Opportunity Information: Apply for 14 522
Apply for 14 522
- The National Science Foundation in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "STEM C Partnerships MSP" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 47.070 Computer and Information Science and Engineering 47.076 Education and Human Resources.
- This funding opportunity was created on Dec 19, 2013 and posted on Dec 19, 2013.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Mar 18, 2014 Full Proposal Deadline(s) March 18, 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 $57,080,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $7,500,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 22 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 Non profit, non academic organizations Independent museums, observatories, research labs, professional societies and similar organizations in the U.S. associated with educational or research activities. State and Local Governments State educational offices or organizations and local school districts. 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 institutions. Who May Serve as PI There is no eligibility requirement for the Principal Investigator of a Targeted Partnership proposal or a STEM C Partnerships Computer Science Education Expansion proposal. The Partnerships will include cross disciplinary teams that call upon the expertise and research perspectives of learning scientists, including cognitive scientists, educational, developmental and social psychologists, social scientists and education researchers, as well as STEM discipline specific teachers, faculty, researchers, and scientists. Therefore, the team of the Principal Investigator and co Principal Investigators for a Partnership must include individuals who represent the various fields that are the focus of study, including a K 12 Core Partner organizational representative and an individual with an advanced STEM (scientist, engineer, mathematician, or computer scientist) degree from a Core Partner, as well as other relevant sectors.
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Opportunity Summary:
The NSF STEM-C Partnerships (MSP) opportunity is a large, research-and-development focused grant program designed to improve K-12 STEM teaching and learning through structured collaborations. It is jointly run by two NSF directorates: Education and Human Resources (EHR) and Computer and Information Science and Engineering (CISE). The program intentionally merges the goals and methods of two older NSF efforts, the Math and Science Partnership (MSP) and Computing Education for the 21st Century (CE21), with the idea that strong STEM preparation now needs both solid foundations in the traditional STEM disciplines and much stronger inclusion of computing and computational thinking. While computer science integration is welcomed, it is not mandatory for all projects; the core expectation is that the partnership addresses real needs in K-12 STEM education and produces approaches that are backed by evidence and rigorous study.
At the center of the program is the idea of an “institutional partnership” that brings together K-12 systems and disciplinary expertise in a way that is capable of changing practice at scale. At a minimum, a Targeted Partnership must include two Core Partners: (1) a K-12 school district and (2) an institution that contributes deep STEM disciplinary expertise (natural sciences, mathematics, engineering, and/or computer science) and is actively involved in producing STEM teachers. Projects are expected to use cross-disciplinary teams that include learning scientists and education researchers (for example, cognitive science and educational psychology) alongside STEM faculty, researchers, and practicing educators. The partnership structure is meant to support not just classroom interventions, but also the professional development and ongoing support systems teachers need to sustain improvement. NSF also signals that the work is effectively “K-16” in spirit, because meaningful improvements to K-12 teaching often require changes at the undergraduate level where future teachers are trained.
The solicitation supports two main award types. First are STEM-C Partnerships Targeted awards, which can be submitted by eligible organizations forming new or existing partnerships and can focus on any STEM field, including computer science, at the K-12 level. These Targeted awards come in two levels: Prototype and Implementation. Prototype projects are meant to explore and test potentially innovative strategies, while Implementation projects are intended to develop and put into practice innovations in a more fully realized way. Both are required to pair innovation with a strong research agenda, meaning proposals should not only deliver programming (such as curricula or professional development) but also generate credible knowledge about what works, for whom, and under what conditions. Targeted projects must align to one of the program’s focal areas, which collectively span community-based STEM teaching and learning systems, urgent or emerging STEM content issues, identifying and nurturing exceptional student talent, K-12 STEM teacher preparation, and a computing-specific focal area emphasizing computing and computational thinking.
Second are the STEM-C Partnerships Computer Science Education Expansion awards. These are narrower in eligibility and purpose: they are open only to previously funded NSF MSP partnerships that have already been working at the high school level and now want to expand specifically into computer science. The expansion goal is practical and capacity-driven, focusing on increasing the number of qualified computer science teachers and increasing the number of high schools that offer rigorous computer science courses as part of their regular academic programs. This component reflects CE21 priorities, including teacher professional development for in-service educators and a strong emphasis on broadening participation in computing.
