Call for Course Release funds DEI, Training Grant, and Research Development Work

The application deadline is June 5, 2023.
Applications received after this deadline may be considered if funds continue to be available.

The Division of Physical and Biological Sciences supports a wide range of programs that address issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion for our students and that offer support for graduate students and postdocs via training grants. Some of these are long-standing, large, externally funded efforts, like our core NIH training grants or the student success programs overseen by the STEM Diversity Research Programs or ACCESS. Some are intermediate-term efforts, like REU programs that might be approved for several cycles or the CAMINO program supported at present by the HHMI. Some are relatively short-term efforts that are somewhat experimental, like a design effort for a new support program or course, or student success efforts built into a NSF CAREER award.

Grants supporting the recruitment, retention, and advancement of individuals from historically marginalized groups (e.g., NSF CAREER, NIH Research Training, HHMI Driving Change, NSF S-STEM, REUs) have rigid funding models that do not acknowledge the loss of scientific productivity of PIs leading the efforts, nor their need for administrative support. These grants typically expect the hosting campus to provide funds to amplify and institutionalize these programs.

The goal of this funding call is to increase funding flexibility for faculty working on grants and campus-based programs to advance community values (e.g., instructional excellence; diversity, equity, and inclusion work). Our goal is to increase the recognition for this work and to support scientists who design and engage in such work while maintaining their active research and pedagogical efforts.

As a pilot program, the division has received five years of funding to provide course release (or equivalent support in research funds) to faculty members and lecturers engaged (or proposing to engage) in this type of work while having equitable and balanced workloads.

Via this call, we are soliciting applications for support at three levels.

1. 1. One quarter of support: This would provide a course buy-out to allow a faculty member to develop a department or institution-transforming proposal (i.e., a proposal that reaches multiple PIs and students and would bring more than $5M in external funds to the campus if funded)
      
   2. Short-term support: Support for program design or administration of limited duration (one to two years, one quarter of support per year, or equivalent research funds per year). Examples might include one or two years of support for the development and launch of a new program that might then seek external support for continuity or support for the development and oversight of a program that has been funded by some other short-term funding source (e.g., NSF CAREER or other awards). Participation or design of pilot programs that are internally funded will also be considered. In this case, we expect funded individuals to play a role in developing institutionalization strategies for these efforts.
      
   3. Long-term support: Support for an existing, long-term training grant or student support grant that has a prospect of renewal or for the initial submission of such an award. Here, faculty might request up to five years of support (again, one quarter of teaching release or equivalent research funds per year).

The goal of this support is to provide the faculty member with time to do this important work for the institution, either by buying out some of their teaching or by providing research support and ensuring that faculty have equitable and balanced workloads. This funding cannot be applied to support staff or students. It must be taken by the faculty member as either course release or research support.

Complete the application form here.