Opportunity Information: Apply for 15 593
Apply for 15 593
- The National Science Foundation in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Advancing Informal STEM Learning" 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 Jul 29, 2015 and posted on Jul 29, 2015.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Nov 4, 2015. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $38,000,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $6,000,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 71 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Unrestricted (i.e., open to any type of entity above), subject to any clarification in text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility.
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Opportunity Summary:
The National Science Foundation (NSF) Advancing Informal STEM Learning (AISL) program (Funding Opportunity Number 15-593) is a discretionary grant opportunity focused on improving how people of all ages learn science, technology, engineering, and mathematics outside traditional classrooms. The program is designed to push the field forward by supporting new approaches and building evidence-based knowledge about how to design, develop, study, and assess STEM learning experiences in informal settings. In practice, that means projects can center on places and formats such as museums, science centers, libraries, media and digital platforms, afterschool and summer programs, community events, maker spaces, and other public-facing learning environments where participation is typically voluntary and driven by interest.
AISL emphasizes both innovation and evidence. Proposals are expected to contribute to a stronger understanding of what works, for whom, and under what conditions in informal STEM learning. The program also explicitly prioritizes broadening access and engagement by creating multiple pathways for participation, especially for groups historically underserved or underrepresented in STEM. Alongside design and development efforts, AISL encourages rigorous research and thoughtful assessment approaches that can generate usable knowledge for practitioners and researchers, helping the broader community improve future informal learning experiences.
The solicitation supports seven distinct project types, giving applicants several routes to align ideas with the right funding mechanism. The seven categories are: (1) Collaborative Planning projects, which typically support early-stage partnership building and proposal development; (2) Exploratory Pathways projects, which are often used to test promising concepts or emerging opportunities at a smaller scale; (3) Research in Service to Practice projects, which connect research directly to practitioner needs and real-world implementation; (4) Innovations in Development projects, which focus on developing and studying new informal STEM learning innovations; (5) Broad Implementation projects, which scale up and implement proven approaches more widely; (6) Conferences, which convene communities to share knowledge, set agendas, and build networks; and (7) an Informal STEM Learning Resource Center category that was available in FY 2016 only. Collectively, these categories allow AISL to support everything from idea incubation to field-wide dissemination and scaling.
From a funding and administrative standpoint, AISL is offered as a grant under the NSF Education and Human Resources directorate (CFDA 47.076). NSF anticipated making about 71 awards, with an estimated total program funding level of $38,000,000. Individual awards were expected to range from a floor of $150,000 up to a ceiling of $6,000,000, reflecting the wide range of project sizes across the different AISL project types. Cost sharing or matching is not required, which can reduce barriers for organizations that may not have access to non-federal match funds.
Eligibility is listed as unrestricted, meaning the opportunity is open to a broad set of applicant organizations, subject to any specific clarifications in the full solicitation text. The opportunity was posted on July 29, 2015, with an original and current closing date of November 4, 2015, and it was later archived on December 8, 2016. Applicants seeking full details were directed to NSF Publication 15-593, and the provided support contact for access issues was NSF’s grants.gov support (grantsgovsupport@nsf.gov).
NSF Advancing Informal STEM Learning (AISL) Program (Funding Opportunity 15-593) FAQs
1) What is the NSF AISL program?
The National Science Foundation (NSF) Advancing Informal STEM Learning (AISL) program is a discretionary grant opportunity focused on improving how people of all ages learn science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) outside traditional classrooms. It supports projects that advance the field by developing and studying informal STEM learning experiences and by building evidence-based knowledge about what works, for whom, and under what conditions.
2) What does "informal STEM learning" mean in this opportunity?
In this context, informal STEM learning refers to STEM learning that happens outside traditional school classrooms in public-facing environments where participation is typically voluntary and driven by interest. The program description highlights settings and formats like museums, science centers, libraries, media and digital platforms, afterschool and summer programs, community events, maker spaces, and similar learning environments.
3) What kinds of settings or platforms can AISL projects focus on?
Based on the program description, projects can center on museums, science centers, libraries, media and digital platforms, afterschool programs, summer programs, community events, maker spaces, and other public-facing learning environments where learners choose to participate.
4) What is AISL trying to achieve beyond building programs or experiences?
AISL emphasizes both innovation and evidence. Proposals are expected not only to create or improve informal STEM learning experiences, but also to contribute to stronger field-wide understanding of effective approaches. The program encourages rigorous research and thoughtful assessment that generate usable knowledge for practitioners and researchers.