Across all project types, NSF emphasizes evidence-based improvement and equity. Projects are expected to function as models that can improve STEM outcomes for all students, and proposals should demonstrate institutional commitment to practices that measurably raise achievement. A specific priority is improving participation and success for groups historically underrepresented in STEM, including women, certain racial and ethnic minority groups (including African Americans, Hispanics, Native Americans, Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians, and other Pacific Islander territories), and students with disabilities. The solicitation also encourages scalable approaches, potentially supported by cyberinfrastructure and evolving computing devices, and it invites proposals that study how tools, resources, delivery methods, and pedagogy can be designed and implemented in ways that spread beyond a single classroom or school.
Operationally, this was a discretionary NSF grant opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number 14-522) with an estimated total funding pool of about $57.08 million and an expected 22 awards. Award sizes were substantial, with a floor of $2,000,000 and a ceiling of $7,500,000, and there was no cost-sharing requirement. Eligible applicants included accredited U.S. colleges and universities (including community colleges), state and local governments (such as state education offices and local school districts), and certain nonprofit, non-academic organizations like museums, observatories, research labs, and professional societies tied to education or research. There was no special eligibility restriction on who could serve as Principal Investigator, but NSF makes clear that the PI/co-PI team must collectively represent the key disciplines and stakeholder roles involved, including K-12 leadership and advanced STEM disciplinary expertise from core partners. The full proposal deadline for the archived competition was March 18, 2014, and the opportunity was published as NSF Publication 14-522.
NSF STEM-C Partnerships (MSP) - FAQ
What is the NSF STEM-C Partnerships (MSP) grant opportunity?
The NSF STEM-C Partnerships (MSP) opportunity is a large research-and-development focused grant program intended to improve K-12 STEM teaching and learning through structured, institutional collaborations. It emphasizes both practical improvement (such as better instruction, curricula, and teacher support systems) and a rigorous research agenda that produces credible evidence about what works, for whom, and under what conditions.
Which NSF units run this program?
The program is jointly run by two NSF directorates: Education and Human Resources (EHR) and Computer and Information Science and Engineering (CISE).
How is STEM-C Partnerships (MSP) related to older NSF programs?
The program intentionally merges goals and methods from two older NSF efforts: the Math and Science Partnership (MSP) and Computing Education for the 21st Century (CE21). The underlying idea is that strong STEM preparation now requires both solid foundations in traditional STEM disciplines and stronger inclusion of computing and computational thinking.
Is computer science required in every STEM-C Partnerships (MSP) project?
No. Computer science integration is welcomed, but it is not mandatory for all projects. The core expectation is that the partnership addresses real needs in K-12 STEM education and produces approaches backed by evidence and rigorous study.
What is an "institutional partnership" in this program?
An institutional partnership is a structured collaboration designed to bring together K-12 systems and disciplinary expertise in a way that can change practice at scale. The partnership is meant to support classroom interventions as well as the professional development and ongoing support systems teachers need to sustain improvement.
What are the minimum required Core Partners for a Targeted Partnership?
At a minimum, a Targeted Partnership must include two Core Partners: (1) a K-12 school district and (2) an institution that contributes deep STEM disciplinary expertise (natural sciences, mathematics, engineering, and/or computer science) and is actively involved in producing STEM teachers.
What kinds of expertise and roles are expected on project teams?
Projects are expected to use cross-disciplinary teams that may include learning scientists and education researchers (for example, cognitive science and educational psychology) alongside STEM faculty, STEM researchers, practicing educators, and K-12 leadership. The expectation is that the team collectively covers both the practice side (K-12 systems and instruction) and the research side (rigorous study and evidence generation).
Why does NSF describe the work as "K-16" in spirit?
NSF signals that the work is effectively "K-16" in spirit because meaningful improvements to K-12 teaching often require changes at the undergraduate level where future teachers are trained.
What are the two main award types supported by this solicitation?
The solicitation supports two main award types: (1) STEM-C Partnerships Targeted awards and (2) STEM-C Partnerships Computer Science Education Expansion awards.
What are STEM-C Partnerships Targeted awards?
Targeted awards can be submitted by eligible organizations forming new or existing partnerships. They can focus on any STEM field, including computer science, at the K-12 level. These awards are designed to pair innovation (such as new or improved curricula, teacher development models, or learning systems) with a strong research agenda that generates credible knowledge.
What are the two levels of Targeted awards?
Targeted awards have two levels: Prototype and Implementation. Prototype projects are meant to explore and test potentially innovative strategies, while Implementation projects are intended to develop and put innovations into practice in a more fully realized way.
Do Targeted projects need to include research, or can they focus only on programming?
