Opportunity Information: Apply for 12 529
Apply for 12 529
- The National Science Foundation in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "NSF Scholarships in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics" 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 22, 2013 and posted on Jan 18, 2012.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Aug 12, 2014 Full Proposal Deadline(s) August 14, 2012 August 13, 2013 August 12, 2014. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $70,000,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $600,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 100 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 Institutions of higher education (as defined in section 101 (a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965) in the United States and its territories that grant associate, baccalaureate, or graduate degrees in the disciplines listed in section IV.C. are invited to submit proposals. PI LimitThe Principal Investigator must be a faculty member currently teaching in one of the S STEM disciplines who can provide the leadership required to ensure the success of the project. Projects involving more than one department within an institution are eligible, but a single Principal Investigator must accept overall management responsibility. Other members of the S STEM project management team may be listed as Co Principal Investigators.
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Opportunity Summary:
The NSF Scholarships in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (S-STEM) program is a National Science Foundation grant opportunity designed to help colleges and universities provide scholarship support to academically strong students who also have demonstrated financial need. The goal is straightforward: reduce financial barriers so more talented students can complete STEM degrees and move into the STEM workforce or continue on to STEM graduate programs. A key point is that NSF does not award money directly to individual students through this program. Instead, students who are looking for S-STEM scholarship opportunities are expected to work through their own institution, typically by contacting the campus Office of Financial Aid or the relevant academic department to find out whether their school has an active S-STEM project.
Funding under this opportunity is issued as discretionary grants to eligible U.S. institutions of higher education, including those in U.S. territories, as long as they grant associate, bachelor’s, or graduate degrees in qualifying STEM disciplines. The institution itself applies to NSF, and if funded, the institution runs the scholarship program on campus. That means the grantee school is responsible for selecting scholarship recipients, administering scholarship funds, managing the overall S-STEM project, and reporting required information back to NSF, including demographic data about the student scholars. The program also supports projects that span multiple departments within the same institution, but it requires clear leadership and accountability through a single Principal Investigator.
The Principal Investigator requirement is specific: the PI must be a faculty member who is currently teaching in one of the S-STEM disciplines and is able to provide the leadership needed to ensure the project’s success. While additional project leaders can be included as Co-Principal Investigators, one PI must take overall management responsibility. This structure signals that the program is not only about distributing scholarship dollars, but also about running a coordinated academic and student-support effort that helps scholars persist to graduation and transition successfully into employment or further study.
From a funding standpoint, the opportunity listed an estimated total funding amount of $70,000,000 and anticipated around 100 awards. Individual award sizes were set with a floor of $100,000 and a ceiling of $600,000, and there was no cost sharing or matching requirement. The funding instrument type is a grant, and it falls under the National Science Foundation’s Education and Human Resources portfolio (CFDA 47.076), aligning it with broader NSF efforts to strengthen STEM education pathways and workforce development.
Key administrative details in the posting include the funding opportunity number (12-529) and several annual full proposal deadlines that were offered across multiple years: August 14, 2012; August 13, 2013; and August 12, 2014, with the final listed closing date being August 12, 2014 and an archive date of September 12, 2014. The agency associated with the opportunity is the National Science Foundation, and additional program details were referenced as being available in NSF Publication 12-529. For technical issues accessing the announcement via Grants.gov, the listing provided an NSF Grants.gov support email address (grantsgovsupport@nsf.gov).
NSF S-STEM (Scholarships in STEM) Program (NSF 12-529) FAQs
What is the NSF Scholarships in STEM (S-STEM) program?
The NSF Scholarships in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (S-STEM) program is a National Science Foundation grant opportunity that helps colleges and universities provide scholarship support to academically strong students who have demonstrated financial need. The overall purpose is to reduce financial barriers so more students can complete STEM degrees and then enter the STEM workforce or continue into STEM graduate programs.
Does NSF give S-STEM scholarship money directly to students?
No. NSF does not award S-STEM funds directly to individual students. NSF awards grants to eligible institutions of higher education, and the funded institution then runs the scholarship program and selects student recipients.
