|---|
| Phone or email | (312) 337-7000 |
| What to submit | Application, information, and materials requirements posted on website. |
| Deadlines | Deadlines posted on foundation's website, www.spencer.org |
| Restrictions | Information posted on foundation's website, www.spencer.org |
Foundation website IRS filings on ProPublica
What The Spencer Foundation funds
Where it gives
Its US grants went to recipients in 38 states, the most to District of Columbia. It also paid $1.1 million in 15 grants to recipients outside the US.
| State | Grants | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | 15 | $5.1 million |
| New York | 20 | $3.2 million |
| California | 26 | $2.3 million |
| Illinois | 16 | $1.3 million |
| Michigan | 10 | $1.2 million |
| Pennsylvania | 7 | $1.0 million |
| Virginia | 9 | $990,985 |
| Massachusetts | 12 | $989,900 |
| Texas | 11 | $932,407 |
| North Carolina | 7 | $617,534 |
Grants paid in 2024
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| National Academy of Education | National academy of education/spencer postdoctoral fellowship programs (cohorts 24-25, 25-26, 26-27) | $2.5 million |
| National Academy of Education | National academy of education/spencer dissertation fellowship programs (cohorts 24-25, 25-26, 26-27) | $1.8 million |
| William T Grant Foundation | Support for the 2024 institutional challenge grant program at the william t. Grant foundation | $650,000 |
| William T Grant Foundation | Support for the 2025 institutional challenge grant program at the william t. Grant foundation | $650,000 |
| Columbia University in the City of New York | Spencer education journalism fellowship program, 2024 - 2028 | $593,600 |
| Michigan State University | Creating transformative possibility in schools and communities | $483,044 |
| University of California Berkeley | Linguistic variation and disciplinary action on african american children in schools | $392,629 |
| University of Kansas Center for Research Inc | The tribal education department capacity building project | $382,906 |
| Flacso Argentina | History teaching through dialogical controversies | $274,540 |
| Boston University | Re-imagining alternative education | $250,850 |
| The University of Texas at Austin | Admission, tuition, and housing | $243,904 |
| University of Wisconsin-Madison | Supplement for center for philosophical reflection on educational policy and practice | $229,772 |
| Indiana University Bloomington | Thriving in college | $221,301 |
| North Carolina State University | Examining rural dual language programs | $212,830 |
| New York University | Organizing family and community | $209,723 |
| University of Colorado Denver | Developing research capacity to support the assessment of student learning and program outcomes | $202,377 |
| Russell Sage Foundation | Advancing research on the promotion of educational attainment and economic mobility | $200,000 |
| University of Pennsylvania | Building a living archive | $199,915 |
| American Indian College Fund | Building collaborative data capacity and investigating college access, persistence, and graduation success | $199,515 |
| Michigan State University | Postsecondary education | $193,377 |
| Brown University | School-supporting non-profits, school resources, and rising inequality | $190,777 |
| Harvard University | The black teacher archive | $189,896 |
| The University of Chicago | Evaluating global and local relative effectiveness of educational organizations | $188,273 |
| University of California Berkeley | The role of social safety net programs in community college student success | $180,760 |
| Stanford University | Educating for food sovereignty | $179,586 |
| University of Illinois at Chicago | Investigating experiences of educators in chicago | $175,831 |
| University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee | Cultivating black autistic youth agency | $170,001 |
| Drexel University | Steaming through dance | $168,856 |
| University of Virginia | Leveraging out-of-school cultural learning opportunities | $166,220 |
| Philadelphia Student Union | The philadelphia student debt coalition | $165,324 |
| University of Virginia | Young african american children animating societal change | $162,882 |
| American Indian Science and Engineering Society | Leveraging the aises archival database | $158,134 |
| Arizona State University Foundation for A New American University | Support early literacy for preschoolers | $156,431 |
| University of Virginia | Education for children with autism spectrum disorder | $156,253 |
| University of Illinois at Chicago | The transformative work of lgbtq+ intergenerational dialogues | $156,098 |
| The Pennsylvania State University | Approaches to deaf-nondeaf inclusive bilingual education in france | $155,690 |
| University of Missouri-St Louis | Countering the unintended consequences of school reforms | $153,569 |
| Amalgamated Foundation | Higher ed forward | $150,000 |
| Amalgamated Foundation | Gty policy working group | $150,000 |
| New York University | Inequalities in academic advising | $148,609 |
Officers and trustees
- Dr Na'ilah Suad Nasir
- Elizabeth Carrick
- Andreason Brown
- Doris Fischer
- Prudence Carter
- Carl Cohn
- Nonie Lesaux
- Jane Patterson
- Cecilia Rios-Aguilar
- Mike Williams
- Tyrone Howard
- Eduardo Padron
- Rob Reich
- Kirabo Jackson
Questions people ask
Does The Spencer Foundation accept grant applications?
Yes. Its latest IRS filing says it accepts applications, with this on deadlines: Deadlines posted on foundation's website, www.spencer.org.
How much does The Spencer Foundation give?
$22.8 million in tax year 2024, across 214 grants, with a typical grant of $74,960.
Who runs The Spencer Foundation?
Its 2024 filing lists Dr Na'ilah Suad Nasir (President), Elizabeth Carrick (Vice President, Admin & Chief of Staff), Andreason Brown (Chief Financial Officer & Treasurer) and Doris Fischer (Communications Manager & Board Secreta) among 14 officers and trustees.
What does The Spencer Foundation fund?
Based on its grants, mainly education, science and research and international.