SPARK-ND 2026 Broadening Participation Research
Limited submission
North Dakota EPSCoR's SPARK-ND 2026 Broadening Participation Research grant funds early-stage STEM research partnerships to foster diversity and generate pilot data for future federal proposals.
Funder: North Dakota EPSCoR
Due Dates: September 30, 2026 (Full proposal, 5:00 PM CT)
Funding Amounts: Up to $30,000 per award (total costs); 1–2 awards; up to 18 months duration.
Summary: Supports collaborative research teams in ND to broaden participation in STEM, focusing on early-stage development and pilot data for future federal funding proposals.
Key Information: Limited submission: only 1 application per institution as lead; institutional AOR approval required before submission.
Description
This program, administered by North Dakota EPSCoR, funds the formation and early-stage activities of cross-institutional research teams dedicated to broadening participation in STEM fields across North Dakota. The goal is to foster diversity, increase retention and graduation rates in STEM, and strengthen the state’s STEM workforce. The grant supports planning and pilot projects that generate preliminary data, design interventions, and establish partnerships that can lead to competitive proposals for major federal funding (e.g., NSF, NIH). Teams must include substantial participation from at least one researcher at a Primarily Undergraduate Institution (PUI) or Tribal College or University (TCU). Projects must align with the missions of ND EPSCoR, SPARK-ND, and the current North Dakota Science and Technology Plan.
