Opportunities for Enhancing Diversity in the Geosciences (OEDG) | Apply Online

Opportunity Summary:

The National Science Foundation (NSF), through its Directorate for Geosciences (GEO), offered the Opportunities for Enhancing Diversity in the Geosciences (OEDG) grant program to directly address persistent underrepresentation in the geosciences. GEO is the NSF directorate that supports research and education across the Earth, ocean, atmospheric, and geospace sciences, and OEDG sits within that mission with a specific focus on broadening participation. The central premise of the opportunity is that participation in geoscience fields does not reflect the demographic makeup of the broader U.S. population, and targeted, well-designed programs are needed to change that pattern in a durable way.

The primary goal of OEDG is to increase participation in the geosciences among African Americans, Hispanic Americans, Native Americans (including American Indians and Alaska Natives), Native Pacific Islanders (Polynesians or Micronesians), and persons with disabilities. Alongside that, the program also emphasizes a secondary goal that often determines whether participation grows over time: increasing the perceived relevance of the geosciences among broad and diverse audiences. In practical terms, OEDG is not just about recruiting people into existing pipelines, but also about helping communities see geoscience as connected to real issues and opportunities that matter to them, which can strengthen interest, persistence, and long-term engagement.

The activities supported under OEDG are framed around increasing the number of individuals from these underrepresented groups who engage with geoscience at multiple points along the education-to-workforce pathway. This includes involvement in formal pre-college geoscience education programs, progressing into and completing associate, bachelor, master, and doctoral degrees in geoscience disciplines, entering geoscience careers, and participating in informal geoscience education programs. The structure makes it clear the program is open to interventions at different stages, from early exposure and preparation through advanced training and career entry, as well as learning experiences outside traditional classrooms (for example, museums, community programs, field experiences, or other informal learning settings).

OEDG was organized into three distinct funding tracks, each aligned with a different level of maturity and scale. First, OEDG Planning Grants supported short-term planning activities such as workshops, conferences, and symposia. These planning awards were intended either to help develop new strategic plans for systemic, community-wide efforts to broaden participation, or to build new partnerships and collaborations among multiple institutions aiming to create sustainable, coordinated projects aligned with OEDG goals. Second, Track 1 Proof of Concept Projects supported short-term efforts that could be one-time activities or serve as a testing phase for a larger, longer-term program. The intent here was to allow teams to pilot ideas, gather early evidence, refine approaches, and reduce risk before attempting a full-scale initiative. Third, Track 2 Full Scale Projects supported longer-term activities designed to identify and promote pathways into geoscience careers for members of underrepresented groups. Track 2 projects were expected to result in programs that could continue without additional OEDG funding, signaling an emphasis on sustainability, institutionalization, and lasting impact. Importantly, prior Track 1 funding was not required in order to submit a Track 2 proposal, so organizations with a well-developed, ready-to-implement model could propose directly at the full-scale level.

Administratively, this opportunity was issued as NSF Funding Opportunity Number 10-599 under CFDA 47.050 (Geosciences). It was a discretionary grant program under the broad category of science and technology and other research and development. The opportunity listed an estimated total funding amount of $7.2 million and anticipated 61 awards. Individual awards ranged from a floor of $40,000 up to a ceiling of $2,000,000, and there was no cost sharing or matching requirement noted. Eligibility was listed as unrestricted (open to any type of entity), subject to any clarifications in the full solicitation text. Key dates included a posted date of August 13, 2010, with time-bound due dates for letters of intent and proposals that varied by track; letters of intent were required for Track 1 and Track 2 proposals in the cycles referenced, while planning grant proposals had their own deadline and did not require a letter of intent. The opportunity has since been archived by NSF (archive date November 20, 2013), which indicates the solicitation itself is no longer open, though the program goals and structure remain a useful reference point for how NSF has approached broadening participation in geoscience fields.

For applicants, the essential takeaway is that OEDG was designed to fund purposeful, outcomes-oriented efforts that broaden participation through education, training, partnerships, and clear pathways into geoscience careers, with options ranging from early-stage planning and pilots to large, sustainable, full-scale programs. The NSF pointed applicants to the full announcement (NSF Publication 10-599) for complete requirements, and provided support contact information through grants.gov for access and technical issues.

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