Opportunity Information: Apply for 08 610
Apply for 08 610
- The National Science Foundation in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Innovations in Engineering Education, Curriculum and Infrastructure" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 47.041 Engineering Grants.
- This funding opportunity was created on Mar 5, 2010 and posted on Sep 30, 2008.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Mar 11, 2009 Full Proposal Deadline(s) March 11, 2009. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $400,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $400,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 40 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.
[Watch] Creating a grant proposal using the step-by-step wizard inside the applicant portal:
Opportunity Summary:
The National Science Foundation (NSF) funding opportunity titled Innovations in Engineering Education, Curriculum, and Infrastructure (IEECI) is a discretionary grant program focused on research and development aimed at improving how engineering is taught and learned in the United States. The program is designed to fund projects that produce evidence-based insights, practical educational tools, and forward-looking models for engineering education. At its core, IEECI is about strengthening the engineering pipeline by improving educational practices, modernizing instructional infrastructure, and ensuring that engineering graduates are prepared to be creative, innovative, and responsive to emerging societal needs.
IEECI highlights four main research directions. First, it supports studies on how engineering students learn the core ideas, principles, and professional practices needed to become effective and inventive engineers, with special attention to how that learning can be accurately measured. This includes research into learning processes, teaching strategies, assessment methods, and the development of reliable ways to evaluate whether students are actually gaining the skills and mindsets that engineering work requires. Second, the program emphasizes the use of cyberlearning, meaning the application of networked computing and communication technologies, interactive visualization, and thoughtfully designed user interfaces to improve learning outcomes. The expectation is not just to build technology for its own sake, but to create tools and systems that are portable and easy for others to adopt, with low barriers to use across institutions and instructional settings. Third, IEECI encourages the integration of sustainability into engineering education, reflecting the growing importance of preparing engineers who can design solutions that consider environmental impacts, resource constraints, long-term resilience, and broader social responsibilities. Fourth, the program supports work that examines the future direction of U.S. engineering doctoral programs, which can include questions about curriculum structure, research training, professional skill development, interdisciplinary preparation, and how doctoral education should evolve to meet changes in industry, academia, and national priorities.
In terms of funding details, this opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number 08-610, also referenced as NSF Publication 08-610) anticipated making around 40 awards, with an estimated total program funding level of $400,000. Individual awards were expected to fall between $150,000 (award floor) and $400,000 (award ceiling). The program did not require cost sharing or matching, which typically lowers the financial barrier for applicants and allows proposals to focus on the strength of the research plan and expected educational impact rather than institutional cost contributions.
The activity category is listed as Science and Technology and other Research and Development, and the relevant CFDA number is 47.041 (Engineering Grants), signaling that proposals should be grounded in rigorous research methods, clear project goals, and outcomes that can inform engineering education at a broader scale. Eligibility is described as unrestricted, meaning that any type of entity could apply, subject to any additional conditions described in the official announcement text. The original posting date was September 30, 2008, with a full proposal deadline of March 11, 2009, and the opportunity was archived on March 5, 2010.
For access and support, NSF directed applicants who had difficulty obtaining the full announcement through electronic systems to contact Grants.gov support at grantsgovsupport@nsf.gov. The official program details were provided through the NSF publication associated with the opportunity number, which would typically include proposal preparation requirements, review criteria, allowable costs, and any program-specific expectations about dissemination, evaluation, and project reporting.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): NSF Innovations in Engineering Education, Curriculum, and Infrastructure (IEECI)
What is the NSF IEECI grant opportunity?
Innovations in Engineering Education, Curriculum, and Infrastructure (IEECI) is a National Science Foundation (NSF) discretionary grant program that supports research and development aimed at improving how engineering is taught and learned in the United States. The program is intended to produce evidence-based findings, practical educational tools, and forward-looking models for engineering education.
What is the main purpose of IEECI?
IEECI is focused on strengthening engineering education and the engineering pipeline by improving educational practices, modernizing instructional infrastructure, and helping ensure engineering graduates are prepared to be creative, innovative, and responsive to emerging societal needs.
What kinds of outcomes is IEECI designed to produce?
