Opportunity Information: Apply for 23 545
The Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Education Organizational Postdoctoral Research Fellowships opportunity is a National Science Foundation (NSF) grant program run through the Directorate for STEM Education (EDU). It supports organizations that want to build and run structured postdoctoral fellowship projects focused specifically on STEM education research. The central aim is to strengthen the research abilities of recent PhD graduates by giving them a well-supported environment where they can deepen their methodological and theoretical expertise, contribute to active STEM education studies, and grow into more independent researchers.
This particular solicitation is the organizational track, meaning the award goes to an institution or organization that will host and manage a cohort of postdoctoral fellows, rather than funding a single person directly. NSF notes that there is a companion solicitation for individual postdoctoral fellowship awards (STEM Ed IPRF), but the opportunity described here is the STEM Ed OPRF, where an organization designs the fellowship experience and provides the structure, mentoring, and research setting that the fellows will use. The expectation is that fellows are brought into ongoing research projects, while also being supported in developing their own independent research direction over the course of the fellowship.
Programmatically, the fellowship model is designed to broaden and strengthen the national pool of STEM education researchers who can produce new knowledge about how people learn STEM, what learning environments work best, how to broaden participation in STEM fields, and how education connects to STEM workforce development. In other words, NSF is not only investing in the next set of researchers, but also trying to improve the quality and reach of STEM education research so it can better inform practice, policy, and program design across a variety of settings.
A major emphasis in the solicitation is expanding participation and strengthening pathways for people and institutions that have been historically underrepresented in STEM. The opportunity explicitly encourages proposals led by principal investigators who are women, veterans, persons with disabilities, and individuals from groups underrepresented in STEM, as well as those who have attended community colleges and minority-serving institutions. It also names examples of minority-serving institutions that NSF is especially mindful of, including Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Tribal Colleges and Universities, Hispanic Serving Institutions, Alaska Native Serving Institutions, and Hawaiian Native and Pacific Islander Serving Institutions. This emphasis signals that NSF wants organizational fellowship models that help diversify the STEM education research community and broaden who contributes to and benefits from this work.
From an organizational design standpoint, NSF expects the host organization to provide strong research mentorship through a sponsoring researcher and to ensure each fellow has an independent professional development plan. The fellowship is intended to be immersive and full time: fellows are expected to devote themselves full time to fellowship activities for the duration of the appointment. In practice, that implies a structured combination of research engagement, publication and dissemination development, professional skill-building, and increasing independence, all within a mentored environment that supports growth from recent doctoral graduate to capable, self-directed STEM education researcher.
Administratively, this is a discretionary grant opportunity in the science and technology research and development category (CFDA 47.076) offered by NSF. The funding opportunity number is 23-545, and NSF anticipated making about four awards under this solicitation. The listing shows an award ceiling of 0, which typically indicates the ceiling is not specified in the summary record and applicants need to consult the full solicitation text for detailed budget parameters, allowable costs, cohort sizing expectations, and project duration. The opportunity was created January 11, 2023, with an original closing date of April 28, 2023. Eligibility in the summary is listed broadly as "Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification)," which is another indicator that the full solicitation contains the precise eligibility rules and organizational requirements.
Overall, this grant is best understood as NSF support for institutions that want to intentionally train and launch cohorts of postdoctoral researchers in STEM education. It prioritizes high-quality research training, mentored independence, and professional development, while also pushing the field toward broader participation and a stronger workforce of researchers capable of advancing knowledge about STEM learning and learning environments.Apply for 23 545
- The National Science Foundation in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Education Organizational Postdoctoral Research Fellowships" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 47.076.
- This funding opportunity was created on Jan 11, 2023.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Apr 28, 2023. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 4 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
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FAQs: NSF STEM Education Organizational Postdoctoral Research Fellowships (STEM Ed OPRF)
What is this grant opportunity?
This opportunity is the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Education Organizational Postdoctoral Research Fellowships (STEM Ed OPRF), a National Science Foundation (NSF) program managed through the Directorate for STEM Education (EDU). It supports organizations that want to build and run structured postdoctoral fellowship projects focused on STEM education research.