5) How important is research and assessment in AISL proposals?
Research and assessment are central themes in the program description. AISL encourages rigorous research and thoughtful assessment approaches that help determine what works, for whom, and under what conditions, with the goal of generating knowledge that others can use to improve future informal STEM learning experiences.
6) Does AISL prioritize equity, access, or broadening participation?
Yes. The program explicitly prioritizes broadening access and engagement by creating multiple pathways for participation, especially for groups historically underserved or underrepresented in STEM.
7) How many project types does the AISL solicitation support?
The solicitation supports seven distinct project types, providing multiple ways for applicants to align their ideas with an appropriate funding mechanism.
8) What are the seven AISL project types listed in the opportunity description?
The seven categories listed are:
- Collaborative Planning projects
- Exploratory Pathways projects
- Research in Service to Practice projects
- Innovations in Development projects
- Broad Implementation projects
- Conferences
- Informal STEM Learning Resource Center (available in FY 2016 only)
9) What are Collaborative Planning projects intended to support?
Collaborative Planning projects typically support early-stage partnership building and proposal development, helping teams organize and plan for larger or more developed efforts.
10) What are Exploratory Pathways projects used for?
Exploratory Pathways projects are often used to test promising concepts or emerging opportunities at a smaller scale, allowing applicants to explore ideas before broader development or implementation.
11) What does "Research in Service to Practice" mean in AISL?
Research in Service to Practice projects are described as efforts that connect research directly to practitioner needs and real-world implementation, linking knowledge-building with practical application in informal STEM learning contexts.
12) What are Innovations in Development projects?
Innovations in Development projects focus on developing and studying new informal STEM learning innovations. The description emphasizes both creating innovations and examining them to produce evidence and learning for the field.
13) What are Broad Implementation projects?
Broad Implementation projects are intended to scale up and implement proven approaches more widely, supporting broader dissemination and adoption beyond an initial development context.
14) What does the Conferences project type support?
The Conferences category supports convenings that bring communities together to share knowledge, set agendas, and build networks within the informal STEM learning field.
15) What is the Informal STEM Learning Resource Center category, and is it still available?
The Informal STEM Learning Resource Center category is listed as available in FY 2016 only. The opportunity description indicates it was a time-limited category rather than a standing option across all years.
16) Which NSF directorate offers this program?
AISL is offered under NSF's Education and Human Resources directorate.
17) What is the CFDA number associated with this opportunity?
The opportunity description lists CFDA 47.076.
18) How much funding was NSF expecting to make available through AISL?
NSF anticipated an estimated total program funding level of $38,000,000.
19) About how many awards was NSF expecting to make?
The opportunity description states NSF anticipated making about 71 awards.
20) What is the expected award size range for AISL grants?
Individual awards were expected to range from a floor of $150,000 up to a ceiling of $6,000,000, reflecting the wide range of project sizes across the different project types.
21) Is cost sharing or matching required?
No. The opportunity description states that cost sharing or matching is not required.
22) Who is eligible to apply for this opportunity?
Eligibility is listed as unrestricted, meaning the opportunity is open to a broad set of applicant organizations, subject to any specific clarifications provided in the full solicitation text.
23) What is the Funding Opportunity Number for this solicitation?
The Funding Opportunity Number is 15-593.
24) When was this opportunity posted?
The opportunity was posted on July 29, 2015.
25) What was the closing date for proposals?
The original and current closing date listed is November 4, 2015.
26) Is this funding opportunity still open?
No. The opportunity was later archived on December 8, 2016, and the closing date listed is in 2015.
27) Where can applicants find the official solicitation details?
Applicants were directed to NSF Publication 15-593 for full details.
28) Who should applicants contact for access issues related to the application site?
The provided support contact for access issues is NSF's grants.gov support at grantsgovsupport@nsf.gov.
29) What does AISL mean by building "evidence-based knowledge"?
As described, AISL aims to build knowledge about how to design, develop, study, and assess informal STEM learning experiences. The emphasis is on producing evidence that can help the field understand effectiveness and improve future practice.
30) Does AISL only support fully formed, large-scale projects?
No. The solicitation includes multiple project types spanning early-stage planning (Collaborative Planning), smaller-scale testing of ideas (Exploratory Pathways), development and study of innovations (Innovations in Development), and wider scaling of proven approaches (Broad Implementation), as well as conferences and a time-limited resource center category.
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