Funder: National Science Foundation
Due Dates: February 11, 2026 (IEP & EI) | Rolling (Planning & Conference proposals)
Funding Amounts: IEP Level 1: up to $500,000 (3 yrs) | IEP Level 2: up to $1,000,000 (5 yrs) | Educational Instrumentation: up to $200,000 (2 yrs)
Summary: Supports Hispanic-Serving Institutions to enhance undergraduate STEM education, student recruitment, retention, and graduation through research, program improvement, and access to educational instrumentation.
Key Information: Limited submission: max 2 proposals per PI/co-PI per deadline; eligibility restricted to accredited HSIs; see track-specific requirements.
Description
This opportunity from the National Science Foundation (NSF) aims to empower Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs) to improve the quality and effectiveness of undergraduate STEM education. The program supports projects that enhance student experiences, increase recruitment, retention, and graduation rates in STEM, and address equity gaps through evidence-based practices and research. Funding is available for both programmatic interventions and acquisition of educational instrumentation, with a strong emphasis on student-centered, data-driven, and sustainable approaches.
Due Dates
- Full Proposal Deadline:
- February 11, 2026 (Implementation and Evaluation Projects [IEP] & Educational Instrumentation [EI] tracks)
- Annually, the second Wednesday in February for IEP & EI tracks
- Planning and Conference Proposals:
- Accepted at any time (contact a program officer before submission)
Funding Amount
- IEP Level 1: Up to $500,000 for up to 3 years (early-stage or exploratory projects)
- IEP Level 2: Up to $1,000,000 for up to 5 years (projects with broader scope and required research plan)
- Educational Instrumentation (EI): Up to $200,000 for up to 2 years (for computing/lab equipment)
- Estimated Number of Awards: 23–33 per cycle
- Total Program Funding: ~$19,000,000 (subject to availability)
Eligibility
- Eligible Institutions:
- Must be accredited HSIs as defined by Section 502 of the Higher Education Act (20 U.S.C. 1101a)
- Must offer undergraduate STEM programs leading to certificates or degrees
- Must provide a current HSI eligibility letter from the U.S. Department of Education at submission
- For EI Track:
- Open to HSIs in EPSCoR jurisdictions, and HSI Primarily Undergraduate Institutions (PUIs) in non-EPSCoR jurisdictions (PUIs: institutions awarding ≤20 PhDs/DScis in NSF-supported fields in the past two years)
- PI/Co-PI Limits:
- An individual may be listed as PI or co-PI on at most two proposals per deadline
- Institutional Limits:
- Up to three IEP proposals per institution per deadline (any combination of Level 1 and Level 2)
- Up to two EI proposals per institution per year
Application Process
- Submission Platforms: Research.gov or Grants.gov
- Letters of Intent/Preliminary Proposals: Not required
- Full Proposal Requirements:
- Follow the NSF Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG)
- Include an Institutional Data Narrative, evaluation plan, and (for IEP Level 2) letters of support from upper-level administrators
- For IEP proposals supporting undergraduates, include a student mentoring plan (max 1 page)
- For EI proposals, provide a 6-page project description focused on equipment impact, student benefit, and sustainability
- Planning/Conference Proposals: Contact a program officer for permission and guidance before submission
Additional Information
- Tracks:
- Implementation and Evaluation Projects (IEP):
- Level 1: Early-stage, exploratory, or replication projects
- Level 2: Larger-scale, research-intensive, and sustainable projects
- Educational Instrumentation (EI):
- For equipment to improve undergraduate STEM education (not for research labs or general-purpose computing)
- Restrictions:
- No cost sharing required
- Funds may not be used for scholarships, general infrastructure, or non-instructional equipment
- See solicitation for detailed budget and eligibility restrictions
- Special Conditions:
- Open access licensing required for materials developed
- Participation in program evaluation and reporting is mandatory
External Links
Contact Information
For technical support with Research.gov: rgov@nsf.gov
For Grants.gov support: support@grants.gov