Opportunity Information: Apply for 15 594
Apply for 15 594
- The National Science Foundation in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Louis Stokes Alliances for Minority Participation" 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 Aug 14, 2015 and posted on Jul 30, 2015.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Nov 20, 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 $45,600,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $1,000,000.00 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).
- Who May Submit Proposals Proposals may only be submitted by the following Universities and Colleges Universities and two and four year colleges (including community colleges) accredited in, and having a campus located in, the US acting on behalf of their faculty members. Such organizations also are referred to as academic in Who May Serve as PI The Principal Investigator (PI) for Alliances (including B2B) should be the President, Chancellor, or Provost of the lead institution. A full justification is needed for a PI designation in variance with this requirement. Co principal investigators (Co PIs) from partner institutions may be designated, as appropriate, for the project. At least one of the Co PIs must have expertise in social science or education research for proposals from alliances funded more than 10 years. The Principal Investigator for a Bridge to the Doctorate activity should be on the leadership team at the lead institution and listed as one of the Co PIs of the alliance. One or more of the listed Co PIs must be from the host institution (site of the BD activity). The Principal Investigator for a Pre Alliance Planning grant should be the key personnel that will be responsible for organizing and implementing the planning activities.
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Opportunity Summary:
The Louis Stokes Alliances for Minority Participation (LSAMP) program is a National Science Foundation (NSF) grant opportunity designed to help U.S. colleges and universities substantially increase the number of students from historically underrepresented racial and ethnic groups who enter, persist in, and complete high-quality undergraduate STEM degree programs. The broader goal is to diversify the STEM workforce by improving how institutions recruit, retain, educate, and support students in STEM fields, with a strong focus on transforming undergraduate STEM education through innovative and evidence-based strategies. LSAMP specifically emphasizes participation and success for African Americans, Hispanic Americans, American Indians, Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians, and Native Pacific Islanders.
LSAMP funding is awarded to institutional alliances that carry out comprehensive, sustained approaches shown to improve student outcomes. These alliances are expected to implement coordinated recruitment and retention practices, provide meaningful educational and research experiences, and build environments that support student success through graduation and into the next step, whether that is a STEM job or graduate school. The program frames success not only as increasing enrollment, but as producing well-prepared STEM graduates who are positioned to advance into professional STEM pathways and, for some, doctoral education and faculty careers.
This solicitation supports four main award types, each aimed at a different point in the STEM education pipeline. First are standard LSAMP Alliances, which are multi-institution partnerships funded for five years and focused primarily on undergraduate recruitment, persistence, and degree completion in STEM. Second are Bridge to the Baccalaureate (B2B) Alliances, funded for three years, where a community college serves as the lead institution and the work centers on preparing community college STEM students for successful transfer into four-year STEM programs. Third is the Bridge to the Doctorate (BD) Activity, a two-year option available only to alliances that have been funded for more than 10 consecutive years; BD provides a structured transition into graduate school by supporting a cohort of 12 LSAMP students during the first two years of STEM graduate study through fellowship support and deliberate development of academic and research skills to improve doctoral attainment and facilitate entry into the professoriate and/or the STEM workforce. Fourth are Pre-Alliance Planning Grants, which last up to 18 months and support the planning and coordination needed to build new alliances or to establish regional outreach and knowledge-diffusion centers of excellence.
For this program, NSF uses a broad definition of STEM that includes biological sciences (excluding medicine and other clinical fields), physical sciences (such as physics, chemistry, astronomy, and materials science), mathematical sciences (including statistics and data science), computer and information sciences, geosciences (including earth and ocean sciences), engineering, and technology areas closely tied to these disciplines (for example biotechnology, nanotechnology, engineering technology, chemical technology, and information technology). This definition matters because proposed activities, participant tracking, and outcome reporting are expected to align with NSF’s listed STEM domains.
A key implementation detail is that LSAMP is not a scholarship or financial-aid program, even though projects may provide performance-based stipend support to undergraduate participants. The intent is to use stipends as part of programmatic interventions tied to participation and achievement, not as general tuition assistance. NSF also does not make awards directly to individual students; awards go to institutions and alliances that run LSAMP activities, so students interested in participating are directed to check with their own campuses to see whether an LSAMP or BD program exists. Additionally, any students receiving LSAMP stipends or BD fellowships must be U.S. citizens, U.S. nationals, or U.S. permanent residents.
Eligibility is limited to accredited U.S. academic institutions with a campus located in the United States, including two-year and four-year colleges and universities (community colleges included). Proposals are submitted by institutions on behalf of their faculty and project leadership. Leadership requirements are relatively specific: for Alliances (including B2B), the Principal Investigator is expected to be the President, Chancellor, or Provost of the lead institution, and if a different PI is proposed, the application must provide a full justification. Partner institutions may name co-principal investigators as appropriate. For alliances that have been funded more than 10 years, at least one co-PI must bring expertise in social science or education research, reflecting the program’s emphasis on evidence-based educational change and rigorous evaluation. For the Bridge to the Doctorate activity, the PI should be part of the leadership team at the lead institution and also listed as a co-PI of the broader alliance, and at least one co-PI must come from the host institution where the BD activity is based. For Pre-Alliance Planning grants, the PI should be the person responsible for organizing and carrying out the planning work.
The solicitation also clarifies budgeting and partnership structure. Institutional partners in LSAMP alliances, including community colleges in B2B alliances, generally must be included in the budget as subawardees unless one is designated as the lead institution. This is meant to ensure that participating institutions have defined roles, resources, and accountability within the alliance structure.
In terms of funding profile, the opportunity is an NSF discretionary grant within the Education and Human Resources portfolio (CFDA 47.076) under the category of science and technology research and development. The opportunity listing indicates an estimated total funding of $45.6 million with an expected 38 awards, and typical award sizes ranging from a floor of $125,000 up to a ceiling of $1,000,000. It also states there is no cost-sharing or matching requirement. The opportunity information provided lists the posting date as July 30, 2015, with an original and current closing date of November 20, 2015, and an archive date of December 4, 2016, indicating the specific solicitation referenced (NSF Publication 15-594) is historical, even though the LSAMP program itself has continued under updated solicitations in later years.
Overall, LSAMP is best understood as an institutional change and student-success initiative rather than a direct aid program: it funds alliances of colleges and universities to implement and study high-impact, evidence-based strategies that measurably improve recruitment, retention, transfer, graduation, and post-baccalaureate progression in STEM for students from groups that have been historically underrepresented in these fields.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) - NSF Louis Stokes Alliances for Minority Participation (LSAMP)
What is the LSAMP program?
The Louis Stokes Alliances for Minority Participation (LSAMP) program is a National Science Foundation (NSF) grant opportunity that funds U.S. colleges and universities (working together as alliances) to substantially increase the number of students from historically underrepresented racial and ethnic groups who enter, persist in, and complete high-quality undergraduate STEM degree programs.
What is the primary goal of LSAMP?
The primary goal is to diversify the STEM workforce by improving how institutions recruit, retain, educate, and support students in STEM. LSAMP emphasizes transforming undergraduate STEM education through innovative and evidence-based strategies, with success measured by strong student outcomes through graduation and into STEM careers or graduate study.
Which student populations does LSAMP specifically emphasize?
LSAMP specifically emphasizes participation and success for African Americans, Hispanic Americans, American Indians, Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians, and Native Pacific Islanders.
Is LSAMP a scholarship or financial-aid program for individual students?
No. LSAMP is not a scholarship or general financial-aid program. NSF does not make LSAMP awards directly to individual students; awards are made to institutions and multi-institution alliances that run LSAMP activities.
Can LSAMP projects provide any direct financial support to students?
Yes, projects may provide performance-based stipend support to undergraduate participants, but the intent is for stipends to be part of programmatic interventions tied to participation and achievement rather than general tuition assistance.
Who is eligible to receive LSAMP stipends or Bridge to the Doctorate (BD) fellowships?
Any students receiving LSAMP stipends or BD fellowships must be U.S. citizens, U.S. nationals, or U.S. permanent residents.
How do students participate if NSF does not award funds directly to individuals?
Students interested in LSAMP participation are expected to check with their own campuses to see whether an LSAMP alliance activity or BD program exists and how to engage with those locally administered opportunities.
What types of organizations can apply for LSAMP funding?
Eligibility is limited to accredited U.S. academic institutions with a campus located in the United States. This includes both two-year and four-year colleges and universities, including community colleges.
Are proposals submitted by individual faculty members or by institutions?
Proposals are submitted by institutions on behalf of their faculty and project leadership. The program is structured around institutional alliances rather than individual applicants.
What are the four LSAMP award types supported in this solicitation?
This solicitation supports four main award types: (1) standard LSAMP Alliances, (2) Bridge to the Baccalaureate (B2B) Alliances, (3) Bridge to the Doctorate (BD) Activity, and (4) Pre-Alliance Planning Grants.
What is a standard LSAMP Alliance award?
Standard LSAMP Alliances are multi-institution partnerships funded for five years. They focus primarily on undergraduate recruitment, persistence, and degree completion in STEM using coordinated, comprehensive, and sustained approaches.
What is a Bridge to the Baccalaureate (B2B) Alliance award?
B2B Alliances are funded for three years and are designed to strengthen the transfer pathway from community colleges to four-year STEM degree programs. In B2B awards, a community college serves as the lead institution, and activities center on preparing community college STEM students for successful transfer.
What is the Bridge to the Doctorate (BD) Activity?
The BD Activity is a two-year option available only to alliances that have been funded for more than 10 consecutive years. It supports a cohort of 12 LSAMP students during the first two years of STEM graduate study through fellowship support and structured development of academic and research skills, aiming to improve doctoral attainment and facilitate entry into the professoriate and/or the STEM workforce.
Who can apply for the Bridge to the Doctorate (BD) Activity?
Only LSAMP alliances that have been funded for more than 10 consecutive years are eligible for the BD Activity option, according to the solicitation information provided.
How large is the BD cohort supported under this program?
The solicitation describes a BD cohort size of 12 LSAMP students supported during the first two years of STEM graduate study.
What is a Pre-Alliance Planning Grant?
Pre-Alliance Planning Grants last up to 18 months and support planning and coordination activities needed to build new LSAMP alliances or to establish regional outreach and knowledge-diffusion centers of excellence.
How does NSF define STEM for LSAMP purposes?
NSF uses a broad definition of STEM for this program, including: biological sciences (excluding medicine and other clinical fields), physical sciences (such as physics, chemistry, astronomy, and materials science), mathematical sciences (including statistics and data science), computer and information sciences, geosciences (including earth and ocean sciences), engineering, and technology areas closely tied to these disciplines (for example biotechnology, nanotechnology, engineering technology, chemical technology, and information technology).
Why does the STEM definition matter for LSAMP proposals?
The solicitation indicates the STEM definition matters because proposed activities, participant tracking, and outcome reporting are expected to align with NSF's listed STEM domains.
What kinds of strategies and activities are LSAMP alliances expected to implement?
Alliances are expected to implement comprehensive, sustained approaches shown to improve student outcomes, including coordinated recruitment and retention practices, meaningful educational and research experiences, and supportive environments that help students succeed through graduation and into their next step (STEM employment or graduate school).
How does LSAMP define success?
LSAMP frames success as more than increased enrollment. The program emphasizes producing well-prepared STEM graduates positioned to advance into professional STEM pathways and, for some participants, doctoral education and faculty careers.
Who is expected to serve as Principal Investigator (PI) for LSAMP Alliances and B2B Alliances?
For Alliances (including B2B), the Principal Investigator is expected to be the President, Chancellor, or Provost of the lead institution. If a different PI is proposed, the application must provide a full justification.
Can partner institutions name co-Principal Investigators (co-PIs)?
Yes. The solicitation notes that partner institutions may name co-principal investigators as appropriate.
Are there special leadership requirements for alliances funded longer than 10 years?
Yes. For alliances that have been funded for more than 10 consecutive years, at least one co-PI must bring expertise in social science or education research. This reflects the program's emphasis on evidence-based educational change and rigorous evaluation.
What are the PI/co-PI expectations for the Bridge to the Doctorate (BD) Activity?
For the BD Activity, the PI should be part of the leadership team at the lead institution and also listed as a co-PI of the broader LSAMP alliance. In addition, at least one co-PI must come from the host institution where the BD activity is based.
Who should serve as PI for a Pre-Alliance Planning Grant?
For Pre-Alliance Planning grants, the PI should be the person responsible for organizing and carrying out the planning work.
How are alliance partners typically handled in the budget?
The solicitation states that institutional partners in LSAMP alliances, including community colleges in B2B alliances, generally must be included in the budget as subawardees unless one is designated as the lead institution. This is intended to ensure defined roles, resources, and accountability across the alliance.
What is the estimated total funding and expected number of awards listed for this opportunity?
The opportunity listing indicates an estimated total funding of $45.6 million with an expected 38 awards.
What is the typical award size range described?
Typical award sizes are described as ranging from a floor of $125,000 up to a ceiling of $1,000,000.
Is cost sharing or matching required?
No. The opportunity information provided states there is no cost-sharing or matching requirement.
What NSF portfolio and CFDA number are associated with this program listing?
The listing describes LSAMP as an NSF discretionary grant within the Education and Human Resources portfolio, with CFDA 47.076, under the category of science and technology research and development.
What are the posting date, closing date, and archive date shown for this specific solicitation listing?
The information provided lists a posting date of July 30, 2015; an original and current closing date of November 20, 2015; and an archive date of December 4, 2016.
Is the solicitation referenced here current?
The information provided indicates the specific solicitation referenced (NSF Publication 15-594) is historical, based on the 2015 closing date and 2016 archive date, even though the LSAMP program itself has continued under updated solicitations in later years.
What is LSAMP best understood as, based on this description?
LSAMP is best understood as an institutional change and student-success initiative rather than a direct aid program. It funds alliances of colleges and universities to implement and study high-impact, evidence-based strategies that measurably improve recruitment, retention, transfer, graduation, and post-baccalaureate progression in STEM for students from historically underrepresented groups.
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