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NSF REAL Program (NSF 13-604) FAQs

What is the NSF Research on Education and Learning (REAL) program?

The National Science Foundation (NSF) Research on Education and Learning (REAL) program is a discretionary grant opportunity focused on strengthening the evidence base for improving STEM education and participation. A central emphasis is building robust, credible, cumulative evidence that helps explain persistent challenges in STEM interest, learning, and participation and points toward effective interventions or innovations.

What is the primary purpose of REAL funding?

REAL aims to support research that (a) deepens understanding of persistent challenges in STEM interest, learning, and participation, (b) develops or refines theories that explain why those challenges occur, and (c) identifies or informs effective interventions or innovations to address them. The program emphasizes evidence that can clarify what works, for whom, under what conditions, and why.

How is REAL different from other NSF education research programs?

REAL consolidates and builds on the core themes of three earlier NSF Education and Human Resources (EHR) programs: Research and Evaluation on Education in Science and Engineering (REESE), Research in Disabilities Education (RDE), and Research on Gender in Science and Engineering (GSE). Its distinguishing feature is the strong emphasis on accumulating robust, credible evidence rather than producing isolated findings.

What kinds of research does REAL support?

REAL supports a broad range of STEM education research, including foundational studies (such as investigations of learning processes, cognitive and social mechanisms, and factors shaping motivation and identity in STEM) and applied or improvement-oriented work (such as testing instructional approaches, program models, tools, or learning designs that measurably strengthen outcomes).

What are the major research areas highlighted by the REAL program?

The opportunity explicitly highlights three major research areas it intends to fund: (1) research on human learning in STEM, (2) research on STEM learning environments, and (3) broadening participation research.

What does "research on human learning in STEM" mean in this program?

Within REAL, research on human learning in STEM can include investigations into learning processes and mechanisms, including cognitive and social mechanisms, as well as factors that influence motivation and identity in STEM.

What does "research on STEM learning environments" include?

REAL supports research on the design and functioning of environments where STEM learning occurs, including both formal settings (such as schools, colleges, and universities) and informal settings (such as museums, after-school programs, community organizations, online environments, and workplace learning).

What is meant by "broadening participation research" in REAL?

Broadening participation research focuses on persistent inequities in STEM education and participation. The opportunity notes that this includes issues historically addressed under disability-related and gender-related research, as well as other participation gaps.

Does REAL support research in informal STEM learning settings?

Yes. REAL spans learning contexts and supports research in informal settings such as museums, after-school programs, community organizations, online environments, and workplace learning, in addition to formal education settings.

Does REAL support research in K-12, higher education, or adult/workforce contexts?

Yes. REAL takes a life-course perspective and may address STEM learning from early developmental stages in childhood through adolescence and adulthood, including participation in the STEM workforce and contributions to broader public understanding of science and engineering.

Is the program limited to studying interventions, or can it fund foundational research too?

It is intentionally broad and includes both foundational research (to advance understanding and theory) and applied, improvement-oriented work (to test approaches, models, tools, and learning designs that improve measurable outcomes).

What is the funding opportunity number and where is it housed?

The funding opportunity is NSF Publication/Funding Opportunity Number 13-604. It is housed under CFDA 47.076 (Education and Human Resources).

How much funding is available and how many awards are anticipated?

The opportunity anticipates making about 52 awards, with an estimated total program funding level of $51,000,000.

What is the expected award size range?

Individual awards are expected to range from $500,000 (award floor) to $2,000,000 (award ceiling).

Is cost sharing or matching required?

No. Cost sharing or matching is not required for this opportunity.

Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility is listed as unrestricted, meaning it is broadly open to a wide range of applicant entities, subject to any additional eligibility clarifications that may appear in the full solicitation text.

Was a Letter of Intent required?

A Letter of Intent was optional. The optional Letter of Intent due date was October 25, 2013 (by 5 p.m. local time of the proposer).

When was the full proposal deadline?

The full proposal deadline was January 10, 2014 (by 5 p.m. local time of the proposer).

When was the opportunity posted and when was it archived?

The opportunity was posted on September 9, 2013 and archived on February 10, 2014.

Where can applicants find the complete requirements and submission details?

Applicants were directed to the full announcement under NSF Publication 13-604 for complete requirements and submission details.

What should applicants do if they have trouble accessing the opportunity through Grants.gov?

For access issues, NSF directed applicants to Grants.gov support at grantsgovsupport@nsf.gov.

What kind of evidence does REAL emphasize?

REAL emphasizes accumulating robust and credible evidence that builds toward a stronger knowledge base. The goal is to support evidence that can explain persistent STEM education challenges and guide effective interventions or innovations.

Does REAL prioritize cumulative knowledge over one-off results?

Yes. The program is designed not simply to produce isolated findings, but to build cumulative, well-supported evidence that helps the field understand what works, for whom, under what conditions, and why.