Undergraduate Research and Mentoring in the Biological Sciences | Apply Online

Opportunity Summary:

The Undergraduate Research and Mentoring in the Biological Sciences (URM) program is a National Science Foundation (NSF) grant opportunity designed to help academic institutions build strong, structured pathways that move more undergraduate students into graduate study in the biological sciences. The central aim is not just to increase the overall number of students who pursue advanced training, but also to significantly improve diversity in the graduate pipeline across the full range of biological research areas supported by NSF's Directorate for Biological Sciences. In practical terms, URM funds institutions to create or expand year-round research and mentoring programs that immerse undergraduates in authentic biological research experiences while surrounding them with consistent guidance, professional development, and a supportive research community.

A major priority of the program is broadening participation for groups that have been historically underrepresented in science and engineering. The solicitation explicitly highlights African Americans, Alaska Natives, American Indians, Hispanic Americans, Native Pacific Islanders, and persons with disabilities. Proposals are expected to be intentional about recruitment, retention, mentoring quality, and outcomes for these students, with program designs that remove barriers to participation and help students develop the preparation and confidence needed for graduate-level work. The emphasis on "year-round" engagement signals that NSF is looking for sustained experiences rather than short, isolated research placements, so competitive programs typically integrate research, mentoring, advising, and skill-building throughout the academic year and often include summer components as well.

This opportunity is categorized as a discretionary grant under the broader federal activity area of science and technology and other research and development. The listed CFDA number is 47.074 (Biological Sciences). NSF anticipated making about 8 awards under the competition, with an estimated total program funding level of $4,000,000. The award floor is indicated as $1,000,000, suggesting that funded projects are expected to be substantial in scope and impact, likely supporting multi-year institutional efforts with strong program infrastructure, mentoring networks, and measurable student outcomes. There is no cost sharing or matching requirement noted, meaning institutions are not required to provide a formal cost share as a condition of the award, although institutions often still demonstrate commitment through facilities, staff time, or complementary resources.

Eligibility is limited to academic institutions located in the United States. Collaborative proposals involving two or more institutions are allowed, which can be useful for building cross-institution research networks, sharing mentoring resources, or creating regional pipelines into graduate programs. There are no PI eligibility limits stated, so institutions can select the principal investigator and leadership team that best fits the program goals and administrative needs. Student eligibility is more specific: undergraduate participants supported with NSF funds must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents of the United States or its possessions. NSF defines eligible undergraduates as students enrolled part-time or full-time in an associates or baccalaureate degree program. High school graduates who have not yet enrolled in college, as well as individuals who already earned a bachelors degree and are no longer enrolled as undergraduates, are not eligible to be supported as undergraduate participants with NSF funds under this program.

The timeline included both preliminary and full proposal deadlines. For the cycle shown, the preliminary proposal deadline was September 15, 2009 (the third Tuesday in September, annually thereafter), and the full proposal deadline was March 2, 2010 (the first Tuesday in March, annually thereafter). The posting date is listed as March 4, 2009, and the archive date as March 5, 2010, which indicates this specific announcement is an archived competition from that period, even though the program goals and structure reflect NSF's broader, continuing interest in undergraduate research training and broadening participation.

For reference and administrative details, the funding opportunity number is 06-591 and the title is "Undergraduate Research and Mentoring in the Biological Sciences." The sponsoring agency is the National Science Foundation. The public reference is NSF Publication 06-591. For access issues, NSF directs applicants to Grants.gov support at grantsgovsupport@nsf.gov, and notes that applicants experiencing problems linking to the announcement should use the provided NSF contact pathway described in the notice.

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