The Spencer Foundation
Chicago, Illinois · EIN 366078558 · Private foundation
The Spencer Foundation is a private foundation based in Chicago, Illinois. Its most recent IRS Form 990-PF reports $21.0M in grants paid and $672.7M in total assets. Bespoke Grants tracks 1,197 individual grants from this funder — $114.9M awarded across 2021–2025 — including its support for adult education. Below is its full funding profile.
What The Spencer Foundation funds
The Spencer Foundation's giving carries a documented focus on adult education, arts & culture, arts education, civil rights & social justice, community improvement, and related causes.
Populations it has supported include black communities, children, disabled, families, foster youth, hispanic communities.
Grant history
The largest grants Bespoke Grants has on record for The Spencer Foundation, by amount:
| Recipient | Location | Grant | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| National Academy of Education NAEd/Spencer Dissertation Fellowship Program (Cohorts 2018-19, 2019-20, 2020-21) | Washington, DC | $4.3M | 2021 |
| National Academy of Education NAEd/Spencer Postdoctoral Fellowship Program (Cohorts 2021-22, 2022-23, 2023-24) | Washington, DC | $3.7M | 2023 |
| National Academy of Education NAEd/Spencer Dissertation Fellowship Program (Cohorts 2021-22, 2022-23, 2023-24) | Washington, DC | $2.6M | 2023 |
| National Academy of Education NATIONAL ACADEMY OF EDUCATION/SPENCER POSTDOCTORAL FELLOWSHIP PROGRAMS (COHORTS 24-25, 25-26, 26-27) | Washington, DC | $2.5M | 2025 |
| National Academy of Education NAEd/Spencer Postdoctoral Fellowship Program (Cohorts 2021-22, 2022-23, 2023-24) | Washington, DC | $2.5M | 2022 |
| National Academy of Education NATIONAL ACADEMY OF EDUCATION/SPENCER DISSERTATION FELLOWSHIP PROGRAMS (COHORTS 24-25, 25-26, 26-27) | Washington, DC | $1.8M | 2025 |
| National Academy of Education NAEd/Spencer Dissertation Fellowship Program (Cohorts 2021-22, 2022-23, 2023-24) | Washington, DC | $1.7M | 2022 |
| National Academy of Education National Academy of Education/Spencer Postdoctoral Fellowship Programs (Cohorts 24-25, 25-26, 26-27) | Washington, DC | $1.3M | 2024 |
| National Academy of Education National Academy of Education/Spencer Dissertation Fellowship Programs (Cohorts 24-25, 25-26, 26-27) | Washington, DC | $877K | 2024 |
| The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois Mapping Engineered Conflict: School Closings, Public Housing, Law Enforcement and the Future of Black Life | Chicago, IL | $769K | 2021 |
| The Regents of the University of California COVID-19 in California Community Colleges: College Responses, College Resources, and Student Outcomes | Los Angeles, CA | $725K | 2021 |
| Vanderbilt University Implications of Black Lives Matter Social Movement on Prosocial Development and Academic Outcomes of Rural African American Youth | Nashville, TN | $719K | 2021 |
| The Regents of the University of Michigan Lottery-Based Evaluations of Early Education Programs: Identifying Opportunities and Solving Challenges | Ann Arbor, MI | $688K | 2021 |
| Pomona College Don't Take That Tone With Me': Linguistic Variation and Disciplinary Action on African American Children in Schools | Claremont, CA | $671K | 2023 |
| William T Grant Foundation Support for the 2022 Institutional Challenge Grant program at the William T. Grant Foundation | New York, NY | $650K | 2022 |
The Spencer Foundation giving by year
Total grants Bespoke Grants has indexed for each filing year:
How to apply for funding from The Spencer Foundation
From The Spencer Foundation's IRS Form 990-PF, on how it handles applications:
Verify the current process on the foundation's own materials before sending anything. You can review the foundation directly at spencer.org.
Is The Spencer Foundation the right funder for your nonprofit?
This page shows what The Spencer Foundation has funded. Bespoke Grants tells you whether it fits your mission — and finds every other foundation that does. Free, no credit card.
Match my nonprofit to funders →Frequently asked questions about The Spencer Foundation
- Does The Spencer Foundation accept grant applications?
- Yes — The Spencer Foundation's IRS filing describes an application process. Confirm the current details directly with the foundation before applying.
- What does The Spencer Foundation fund?
- The Spencer Foundation's grants focus on adult education. Recent recipients include National Academy of Education, National Academy of Education, National Academy of Education. Its full grant history is listed above.
- How much does The Spencer Foundation give in grants?
- The Spencer Foundation reported $21.0M in grants in its most recent IRS filing (FY2021). Across all years in our data it has awarded $114.9M over 1,197 grants.
- Where is The Spencer Foundation located?
- The Spencer Foundation is based in Chicago, Illinois. Its IRS employer identification number (EIN) is 366078558.
- How can I find foundations similar to The Spencer Foundation?
- Bespoke Grants matches your nonprofit against 225,000+ foundations like The Spencer Foundation, ranking each by how well it fits your mission, location, and budget — with the reasoning shown. It is free to search.
Find more funders like The Spencer Foundation
Foundations similar to The Spencer Foundation
Other Illinois grantmakers with overlapping priorities: