Important information about NSF’s implementation of the revised 2 CFR

NSF Financial Assistance awards (grants and cooperative agreements) made on or after October 1, 2024, will be subject to the applicable set of award conditions, dated October 1, 2024, available on the NSF website. These terms and conditions are consistent with the revised guidance specified in the OMB Guidance for Federal Financial Assistance published in the Federal Register on April 22, 2024.

Important information for proposers

All proposals must be submitted in accordance with the requirements specified in this funding opportunity and in the NSF Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG) that is in effect for the relevant due date to which the proposal is being submitted. It is the responsibility of the proposer to ensure that the proposal meets these requirements. Submitting a proposal prior to a specified deadline does not negate this requirement.

Workplace Equity: Solicitation Webinar

An overview webinar about the Workplace Equity for Persons with Disabilities in STEM and STEM Education solicitation (NSF 23-593) was presented to the public on July 13, 2023. The agency-wide supported solicitation activities, which are managed by the Division of Equity for Excellence in STEM in the Directorate for STEM Education, support fundamental, applied, and translational research to advance knowledge and practice about diverse, equitable, inclusive, and accessible STEM and STEM education workplaces and postsecondary training environments for persons with disabilities. The overview webinar included a description of the different proposal types: Research, Synthesis, Conference, EAGER, and RAPID proposals. 

2023 Workplace Equity Webinar
Credit: U.S. National Science Foundation

 

Transcribed slides: 

Slide 1

Workplace Equity for Persons with Disabilities in STEM and STEM Education (NSF 23-593)

Mark H. Leddy, PhD, MS, Lead Program Director
Christopher L. Atchison, PhD, Program Director
Division of Equity for Excellence in STEM
Directorate for STEM Education
National Science Foundation

Solicitation Webinar
July 13, 2023

Slide 2

Screen shot of top section of the solicitation listing the participating organizations within NSF 
Workplace Equity for Persons with Disabilities in STEM and STEM Education 
Program Solicitation NSF 23-593

National Science Foundation 

Directorate for STEM Education
    Division of Equity for Excellence in STEM
    Division of Graduate Education
    Division of Undergraduate Education
    Research on Learning in Formal and Informal Settings
Directorate for Biological Sciences
Directorate for Computer and Information Science and Engineering
Directorate for Engineering
Directorate for Geosciences
Directorate for Mathematical and Physical Sciences
Directorate for Social, Behavioral and Economic Sciences
Directorate for Technology, Innovation and Partnerships
Office of Integrative Activities
Office of International Science and Engineering

Slide 3

3 Research Themes

  • Studying barriers and/or solutions to diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility (DEIA).
  • Applying intersectional social identity perspectives to investigate characteristics and conditions that limit and/or improve DEIA.
  • Conducting use-inspired and solution-oriented translational research about DEIA.

Slide 4

6 Key Project Design Components

  1. Researchers, experts, and/or organizations with disability experience.
  2. Disability type(s) to be investigated.
  3. STEM and/or STEM education workplace(s) and/or postsecondary training setting(s).
  4. Theoretical and/or conceptual framework(s), research hypotheses, questions, designs, methodologies, data analyses, and data interpretation plans.
  5. Assessment of project success.
  6. Accessible dissemination of knowledge and/or practice outcomes to traditional and new audiences.

Slide 5

Eligibility Information: Who May Submit

  • Institutions of higher education
  • Non-profit, non-academic organizations
  • For-profit organizations, including small businesses
  • State & local governments, including school districts
  • Tribal governments

 Slide 6

PI and Organizational Eligibility Information

  • NO limits or restrictions on who may serve as PI.
  • NO limits or restrictions on the number of proposals per organization.
  • NO limits or restrictions on the number of proposals per PI or Co-PI.

