Advancing Research Capacity at HBCUs through Exploration and Innovation | 23 626

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the NSF opportunity "Advancing Research Capacity at HBCUs through Exploration and Innovation" (Funding Opportunity Number 23-626)?

This is a National Science Foundation (NSF) grant opportunity designed to strengthen the long-term research capacity of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). It is structured around an Ideas Lab model, where an intensive, facilitated workshop brings together diverse participants to develop bold, workable solutions to a defined grand challenge: expanding HBCUs' ability to finance, conduct, and sustain high-quality STEM research.

What is the "Ideas Lab" model and how is it different from a typical NSF grant solicitation?

The Ideas Lab model centers on an intensive, facilitated workshop that convenes participants to rapidly generate and refine innovative approaches to a grand challenge. Rather than focusing on traditional, isolated research projects, this solicitation aims to stimulate new thinking, partnerships, and practical frameworks that can shift how HBCUs build and maintain research capability over the long term.

What is the grand challenge this Ideas Lab is trying to address?

The grand challenge is strengthening the research capacity of the nation’s HBCUs, with an emphasis on expanding their ability to finance, conduct, and sustain high-quality research in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).

Who is this opportunity meant to bring together?

The opportunity is aimed at the people who shape research ecosystems at HBCUs, including faculty researchers, staff, research administrators, and academic leaders. The goal is to create a setting where participants can jointly explore barriers and opportunities and design transformative approaches that can be implemented within and across institutions.

What kinds of outcomes is NSF looking for from the Ideas Lab?

NSF emphasizes outcomes that produce sustainable increases in research capacity, including new models and practices that can be adopted, adapted, and maintained over time. The solicitation highlights solutions that last beyond a single grant cycle and support long-term institutional change.

What types of capacity-building approaches are emphasized in the solicitation?

The solicitation emphasizes approaches such as: durable collaborative structures that improve planning and project development; improved institutional practices supporting proposal development and research management; and strengthened research infrastructure across human, cyber, and physical dimensions.

Does the opportunity emphasize collaboration between HBCUs?

Yes. A major theme is collaboration, including inter-institutional networks (HBCU-to-HBCU collaborations) that enable shared solutions and shared resourcing, as well as broader coordination that helps participating institutions strengthen their research ecosystems.

Does the opportunity also focus on improving coordination within a single HBCU?

Yes. The solicitation explicitly highlights intra-institutional alignment, meaning improved coordination among researchers, administrative offices, and institutional leadership to reduce friction and strengthen the support systems that enable successful research programs.

What does "shared resourcing" mean in the context of this opportunity?

Shared resourcing refers to pooling or sharing assets across HBCUs to make conducting research more feasible and effective. The solicitation notes examples such as shared expertise, facilities, cyberinfrastructure, tools, and other resources that support basic research in NSF-supported STEM fields.

What areas of "research infrastructure" does NSF mention?

The solicitation points to strengthening research infrastructure across human, cyber, and physical dimensions. This framing suggests that capacity building can involve people and support roles, digital/cyber capabilities, and physical resources that enable research.

Is NSF primarily funding equipment or facilities through this opportunity?

The solicitation signals an interest in capacity building that goes beyond equipment and facilities. It references research development best practices and workforce considerations, indicating a focus on systems, staffing, and institutional processes that help research programs be conceived, funded, executed, and scaled.

What kinds of practical improvements does NSF want institutions to develop?

The opportunity highlights improving access to practical information and resources that make research more feasible, such as tools for project planning, mechanisms for institutional support, and pathways that reduce friction in launching and managing research programs.

Why is NSF investing in strengthening HBCU research capacity?

The rationale is tied to national priorities related to equity, excellence, and STEM workforce development. The solicitation aligns with the National Science Board’s Vision 2030 and underscores the importance of diversity in the STEM workforce and in the systems that produce it. NSF also points to the outsized role HBCUs play in educating and advancing Black/African American STEM talent.

How does the opportunity connect to the national STEM workforce pipeline?

The solicitation notes that HBCUs award a significant portion of STEM bachelor’s degrees to Black/African American students and also contribute strongly to the pipeline to doctoral education, citing that a meaningful share of Black/African American STEM doctoral recipients earned their undergraduate degrees at HBCUs.

How many awards does NSF expect to make and what is the maximum award amount?

NSF anticipated making about four awards under this opportunity, with an award ceiling of up to $3,000,000.

What is the submission deadline listed for this opportunity?

The original closing date listed for submissions was April 24, 2024.

When was the opportunity record created?

The opportunity record indicates it was created on September 27, 2023.

What is the funding category and type of grant?

This is described as a discretionary NSF grant opportunity in the science and technology research and development category.

Which NSF/CFDA areas are associated with this opportunity?

The opportunity spans multiple NSF CFDA areas, including 47.041, 47.049, 47.050, 47.070, 47.074, 47.075, 47.076, 47.079, 47.083, and 47.084.

Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility is listed broadly as "Others," with additional clarification expected in the full solicitation’s eligibility section. Applicants are expected to review the official NSF solicitation text carefully to confirm institutional and participant requirements tied to the Ideas Lab format.

What does the solicitation suggest about the kinds of solutions NSF wants funded?

The solicitation leans toward shared, actionable solutions that can be adopted across campuses and across institutions. It emphasizes approaches that are practical, networked, and sustainable rather than one-off interventions that end when a single grant ends.

What does the reference to Preuss, Eck, Fechner, and Walker (2020) imply about NSF's priorities?

The solicitation’s reference to Preuss, Eck, Fechner, and Walker (2020) on research development signals interest in research capacity building that includes the workforce and institutional systems supporting research, not just research outputs. This points to strengthening the processes and roles that help institutions compete for funding, manage awards, and scale research programs over time.