This briefing provides a synopsis of education grant opportunities that will be due within the next 6 – 12 months, which is within the ideal timeframe for completing a grant application. If you are interested in any of the funding opportunities, we encourage you to fully review the program's solicitation. Finally, if you have questions about the program and the related evaluation please contact us.
Funding Agency: National Science Foundation
Program Purpose: The CyberCorps® Scholarship for Service program is a key initiative in developing a highly skilled and diverse cybersecurity workforce capable of protecting the nation’s digital infrastructure. The program offers financial support to students pursuing cybersecurity education in exchange for government service post-graduation. Its overarching goal is to increase the pipeline of qualified cybersecurity professionals who can take on critical roles in federal, state, local, and tribal governments. The program also focuses on strengthening educational institutions' capacity to provide high-quality cybersecurity training and research opportunities, and fostering collaborations between academia and government agencies to address the growing needs of national cybersecurity.
Program Evaluation Requirements: “The evaluator must be external to the project, though may be employed by a project's home institution if they work in a separate organizational unit that has a different reporting line from that of the project's home unit. The evaluator may not serve as a Pl, co-Pl, or Senior Personnel on the project. The proposal must identify appropriate assessment and evaluation plans for project improvement, as well as plans for programmatic evaluation at the end of the project for accountability purposes. The evaluation plans must clearly align with the stated goals of the project.”
Due Dates: Full Proposal due July 15, 2025.
Learn More About CyberCorps SFS
For additional resources supporting the implementation of the SFS grant, please visit our case study on Sinclair Community College.
Funding Agency: National Science Foundation
Program Purpose: The Improving Undergraduate STEM Education (IUSE: EDU) program is a central NSF initiative aimed at enhancing the quality and impact of STEM education for undergraduate students across the nation. It supports research and development projects that explore, implement, and scale innovative and evidence-based teaching practices, with a focus on understanding what works, for whom, and in what contexts. The program encourages institutional transformation to foster sustainable improvements in STEM learning environments. Through investments in knowledge-generating approaches, professional development, and collaborative partnerships, IUSE: EDU aims to prepare students to become leaders in evolving STEM fields while contributing to a scientifically literate and skilled workforce.
Program Evaluation Requirements: “Project evaluation plan: For all proposals except ICT Capacity-Building, an appropriate evaluation plan should be included for all projects, along with project personnel dedicated to evaluation of project activities. Evaluation activities may be conducted by an independent external evaluator, by qualified members of the project team, or guided by a project advisory board. Evaluation activities should be aligned with proposed activities and expected outcomes.”
Due Dates: Full Proposal due July 16, 2025.
Funding Agency: National Science Foundation
The Research Training Groups in the Mathematical Sciences (RTG) program is a strategic initiative aimed at enhancing the nation's scientific competitiveness by expanding and strengthening the mathematical sciences career pipeline. The program supports the formation of structured, collaborative research groups at institutions of higher education to improve graduate student research training and professional development. These research groups may also include undergraduate or postdoctoral participants, fostering strategic collaboration among mathematical sciences trainees. RTG welcomes proposals from all areas of mathematical sciences and places special emphasis on projects that integrate mathematics and statistics with emerging fields such as Artificial Intelligence, Biotechnology, Quantum Computing, and Cybersecurity.
Program Evaluation Requirements: “Performance Assessment / Project Evaluation Plan. Each proposal must clearly state the project's goals and describe a plan to assess the progress towards achieving those goals. The assessment plan should describe the quantitative and qualitative information that will be used to monitor the RTG activities and a plan for mid-course corrections as needed.”
Due Dates: Full Proposal due August 12, 2025.
Funding Agency: National Science Foundation
Program Purpose: The Scholarships in STEM Network (S-STEM-Net) program supports the development of a national infrastructure to advance research, collaboration, and dissemination of effective practices that enhance the success of low-income undergraduate and graduate students in STEM fields. Through the creation of dedicated research hubs and a central resource and evaluation center, the program aims to foster a collaborative network comprised of institutions, researchers, and multi-sector partners committed to improving outcomes for economically disadvantaged students. The hubs will investigate barriers to student success, while identifying the conditions under which various interventions are most effective. This program is designed to ensure that all Americans, regardless of economic background, can fully participate in and contribute to the nation’s innovation economy.
