Spark Fund
Introducing Spark
A fund of up to $50,000 to ignite student research conducted in connection with Research in the Cloud: An Introduction to Modern Methods in Behavioral Science.
Why Spark
Spark Curiosity in Your Classroom
Science thrives on curiosity. That's why we created Spark — an initiative designed to fuel student learning by reducing the financial barriers to online research within the classroom. A natural complement to our open-access textbook with Cambridge University Press, Spark provides funds for both students in introductory methods or those working on advanced projects.
Getting Started
How It Works
1
Apply for Funding
- Complete a brief online application
- Tell us about your course
- Describe how you plan to use the funds and the Research in the Cloud book
2
Create a Teams Account
- If you receive an award, easily create a Connect Teams account
- Add students using their university email addresses
- Receive funds to the Teams account
3
Gather High Quality Data
- Use Connect to conduct student projects
- Guide students' learning with our open-access textbook. Learn more here.
- Access CloudResearch support
Current Funding
Available Now: Semester-by-Semester Funding
Up to $50,000
in available funding
Up to $400
per course*
Open to all
undergraduate and graduate classes
Don't miss this opportunity to Spark students' curiosity in your classroom!
* The amount awarded per course depends on the availability of funds. CloudResearch reserves the right to make all final determinations regarding awards.
Frequently Asked Questions
General Information
Spark is a CloudResearch initiative that provides funding to support student research projects conducted in connection with Research in the Cloud: An Introduction to Modern Methods in Behavioral Science.
Spark is open to all undergraduate and graduate classes conducting online research projects and using Research in the Cloud: An Introduction to Modern Methods in Behavioral Science.
Each course can receive up to $400, depending on fund availability. (CloudResearch reserves the right to make all final determinations regarding awards.)
The Research in the Cloud textbook is a required component of the Spark program. It's a free, open-access guide to conducting online research — covering study design, participant recruitment, data quality, and analysis — and is built to pair directly with CloudResearch's Connect platform. All Spark recipients are expected to integrate the textbook into their course, whether in lectures, labs, or both. Access the textbook here.
The full text of Research in the Cloud is freely available on the CloudResearch website, here. An official version will be published by Cambridge University Press, expected Summer 2026.
Application Process
Instructors can apply by completing a brief online application that includes details about your course and how you plan to use the funds.
No, only instructors can apply for funding on behalf of their courses.
Yes, you may apply once for each course that involves student research projects.
CloudResearch will review each application and provide a response within the first 2-4 weeks of the start of the semester.
No. All research projects should follow your institution's IRB requirements.
Funding and Usage
Create a Connect Teams account with all students added to the team with their academic email. Once approved, CloudResearch will transfer the funds to the instructor's Connect account.
You can create a team in Connect and add all of your students to the team using their email addresses. Then you can transfer the appropriate amount to each student.
Yes! If you have additional grants or department funding, you can still apply for the Spark Fund to further support student research.
No, there is no minimum funding amount. Instructors have flexibility in how they distribute the course allocation (up to $400) among student projects based on their needs.
Spark funds are primarily intended for participant compensation in online research studies conducted through the Connect platform. These funds cannot be used for equipment, software licenses, or other research materials.
Any unused funds in your Connect account at the end of the semester will be returned to the Spark fund pool to support other courses and students.
Yes, funds should be used within the academic semester for which they were awarded. Specific deadlines will be communicated when funding is approved.
The number of participants will be limited by the funding amount allocated to each project and the compensation rate chosen. Your course allocation can be divided among projects as needed.
Eligibility & Requirements
Yes. Instructors who receive Spark funding are expected to use the Research in the Cloud textbook as part of their course. This free, open-access textbook — written by the CloudResearch team — is a step-by-step guide to conducting online behavioral science research and is designed to work hand-in-hand with the Connect platform your students will use. Using the textbook ensures students have the conceptual and methodological foundation to make the most of their funded research experience. You can access the textbook at no cost here.
No, any course that incorporates student research projects is eligible, regardless of whether it's a dedicated methods course or another type of course including research components.
No, there are no specific requirements for class size or project scope. The program is designed to be flexible to accommodate various course formats and research needs.
Both individual and group projects are eligible. Instructors have flexibility in how they structure research activities to best meet their course objectives.
Yes, cross-course collaboration is possible as long as each participating course has been approved for Spark funding and the instructors coordinate the fund allocation.
Research Design
Studies must comply with standard ethical research guidelines and your institution's IRB requirements. The Connect platform supports a wide range of study designs including surveys, experiments, and behavioral tasks.
Connect provides access to various participant pools and supports custom recruitment through your own participants or specialized panels. Specific options can be discussed during the application process.
Projects should be designed to be completed within the semester timeframe. While there are no strict guidelines on complexity, projects should be appropriate for the course level and learning objectives.
Support & Resources
CloudResearch provides technical support for all Connect users. We have a knowledge base, video tutorials, the Research in the Cloud textbook, and a customer support team. Students and instructors can contact our support team through the website for assistance.
Yes, CloudResearch provides comprehensive training materials, including the Research in the Cloud textbook, platform tutorials, and support documentation to help students get started.
Yes, Connect is accessible via mobile devices, though we recommend using a desktop computer for certain functions like study setup and data analysis.
Administrative
We ask that instructors participate in two brief meetings with the CloudResearch team: one before the semester begins (where we'll discuss your course plans and distribute funding) and one follow-up after the semester wraps. These conversations are the heart of how we learn what's working and improve the program over time.
We also love hearing from the students themselves! If your class produces any of the following, we'd be thrilled if you'd share them with us:
- Student testimonials about their research experience
- Papers, posters, or presentations resulting from their projects
- Any other artifacts that showcase what your students accomplished
These materials help us celebrate student work, demonstrate the program's impact, and inspire future participants.
Unused funds allocated to students who drop the course can be redistributed to other students in the class at the instructor's discretion.
Yes, instructors can reallocate funds between students within their course as needed, as long as the total course allocation isn't exceeded.
Additional Opportunities
Absolutely! We encourage instructors to share this opportunity to help more students gain hands-on research experience. Be on the lookout for emails and social posts to help spread the word about Spark.
Ready to
Start?
Contact us today to learn more about how you can access funding for your student research projects — we're ready to help you implement research-based learning in your classroom.