The Institute for Education Sciences, the National Science Foundation's Directorate for Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences, The Spencer Foundation, and many other funders provide support to social scientists and educational research investigators seeking external funding for their work. The page below provides resources to support these types of applications.

Resources & Services

Guides & Videos

This collection of articles, videos, and documents provides a wealth of guidance for designing, writing, and submitting an application for funding from social science and education research funders.

American Educational Research Association (AERA)

• PEERS Data Hub: The data hub is a collaborative space for diverse education researchers and research communities to use wide-ranging data and advance knowledge through sharing innovative ideas, methods, and tools.
• Education Research Funding Opportunities: This page provides information on the variety of funding opportunities through the AERA.
• "Beyond AERA": As a service to AERA members and others in the education research community, Beyond AERA highlights selected items from materials available or received electronically regarding funding opportunities, calls for papers and manuscripts, upcoming conferences,  and other items of professional interest.

Institute for Educational Science (IES)

• Introduction to IES: Watch this video for a quick overview of the agency and its focus areas. (5 min)
• Applying for Funding from IES: This document comes from a PowerPoint presentation by an IES program officer and provides a full picture of the IES structure and process for applying for grants from the agency.
• After Submitting an IES Application: This video gives an overview of the process IES uses when receiving and reviewing grants. (5 min) 
• Application Review Details: This PDF gives a quick visual overview of the review process.
• IES Peer Review Panel Discussions: Watch this video to better understand what happens during the peer view panel meeting when applications are ready to be discussed and scored. (7 minutes)
• Panel Meeting: Review this PDF to see the activities that take place during the review panel meeting, when peer reviewers and IES officials come together to review grant applications.
• Serving as an IES Peer Reviewer: This video will give you an idea of what the agency expects of its peer reviewers during the grant review process. (6 min)

National Science Foundation (NSF)

• Directorate for Education and Human Resources: This NSF video describes the programs within the EHR and their goals. (57 min) Timetable document for EHR video (PDF of EHR PowerPoint)
• Directorate for Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences: Watch this NSF Video to get an in-depth description of the SBE directorate and its programs. Timetable document for SBE video (71 min) (PDF of SBE PowerPoint)
• Division of Research on Learning in Formal and Informal Settings: The DRL is a program within the EHR. Visit the website to see how this division invests in the improvement of STEM learning for people of all ages by promoting innovative research, development, and evaluation of learning and teaching across all STEM disciplines in formal and informal learning settings.
• Videos and Guides for National Science Foundation: This link will take you to the NSF resource page which has templates, checklists, and many other videos, guides, and resources to help you with an application to this key agency.

The Spencer Foundation

• "How To" Guides: The Spencer Foundation has created several guides specific to being successful in a grant application to their foundation.
• Review Process Infographic: This document provides a quick overview of the foundation's review process.
• Webinar for Potential Applicants: Watch this webinar from the Spencer Foundation with information about current funding opportunities and tips for writing more effective proposals.