Program Evaluation Requirements: “Proposals must include formative and summative assessments of the quality and success of the S-STEM-Hub activities as appropriate. This evaluation must be conducted by an independent experienced evaluator who is external to the project and to the institution.”
Due Dates: Full Proposal due August 14, 2025.
Funding Agency: National Science Foundation
Program Purpose: The Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program is designed to address the critical need for qualified STEM educators in high-need school districts. By providing scholarships and support to STEM undergraduates, professionals, and experienced teachers, the program aims to recruit and prepare individuals to become effective K-12 STEM teachers. The initiative also supports the development of teacher leaders who remain in the classroom while taking on leadership roles in their schools and communities. Ultimately, the Noyce Program seeks to increase the number of highly trained STEM educators, especially in underserved districts, where the impact of skilled teachers on student achievement is most profound.
Program Evaluation Requirements: “Provide an evaluation plan that will assess the effectiveness of the project in attracting, preparing, and retaining Noyce-eligible STEM majors and/or professionals in teaching careers (for S&S and TF) or developing and retaining teacher leaders in teaching careers (for MTF) in high-need LEAs. The evaluation should include ways to measure the effectiveness of the recipients as teachers and teacher leaders. The proposal must identify an independent evaluator with the expertise to conduct a third-party evaluation.”
Due Dates: Full Proposal due August 26, 2025.
Funding Agency: National Science Foundation
Program Purpose: The NSF HSI Program aims to improve the quality of STEM education at Hispanic-serving institutions (HSIs) and to increase the recruitment, retention, and graduation rates of Hispanic and other underrepresented students in STEM fields. The program supports initiatives that enhance the educational experience for undergraduate students at HSIs, through curriculum reform, research opportunities, and support services that promote student success.
Program Evaluation Requirements: “All ETSE proposals must include a section that will describe how the project will assess progress, document outcomes, and evaluate success in achieving the project’s goals. The selected project evaluator should be independent from the project team but may be an individual from the same institution who has expertise in evaluation and assessment. Evaluators are expected to adhere to the American Evaluation Association's Guiding Principles for Evaluators.”
Due Dates: Full Proposal due August 27, 2025.
Funding Agency: National Science Foundation
Program Purpose: The NSF Research Traineeship (NRT) program supports innovative, evidence-based approaches to graduate education that equip students in research-based master’s and doctoral programs with the skills, knowledge, and competencies needed to succeed in a wide range of STEM careers. Focused on high-priority interdisciplinary or convergent research areas, the program promotes comprehensive traineeship models that reflect the evolving demands of the STEM workforce and research enterprise. The NRT program emphasizes workforce development, broadening participation, and building institutional capacity, encouraging strategic partnerships with entities such as private industry, NGOs, government agencies, national labs, and academic collaborators. It especially welcomes proposals that align with and enhance existing NSF initiatives—including INCLUDES, REU, LSAMP, S-STEM, and the STEM Ed OPRF—fostering synergistic efforts to advance diversity, inclusion, and innovation in STEM graduate education. Institutions serving underrepresented populations and those with emerging research capacity are particularly encouraged to apply.
Program Evaluation Requirements: “Projects should include plans to evaluate the success of the research and traineeship activities. In particular, the proposal should identify specific competencies and outcomes along with performance measures and an evaluation timetable. Although the focus should be on trainees, the evaluation plan should also assess how the NRT project affects faculty teaching and research, academic programs, and institutional policies regarding interdisciplinary collaboration in STEM graduate education.”
