NSF ADVANCE: Increasing the Participation and Advancement of Women in Academic Science and Engineering Careers

NSF ADVANCE: Increasing the Participation and Advancement of Women in Academic Science and Engineering Careers is sponsored by National Science Foundation (NSF). The ADVANCE program aims to foster gender equity by identifying and eliminating organizational barriers that impede the full participation and advancement of all women faculty in academic institutions.

NSF 14-573: ADVANCE: Increasing the Participation and Advancement of Women in Academic Science and Engineering Careers (ADVANCE) | NSF - U.S. National Science Foundation Archived funding opportunity This solicitation is archived.

Important information for proposers and award recipients All proposals must be submitted in accordance with the requirements specified in the funding opportunity and in the Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG) and its supplements . All NSF grants and cooperative agreements are subject to the applicable set of NSF award terms and conditions . NSF has updated its research security policies for NSF funded projects.

NSF 14-573: ADVANCE: Increasing the Participation and Advancement of Women in Academic Science and Engineering Careers (ADVANCE) Download the solicitation (PDF, 0.

7mb) National Science Foundation Directorate for Education & Human Resources Division of Human Resource Development Directorate for Biological Sciences Directorate for Computer & Information Science & Engineering Directorate for Engineering Directorate for Geosciences Directorate for Mathematical & Physical Sciences Directorate for Social, Behavioral & Economic Sciences Office of Integrative Activities Letter of Intent Due Date(s) (required) (due by 5 p.

m. submitter's local time): Partnerships for Learning and Adaptation Networks: Institutions of Higher Education (PLAN IHE) Partnerships for Learning and Adaptation Networks: STEM Disciplines (PLAN D) Institutional Transformation Catalyst (IT Catalyst) Institutional Transformation (IT) Full Proposal Deadline(s) (due by 5 p. m.

submitter's local time): Partnerships for Learning and Adaptation Networks: Institutions of Higher Education (PLAN IHE) Partnerships for Learning and Adaptation Networks: STEM Disciplines (PLAN D) Institutional Transformation Catalyst (IT Catalyst) Institutional Transformation (IT) Important Information And Revision Notes Common Guidelines for Education Research and Development : Proposals received under this solicitation should refer, where appropriate, to a newly issued publication jointly developed by National Science Foundation and the Institute of Education Sciences in the U.S. Department of Education entitled, Common Guidelines for Education Research and Development .

The Guidelines describe six types of research studies that can generate evidence about how to increase student learning. While ADVANCE does not solicit research and development proposals about student learning, ADVANCE does solicit research and development proposals about learning environments.

Research types include those that generate the most fundamental understanding related to education and learning; examinations of associations between variables; iterative design and testing of strategies or interventions; and assessments of the impact of a fully developed intervention on an education outcome.

For each research type, there is a description of the purpose and the expected empirical and/or theoretical justifications, types of project outcomes, and quality of evidence. The Guidelines publication can be found on the NSF website with the number NSF 13-126 ( https://nsf-gov-resources. nsf.

gov/pubs/2013/nsf13126/nsf13126. pdf? VersionId=Q_gbdvjhLu9vQTRmQY.

ex3Md4dnJ5LL9 ). A set of FAQs regarding the Guidelines is available with the number NSF 13-127 ( https://nsf-gov-resources. nsf.

gov/pubs/2013/nsf13127/nsf13127. pdf? VersionId=oHQOKysGhw5JLkogfSsJeE7uBqZGJhwN ).

Grant proposal writers and PIs are encouraged to familiarize themselves with both documents and use the information therein to help in the preparation of proposals to NSF. Any proposal submitted in response to this solicitation should be submitted in accordance with the revised NSF Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG) ( NSF 16-1 ), which is effective for proposals submitted, or due, on or after January 25, 2016.

Summary Of Program Requirements ADVANCE: Increasing the Participation and Advancement of Women in Academic Science and Engineering Careers The goals of the ADVANCE program are (1) to develop systemic approaches to increase the representation and advancement of women in academic STEM careers; (2) to develop innovative and sustainable ways to promote gender equity in the STEM academic workforce; and (3) to contribute to the development of a more diverse science and engineering workforce.

ADVANCE also has as its goal to contribute to and inform the general knowledge base on gender equity in the academic STEM disciplines. There are three tracks with distinct purposes. The Institutional Transformation (IT) track is meant to produce large-scale comprehensive change and serve as a locus for research on gender equity and institutional transformation for academic STEM.

