Build and Broaden 3.0 (B2)

Build and Broaden 3.0 (B2 3.0) supports fundamental research at minority-serving institutions (MSIs) and encourages research collaborations with scholars at MSIs. Growing the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) workforce is a national priority. National forecasts of the impending shortage of science and engineering skills and essential research workforce underscore a need to expand opportunities to participate in STEM research (President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology, 2012) (Link to 2012 report). NSF has taken steps to expand participation by focusing on research communities that are not well-represented in the federal research system. Through these steps, NSF is working to expand the volume and increasing the diversity, interconnectedness, and effectiveness of the science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) workforce.

MSIs make considerable contributions to educating and training science leaders for U.S. economic growth and competitiveness. Yet, NSF has received comparatively few grant submissions from, or involving, scholars at MSIs. Targeted outreach activities reveal that MSIs have varying degrees of familiarity with funding opportunities within NSF and particularly within the Social, Behavioral and Economic (SBE) Sciences Directorate. As a result, NSF is limited in its ability to support research and training opportunities in the SBE sciences at these institutions. With its emphasis on broadening participation of MSIs, Build and Broaden 3.0 is designed to address this problem. SBE offers Build and Broaden 3.0 in order to increase proposal submissions, advance research collaborations and networks involving MSI scholars, and support research activities in the SBE sciences at MSIs. The Build and Broaden 3.0 solicitation is designed specifically for impact at MSIs. Proposals that outline research projects in the SBE sciences that increase students’ pursuit of graduate training, enhance PI productivity, or cultivate partnerships with researchers at other institutions are especially encouraged to apply.

Proposals are invited from single Principal Investigators based at MSIs and from multiple co-investigators from a group of MSIs. Principal Investigators who are not affiliated with MSIs may submit proposals, but must collaborate with PIs, co-PIs, or Senior Personnel from MSIs and describe how their project will foster research partnerships or capacity-building with at least one MSI as a primary goal of the proposed work. Proposals may address any of the scientific areas supported by SBE. These areas include anthropology, archaeology, cognitive neuroscience, decision science, ecological research, economics, geography, linguistics, law and science, organizational behavior, political science, public policy, security and preparedness, psychology, and sociology. For a full list of research areas supported by SBE please visit the SBE programs page.