Targeted projects are expected to do both. Proposals should not only deliver programming (such as curricula or professional development) but also include a strong research agenda that produces evidence about effectiveness, for whom it is effective, and under what conditions.
Do Targeted projects have to align to specific focal areas?
Yes. Targeted projects must align to one of the program's focal areas. The focal areas span: community-based STEM teaching and learning systems; urgent or emerging STEM content issues; identifying and nurturing exceptional student talent; K-12 STEM teacher preparation; and a computing-specific focal area emphasizing computing and computational thinking.
What are Computer Science Education Expansion awards?
Computer Science Education Expansion awards are a narrower component of the program. They are designed for existing NSF MSP partnerships that are already working at the high school level and want to expand specifically into computer science education.
Who is eligible for Computer Science Education Expansion awards?
These awards are open only to previously funded NSF MSP partnerships that have already been working at the high school level and now want to expand specifically into computer science.
What outcomes are Computer Science Education Expansion awards trying to achieve?
The expansion goal is capacity-driven and practical: increasing the number of qualified computer science teachers and increasing the number of high schools that offer rigorous computer science courses as part of their regular academic programs.
What themes or priorities are emphasized in the computing expansion component?
This component reflects CE21 priorities, including professional development for in-service educators (teachers currently in the workforce) and a strong emphasis on broadening participation in computing.
What does NSF emphasize across all project types in this solicitation?
Across all project types, NSF emphasizes evidence-based improvement and equity. Projects are expected to function as models that can improve STEM outcomes for all students, and proposals should demonstrate institutional commitment to practices that measurably raise achievement.
Which groups are specifically named as priorities for broadening participation in STEM?
The solicitation specifically prioritizes improving participation and success for groups historically underrepresented in STEM, including women; certain racial and ethnic minority groups (including African Americans, Hispanics, Native Americans, Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians, and other Pacific Islander territories); and students with disabilities.
Does the program encourage projects designed to scale beyond a single school or classroom?
Yes. The solicitation encourages scalable approaches and invites proposals that study how tools, resources, delivery methods, and pedagogy can be designed and implemented in ways that spread beyond a single classroom or school.
How does the solicitation treat technology and infrastructure in scaling?
It notes that scalable approaches may be supported by cyberinfrastructure and evolving computing devices, and it encourages studying how such tools and resources can be designed and implemented effectively.
What was the Funding Opportunity Number (FON) and NSF publication identifier?
This was NSF Funding Opportunity Number 14-522, published as NSF Publication 14-522.
What was the total estimated funding amount and expected number of awards?
The estimated total funding pool was about $57.08 million, with an expected 22 awards.
What were the minimum and maximum award sizes?
Award sizes had a floor of $2,000,000 and a ceiling of $7,500,000.
Was cost sharing required?
No. The solicitation stated there was no cost-sharing requirement.
Who could apply as an eligible applicant organization?
Eligible applicants included accredited U.S. colleges and universities (including community colleges), state and local governments (such as state education offices and local school districts), and certain nonprofit, non-academic organizations such as museums, observatories, research labs, and professional societies tied to education or research.
Are local school districts eligible to apply?
Yes. Local school districts were included under eligible state and local government applicants.
Are community colleges eligible to apply?
Yes. Accredited U.S. colleges and universities were eligible, including community colleges.
Are nonprofits like museums or professional societies eligible to apply?
Yes, certain nonprofit, non-academic organizations such as museums, observatories, research labs, and professional societies tied to education or research were listed as eligible applicants.
Are there restrictions on who can serve as Principal Investigator (PI)?
The solicitation did not impose a special eligibility restriction on who could serve as PI. However, NSF indicated that the PI/co-PI team must collectively represent the key disciplines and stakeholder roles involved, including K-12 leadership and advanced STEM disciplinary expertise from the core partners.
What is the expectation for the PI and co-PI team composition?
The expectation is that the PI and co-PIs, taken together, cover the major stakeholder roles and expertise needed for the work, including representation from K-12 leadership and deep STEM disciplinary expertise (natural sciences, mathematics, engineering, and/or computer science) from the core partners, along with research capacity to support rigorous study.
What was the proposal deadline for this opportunity?
The full proposal deadline for the archived competition was March 18, 2014.
Is this opportunity described as discretionary, and what does that mean in context?
It was described as a discretionary NSF grant opportunity. In context, that means it was offered through NSF's competitive, proposal-based funding process rather than being an entitlement or formula-based program.
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