Program Title:
Inclusion across the Nation of Communities of Learners of Underrepresented Discoverers in Engineering and Science (NSF INCLUDES) Design and Development Launch Pilots
Program Description:
With this solicitation, the NSF INCLUDES initiative invites proposals for Design and Development Launch Pilots, which are pilot projects that represent bold, innovative ways to solve broadening participation challenges in STEM. Each Launch Pilot will be funded for up to two years, for a maximum of $300,000. Successful pilots will deliver models or prototypes, including measurement/data infrastructures, enabling collective efforts aimed at increasing the active participation of those who have been traditionally underserved and underrepresented in particular STEM fields or across all fields of STEM.
Teams of organizations might come together locally, regionally, nationally, by disciplinary focus, or by other multisector categories. Key to a successful proposal will be the identification of a specific goal and measurable objectives, and an argument that the set of partners being assembled includes all who are needed to successfully address the objective. The plan must articulate its potential for expansion if funded as a NSF INCLUDES Alliance. (See Section V for more information about preparing NSF INCLUDES Design and Development Launch Pilot proposals.) Researchers and practitioners at minority serving institutions are strongly encouraged to participate in this activity given their experience and expertise in broadening participation.
These planning and start-up activities are aimed at engaging appropriate communities in testing the feasibility of developing and implementing a comprehensive plan and process for change, creating a support infrastructure involving shared measurement and technologies, and identifying other support mechanisms for sustaining the efforts. Early in the first year, the partners are expected to refine their collective commitment to a common set of objectives and plans to achieve them. No later than the second year, successful teams are expected to carry out and report on the results of projects to demonstrate their ability to implement a collective impact-style approach to address the selected broadening participation challenge. Successful Design & Development Launch Pilots are expected to share their goals and plans with one another, the broader community, and a NSF INCLUDES Backbone organization, enabling all to learn from their pilot project experiences. This effort will facilitate the formation of NSF INCLUDES Alliances.
Who May Serve as PI:
There are no restrictions or limits.
Limit on Number of Proposals per Organization: 1
An organization may serve as the lead institution on only one Design and Development Launch Pilot preliminary or full proposal, although it may serve as a collaborating partner on other proposals.
Limit on Number of Proposals per PI or Co-PI: 2
An individual may serve as a PI or Co-PI on only two (2) Design and Development Launch Pilot preliminary or full proposals.
Additional Eligibility Info:
Submission of a preliminary proposal is required for Design and Development Launch Pilots. Full Design and Development Launch Pilot proposals may be submitted by invitation only after the review of the preliminary proposal is completed.
Required for the application:
1. Project Description (This section is limited to four pages and must address separately both the intellectual merit and broader impacts.):
Vision: What broadening participation challenge(s) will be addressed and what is the broader vision of the partnership, network, or alliance for effecting change?
Partnerships: Which institutions are the proposed partners and what is the evidence that the partnership will be able to use social innovation frameworks such as collective impact to achieve the goals of the project?
Goals and Metrics: What is the preliminary strategic plan to address the broadening participation challenge(s) identified above, including goals and measurable objectives?
Leadership and Communication: How will the collaboration build capacity for leadership among all partnering organizations?
Potential for Expansion, Impact and Scale: How will the pilot project’s activities contribute to next steps for a research agenda and development plan to expand the network of organizations and activities into a broader alliance?
2. Project Personnel: Provide a list of project personnel plus each person's institutional affiliation, and a brief description of that person's role(s) in the project. The first section of the list must contain all PI(s), co-PI(s), and sub-award lead senior investigators, including those from all parts of a collaborative proposal. This constitutes the list of key personnel subject to the submission cap for PIs and Co-PIs. The second section of the list should contain other senior personnel. Any individual for whom a biographical sketch is included in the preliminary proposal must be on one of these lists. You should not list undergraduate or graduate students, technicians, or other participants.
3. Biosketches: Upload a SINGLE PDF with all the biographical sketches (2-page limit for each) should be included for each person listed on the Project Personnel page.
NEW APPLICATION PROCESS:
Go to NSF INCLUDES Design & Development Launch Pilots Downselect to apply.
PSU Downselect due date: Friday, January 6, 2017 at 4:00 PM
Preliminary Proposal Due: Tuesday, February 14, 2017 at 5:00 PM
Full Proposal Due: Tuesday, May 16, 2017 at 5:00 PM