IEECI is designed to support projects that generate evidence-based insights about engineering learning, produce practical tools that can be used in instructional settings, and develop models that guide future directions in engineering education.
What are the main research directions supported by IEECI?
The opportunity highlights four main research directions: (1) research on how engineering students learn core ideas, principles, and professional practices, including how learning can be accurately measured; (2) cyberlearning approaches that use networked computing and communication technologies, interactive visualization, and well-designed user interfaces to improve learning outcomes; (3) integration of sustainability into engineering education; and (4) examination of the future direction of U.S. engineering doctoral programs.
What does IEECI mean by research on how engineering students learn?
This direction includes studies of learning processes, teaching strategies, and assessment methods, with a specific emphasis on developing reliable ways to evaluate whether students are gaining the skills, mindsets, and professional practices required for engineering work.
Why does IEECI emphasize measuring learning accurately?
IEECI places special attention on accurate measurement because the program is oriented toward evidence-based improvements. Projects are expected to contribute credible approaches for assessing whether students are actually learning the core concepts and practices needed to become effective and inventive engineers.
What is cyberlearning in the context of IEECI?
Cyberlearning refers to the use of networked computing and communication technologies, interactive visualization, and thoughtfully designed user interfaces to improve learning outcomes in engineering education.
Does IEECI fund educational technology for its own sake?
No. The expectation is not simply to build technology, but to create learning tools and systems that meaningfully improve learning outcomes and are designed to be portable and easy for others to adopt.
What does IEECI mean by "portable" cyberlearning tools?
Within this opportunity, portability points to tools and systems that can be adopted across institutions and instructional settings. The program stresses low barriers to use, so the resulting tools are easier to implement beyond the original project site.
How does IEECI address sustainability in engineering education?
IEECI encourages integrating sustainability into engineering education to prepare engineers to design solutions that consider environmental impacts, resource constraints, long-term resilience, and broader social responsibilities.
What doctoral education topics can IEECI support?
IEECI supports work examining the future direction of U.S. engineering doctoral programs. Example topics mentioned include curriculum structure, research training, professional skill development, interdisciplinary preparation, and how doctoral education should evolve in response to changes in industry, academia, and national priorities.
What is the Funding Opportunity Number for IEECI?
The Funding Opportunity Number is 08-610, also referenced as NSF Publication 08-610.
How many awards were anticipated under this opportunity?
The opportunity anticipated making approximately 40 awards.
What was the estimated total funding level for the program?
The estimated total program funding level was $400,000.
What was the expected award size range?
Individual awards were expected to range from $150,000 (award floor) to $400,000 (award ceiling).
Is cost sharing or matching required for IEECI?
No. The opportunity stated that cost sharing or matching was not required.
What is the activity category for this grant opportunity?
The activity category is Science and Technology and other Research and Development.
What CFDA number is associated with IEECI?
The relevant CFDA number is 47.041 (Engineering Grants).
What does the CFDA classification imply about the nature of proposals?
Based on the description, proposals are expected to be grounded in rigorous research methods, have clear project goals, and produce outcomes that can inform engineering education at a broader scale.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is described as unrestricted, meaning any type of entity could apply, subject to any additional conditions described in the official announcement text.
When was this opportunity originally posted?
The original posting date was September 30, 2008.
When was the full proposal deadline?
The full proposal deadline was March 11, 2009.
Is this funding opportunity still active?
No. The opportunity was archived on March 5, 2010.
Where are the official program details located?
The official program details were provided through the NSF publication associated with the opportunity number (NSF Publication 08-610). That publication would typically include proposal preparation requirements, review criteria, allowable costs, and program-specific expectations such as dissemination, evaluation, and reporting.
What should applicants do if they cannot access the full announcement electronically?
NSF directed applicants who had difficulty obtaining the full announcement through electronic systems to contact Grants.gov support at grantsgovsupport@nsf.gov.
What types of project features does IEECI emphasize across its focus areas?
Across the described directions, IEECI emphasizes evidence-based approaches, measurable learning outcomes, practical tools that others can adopt with low barriers, and models or findings that can inform engineering education broadly.