Slide 7

5 Proposal Types

  • Research
  • Synthesis
  • Conference
  • EArly-concept Grants for Exploratory Research (EAGER)
  • Rapid Response Research (RAPID)

Slide 8

Full Proposal Deadline and Target Date

  • Research and Synthesis Full Proposals
    • Due Tuesday, September 19, 2023
    • By 5pm submitter’s local time
  • Conference, EAGER, and RAPID Proposals
    • Target date is Tuesday, September 19, 2023
    • May be submitted before, on, or after target date

Slide 9

NSF Merit Review Criteria

  • Intellectual Merit: This criterion encompasses the potential to advance knowledge.
  • Broader Impacts: This criterion encompasses the potential to benefit society and contribute to the achievement of specific, desired societal outcomes.
  • Data Management and Postdoctoral Researcher Mentoring Plans
  • Additional Solicitation Review Criteria

Slide 10

Elements of NSF Merit Review Criteria

  1. What is the potential for the proposed activity to:
    1. Advance knowledge and understanding within its own field or across different fields (Intellectual Merit); and
    2. Benefit society or advance desired societal outcomes (Broader Impacts)?
  2. To what extent do the proposed activities suggest and explore creative, original, or potentially transformative concepts?

Slide 11

Elements of NSF Merit Review Criteria

  1. Is the plan for carrying out the proposed activities well-reasoned, well-organized, and based on a sound rationale? Does the plan incorporate a mechanism to assess success?
  2. How well qualified is the individual, team, or organization to conduct the proposed activities?
  3. Are there adequate resources available to the PI (either at the home organization or through collaborations) to carry out the proposed activities?

Slide 12

Research & Synthesis Specific Review Criteria

  1. Researchers, experts, and/or organizations with disability experience.
  2. Disability type(s) to be investigated.
  3. STEM and/or STEM education workplace(s) and/or postsecondary training setting(s).
  4. Theoretical and/or conceptual framework(s), research hypotheses, questions, designs, methodologies, data analyses, and data interpretation plans.
  5. Assessment of project success.
  6. Accessible dissemination of knowledge and/or practice outcomes to traditional and new audiences.

Slide 13

Authentic Leadership and Partnerships

Include people with disabilities on the project team:

  • Researchers and senior staff
  • Other personnel, staff, and expert consultants
  • Postdoctoral research scholars
  • Graduate students
  • Undergraduate students
  • Advisory board members

Slide 14

Disability Types

  • D/deafness or hearing loss
  • Blindness or visual impairment
  • Physical
  • Mental health
  • Medical or other health-related disabilities
  • Neurodiverse or cognitive conditions: Dyslexia, Autism spectrum disorders, Learning Disabilities, and others
  • Multiple disabilities

Slide 15

Workplaces and Training Settings

  • Private, public, & government-funded research centers and laboratories, businesses, & industries
  • Undergraduate, graduate & postgraduate college & university classrooms, labs, & research facilities
  • Field stations & remote sites, observatories, polar facilities, research aircraft, & sea-going vessels
  • PreK-12 classrooms & learning environments
  • Tribal & indigenous facilities & environmental settings

Slide 16

Theoretical and Conceptual Frameworks

  • Robust research hypotheses, questions, designs, methodologies, data analysis & data interpretation
  • Required foundation for robust research methods
  • May also align with indigenous traditional ecological knowledge & community-based participatory research
  • Intersectional perspective, framework, or theory
  • Critical disability theory
  • Universal design principles 

Slide 17

Project Assessment and Evaluation

  • Plan for soliciting & addressing feedback, for example:
    • Internal and/or external advisory board(s)
    • Internal and/or external evaluation plan(s)
    • Other evaluative mechanisms
  • Rationale for assessment mechanisms
  • Plan for objective assessment activities
  • Description of how assessment will inform project modifications and improvements

Slide 18

Dissemination for Knowledge Advancement

  • How results, findings, outputs, and outcomes advance knowledge AND contribute to practice or policies
  • Creative approaches to reach broad audiences, in addition to peer-reviewed publications
  • Communication plan: Specific audiences, channels, media, and technologies
  • Bring findings to mainstream communities in 508 compliant and accessible formats

Slide 19

Research Theme 1: Barriers and Solutions

Studying the Barriers and Solutions to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility in STEM and STEM Education Workplaces and Training Settings for Persons with Disabilities

Slide 20

Research Theme 2: Intersectional Perspectives

Applying Intersectional Social Identity Perspectives to Investigate Characteristics and Conditions of STEM and STEM Education Workplaces and Training Settings for Persons with Disabilities