“The project team should ensure that the project benefits from an unbiased and external perspective in project assessment/evaluation activities. Project evaluator(s) can be from an internal or external assessment unit or consulting entity. If a project chooses to involve an individual or team from the lead or collaborating institution(s) in the evaluation, then the project must provide justification and explain how bias would be mitigated and managed. This section should also describe project evaluation sustainability plans including the efforts that will be made so that the assessment/evaluation tools that are developed/implemented during the project period are available to the academic community at the participating institution/s beyond the award period. The lead evaluator must be listed as one of the 10 core participants. This requirement does not impact institutional eligibility, as organizations participating solely as project evaluators are excluded from the institutional eligibility limits on numbers of proposals submitted (see Section IV).”
Due Dates: Full Proposal due September 8, 2025
Funding Agency: National Science Foundation
Program Purpose: This program aims to transform undergraduate engineering education by fostering innovative, evidence-based approaches that promote deep and sustained cultural, organizational, structural, and pedagogical change within engineering departments. Four tracks within the program are available in support of eligible departments aiming to transform engineering education at their respective institutions. The program emphasizes institutional engagement, cross-sector collaboration, and inclusion of diverse educational institutions, including two-year colleges and EPSCoR jurisdictions. With a focus on disciplinary courses and sustained institutional change, RED encourages proposals in national priority areas such as artificial intelligence, biotechnology, quantum engineering, and sustainability, aiming to reshape what it means to educate the next generation of engineers.
Program Evaluation Requirements: “All proposals must have an independent project evaluation plan that matches the scope of the proposed work. Evaluation refers to monitoring of the activities to ensure that the project stays on track and that the desired outputs and impacts are achieved. The evaluation plan should be designed to provide guidance to the project and contribute to the literature on which changes worked, why, and in what contexts. The evaluation plan should include both formative and summative components. An evaluator external to the PIs’ organization is not required, but the evaluator should not be an individual who is involved in the other activities of the project. Provide a logic model that links inputs and activities to specific outputs and short-, medium-, and long-term outcomes that will allow you to determine if the project has an impact. Based on the theory of change and the desirable outcomes of the proposed revolution, enumerate appropriate indicators of success related to accomplishing the goals and objectives and a timeframe to seek measurable change. Describe the data collection and analysis plan that will allow the success of the project to be evaluated. The data management plan should address both the data collected to achieve the project objectives and the data collected to evaluate the project.”
Due Dates: Full Proposal due September 9, 2025.
Learn More About (IUSE/PFE: RED)
Funding Agency: National Science Foundation
Program Purpose: This program supports research that identifies and addresses factors influencing access, participation, and success in STEM education and careers for individuals with disabilities. The program encourages proposals that investigate the specific barriers faced by people with disabilities and develop strategies, practices, and policies that create more inclusive, supportive, and effective environments for all individuals, ultimately strengthening access and opportunity across the broader STEM ecosystem. Projects may also examine how disability intersects with other social and demographic factors to inform more responsive and equitable practices. Through this work, NSF aims to enhance the capacity of workplaces and educational institutions to foster talent, engagement, and achievement among all members of the STEM community.
Program Evaluation Requirements: “Proposals should include plans to assess the success of the project activities. The proposal should describe actions for soliciting and addressing external feedback (e.g., through internal and/or external advisory board(s), internal and/or external evaluation plan(s), and/or other evaluative mechanisms). A rationale for the proposed evaluation mechanism(s) should be provided, as well as a description about how assessment activities will be implemented and used to inform project modifications and improvements. Proposals should include an explanation and justification about how internal and/or external evaluation activities will ensure objectivity in the assessment processes.”
Due Dates: Full Proposal due September 16, 2025.
Learn More About Workplace Equity for Persona with Disabilities in STEM and STEM Education
Funding Agency: National Science Foundations
Program Purpose: The EHR Core Research (ECR:Core) program supports fundamental research that advances foundational knowledge in STEM education across three key areas: STEM learning and learning environments, broadening participation in STEM, and STEM workforce development. Through this solicitation, NSF invites proposals that contribute to general, explanatory understanding through both curiosity-driven and use-inspired basic research. Projects may focus on learners of all ages and demographics, and can take place in both formal and informal educational settings. The program emphasizes the generation of broadly relevant insights, recognizing that the impact on practice may be indirect or long-term rather than immediate. To accommodate researchers at various stages of inquiry, ECR:Core offers three levels of funding with project durations ranging from three to five years. These tiered tracks provide flexibility, allowing researchers to align funding requests with the maturity, scope, and complexity of their proposed work as they develop and refine critical knowledge in STEM education.