Browse more business programs for Engineering Companies, Infrastructure Services
Browse more opportunities from the same agency: National Science Foundation
Browse more opportunities from the same category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development
Next opportunity: Partnerships for International Research and Education (PIRE)
Previous opportunity: Opportunities for Enhancing Diversity in the Geosciences (OEDG)
USGrants.org Applicant Portal:
Are you interested in learning about about how to apply for this government funding opportunity? You can create a free applicant account and receive instant access to our applicant portal that many business owners like you have benefited from.
Apply for 08 610
[Watch] how do funding administrators access proposals?
Applicants also applied for:
Applicants who have applied for this opportunity (08 610) also looked into and applied for these:
| Funding Opportunity |
|---|
| Partnerships for International Research and Education (PIRE) Apply for 09 505 Funding Number: 09 505 Agency: National Science Foundation Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Centers of Research Excellence in Science and Technology Apply for 09 510 Funding Number: 09 510 Agency: National Science Foundation Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $5,000,000 |
| Centers for Chemical Innovation Phase I Apply for 09 503 Funding Number: 09 503 Agency: National Science Foundation Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Partnerships for Research and Education in Materials Apply for 09 518 Funding Number: 09 518 Agency: National Science Foundation Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $700,000 |
| Earth Sciences Instrumentation and Facilities Apply for 09 517 Funding Number: 09 517 Agency: National Science Foundation Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $12,000,000 |
| Grant Opportunities for Academic Liaison with Industry Apply for 09 516 Funding Number: 09 516 Agency: National Science Foundation Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $100,000 |
| Alliances for Broadening Participation in STEM Apply for 09 515 Funding Number: 09 515 Agency: National Science Foundation Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $5,000,000 |
| Integrative Graduate Education and Research Traineeship Program Apply for 09 519 Funding Number: 09 519 Agency: National Science Foundation Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Collaboration in Mathematical Geosciences Apply for 09 520 Funding Number: 09 520 Agency: National Science Foundation Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Human Origins Apply for 09 521 Funding Number: 09 521 Agency: National Science Foundation Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Assembling the Tree of Life Apply for 09 522 Funding Number: 09 522 Agency: National Science Foundation Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| CubeSat based Science Missions for Space Weather and Atmospheric Research Apply for 09 523 Funding Number: 09 523 Agency: National Science Foundation Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $900,000 |
| George E. Brown, Jr. Network for Earthquake Engineering Simulation Research Apply for 09 524 Funding Number: 09 524 Agency: National Science Foundation Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $1,200,000 |
| Foundations of Data and Visual Analytics Apply for 09 525 Funding Number: 09 525 Agency: National Science Foundation Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $500,000 |
| EAR Postdoctoral Fellowships Apply for 09 526 Funding Number: 09 526 Agency: National Science Foundation Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| RIDGE 2000 Apply for 09 527 Funding Number: 09 527 Agency: National Science Foundation Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $1,000,000 |
| CISE Pathways to Revitalized Undergraduate Computing Education Apply for 09 528 Funding Number: 09 528 Agency: National Science Foundation Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $800,000 |
| High End Computing University Research Activity Apply for 09 530 Funding Number: 09 530 Agency: National Science Foundation Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $1,000,000 |
| National STEM Education Distributed Learning Apply for 09 531 Funding Number: 09 531 Agency: National Science Foundation Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $2,550,000 |
| Joint Domestic Nuclear Detection Office National Science Foundation Academic Research Initiative Apply for 09 532 Funding Number: 09 532 Agency: National Science Foundation Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $2,000,000 |
Grant application guides and resources
It is always free to apply for government grants. However the process may be very complex depending on the funding opportunity you are applying for. Let us help you!
Apply for Grants

Premium leads for funding administrators, grant writers, and loan issuers
Thousands of people visit our website for their funding needs every day. When a user creates a grant proposal and files for submission, we pass the information on to funding administrators, grant writers, and government loan issuers.
If you manage government grant programs, provide grant writing services, or issue personal or government loans, we can help you reach your audience.
Subscribe to Leads
Request more information:
Would you like to learn more about this funding opportunity, similar opportunities to "08 610", eligibility, application service, and/or application tips? Submit an inquiry below:
Don't forget to subscribe to our grant alerts mailing list to receive weekly alerts on new and updated grant funding opportunities like this one in your email.