If I am a student, how do I find out whether I can receive an S-STEM scholarship?
Students should work through their own institution to find out whether there is an active S-STEM project on their campus. The posting indicates that students typically start by contacting the campus Office of Financial Aid or the relevant academic department to ask whether the school has an S-STEM project and how to be considered for scholarship support.
Who applies to NSF for S-STEM funding?
The institution applies to NSF. Specifically, eligible U.S. institutions of higher education (including those in U.S. territories) submit proposals to NSF. If funded, the institution becomes the grantee and administers the on-campus S-STEM project.
What types of institutions are eligible to apply?
Eligible applicants include U.S. institutions of higher education, including those in U.S. territories, as long as they grant associate, bachelor’s, or graduate degrees in qualifying STEM disciplines.
What degree levels are covered by eligible institutions?
Based on the posting, eligible institutions include those that grant associate, bachelor’s, or graduate degrees in qualifying STEM disciplines.
What kind of funding instrument is used for this opportunity?
The funding instrument type is a grant. Funding is issued as discretionary grants to eligible institutions.
What is the purpose of the S-STEM scholarships and related project activities?
The stated goal is to reduce financial barriers so more talented students can complete STEM degrees. The program is also described as supporting a coordinated academic and student-support effort that helps scholars persist to graduation and transition into employment or further STEM study.
Who selects the scholarship recipients under an S-STEM award?
The grantee school is responsible for selecting scholarship recipients. NSF funds the institution through a grant, and the institution administers the scholarship program on campus.
Who manages and administers S-STEM scholarship funds?
The funded institution (the grantee) manages and administers scholarship funds and the overall S-STEM project on campus.
What reporting responsibilities does the grantee institution have?
The posting indicates the grantee school is responsible for reporting required information back to NSF, including demographic data about student scholars.
Can an S-STEM project span multiple departments within the same institution?
Yes. The program supports projects that span multiple departments within the same institution. However, the posting notes that these projects require clear leadership and accountability through a single Principal Investigator.
Is a Principal Investigator (PI) required, and who can serve as the PI?
Yes, a PI is required. The PI must be a faculty member who is currently teaching in one of the S-STEM disciplines and must be able to provide the leadership needed to ensure the project’s success.
Can there be more than one project leader?
Yes. Additional project leaders can be included as Co-Principal Investigators, but one PI must take overall management responsibility.
Why does the opportunity emphasize PI leadership and accountability?
The posting frames S-STEM as more than simply distributing scholarship dollars. It describes a coordinated academic and student-support effort, which is why clear leadership and accountability through a single PI is required.
What was the estimated total funding amount for this opportunity?
The estimated total funding amount listed for this opportunity was $70,000,000.
About how many awards were anticipated?
The opportunity anticipated around 100 awards.
What were the minimum and maximum individual award sizes?
Individual award sizes were listed with a minimum (floor) of $100,000 and a maximum (ceiling) of $600,000.
Is cost sharing or matching required?
No. The posting stated there was no cost sharing or matching requirement.
Which NSF portfolio/program area is associated with this opportunity?
This opportunity falls under the National Science Foundation’s Education and Human Resources portfolio and is identified with CFDA 47.076.
What is the funding opportunity number for this announcement?
The funding opportunity number listed is 12-529.
What were the full proposal deadline dates listed in the posting?
The posting listed annual full proposal deadlines on August 14, 2012; August 13, 2013; and August 12, 2014.
What was the final closing date and archive date for this opportunity?
The final listed closing date was August 12, 2014, and the archive date was September 12, 2014.
Which agency offered this opportunity?
The agency associated with the opportunity is the National Science Foundation (NSF).
Where were additional program details referenced?
Additional program details were referenced as being available in NSF Publication 12-529.
Who should be contacted for technical issues accessing the announcement through Grants.gov?
For technical issues accessing the announcement via Grants.gov, the posting provided an NSF Grants.gov support email address: grantsgovsupport@nsf.gov.
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