Founded in 1950 by aviation leader James S. McDonnell, the James S. McDonnell Foundation works to advance quality of life in the United States through support for scientific and educational research with the potential to impact generations to come.

To that end, the foundation has issued an RFP for pre-proposals for its Teachers as Leaners (TAL) Program, which is aimed at understanding critical factors in the way teachers process and evaluate information, as well as those that drive changes in teacher attitudes, skills, and behaviors. Through the program, grants of up to $2.5 million will be awarded to research projects focused on teacher perception toward, as well as facilitation of, communication within the classroom. Examples include teachers’ use of classroom questions, capacity to guide collaborative discussions, and ability to elicit student explanations. Digital, verbal, written, and gestural modes of communication will be considered.

Awards can be applied to faculty salaries, postdoctoral or teacher support, research staff, travel expenses, the purchase of equipment, and publication fees.

Although projects may involve interdisciplinary teams, they must be led by a qualified tax-exempt organization with 501(c)(3) status (or foreign equivalent), or a domestic entity that operates as an instrument of the government.

Pre-proposals must be received no later than May 8, 2019. Upon review, selected applicants will be invited to submit a full proposal by August 14, 2019.

See the James S. McDonnell Foundation website for complete program guidelines, application instructions, and a list of projects funded through the program in 2018.