The Institutional Transformation Catalyst (IT Catalyst) track is meant either to conduct self-assessment or to implement unique strategies – either adapted from those found effective in the IT track or ones designed to be responsive to the unique environments of eligible institutions – and evaluate their effectiveness.

The Partnerships for Learning and Adaptation Networks (PLAN) track is meant to provide a larger scale environment for adapting, implementing and creating knowledge about the effectiveness of a particular strategy for change within a context of networked adaptation and learning. PLAN is focused on adaptation/implementation and learning either in particular STEM disciplines (PLAN D) or across institutions of higher education (PLAN IHE).

ADVANCE projects support institutional transformation in STEM. STEM includes but is not limited to Arctic and Antarctic sciences, biological sciences, computer and information sciences, engineering, geosciences, mathematics, physical sciences, the learning sciences, and social, behavioral and economic sciences.

Institutional Transformation and IT Catalyst awards are expected to include all STEM disciplines at the institution submitting the proposal. PLAN awards may include all of STEM or a subset or one discipline.

The following types of institutions are strongly encouraged to apply to the ADVANCE program: For All Project Types: Community colleges, primarily undergraduate institutions, minority-serving institutions (e.g. Tribal Colleges and Universities, Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Hispanic-Serving Institutions, Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, Alaska Native Institutions, Predominantly Black Institutions and Non-tribal, Native American Serving Institutions), women's colleges, and institutions primarily serving persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply.

It is anticipated that there may be significant differences in the issues facing faculty in these institutions, compared to faculty in other types of institutions, which will warrant development of unique strategies and/or adaptation of proven strategies in a unique way to achieve ADVANCE Program goals.

ADVANCE projects are viewed as team research and, as such, the team of principal investigators is expected to be multidisciplinary and representative of the theoretical, methodological and contextual expertise necessary to conceptualize, implement, and evaluate a successful project.

ADVANCE does not support activities to increase or retain the number of women entering into or persisting in STEM undergraduate or doctoral degree programs ; rather the program focuses on ensuring that women faculty consider academia as a viable and attractive career option. As such, no student training initiatives/activities should be proposed. ADVANCE funds, in general, cannot be used to support dependent care costs.

However, costs incurred by the awardee organization under employee morale and welfare for dependent-care expenses (daycare facilities or other child/elder care arrangements) may be allowed, provided these types of expenses are charged through the application of fringe benefits or indirect costs (also known as Facilities & Administrative Costs).

Any such charges must be made in accordance with established awardee institutional policy as approved by the cognizant agency and consistently applied to both Federal and non-Federal sponsors. For more information on the allowability of dependent care costs, visit the following NSF website: https://www. nsf.

gov/publications/pub_summ. jsp? ods_key=clbfaqs .

Special populations of women , for the purposes of the ADVANCE Program, includes women of diverse characteristics and backgrounds including, but not limited to: race, ethnicity, disability status and sexual orientation. Cognizant Program Officer(s): Please note that the following information is current at the time of publishing. See program website for any updates to the points of contact.

Jessie DeAro, Program Director, Dana Britton, Program Officer, Cynthia R.

Douglas, Program Specialist, Applicable Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number(s): --- Mathematical and Physical Sciences --- Computer and Information Science and Engineering --- Social Behavioral and Economic Sciences --- Education and Human Resources --- Office of International Science and Engineering --- Office of Integrative Activities (OIA) Anticipated Type of Award: Standard Grant or Continuing Grant or Cooperative Agreement Estimated Number of Awards: 20 The total number of awards to be made under this solicitation is estimated to be up to 20.

NSF expects to make: approximately five (5) Institutional Transformation five-year awards, at various award sizes; up to five (5) IT-Catalyst awards with durations of up to three years and total budgets of not more than $250,000 each; and up to ten (10) PLAN awards, of various durations, not exceeding a maximum of $750,000 for 5 years.

Anticipated Funding Amount: $11,000,000 Pending availability of funds, NSF anticipates having up to $11,000,000 available over a two-year fiscal year period FY 2015-FY2016 for support of the ADVANCE portfolio. Up to $6,000,000 will be available for the FY2015 competition and approximately $5,000,000 will be available for proposals due during the FY2016 competition.

