Opportunity Information: Apply for 11 519
Apply for 11 519
- The National Science Foundation in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Historically Black Colleges and Universities Undergraduate Program" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 47.076 Education and Human Resources.
- This funding opportunity was created on Jan 6, 2011 and posted on Jan 6, 2011.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Apr 6, 2011 LOI Due Date(s) (required)February 07, 2011 Full Proposal Deadline(s) April 06, 2011 See full proposal for details. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $12,000,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $3,000,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 38 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
- Organization Limit Proposals may only be submitted by the following Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) that are accredited and offer undergraduate educational programs in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). PI LimitulliThe Principal Investigator and co Principal Investigators for the Implementation Projects, ACE Implementation Projects, and Planning Grant proposals should be the key personnel that will be involved in the implementation of the project./liliThe Principal Investigator for Broadening ParticipationResearch Projects should be one of the individuals who will perform the research project. Other potential co Principal Investigators include collaborators on the research project. At least one of the Principal Investigators must have formal training in education research or significant professional experience doing education research. /liliThe Principal Investigator for Targeted Infusion Projects should be the individual that will be involved in the implementation of the project activities./liliThe Principal Investigator for a Research Initiation Awardshould be a faculty member in a STEM area at the HBCU./li/ul
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Opportunity Summary:
The Historically Black Colleges and Universities Undergraduate Program (HBCU UP) is a National Science Foundation (NSF) discretionary grant opportunity designed to strengthen undergraduate STEM education at accredited HBCUs and, in doing so, increase the number of underrepresented minority students who persist, graduate, and move successfully into STEM graduate programs and the STEM workforce. The program is grounded in the long-standing national role HBCUs play in producing STEM baccalaureate degrees for African American students and serving as a major pipeline to Black science and engineering PhD recipients. The central aim is not just incremental improvement, but the development, implementation, and study of innovative, evidence-based models that can produce dramatic gains in student achievement, retention, and degree production, while also generating approaches and materials that can be shared and replicated beyond a single campus.
HBCU UP offers multiple project tracks to match different institutional needs and levels of readiness. The largest and most comprehensive option is the Implementation Project track, which supports campus-wide or multi-component efforts to improve STEM education and research capacity. These projects typically involve designing and assessing integrated strategies that enhance curriculum and instruction, expand undergraduate research opportunities, strengthen student development and enrichment services, improve recruitment and retention systems, and advance faculty professional development in effective STEM teaching. Implementation Projects are expected to be grounded in an honest analysis of the institution’s current STEM strengths and gaps, with a clear plan for how proposed innovations will lead to better student outcomes. A consistent expectation across the track is dissemination and transferability: successful models, methods, and materials should be shared in ways that other institutions can use and adapt. The solicitation also highlights a newer emphasis on recruiting and retaining Veterans in STEM, encouraging proposals that bring in a cohort of Veterans and include thoughtful strategies to support their persistence and success.
Within Implementation Projects, the Achieving Competitive Excellence (ACE) option is geared toward HBCUs that already have strong outcomes and established foundations, often built through prior Implementation Project support. ACE proposals are expected to be especially ambitious and potentially transformative, pushing the institution into more advanced levels of STEM capacity and competitiveness. Examples of the kinds of strategies envisioned include building higher-impact collaborations with research-intensive universities, centers, and national laboratories; expanding access to cutting-edge computational tools and networks; and leveraging partnerships with industry and other stakeholders to increase both intellectual and financial resources supporting frontier STEM education and research.
For institutions or teams focused more on generating knowledge about what works and why, the Broadening Participation Research in STEM Education (BPR) track funds education research projects that develop and study interventions, models, and underlying factors affecting STEM participation and success for diverse groups. These projects are meant to contribute to the research base on learning, persistence, and outcomes, using rigorous theory and modern research methods that may draw from fields such as sociology, psychology, anthropology, economics, statistics, and education research. A key requirement is that the research team includes appropriate expertise in education research; at least one PI must have formal training or significant experience in this area. The broader purpose is to clarify which interventions work, for which students, under what conditions, and in what institutional or cultural contexts, so that future STEM education practice can be more evidence-driven.
HBCU UP also includes shorter, more targeted support options. Targeted Infusion Projects (TIP) are designed for well-defined, short-term goals that can quickly innovate or improve a specific part of undergraduate STEM education, often within a single department (though interdisciplinary efforts are encouraged). TIP activities might include updating curriculum, modernizing lab or research equipment, strengthening computational infrastructure, creating learning experiences in emerging or high-demand interdisciplinary areas (such as energy or climate science), establishing new degree concentrations, pursuing specialized accreditation, or explicitly linking STEM departments with teacher education programs. The unifying idea is to make a focused improvement that increases program quality and student competitiveness for graduate school and the workforce, while also supporting the recruitment of students and faculty.
