Funder: U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF)
Due Dates: October 2, 2025 (Full Proposal) | First Thursday in October, annually thereafter
Funding Amounts: Level I: up to $500,000 | Level II: up to $1,500,000 | Level III: up to $2,500,000 | Duration: 3–5 years | Total program: ~$35M
Summary: Supports fundamental research to advance general, explanatory knowledge underlying STEM education in learning environments, broadening participation, and workforce development.
Key Information: Proposals must focus on fundamental, not applied, research; pilot, synthesis, and conference proposals are also considered.
Description
The EDU Core Research (ECR:Core) program from the NSF Directorate for STEM Education supports rigorous, fundamental research (both curiosity-driven and use-inspired basic research) aimed at building foundational knowledge in STEM education. Proposals must address one or more of three broad research areas:
- STEM Learning and Learning Environments
- Broadening Participation in STEM
- STEM Workforce Development
Research may focus on any group or age, and in any formal or informal setting, including STEM workplaces. The program encourages multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary approaches, and welcomes a wide range of research methodologies.
Projects may involve new data collection, secondary analysis, meta-analysis, or methodological innovation. ECR:Core also supports pilot studies, synthesis projects, and conferences that advance fundamental STEM education research.
Due Dates
- Full Proposal Deadline: October 2, 2025 (by 5:00 p.m. submitter's local time)
- Recurs: First Thursday in October, annually
Funding Amount
- Level I: Up to $500,000 (including pilot studies; up to 3 years)
- Level II: Up to $1,500,000 (up to 3–5 years)
- Level III: Up to $2,500,000 (up to 3–5 years)
- Conference proposals: Typically $25,000–$99,000
- Estimated total program funding: ~$35,000,000
- Approximately 40 awards made annually (distribution varies by level)
All proposals must justify the level of funding and duration requested.
Eligibility
- Who May Submit: Eligibility is unrestricted, but proposers must be categories identified in the NSF Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG); unaffiliated individuals cannot apply.
- Who May Serve as PI: No restrictions.
- Limits per Organization/PI: No restrictions on the number of proposals per organization or per PI/co-PI.
Application Process
- Submission Platforms: Proposals may be submitted via Research.gov or Grants.gov.
- Letters of Intent/Preliminary Proposals: Not required.
- Full Proposal Preparation: Must follow the current NSF PAPPG or NSF Grants.gov Application Guide.
- Project Summary Requirements: Indicate proposal level, research area(s), topic cluster(s), and five key descriptive keywords.
- Project Description: Maximum 15 pages, including a clear justification for funding level and duration, broader impacts, and results of prior NSF support.
- Supplementary Documents: Data Management Plan, List of Project Personnel, Letters of Collaboration (if applicable), and, if relevant, Mentoring Plan.
- Human Subjects: IRB approval or exemption required prior to award for projects involving human subjects.
Additional Information
- Cost Sharing: Not allowed.
- Indirect Costs: No specific limitations.
- Review Criteria: Intellectual Merit and Broader Impacts (per NSF guidelines).
- Award Types: Standard or Continuing Grants.
- Reporting: Annual and final project reports required via Research.gov.
- Special Focus: NSF places strong emphasis on broadening participation in STEM and encourages proposals from diverse teams and institutions.
External Links
Contact Information
| Topic | Contact |
|---|
| Program Questions | ECR@nsf.gov |
| NSF Information Center | (703) 292-5111 |
| Research.gov Help Desk | 1-800-673-6188 |
| Grants.gov Contact Center | 1-800-518-4726 |
| Publications/Forms | nsfpubs@nsf.gov |