The Advancing Informal STEM Learning program from the National Science Foundation supports projects that investigate how people learn about STEM topics outside formal education. Projects should broaden STEM participation, especially among underserved communities and populations.

Applications will be accepted in five project types: Synthesis, Conference, Partnership Development and Planning, Integrating Research and Practice, and Research in Support of Wide-reaching Public Engagement with STEM. Funding and grant period vary by project type. Applications are due by January 8, 2025 at 5:00 PM, applicant’s time.

Eligibility

This grant is open to:

• Institutions of Higher Education, accredited and with a campus in the U.S.
• Nonprofit organizations, such independent museums, observatories, research laboratories, and professional societies in the U.S.
• For-profit organizations: U.S.-based commercial organizations, including small businesses, with strong capabilities in scientific or engineering research or education and a passion for innovation. 
• State and local governments 
• Federally recognized Native American tribes
• Foreign organizations (Cooperative projects involving U.S. and foreign organizations, are permitted, however, support will only be provided for the U.S. portion.) 
• Other Federal agencies and Federally Funded Research and Development Centers

Program Goals

Proposals should include some or all of the following goals:

• Learning STEM in Informal Experiences and Environments (required)
• Advancing the Knowledge Base of Informal STEM Learning (required)
• Broadening Participation in STEM (required)
• Intentionally Community/Practitioner Driven (optional)
• Professional Capacity Building & Informal STEM Infrastructure (optional)

Informal STEM Learning Examples

Informal STEM learning may include, but is not limited to:

• Exhibitions and programs in museums, zoos, aquaria, botanic gardens/arboreta, planetariums, nature centers, parks, libraries, homes, community centers, and other environments
• Science communications 
• Traditional or intergenerational knowledge sharing 
• Community and participatory science, such as, radio, television, or podcasts 
• Do-It-Yourself (DIY) or maker initiatives
• Public research engagement, including crowd-sourcing and Public Participation in Scientific Research
• Online and other digital experiences, such as, games, simulations, and social media

Project Types

Synthesis

NSF expects to award 6-8 Synthesis grants per year. Each will be $100,000 – $500,000 for 2-3 years and should focus on understanding questions and issues related to informal STEM learning. This may include systematic literature reviews, meta-syntheses, and meta-analyses.

Conferences

NSF expects to award 10-15 Conference grants per year. Each will be $75,000 – $250,000 for 1-2 years and may be submitted at any time. Although there is no deadline for this topic, applicants are encouraged to submit at least one year before the scheduled event.

Conferences under this program should bring researchers, practitioners, policymakers, and/or learners together to share research, experiences, and best practices in informal STEM education.

Partnership Development and Planning 

NSF expects to award 10-15 Partnership Development and Planning grants per year. Each will be $50,000 – $150,000 for 1-1.5 years and should be used to design a collaborative research and development project. Potential activities include multidisciplinary workshops, stakeholder meetings, and project planning.

Integrating Research and Practice 

NSF expects to award 12-16 Integrating Research and Practice grants per year. Each will be $250,000 – $2 million for 2-5 years and should involve reciprocal parternerships between researchers and practitioners. Together, they should study new issues and innovative approaches to informal STEM learning.

Research in Support of Wide-reaching Public Engagement with STEM

NSF expects to award 5-8 Research in Support of Wide-reaching Public Engagement with STEM grants per year. Each will be $1-2 million for 2-5 years and focus on large-scale efforts to reach hundreds of thousands of informal STEM learners.