Slide 21

Research Theme 3: Adapt, Adopt, Translate

Conducting Use-Inspired and Solution-Oriented Translational Research about Diverse, Equitable, Inclusive, and Accessible STEM and STEM Education Workplaces and Training Settings for Persons with Disabilities

Slide 22

Research Examples: Barriers

  1. Physical and technological barriers limiting work or training, and/or restricting equipment use 
  2. Socio-cultural factors adversely impacting thoughts, attitudes, and behaviors about people with disabilities
  3. Policies and practices that are implicitly or explicitly biasing against people with disabilities 

Slide 23

Research Examples: Solutions

  1. Solutions to eliminate physical or technological barriers that restrict equipment use
  2. Intervention to mitigate negative socio-cultural factors impacting attitudes and behaviors
  3. Policy and practice changes that mitigate or eliminate biases that limit persons with disabilities

Slide 24

Proposal Preparation and Submissions Instructions

  • Research.gov or Grants.gov submissions 
  • Project Summary
  • Project Description
  • Budgets and Budget Justification
  • Special Information and Supplementary Documentation

Slide 25

Research.gov or Grants.gov submission 

  • NSF FastLane is no longer a submission option
  • Research.gov
    • NSF Proposal and Award Policies and Procedures Guide (PAPPG) 
    • Required use for collaborative proposals
  • Grants.gov
    • NSF Grants.gov Application Guide

Slide 26

Project Summary Guidelines

  • Overview (Research issue or project purpose)
    • Research theme & 6 project design components
  • Intellectual Merit (Advance knowledge potential)
    • Research goals, hypotheses, questions, designs, methodologies, data analyses, data interpretation
  • Broader Impacts (Benefit society & outcomes)
    • Outcomes for individuals & communities; brief communication & dissemination plan overview

Slide 27

Project Description Guidelines

  • Introduction
  • Literature review
  • Research plan
  • Assessment and evaluation plans
  • Leadership, management & organization resources
  • Dissemination & communication plan
  • Results from prior NSF Support
  • Broader Impacts

Slide 28

Budgets and Budget Justification

  • Voluntary committed cost sharing is prohibited
  • Budget request is driven by scope of activities
  • Include Line E. Travel, 1. Domestic for an annual two-day awardee meeting
    • PI +1 project team member
    • All undergraduates, graduate students, & postdoctoral researchers working on the project

Slide 29

Special Information and Supplementary Documentation

  • No appendices
  • No letters of support or endorsement
  • Data Management Plan
  • Postdoctoral Research Scholar Mentoring Plan
  • Letters of collaboration

Slide 30

Special Award Conditions

The grantee is required to share requested materials and data, as allowed by the policies of the institutions, organizations, or federally recognized Tribal and Indigenous communities, with an NSF funded resource hub and/or a third-party evaluator if and when requested to do so.

Slide 31

Requests for Reasonable and Accessibility Accommodations

NSF Proposal and Award Policies and Procedures Guide (PAPPG): Chapter II, Section A.2.

  • Proposal accommodations: NSF Office of Equity and Civil Right’s Disability Program Manager at rarequest@nsf.gov 
  • Accessibility accommodations: NSF Section 508 Compliance Officer at kotts@nsf.gov
  • At least 30 calendar days prior to a proposal deadline

Slide 32

Facilitation Awards for Scientists and Engineers with Disabilities (FASED)

Slide 33

Directorate for STEM Education 
Dear Colleague Letters

  • Dear Colleague Letter: Research to Improve STEM Teaching, Learning, and Workforce Development for Persons with Disabilities (NSF 21-114)
  • Dear Colleague Letter: Persons with Disabilities – STEM Engagement and Access (NSF 21-110) 

Slide 34

Workplace Equity for Persons with Disabilities in STEM and STEM Education (NSF 23-593)

Mark H. Leddy, mleddy@nsf.gov, (703) 292-4655
Christopher Atchison, catchiso@nsf.gov, (703) 292-2154

Division of Equity for Excellence in STEM
Directorate for STEM Education, National Science Foundation

Solicitation Webinar, July 13, 2023

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