Who May Submit Proposals: Proposals may only be submitted by the following: Please see the additional eligibility information in Section IV. There are no restrictions or limits. Limit on Number of Proposals per Organization: 1 One proposal per eligible organization for Institutional Transformation and Institutional Transformation Catalyst Awards.

No limit for PLAN IHE and PLAN D proposals. See additional eligibility information. Limit on Number of Proposals per PI or Co-PI: There are no restrictions or limits.

Proposal Preparation and Submission Instructions A. Proposal Preparation Instructions Letters of Intent: Submission of Letters of Intent is required. Please see the full text of this solicitation for further information.

Preliminary Proposal Submission: Not required Full Proposals submitted via FastLane: NSF Proposal and Award Policies and Procedures Guide, Part I: Grant Proposal Guide (GPG) Guidelines apply. The complete text of the GPG is available electronically on the NSF website at: https://www. nsf.

gov/publications/pub_summ. jsp? ods_key=gpg .

Full Proposals submitted via Grants. gov: NSF Grants. gov Application Guide: A Guide for the Preparation and Submission of NSF Applications via Grants.

gov Guidelines apply (Note: The NSF Grants. gov Application Guide is available on the Grants. gov website and on the NSF website at: https://www.

nsf. gov/publications/pub_summ. jsp?

ods_key=grantsgovguide ) Cost Sharing Requirements: Inclusion of voluntary committed cost sharing is prohibited. Indirect Cost (F&A) Limitations: Other Budgetary Limitations: Letter of Intent Due Date(s) (required) (due by 5 p. m.

submitter's local time): Partnerships for Learning and Adaptation Networks: Institutions of Higher Education (PLAN IHE) Partnerships for Learning and Adaptation Networks: STEM Disciplines (PLAN D) Institutional Transformation Catalyst (IT Catalyst) Institutional Transformation (IT) Full Proposal Deadline(s) (due by 5 p. m.

submitter's local time): Partnerships for Learning and Adaptation Networks: Institutions of Higher Education (PLAN IHE) Partnerships for Learning and Adaptation Networks: STEM Disciplines (PLAN D) Institutional Transformation Catalyst (IT Catalyst) Institutional Transformation (IT) Proposal Review Information Criteria National Science Board approved criteria. Additional merit review considerations apply.

Please see the full text of this solicitation for further information. Award Administration Information Additional award conditions apply. Please see the full text of this solicitation for further information.

Additional reporting requirements apply. Please see the full text of this solicitation for further information.

The full participation of women and the utilization of their talent is required for sustained US global competitiveness and innovation across all STEM fields (including, but not limited to Arctic and Antarctic sciences, biological sciences, computer and information sciences, engineering, geosciences, mathematics, physical sciences, the learning sciences, and social, behavioral and economic sciences).

Persistent underrepresentation of women faculty, especially in leadership positions, affects students' critically important relationships with mentors, participation as members of research and education teams, and self-identification as potential researchers (Trower and Chait, 2002) as well as scientific productivity.

The ADVANCE program provides support to address these and other challenges to increase the participation and advancement of women in academic faculty and leadership positions.

The ADVANCE Program will make strategic investments in the development and implementation of institutional transformation strategies and knowledge building activities with the aim of building evidence-based strategies about gender-based institutional transformation and strategies to increase the representation of women in the academic STEM disciplines and environments.

Institutional Transformation (IT): five-year, comprehensive, institution-wide, transformational projects. Project Scope: IT awards are expected to include innovative and systemic organizational approaches framed with clearly stated and fully integrated theories of change or conceptual frameworks in order to increase the participation and advancement of women in STEM academic careers.

IT projects are expected to be designed to achieve the transformation of all departments or schools of STEM fields within the institution and to produce evidence-based replicable strategies.

Additionally, proposals that involve activities targeted toward special populations of women faculty must include current institutional data on this group, disaggregated by multiple characteristics (e.g., race, ethnicity, disability status, sexual orientation, etc.), as appropriate, in addition to gender.

The proposed strategies must be accompanied by a rigorous scientific project related to the goals of the ADVANCE project which may include policy research.

Project Activities: IT awards provide maximum flexibility to proposing institutions to define and implement systemic organizational approaches to increase the participation of women STEM faculty members; to promote their retention and advancement into the senior and leadership ranks; to address unconscious bias and subtle discrimination that leads to underrepresentation in STEM and leadership positions; to develop activities associated with career-life balance strategies; and to implement the changes necessary to institutionalize those approaches through changes to institutional policies, procedures and practices.

