Historically Black Colleges and Universities - Undergraduate Program

The Historically Black Colleges and Universities Undergraduate Program (HBCU-UP), funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF), aims to enhance undergraduate STEM education and research at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). Administered by the Directorate for STEM Education, the program supports a diverse range of initiatives to bolster the participation and success of African American students in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics disciplines. The initiative reflects NSF's strategic commitment to broadening participation in the STEM workforce by fostering academic environments conducive to student success at HBCUs. The program includes several funding tracks: Targeted Infusion Projects (TIP), Research on Broadening Participation in STEM (BPR) Projects, Research Initiation Awards (RIA), Implementation Projects (IMP), and Broadening Participation Research Centers (BPRC). Each track has distinct objectives. TIP supports short-term STEM education enhancement efforts, BPR promotes innovative, theory-driven participation research, RIA assists faculty with limited research support, IMP facilitates comprehensive institutional reform in STEM, and BPRCs function as national hubs for research on broadening STEM participation. Additional opportunities include planning grants, conferences, EAGER, and RAPID awards. Eligibility is restricted to accredited HBCUs offering undergraduate STEM programs. PIs must hold relevant positions: RIA PIs must be STEM faculty without recent external research awards; TIP, BPR, and IMP PIs must lead project implementation and possess appropriate research credentials. Proposal submission limits per institution and per PI apply, ensuring distribution and diversity of awards. Special requirements exist for institutions submitting to the BPRC track, including a history of prior NSF implementation funding. Applications involve multiple steps depending on the track: Letters of Intent are mandatory for all tracks except BPRC, and Preliminary Proposals are required for BPRC applicants. Full Proposals must comply with the NSF Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide and be submitted via Research.gov or Grants.gov. Each proposal must include detailed project descriptions, evaluation plans, mentoring strategies, and institutional support documentation. Projects must adhere to NSF evaluation standards and may be subject to site visits or Reverse Site Visits for further assessment. The program has a total expected funding of $62.25 million for fiscal years 2024 and 2025. Approximately 136 awards will be distributed, with expected award sizes ranging from $350,000 for BPR projects to $9 million for BPRCs. Cost sharing is not required, and equipment costs are limited to 30% of the budget for most tracks. All proposals must account for student mentoring and project evaluation, aligning with broader NSF goals of inclusivity, rigor, and impact. Interested applicants should contact NSF program staff via email at HBCU_UP@nsf.gov or phone at 703-292-8633. Key submission deadlines include Letters of Intent by the fourth Tuesday of July annually, RIA proposals by the second Tuesday in September annually, and Preliminary Proposals for BPRCs by the fourth Tuesday in March every other year. Full proposals are due according to track-specific timelines, such as November 26, 2024, for TIP, BPR, and IMP, and October 3, 2023, for BPRC. All applicants must adhere strictly to NSF submission formats and deadlines to be considered for funding.