Historically Black Colleges and Universities - Excellence in Research
A program supporting Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) to enhance research capabilities, aligning projects with NSF research programs.
Funder: U.S. National Science Foundation
Due Dates: July 10, 2025 (Letter of Intent, required) | October 21, 2025 (Full Proposal)
Funding Amounts: ~$28,000,000 total; 30–35 awards anticipated; project budgets should align with the needs of the proposed research and typical NSF program funding levels.
Summary: Supports research projects at accredited HBCUs to strengthen their research capacity in NSF-supported STEM fields and foster sustainable institutional research development.
Key Information: PI must be a full-time faculty member or researcher at the HBCU; only HBCUs are eligible to apply.
Description
The Historically Black Colleges and Universities - Excellence in Research (HBCU-EiR) program aims to enhance research capacity at accredited HBCUs by supporting research projects aligned with NSF's core research programs. The initiative is designed to foster sustainable improvements in research and development capabilities, particularly for HBCUs that have not previously been successful in larger NSF Research & Related Activities competitions. Projects funded under this program are intended to establish stronger connections between HBCU researchers and NSF's disciplinary programs, positioning institutions and investigators for future success in NSF's broader portfolio.
The program encourages proposals in science, technology, engineering, mathematics (STEM), and STEM education research. Interdisciplinary proposals are welcome, and projects may include requests for research instrumentation (up to 30% of the total budget). Outcomes should support both the advancement of the PI's research and the broader institutional research environment.