Program Evaluation Requirements: “Projects are expected to document, and report progress toward the accomplishment or trustworthiness of intellectual merit and broader impact goals, objectives, and outcomes defined in the proposal, including any anticipated impacts on potential stakeholder communities. Proposals should include plans for soliciting and addressing external feedback (e.g., through an advisory board, evaluation plan, or other evaluative mechanisms).”
Due Dates: Full Proposal due October 2, 2025.
Funding Agency: National Science Foundation
Program Purpose: The Advanced Technological Education (ATE) program supports efforts to strengthen the education of science and engineering technicians by fostering partnerships between two-year institutions of higher education, other academic institutions, industry, and related organizations. Centered on the critical role of two-year colleges, ATE aims to enhance the preparation of technicians for high-technology fields essential to the nation’s economic growth. The program supports a wide range of activities including curriculum development, professional development for educators, career pathway design for students and incumbent workers, and applied research that contributes to the knowledge base in technician education. ATE encourages collaborations with industry-focused organizations to align technician education with evolving workforce needs.
Program Evaluation Requirements: “All ATE-funded work must be evaluated. Project descriptions must include a subsection titled 'Evaluation Plan'".
Due Dates: Full Proposal due October 2, 2025.
Funding Agency: National Science Foundation
Program Purpose: The Discovery Research PreK-12 (DRK-12) program supports research and development aimed at improving STEM teaching and learning experiences for preK-12 students and educators. Its goal is to generate knowledge and tools that foster high-quality STEM education across all grade levels by advancing understanding of how to build content knowledge, practices, and skills among students and teachers. The program emphasizes collaborative partnerships among researchers, practitioners, and school leaders to both extend the scientific knowledge base and improve educational practice. DRK-12 supports a range of research project types, including exploratory studies, design and development work, impact and implementation research, and efforts focused on measurement, assessment, or synthesis. In addition to traditional research projects, the program offers support for partnership development and convenings such as workshops and conferences.
Program Evaluation Requirements: “Proposals must describe appropriate mechanisms to assess success through project-specific external review and feedback processes. These mechanisms might include an external review panel or advisory board proposed by the project or a third-party evaluator. Mechanisms to assess success should be sufficiently independent, rigorous, and timely as to influence the project's activities and improve the quality of its findings.”
Due Dates: Full Proposal due November 12, 2025.
Research and Community Capacity-Building
Faculty Early Career Development Program (CAREER)
Program Purpose
The CAREER Program supports early-career faculty who have the potential to become academic leaders in both research and education. This NSF initiative encourages junior faculty to pursue activities that combine cutting-edge research with innovative educational approaches that contribute to their fields and engage students. Through this program, NSF aims to build a foundation for sustained academic leadership, where faculty members not only advance knowledge but also inspire and mentor the next generation of researchers and scholars.
Program Evaluation Requirements
“Meaningful assessment and evaluation of NSF funded projects should be based on appropriate metrics, keeping in mind the likely correlation between the effect of broader impacts and the resources provided to implement projects. If the size of the activity is limited, evaluation of that activity in isolation is not likely to be meaningful. Thus, assessing the effectiveness of these activities may best be done at a higher, more aggregated, level than the individual project.”
Due Dates: Full Proposal due July 23, 2025.
https://new.nsf.gov/funding/opportunities/career-faculty-early-career-development-program
Funding Agency: National Science Foundation
Program Purpose: The CAREER Program supports early-career faculty who have the potential to become academic leaders in both research and education. This NSF initiative encourages junior faculty to pursue activities that combine cutting-edge research with innovative educational approaches that contribute to their fields and engage students. Through this program, NSF aims to build a foundation for sustained academic leadership, where faculty members not only advance knowledge but also inspire and mentor the next generation of researchers and scholars.
