Louis Stokes Alliances for Minority Participation

The Louis Stokes Alliances for Minority Participation (LSAMP) is a program administered by the National Science Foundation (NSF), specifically under the Directorate for STEM Education. Established in 1991, LSAMP is designed to diversify the STEM workforce by increasing the number of degrees awarded to students from historically underrepresented groups. The program operates through alliances—collaborative networks of institutions of higher education and, in some cases, other entities—to implement evidence-based strategies that improve STEM student retention and degree completion. These strategies aim to facilitate a strong pathway from undergraduate to graduate education and STEM careers, especially in fields of national priority such as artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, clean energy, and quantum information science. The LSAMP program offers several project types, each serving different stages and goals of student academic progression. These include Alliance Development Grants (ADG), Bridge-to-the-Baccalaureate (B2B) Alliances, STEM Pathways Implementation-Only (SPIO) Alliances, STEM Pathways Research Alliances (SPRA), Bridge to STEM Graduate Degrees in National Priorities (BD-Master’s and BD-Doctoral), and STEM Networking Incentives and Engagement (NETWORKS). Each type targets a specific segment of the education-to-career continuum. For example, B2B alliances are composed of community colleges that focus on transferring students to four-year institutions, while SPRA projects focus on advancing research and institutional sustainability. BD projects support LSAMP alumni in graduate programs, providing financial and academic support to ensure their persistence in STEM graduate education. Funding allocations are significant and vary by project type, reflecting the scale and objectives of each initiative. For instance, BD-Master’s projects may receive up to $597,000 over 36 months, supporting stipends and education costs for six students, while BD-Doctoral projects can receive up to $1,173,000 to support twelve doctoral students. SPIO and SPRA projects, each with a 60-month duration, have award ceilings of $5 million and $4 million respectively. Each project type has specific expectations regarding student outcomes, research dissemination, or institutional collaboration, depending on its scope. Notably, LSAMP projects are expected to institutionalize successful strategies and demonstrate sustainability post-funding. Eligibility criteria are project-specific and generally include U.S.-accredited institutions of higher education. For BD-Master’s projects, only Master’s Comprehensive institutions as defined by the Carnegie Classification are eligible, and students must be enrolled in research-based master's programs (professional master's degrees are excluded). BD-Doctoral projects must be housed at four-year institutions. NETWORKS projects are open to a broader range of entities, including nonprofits and for-profit organizations with strong STEM research and education capabilities, but must include at least one LSAMP institution if led by a non-LSAMP organization. Application requirements include submission via Research.gov or Grants.gov, with adherence to the NSF Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG). No letters of intent or preliminary proposals are required. Key components include a data management plan, mentoring plan, and institutional letters of support. Specific requirements, such as the inclusion of a three-page institutionalization narrative for SPRA proposals or a one-page mentoring plan for BD proposals, are detailed in the solicitation. Proposals are evaluated based on intellectual merit, broader impacts, alignment with program goals, and project-specific criteria. For 2024, the program offers two primary deadlines: June 24 for BD-Master’s and NETWORKS proposals, and November 15 (and annually thereafter on the third Friday of November) for BD-Doctoral and Alliance proposals. All submissions are due by 5:00 p.m. local time. Questions can be directed to the program office via [email protected] or by calling 703-292-8632. The solicitation document, NSF 24-563, was published on March 28, 2024, and replaces NSF 20-590.

Proposals should demonstrate strong institutional support, commitment to broadening participation, and include rigorous evaluation and dissemination plans.