The proposed strategies must be based on and justified by relevant social science research. Both men and women should be involved with the project implementation in order to maximally achieve the program goals. IT awards should create positive, sustainable, and permanent change in academic climates by transforming institutional policies and practices.

Because of the uniqueness of strategies to be implemented for effective organizational change at any particular institution, each Institutional Transformation project can include only one institution. Institutional Transformation Catalyst: up to three year projects.

Project Scope: The IT Catalyst track is meant to develop and implement unique strategies – either adapted from those found effective in the IT track or ones designed to be responsive to the unique environments of eligible institutions – and evaluate the effectiveness of those strategies.

The target institutions are those that provide unique contexts (1) to learn from adapting effective strategies from other ADVANCE projects and/or (2) to learn from developing a coherent thematic set of activities meant to address a documented institutional problem related to gender equity in STEM.

IT Catalyst programs should aim to transform all departments or schools of STEM fields within the institution and to produce evidence-based replicable strategies. Project Activities: A wide range of activities may be undertaken as part of an IT Catalyst project.

These activities should involve all STEM sciences and be designed to catalyze change on the campus that will promote gender equity in STEM, recruitment and retention activities to promote enhanced representation and advancement of women on that campus, or significant change in the policy environment for faculty.

Because of the uniqueness of strategies to be implemented for effective organizational change at any particular institution, each IT Catalyst project can include only one institution.

Partnerships for Learning and Adaptation Networks (PLAN): up to five-year projects that support the ADVANCE program goals focused on creating a community of adapters of a particular activity aimed at increasing the representation of women in STEM, promoting women in STEM leadership, or creating sustainable institutional transformation to promote the advancement of women in STEM.

Programs aimed at changing the institutional context for women from under-represented groups are especially encouraged. PLAN proposals may focus on Institutions of Higher Education (PLAN IHE) or STEM Disciplines (PLAN D).

PLAN is intended to promote knowledge-building about ADVANCE activities and thus include a detailed knowledge building protocol to identify and document the effectiveness of the activity for achieving desired outcomes in particular institutional and disciplinary contexts (see full proposal guidelines below for more information on the knowledge-building component). Network Members: Letters of support are required from all partners.

Project Scope: PLAN projects can focus on all STEM disciplines, several disciplines, or only one discipline. Projects that have national systemic impact across a discipline or a set of related disciplines are particularly encouraged.

Proposals that involve activities targeted toward special populations of women faculty are encouraged, in which case, the project description must include current institutional or disciplinary data on this group, disaggregated by multiple characteristics (e.g., race, ethnicity, disability status, sexual orientation), as appropriate, in addition to gender.

Partnerships for Learning and Adaptation Networks are designed to promote implementation of previously effective ADVANCE programs or testing of innovative strategies and to build the knowledge base of how to promote the advancement of women and gender equity in the academy. Information on previously effective programs may be found in the literature and is available through the ADVANCE community.

PLAN proposals may focus on Institutions of Higher Education (PLAN IHEs) or STEM Disciplines (PLAN D). PLAN IHE projects may be submitted by a group of institutions of higher education and state systems of higher education while PLAN D projects must be submitted by a lead institution or organization on behalf of a discipline.

Project Activities: A wide range of activities can be undertaken as part of a PLAN project but there should be one main activity for adaptation/implementation into different institutional contexts. Previous or current funding from ADVANCE is not a prerequisite for submitting a PLAN proposal.

It is expected that the proposed PLAN activity and related knowledge building will be informed by education, evaluation or social, economic, and behavioral science literature as appropriate, as well as the results of related ADVANCE projects or other non-ADVANCE projects (national and international).

The portion of the project focused on knowledge building must be led and conceptualized by individuals with appropriate expertise in learning, policy analysis, and/or evaluation depending upon what is being adapted/implemented through a network.

Anticipated Type of Award: Continuing Grant or Cooperative Agreement or Standard Grant Estimated Number of Awards: 20 Contingent upon the availability of funding, the total number of awards to be made under this solicitation is estimated to be 20.