For HBCUs that need time and support to prepare a strong, data-informed institutional strategy, Planning Grants fund a structured self-study of undergraduate STEM programs leading to a concrete action plan. Typical planning activities include collecting and analyzing institutional data, consulting stakeholders, examining national best practices, conducting site visits to model programs, and developing a competitive proposal for a future Implementation Project (including ACE). Planning efforts emphasize identifying strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats that affect the institution’s ability to attract, retain, educate, and graduate STEM students who are well prepared for next steps.
Another important pathway is the Research Initiation Award (RIA), which focuses on building faculty research capacity. RIAs support STEM faculty at HBCUs, particularly junior faculty, to pursue research experiences at NSF-funded centers, research-intensive universities, or national laboratories. The intent is to strengthen the faculty member’s research program and effectiveness, improve research and teaching back home at the HBCU, and expand undergraduate involvement in authentic research experiences, supporting both student development and faculty recruitment and retention.
Beyond these core tracks, the solicitation notes additional funding mechanisms such as conferences, symposia, and workshops, as well as NSF’s EAGER and RAPID awards and supplements to existing awards. It also specifically encourages supplemental support for students and faculty who participate in certain U.S. Department of Energy summer research initiatives at national laboratories, including Science Undergraduate Laboratory Internships (SULI), Faculty Student Teams (FaST), Community College Institutes (CCI), and Pre-Service Teacher (PST) Internships, linking campus-based improvement efforts with external research training opportunities.
Administratively, this opportunity (NSF Publication/Funding Opportunity Number 11-519; CFDA 47.076 Education and Human Resources) was posted January 6, 2011, with a required letter of intent due February 7, 2011, and full proposals due April 6, 2011. NSF anticipated about 38 awards, with an estimated total program funding level of $12,000,000, an award floor of $70,000, and an award ceiling of $3,000,000. Cost sharing or matching was required. Eligibility was limited to accredited HBCUs that offer undergraduate STEM programs, and PI expectations varied by track: for implementation-oriented projects, PIs and co-PIs are expected to be the core personnel responsible for carrying out the work; for BPR, at least one PI must bring education research expertise; for TIP, the PI should be directly responsible for implementation; and for RIA, the PI must be a STEM faculty member at the HBCU.
HBCU UP (NSF) Grant Opportunity FAQs
What is the HBCU Undergraduate Program (HBCU UP)?
The Historically Black Colleges and Universities Undergraduate Program (HBCU UP) is a National Science Foundation (NSF) discretionary grant opportunity designed to strengthen undergraduate STEM education at accredited HBCUs. Its focus is on increasing the number of underrepresented minority students who persist in STEM, graduate with STEM degrees, and successfully move into STEM graduate programs and the STEM workforce.
What is the core purpose of HBCU UP beyond incremental improvements?
The central aim is the development, implementation, and study of innovative, evidence-based models that can produce dramatic gains in student achievement, retention, and STEM degree production. A major expectation is that approaches and materials developed through funded work can be shared, transferred, and replicated beyond a single campus.
Who is eligible to apply for this opportunity?
Eligibility is limited to accredited Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) that offer undergraduate STEM programs.
What project tracks or funding options are available under HBCU UP?
The opportunity includes multiple tracks and mechanisms, including Implementation Projects (with the Achieving Competitive Excellence/ACE option), Broadening Participation Research in STEM Education (BPR), Targeted Infusion Projects (TIP), Planning Grants, and Research Initiation Awards (RIA). The solicitation also mentions support mechanisms such as conferences, symposia, and workshops, plus NSF EAGER and RAPID awards and supplements to existing awards.
What is an Implementation Project, and what does it typically support?
The Implementation Project track is the largest and most comprehensive option. It supports campus-wide or multi-component efforts to improve STEM education and research capacity. Typical activities include designing and assessing integrated strategies that enhance curriculum and instruction, expand undergraduate research opportunities, strengthen student development and enrichment services, improve recruitment and retention systems, and advance faculty professional development in effective STEM teaching.
What is expected from institutions proposing Implementation Projects?
Implementation Projects are expected to be grounded in an honest analysis of the institution's current STEM strengths and gaps, along with a clear plan showing how proposed innovations will lead to improved student outcomes. Dissemination and transferability are consistent expectations, meaning successful models and materials should be shared in ways other institutions can use and adapt.
What is the Achieving Competitive Excellence (ACE) option within Implementation Projects?
ACE is an option within the Implementation Project track intended for HBCUs that already have strong outcomes and established foundations, often built through prior Implementation Project support. ACE proposals are expected to be especially ambitious and potentially transformative, advancing the institution to higher levels of STEM capacity and competitiveness.
What kinds of strategies are highlighted as examples for ACE projects?
Examples include building higher-impact collaborations with research-intensive universities, centers, and national laboratories; expanding access to cutting-edge computational tools and networks; and leveraging partnerships with industry and other stakeholders to increase intellectual and financial resources supporting frontier STEM education and research.
What is the BPR (Broadening Participation Research in STEM Education) track?
The BPR track funds education research projects that develop and study interventions, models, and underlying factors affecting STEM participation and success for diverse groups. The purpose is to contribute to the research base on learning, persistence, and outcomes using rigorous theory and modern research methods.
