Hispanic Serving Institutions: Equitable Transformation in STEM Education (ETSE)

---

Description

This National Science Foundation (NSF) opportunity is designed to support Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs) in transforming undergraduate STEM education. The program aims to enhance the quality of STEM education, increase recruitment, retention, and graduation rates of students in STEM fields, and address equity gaps for diverse student populations. The competition offers multiple tracks, including new opportunities for departmental/division transformation and emerging faculty research, as well as institutional transformation and resource hubs. Proposals should be student-centered, data-driven, and focused on sustainable, systemic change.

---

Due Dates

• Next Full Proposal Deadline: August 27, 2025
• Subsequent Deadlines: Last Wednesday in August, annually thereafter

---

Funding Amount

• Total Program Funding: ~$20,000,000 annually (subject to availability)
• Track Award Sizes:
  • Departmental/Division Transformation Track (DDTT): Up to $1,000,000 (up to 5 years)
  • Institutional Transformation Track (ITT): Up to $3,000,000 (5 years)
  • Emerging Faculty Research Track (EFRT): Up to $200,000 (up to 3 years)
  • HSI Program Resource Hubs: Up to $3,000,000 (up to 5 years)
• Estimated Number of Awards: 11–17 per cycle

---

Eligibility

• Eligible Institutions:

  • Must be accredited institutions of higher education in the U.S.
  • Must offer undergraduate STEM programs leading to certificates or degrees.
  • Must have current HSI designation as defined by Section 502 of the Higher Education Act (20 U.S.C. 1101a) and confirmed by the U.S. Department of Education (eligibility details).
  • EFRT Track: Institution must also be a Primarily Undergraduate Institution (PUI) awarding 20 or fewer Ph.D./D.Sc. degrees in NSF-supported fields in the previous two academic years.

• Who May Serve as PI:

  • ITT: Upper-level administrator (Dean or higher) must be PI or co-PI.
  • DDTT: Unit head, chair, or equivalent must be PI or co-PI.
  • EFRT and Hubs: No restrictions.

• Proposal Limits:

  • Institutional: Restrictions on the number of proposals per institution and per PI/co-PI (see solicitation for details).
  • HSI Eligibility Letter: Required as a supplemental document.

---

Application Process

• Submission Platforms: Research.gov or Grants.gov

• Letters of Intent/Preliminary Proposals: Not required.

• Full Proposal: Must follow the NSF Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG) and the specific requirements of this solicitation.

• Required Documents:

  • Project description (track-specific requirements)
  • Institutional HSI eligibility letter
  • Letters of support from administrators (as applicable)
  • Student mentoring plan (if supporting undergraduates)
  • Project management, evaluation, and dissemination plans
  • Data management and sharing plan

• Review Criteria: NSF’s standard criteria (Intellectual Merit and Broader Impacts) plus additional criteria for equity, student-centeredness, and potential for institutional transformation.

---

Additional Information

• Tracks:

  • Departmental/Division Transformation (DDTT): Focuses on transforming STEM education at the department or division level.
  • Institutional Transformation (ITT): Supports institution-wide change for equity in STEM.
  • Emerging Faculty Research (EFRT): Supports individual faculty at PUIs/community colleges to conduct STEM or STEM education research.
  • HSI Program Resource Hubs: Builds infrastructure and resources for the HSI STEM community.
  • Planning and Conference Proposals: Also accepted (see solicitation for process).

• Cost Sharing: Not required or allowed.

• Restrictions: Funds may not be used for student scholarships, general-purpose equipment, or construction.

• Special Requirements: Projects must include mechanisms for collecting and analyzing student feedback and data, and must address sustainability and dissemination.

---

External Links

• NSF Program Solicitation & Details (NSF 24-578)
• Download Solicitation PDF
• NSF HSI Program Page
• NSF PAPPG (Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide)
• HSI Eligibility Information (U.S. Dept. of Education)
• Apply via Grants.gov

---

Contact Information

For technical support with Research.gov: rgov@nsf.gov
For Grants.gov support: support@grants.gov

---