NSF expects to make: Approximately five (5) Institutional Transformation five-year awards, at various award sizes; up to five (5) IT-Catalyst awards with durations of up to three years and total budgets of not more than $250,000 each; and up to ten (10) PLAN awards, of various durations, not exceeding a maximum of $750,000 for 5 years. IV.

Eligibility Information Who May Submit Proposals: Proposals may only be submitted by the following: Please see the additional eligibility information in Section IV. There are no restrictions or limits. Limit on Number of Proposals per Organization: 1 One proposal per eligible organization for Institutional Transformation and Institutional Transformation Catalyst Awards.

No limit for PLAN IHE and PLAN D proposals. See additional eligibility information. Limit on Number of Proposals per PI or Co-PI: There are no restrictions or limits.

Additional Eligibility Info: Limit on Number of Proposals Institutions that qualify for Department of Education Title III and Title V status, non-profit community colleges, designated minority serving institutions, (e.g. Tribal Colleges and Universities, Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Hispanic-Serving Institutions, Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, and Alaska Native Serving Institutions, Predominantly Black Institutions, Non-Tribal, Native American-Serving Institutions) Institutions of higher education that have received an NSF ADVANCE IT, PAID, PLAN or previous IT Catalyst award are not eligible to apply for an IT Catalyst award.

One per eligible institution. Institutional Transformation Non-profit academic institutions of higher education with educational programs in a field supported by NSF that are in the US, its Territories, Commonwealths and Freely Associated States. Organizations that received an IT Catalyst (formerly IT Start), PAID or PLAN award are eligible.

Institutions of higher education that have received an NSF ADVANCE Institutional Transformation award. One per eligible institution. Same as Institutional Transformation, IT Catalyst, PLUS professional societies.

Same as Institutional Transformation and IT Catalyst. V. Proposal Preparation And Submission Instructions A.

Proposal Preparation Instructions Letters of Intent (required) : Letters of intent are required for all ADVANCE proposals. Only one letter of intent for Institutional Transformation (IT) or an IT-Catalyst proposal can be submitted from an institution of higher education (IHE). A separate letter of intent for each different PLAN proposal is required even if submitted by the same IHE, organization or principal investigator.

The letters of intent will be used for planning the review of proposals. Letters of intent must clearly indicate the specific track for which the proposers are applying. Eligibility to submit a full proposal is assumed with submission of a letter of intent by the deadline date.

No formal invitation to submit a full proposal will be issued after the letter of intent has been received. The ADVANCE Program Office will only make contact with submitting institutions if the letter of intent is deemed non-responsive to this solicitation.

Letters of Intent for all ADVANCE tracks must include: Project Synopsis (2500 character maximum): Provide a description of the proposed project and the ADVANCE track for which the proposal will seek funding. NSF will use this to determine if the proposal is appropriate for submission and if the proposal will need specialized expert review.

Other Comments Input Text Area: List senior project personnel with a brief description of their proposed roles. List partner institutions and organizations, if any, with a brief description of each partner's involvement in the project. Other information such as known conflicts and areas of specialized expertise pertinent for the review process can also be included.

IT Catalyst Letters of Intent: Letters of Intent must include a statement certifying that the submitting institution is in compliance with organizational limits stipulated in this solicitation (see Eligibility Information).

Letter of Intent Preparation Instructions : When submitting a Letter of Intent through FastLane in response to this Program Solicitation please note the conditions outlined below: Submission by an Authorized Organizational Representative (AOR) is not required when submitting Letters of Intent. Submission of multiple Letters of Intent is allowed for both PLAN D and PLAN IHE.

Full Proposal Preparation Instructions : Proposers may opt to submit proposals in response to this Program Solicitation via Grants. gov or via the NSF FastLane system. Full proposals submitted via FastLane: Proposals submitted in response to this program solicitation should be prepared and submitted in accordance with the general guidelines contained in the NSF Grant Proposal Guide (GPG).

The complete text of the GPG is available electronically on the NSF website at: https://www. nsf. gov/publications/pub_summ.

jsp? ods_key=gpg . Paper copies of the GPG may be obtained from the NSF Publications Clearinghouse, telephone (703) 292-7827 or by e-mail from nsfpubs@nsf.

gov . Proposers are reminded to identify this program solicitation number in the program solicitation block on the NSF Cover Sheet For Proposal to the National Science Foundation. Compliance with this requirement is critical to determining the relevant proposal processing guidelines.

