Historically Black Colleges and Universities - Undergraduate Program

The Historically Black Colleges and Universities Undergraduate Program (HBCU-UP) is a long-standing initiative of the National Science Foundation (NSF) within the Directorate for STEM Education, Division of Equity for Excellence in STEM. The program strengthens undergraduate science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education and research capacity at accredited Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). Recognizing that HBCUs award nearly 15 percent of all STEM bachelor’s degrees earned by African American students, NSF invests through HBCU-UP to broaden participation, expand research infrastructure, and support innovative educational models that enhance student success and diversify the national STEM workforce. HBCU-UP funding is organized into five primary tracks. Targeted Infusion Projects (TIP) support short-term, well-defined improvements to undergraduate STEM education such as new course development, laboratory modernization, or pedagogical innovation, generally over two to three years. Research on Broadening Participation in STEM (BPR) supports up to three-year theory-driven social-science or education-research projects that investigate factors influencing recruitment, retention, and achievement of underrepresented groups in STEM. Research Initiation Awards (RIA) enable STEM faculty without recent research support to develop or restart independent research programs—either on their own campus, at another research-intensive university, or at a national laboratory—while mentoring students in authentic research experiences. Implementation Projects (IMP) provide four- to five-year institutional awards for comprehensive reform to strengthen STEM curricula, research experiences, and faculty development. These projects may include evidence-based teaching, cyberlearning, undergraduate research, or transition programs that link K–12, two-year, and graduate pathways. Finally, Broadening Participation Research Centers (BPRC) establish five-year centers (renewable once) serving as national hubs for research on STEM education and systemic approaches to increase access and success for underrepresented populations. Centers integrate research, education, outreach, and knowledge transfer among HBCU and partner institutions. Across all tracks, HBCU-UP awards are issued as standard or continuing grants. Typical award ceilings range from $350,000 (BPR) to $9 million (BPRC), with a total anticipated program investment of $62.25 million over FY 2024–2025 for approximately 136 awards. Cost-sharing is prohibited, though applicants must budget for annual principal-investigator meetings in Washington, DC. Projects must include external formative and summative evaluation plans and, when supporting students, a written mentoring plan. Matching funds are not required. Equipment expenses may not exceed 30 percent of the total request for TIP, IMP, or RIA awards. Eligibility is limited to accredited U.S. Historically Black Colleges and Universities offering undergraduate STEM degree programs. Each HBCU may submit a fixed number of proposals per year by track (for example, one Implementation Project, two Targeted Infusion Projects, etc.). Individual principal-investigator requirements differ by track—for instance, only a single PI without Co-PIs may apply for RIA awards—while Implementation and Center projects require leadership teams with authority across departments. Proposals are submitted through Research.gov or Grants.gov in accordance with the NSF Proposal & Award Policies and Procedures Guide (PAPPG). Letters of Intent are mandatory each July (fourth Tuesday) for most tracks except BPRC, followed by track-specific full-proposal deadlines from September through November. Preliminary proposals for Centers are required in March of even-numbered years. All cycles recur annually or biennially as specified. Reviews apply the National Science Board’s merit criteria of Intellectual Merit and Broader Impacts plus additional program-specific factors such as institutional commitment, evaluation plans, and dissemination. Awards are typically announced within six months of submission, and multi-year reporting through Research.gov is required. Program inquiries may be directed to HBCU_UP@nsf.gov or (703) 292-8633. The initiative remains NSF’s flagship investment in advancing excellence and equity in undergraduate STEM education at HBCUs.