Who is the funder and which NSF unit runs it?
The funder is the National Science Foundation (NSF). The program is run through NSF's Directorate for STEM Education (EDU).
What is the main purpose of STEM Ed OPRF?
The central aim is to strengthen the research abilities of recent PhD graduates by providing a well-supported, structured environment where postdoctoral fellows can deepen methodological and theoretical expertise, contribute to active STEM education research, and grow into more independent researchers.
What does "organizational track" mean in this solicitation?
The organizational track means the award is made to an institution or organization that will host and manage a cohort of postdoctoral fellows. The organization designs the fellowship experience and provides the structure, mentoring, and research setting the fellows will use. It is not a grant that funds a single individual directly.
Is there a related NSF opportunity for individual postdoctoral fellows?
Yes. NSF notes a companion solicitation for individual postdoctoral fellowship awards called STEM Ed IPRF. The opportunity described here is the organizational version, STEM Ed OPRF.
What kinds of activities are fellows expected to do during the fellowship?
Fellows are expected to be brought into ongoing STEM education research projects while also being supported in developing their own independent research direction over the course of the fellowship. The fellowship model implies a structured blend of research engagement, dissemination and publication development, professional skill-building, and increasing research independence within a mentored setting.
What research areas or outcomes is NSF trying to advance through this program?
The program is designed to broaden and strengthen the national pool of STEM education researchers who can produce new knowledge about how people learn STEM, what learning environments work best, how to broaden participation in STEM fields, and how education connects to STEM workforce development. NSF also aims for the resulting research to better inform practice, policy, and program design across multiple settings.
How does this program address broadening participation in STEM?
A major emphasis is expanding participation and strengthening pathways for people and institutions historically underrepresented in STEM. The solicitation explicitly encourages proposals led by principal investigators who are women, veterans, persons with disabilities, and individuals from groups underrepresented in STEM, as well as those who have attended community colleges and minority-serving institutions.
Which minority-serving institutions are specifically named in the opportunity description?
The description highlights NSF's attention to minority-serving institutions such as Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs), Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs), Alaska Native Serving Institutions, and Hawaiian Native and Pacific Islander Serving Institutions.
What is NSF expecting the host organization to provide to fellows?
NSF expects the host organization to provide strong research mentorship through a sponsoring researcher and to ensure each fellow has an independent professional development plan. The organization is responsible for designing the fellowship experience and providing the structure and research environment that supports fellows' growth.
Are fellows expected to participate full time?
Yes. The fellowship is intended to be immersive and full time. Fellows are expected to devote themselves full time to fellowship activities for the duration of the appointment.
Who receives the award funds under STEM Ed OPRF?
Under the organizational track, the award goes to the host institution or organization that will manage and operate the postdoctoral fellowship cohort and the structured research training model.
What type of federal funding is this categorized as?
It is a discretionary grant opportunity in the science and technology research and development category.
What is the CFDA number associated with this opportunity?
The CFDA number listed is 47.076.
What is the NSF funding opportunity number?
The funding opportunity number is 23-545.
How many awards did NSF anticipate making under this solicitation?
NSF anticipated making about four awards under this solicitation.
Is there an award ceiling listed?
The listing shows an award ceiling of 0, which typically indicates the ceiling is not specified in the summary record. Applicants are expected to consult the full solicitation text for budget parameters, allowable costs, cohort sizing expectations, and project duration details.
What were the key dates shown for this opportunity?
The opportunity was created on January 11, 2023, and the original closing date shown is April 28, 2023.
Who is eligible to apply based on the summary information provided?
Eligibility is listed broadly as "Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification)." This indicates that the precise eligibility rules and organizational requirements are expected to be detailed in the full solicitation.
What is the overall goal of STEM Ed OPRF in plain terms?
In practical terms, the program supports institutions that want to intentionally train and launch cohorts of postdoctoral researchers in STEM education by combining high-quality research training, strong mentoring, structured professional development, and support for fellows to become increasingly independent researchers, with an emphasis on broadening participation in the field.
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