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Dear Colleague Letter

Broadening Participation in Computing (BPC) Supplemental Funding in Computer and Information Science and Engineering

Invites grantees with active medium and large awards in CISE Core Programs, Secure and Trustworthy Cyberspace, and Cyber-Physical Systems to request supplemental funding to promote participation of the full spectrum of diverse talent in computing.
Invites grantees with active medium and large awards in CISE Core Programs, Secure and Trustworthy Cyberspace, and Cyber-Physical Systems to request supplemental funding to promote participation of the full spectrum of diverse talent in computing.

Dear Colleague:

The National Science Foundation's (NSF) Directorate for Computer and Information Science and Engineering (CISE) invites recipients with certain active CISE awards with Broadening Participation in Computing (BPC) Plans to submit requests for BPC Supplements. Requests will be considered as they are received. CISE strongly encourages the submission of requests before March 31st, each year; as the potential for funding requests after this date may be limited.

BPC supplements are intended to extend the reach of Broadening Participation in Computing plans. As part of the CISE BPC Initiative, broadening participation activities are an accepted and, in some cases, an expected part of the CISE research award portfolio. Certain awards for many CISE research programs require a meaningful BPC plan. Awards with BPC plans from the following programs are eligible to request BPC Supplements:

Supplemental funding requests should include activities to increase participation of communities historically underrepresented in specific research areas.

NATURE OF SUPPORT

BPC Supplements should seek to include the participation of the full spectrum of diverse talent in computing. Supplemental funding requests for an existing BPC plan should either:

  1. Extend the reach of current BPC activities that have some evidence of effectiveness to more participants or institutions; or
  2. Coordinate BPC activities within a department or similar unit that are sustainable and likely to address a stated BPC challenge, for example:
    • adoption of new departmental initiatives; and
    • other activities supporting organizational and cultural change for BPC, even if these activities were not specified in the BPC Plan associated with the award.

PREPARATION AND SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS

The Summary of the Proposed Work section of your request must state in the first line that you are requesting either a BPC Supplement Extend or BPC Supplement Coordinate.

The Justification for Supplement of the proposed work must include the following information:

  1. Objectives and strategies for the proposed activities along with a timeline.
  2. An evaluation and assessment plan that describes how to measure the outcomes of the proposed activities.
  3. The results of past BPC activities on this project.
  4. Supporting documentation for the request.
    1. For Extend requests, describe the evidence for effectiveness of the project's current BPC activities.
    2. For Coordinate requests, justify how the proposed activities will result in systemic, sustainable change within your departmental context.
  5. The BPC plan associated with the award must be uploaded as a Supplementary Document.

Budgets for Supplemental funding requests must:

  1. be less than 20% of the original award amount; and
  2. not exceed $200,000 in total costs. Supplements will not be given if they would require an extension beyond the expiration date of the original grant.

Eligible Principal Investigators are strongly encouraged to contact both their cognizant NSF Program Director(s) and the BPC team at cise-bpc@nsf.gov to discuss their supplemental funding requests prior to submitting to NSF.

REPORTING

As described in the program solicitations, recipients must report BPC activities and outcomes, including any activities funded by a supplement, in annual reports submitted to NSF. That section of the annual report should include:

  • A summary of what each PI and co-PI did, including any changes to the plan;
  • Numbers of events, participants, and participant demographics (if there are barriers to collecting this data, describe those limitations and provide the best estimates possible); and
  • A reflection (supported by data if available) on progress, any unexpected challenges or results, and anything planned

Sincerely,

Margaret Martonosi
Assistant Director
Computer and Information Science and Engineering

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