Program Evaluation Requirements: “Meaningful assessment and evaluation of NSF funded projects should be based on appropriate metrics, keeping in mind the likely correlation between the effect of broader impacts and the resources provided to implement projects. If the size of the activity is limited, evaluation of that activity in isolation is not likely to be meaningful. Thus, assessing the effectiveness of these activities may best be done at a higher, more aggregated, level than the individual project.”
Due Dates: Full Proposal due July 23, 2025.
Funding Agency: National Science Foundation
Program Purpose: The CREST-RISE program is designed to enhance the research infrastructure and capacity of minority-serving institutions (MSIs), particularly in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). This program supports the development of research capabilities and fosters greater integration of research and education at MSIs. By doing so, it aims to build a robust environment for STEM research, increase research productivity, and expand the participation of underrepresented groups in STEM doctoral programs.
Program Evaluation Requirements: “All proposals must include an evaluation section that describes how the project evaluator/evaluation team will gauge the accomplishment of project goals and the impacts of the project. The budget must include adequate resources for project evaluation. Evaluator(s) may be internal or external to DPSI institutions but must be external to the project itself and positioned to carry out the evaluation plan independently.”
Due Dates: Full Proposal due August 1, 2025.
Funding Agency: National Science Foundation
Program Purpose: The Smart and Connected Communities (S&CC) program supports interdisciplinary, high-risk research that integrates intelligent technologies with the natural and built environments to address pressing challenges and improve quality of life in communities across the United States. A central aim of the program is to foster the development of “smart and connected” communities—those that seamlessly combine advanced technologies with civic infrastructure and community functions to drive meaningful outcomes. The program encourages researchers and local stakeholders to co-identify real-world issues and design innovative, use-inspired basic research projects that respond to community needs. These efforts are expected to advance priorities such as economic development, public safety, health and wellness, access to essential services, and overall community well-being, contributing to both technological advancement and societal benefit.
Program Evaluation Requirements: “The proposal Evaluation Plan should clearly define the methods and metrics for evaluating success of the proposed research activities and goals. In this section, the proposers should clearly describe how research hypotheses will be confirmed. This should be considered as an important section whereby the PI demonstrates their insights into the proposed research by clearly describing how the research hypotheses will be confirmed and demonstrated through realistic in-context experiments. The Evaluation Plan should include details on how both the research and its outcomes will be validated and demonstrated through testing and implementation within controlled environments and/or real-world contexts through full or sub-scale prototypes and/or simulations. This section should include project milestones and timelines, with details of the specific evaluation metrics, methodologies and criteria that will be employed to determine process and/or project success.”
Due Dates: Preliminary Proposal due September 8, Full Proposal due November 10, 2025
Funding Agency: National Science Foundation
Program Purpose: The Broadening Participation in Engineering (BPE) program supports the development of the engineering workforce by strengthening research communities focused on expanding participation. It fosters collaboration across K-12, higher education, nonprofit, and industry sectors, encouraging innovative research and capacity-building initiatives that advance equity in engineering. Through activities such as planning grants, mentoring hubs, research projects, and equity-centered centers, BPE aims to cultivate networks and infrastructure that support the professional growth and inclusion of diverse talent across the engineering landscape.
Program Evaluation Requirements: Evaluation requirements, including engagement of independent evaluators, vary by track. “Track 2, 3, and 4 proposals should: Include a mechanism to assess and evaluate how well the project has achieved the stated objectives. To be competitive, proposals should include evaluation and assessment components that can effectively document both successes and failures. Awardees must set (and meet) measurable goals and collect evidence to determine progress toward those goals.)”
Due Dates: Full Proposals for Tracks 3 and 4 due November 19, 2025. Proposals for Tracks 1 and 2 accepted on a rolling basis.
