Historically Black Colleges and Universities - Undergraduate Program | Apply Online

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) - NSF HBCU-UP (Historically Black Colleges and Universities - Undergraduate Program)

What is the HBCU-UP grant opportunity?

The Historically Black Colleges and Universities - Undergraduate Program (HBCU-UP) is a National Science Foundation (NSF) discretionary grant program focused on strengthening undergraduate STEM education and research at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). It is designed to build on HBCUs long-standing role in producing African American STEM graduates and future doctoral recipients while addressing the broader national need to expand the STEM talent pipeline.

What is the main purpose of HBCU-UP?

HBCU-UP aims to help HBCUs improve undergraduate STEM student achievement, persistence, and timely completion of STEM degrees. It also seeks to strengthen preparation for STEM graduate study and the STEM workforce. A central theme is supporting evidence-based, innovative, and measurable approaches that can be implemented, evaluated, and shared so successful strategies can be adopted more widely.

Who is the funding agency for this opportunity?

The funding agency is the National Science Foundation (NSF).

What type of funding instrument is used?

The funding instrument is a grant.

What is the activity category for this grant?

The activity category listed is Science and Technology and other Research and Development.

What CFDA number is associated with this opportunity?

The CFDA number listed for this opportunity is 47.076.

What is the opportunity number?

The opportunity number is 16-538.

What is the closing date for this opportunity?

The original and current closing date listed is October 4, 2016.

What is the maximum award amount (award ceiling)?

The posted award ceiling is up to 9,000,000.

Who is eligible to apply, based on the posted notice?

Eligibility is described broadly as "Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification)." However, the program itself is specifically designed around Historically Black Colleges and Universities and their undergraduate STEM missions.

What kinds of projects does HBCU-UP fund?

HBCU-UP funds multiple project types so institutions and faculty can propose efforts aligned with their capacity and goals. These range from targeted improvements to comprehensive institutional efforts and nationally influential research centers, all aimed at strengthening pathways for African American students in STEM.

What is a Targeted Infusion Project (TIP)?

Targeted Infusion Projects (TIP) support short-term, clearly defined efforts to improve specific aspects of undergraduate STEM education. Examples mentioned include redesigning a course sequence, creating or expanding undergraduate research experiences, building tutoring and mentoring structures, modernizing laboratories tied to learning outcomes, and other focused interventions that directly impact STEM education.

What is Broadening Participation Research (BPR) in STEM Education?

Broadening Participation Research (BPR) in STEM Education supports theory-driven research that builds new knowledge about what improves participation and success for underrepresented groups in undergraduate STEM. This track is explicitly research-oriented, supporting studies that develop and test models or innovations and generate publishable findings with implications beyond a single campus.

What is a Research Initiation Award (RIA)?

Research Initiation Awards (RIA) help HBCU STEM faculty launch new research directions. They can support research conducted at the home institution or through collaborations with NSF-funded research centers, research-intensive universities, or national laboratories. The goals include expanding scholarly activity, building partnerships, strengthening the research environment, and enhancing research opportunities that undergraduates can engage in.

What are Implementation Projects under HBCU-UP?

Implementation Projects support comprehensive, campus-wide efforts that are designed, implemented, studied, and assessed to increase the number of STEM degree recipients and improve the quality of student preparation by strengthening STEM education and research.

What is an ACE Implementation Project?

The Achieving Competitive Excellence (ACE) Implementation Projects track is intended for HBCUs that already have strong outcomes and a proven foundation, typically built through prior Implementation Project support, and are ready to scale and institutionalize high-performing strategies.

What are Broadening Participation Research Centers in HBCU-UP?

Broadening Participation Research Centers are intended for institutions with substantial prior HBCU-UP implementation experience (including multiple rounds of Implementation or ACE Implementation Projects) and demonstrated capacity to lead rigorous broadening participation research. These centers are positioned as national hubs to study and disseminate effective pedagogies and culturally responsive interventions that contribute to African American STEM undergraduate success.

What additional responsibilities do Broadening Participation Research Centers have?

In addition to conducting high-quality research, these centers are expected to do outreach that builds other HBCUs capacity to conduct broadening participation research. They are also expected to actively transfer and disseminate promising practices so benefits extend beyond the lead institution.

Does the program emphasize evaluation and measurable outcomes?

Yes. The program emphasizes evidence-based, innovative, and measurable approaches that can be implemented, evaluated, and shared, with the goal of enabling broader adoption of successful strategies.

How does HBCU-UP connect undergraduate STEM education and research?

The opportunity is structured to strengthen both undergraduate STEM education and research environments. For example, faculty research growth supported through RIAs can expand the research ecosystem that undergraduates can plug into, while Implementation Projects address campus-wide STEM education and research strengthening.

How do the project types differ in scope?

The project types range from narrower, short-term interventions (TIP), to research studies focused on generating generalizable knowledge (BPR), to faculty research-start efforts (RIA), to comprehensive campus-wide transformation (Implementation and ACE Implementation Projects), and finally to national hub-style centers that conduct and disseminate broadening participation research (Broadening Participation Research Centers).

What population and outcomes is the program ultimately trying to impact?

Overall, HBCU-UP is aimed at expanding and strengthening pathways for African American students in STEM by improving achievement, persistence, and timely degree completion, and by strengthening preparation for graduate study and the workforce.