The National Science Foundation (NSF) is offering funding through the Hispanic-Serving Institutions: Enriching Learning, Programs, and Student Experiences (HSI:ELPSE) program. This initiative is a part of NSF's broader Improving Undergraduate STEM Education: Hispanic-Serving Institutions program and aims to enhance the quality of undergraduate science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education at Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs). The program also seeks to increase recruitment, retention, and graduation rates for students pursuing STEM degrees at these institutions. The NSF recognizes the unique role of HSIs in diversifying and strengthening the national STEM workforce and is committed to supporting projects that foster an inclusive and student-centered learning environment.

The HSI:ELPSE solicitation includes two funding tracks: Implementation and Evaluation Projects (IEP) and Educational Instrumentation (EI). The IEP track focuses on implementing, testing, and refining promising educational practices, as well as conducting research on broadening participation in STEM fields. This track is divided into Level 1 (up to $500,000 for three years) and Level 2 (up to $1,000,000 for five years), with the latter requiring a more comprehensive research plan and institutional commitment to sustainability. The Educational Instrumentation (EI) track supports HSIs in acquiring computing resources and laboratory instrumentation necessary for high-quality STEM education. This track provides awards of up to $200,000 for two years and is restricted to Primarily Undergraduate Institutions (PUIs) and institutions located in Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) jurisdictions.

Eligible applicants for the IEP track must be accredited higher education institutions that meet the federal definition of an HSI, offering undergraduate STEM educational programs leading to certificates or degrees. Applicants must provide an updated eligibility letter from the U.S. Department of Education confirming their HSI designation at the time of submission. The EI track is open only to HSIs in EPSCoR jurisdictions or Primarily Undergraduate Institutions (PUIs) that award associate, bachelor’s, and/or master’s degrees but have granted 20 or fewer Ph.D./D.Sci. degrees in NSF-supported fields over the previous two years.

The proposal submission process requires applicants to adhere to the guidelines in the NSF Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG). Full proposals must be submitted via Research.gov or Grants.gov by the specified deadlines. The next full proposal deadlines are June 4, 2024, for Educational Instrumentation (EI) projects and February 12, 2025, for IEP and EI projects (recurring annually on the second Wednesday of February). No Letters of Intent or Preliminary Proposals are required, but applicants must follow detailed proposal preparation instructions, including a data-driven Institutional Data Narrative, evaluation plan, and sustainability strategy.

The NSF will evaluate proposals based on intellectual merit and broader impacts, with particular emphasis on addressing student experiences, implementing data-driven approaches, and ensuring long-term institutional commitment. The agency expects to issue 23 to 33 awards, with an anticipated total funding of $19 million. Each awarded project must submit annual progress reports, participate in NSF program evaluations, and demonstrate meaningful educational outcomes.

For further inquiries, applicants may contact program officers Sonja Montas-Hunter (smontash@nsf.gov, 703-292-7404), Michael J. Ferrara (mferrara@nsf.gov, 703-292-2635), Josephine Rodriguez (jrodrigu@nsf.gov, 703-292-2986), or Robert Talbot (rtalbot@nsf.gov, 703-292-7165). Additional details, submission guidelines, and program updates can be found on the NSF HSI program webpage.