What research disciplines or methods can be involved in BPR projects?
BPR projects may draw from fields such as sociology, psychology, anthropology, economics, statistics, and education research, as long as the work is grounded in rigorous theory and modern research methods.
What expertise requirements apply to BPR proposals?
A key requirement is that the research team includes appropriate expertise in education research. At least one Principal Investigator (PI) must have formal training or significant experience in education research.
What is the goal of BPR research in practical terms?
The broader purpose is to clarify which interventions work, for which students, under what conditions, and in what institutional or cultural contexts, so that future STEM education practice can be more evidence-driven.
What are Targeted Infusion Projects (TIP), and when are they a good fit?
TIPs are designed for well-defined, short-term goals that can quickly innovate or improve a specific part of undergraduate STEM education, often within a single department (though interdisciplinary efforts are encouraged). TIPs are a good fit when an institution has a focused improvement it wants to implement relatively quickly.
What types of activities might be supported through a TIP?
TIP activities might include updating curriculum, modernizing lab or research equipment, strengthening computational infrastructure, creating learning experiences in emerging or high-demand interdisciplinary areas (such as energy or climate science), establishing new degree concentrations, pursuing specialized accreditation, or explicitly linking STEM departments with teacher education programs.
What is the unifying purpose behind TIP awards?
The unifying idea is to make a focused improvement that increases program quality and student competitiveness for graduate school and the workforce, while also supporting recruitment of students and faculty.
What are Planning Grants and what do they fund?
Planning Grants fund a structured self-study of undergraduate STEM programs that leads to a concrete action plan. They are intended for HBCUs that need time and support to prepare a strong, data-informed institutional strategy and to develop a competitive proposal for a future Implementation Project (including ACE).
What activities are typically included in a Planning Grant?
Typical planning activities include collecting and analyzing institutional data, consulting stakeholders, examining national best practices, conducting site visits to model programs, and developing a competitive proposal for a future Implementation Project.
What is the Research Initiation Award (RIA) and what is its purpose?
The RIA focuses on building faculty research capacity. It supports STEM faculty at HBCUs, particularly junior faculty, to pursue research experiences at NSF-funded centers, research-intensive universities, or national laboratories.
How are RIAs intended to benefit the HBCU and its students?
The intent is to strengthen the faculty member's research program and effectiveness, improve research and teaching back at the HBCU, and expand undergraduate involvement in authentic research experiences. This is positioned as support for student development as well as faculty recruitment and retention.
Does the solicitation mention any emphasis on recruiting and retaining Veterans in STEM?
Yes. The solicitation highlights an emphasis on recruiting and retaining Veterans in STEM, encouraging proposals that bring in a cohort of Veterans and include thoughtful strategies to support their persistence and success.
Are conferences, workshops, or other convenings supported under this opportunity?
Yes. The solicitation notes additional funding mechanisms such as conferences, symposia, and workshops, alongside NSF EAGER and RAPID awards and supplements to existing awards.
Does the opportunity encourage connections to Department of Energy (DOE) summer research initiatives?
Yes. It specifically encourages supplemental support for students and faculty who participate in certain U.S. Department of Energy summer research initiatives at national laboratories, including Science Undergraduate Laboratory Internships (SULI), Faculty Student Teams (FaST), Community College Institutes (CCI), and Pre-Service Teacher (PST) Internships.
What is the NSF publication or funding opportunity number for this solicitation?
The opportunity is NSF Publication/Funding Opportunity Number 11-519.
What is the CFDA number associated with this opportunity?
The CFDA number listed is 47.076 (Education and Human Resources).
When was this opportunity posted and what were the key deadlines?
It was posted January 6, 2011. A required letter of intent was due February 7, 2011, and full proposals were due April 6, 2011.
How many awards did NSF anticipate making and what was the estimated funding level?
NSF anticipated about 38 awards, with an estimated total program funding level of $12,000,000.
What were the award floor and award ceiling?
The award floor was $70,000 and the award ceiling was $3,000,000.
Was cost sharing or matching required?
Yes. Cost sharing or matching was required.
How do PI expectations differ by track?
PI expectations vary by track. For implementation-oriented projects, PIs and co-PIs are expected to be the core personnel responsible for carrying out the work. For BPR, at least one PI must bring education research expertise. For TIP, the PI should be directly responsible for implementation. For RIA, the PI must be a STEM faculty member at the HBCU.
What is meant by dissemination and transferability in this program?
Dissemination and transferability mean that successful models, methods, and materials should be shared in ways that other institutions can use and adapt, supporting replication beyond the original campus.
How does the program connect STEM education improvement with workforce and graduate pathways?
The program is designed to improve persistence and graduation in undergraduate STEM while increasing the likelihood that students transition successfully into STEM graduate programs and the STEM workforce. Activities such as undergraduate research opportunities, student development supports, and faculty development are framed as levers to strengthen those pathways.
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