Failure to submit this information may delay processing. Full proposals submitted via Grants. gov: Proposals submitted in response to this program solicitation via Grants.

gov should be prepared and submitted in accordance with the NSF Grants. gov Application Guide: A Guide for the Preparation and Submission of NSF Applications via Grants. gov. The complete text of the NSF Grants.

gov Application Guide is available on the Grants. gov website and on the NSF website at: ( https://www. nsf.

gov/publications/pub_summ. jsp? ods_key=grantsgovguide ).

To obtain copies of the Application Guide and Application Forms Package, click on the Apply tab on the Grants. gov site, then click on the Apply Step 1: Download a Grant Application Package and Application Instructions link and enter the funding opportunity number, (the program solicitation number without the NSF prefix) and press the Download Package button. Paper copies of the Grants.

gov Application Guide also may be obtained from the NSF Publications Clearinghouse, telephone (703) 292-7827 or by e-mail from nsfpubs@nsf. gov . In determining which method to utilize in the electronic preparation and submission of the proposal, please note the following: Collaborative Proposals.

All collaborative proposals submitted as separate submissions from multiple organizations must be submitted via the NSF FastLane system. Chapter II, Section D. 5 of the Grant Proposal Guide provides additional information on collaborative proposals.

See Chapter II. C. 2 of the GPG for guidance on the required sections of a full research proposal submitted to NSF.

Please note that the proposal preparation instructions provided in this program solicitation may deviate from the GPG instructions. Institutional Transformation (IT) Institutional Context and Data Contextual information on the proposing institution, including a brief institutional profile, is important to explain the potential impact of the proposed project and provide justification for the specific activities outlined in the proposal.

This information should include a description of current and past activities and initiatives that are related to the proposed project and how these activities will be incorporated into the proposed project initiatives.

Although funding for IT projects cannot be requested to replace existing funding for ongoing activities at the institution, the IT project should coordinate with related existing activities; details on the coordination must be provided and letters of commitment may be appropriate.

Data should provide the reviewers with a clear understanding of the current status of the proposing institution, which will allow the readers to evaluate the need for, potential impact of, and feasibility of the proposed project objectives and goals. Comprehensive institutional data on faculty are required in the project description of IT proposals and not as supplementary documents.

Proposals should present data on the status of all STEM women faculty and compare such data to national statistics when possible. Proposals that involve activities targeted toward special populations of women faculty must include current institutional data on this group, disaggregated by multiple characteristics (i.e., race, ethnicity, disability status, sexual orientation, etc.), as appropriate, in addition to gender.

It is suggested that proposers review the “ADVANCE Indicators Toolkit” for guidance on the types of data that should be included. The toolkit is available at the ADVANCE portal website at http://www. portal.

advance. vt. edu .

The toolkit data are not required. Institutional Commitment and Sustainability Institutional commitment from key administrative leadership to the proposed project activities and institutional transformation is vital for successful projects and must be demonstrated in the proposal (see additional ADVANCE merit review criteria).

Letters of commitment from key administrators and partners are required with IT proposals and should be submitted as supplementary documents. Institutional support is also demonstrated through commitment to project sustainability. Proposals must include detailed plans to ensure sustainability of the successful efforts past the term of the award.

Institutional Transformation proposals must clearly state the theory of change or conceptual framework for the proposed project, identify relevant research findings, and build on existing research and practice. Proposed activities should be linked to the theory or framework about gender equity and institutional transformation.

The proposed approach(es) for innovative and systemic institutional transformation to increase the participation and advancement of women in academic STEM careers must be fully described. IT proposals are required to include a five-page supplementary document that describes, in detail, the scientific research project. Research that investigates novel aspects of the proposal is especially encouraged.

It should be clear in the proposal, which team members, and/or consultants will undertake the research and their relevant qualifications and skills in areas such as learning, social, behavioral and economic sciences or policy analysis.

The supplemental document must include information relevant to the proposed study, such as: 1) the disciplinary and conceptual framework for the project; 2) a discussion of the theory or theories grounding the research and the testable hypotheses; 3) the proposed methods to test the hypotheses; 4) the expected findings; and 5) to what extent the results and data will be disaggregated for multiple characteristics such as race, ethnicity, sexual orientation and disability, in addition to gender.

One of the objectives of the NSF ADVANCE program is to contribute to the national knowledge base about institutional transformation and organizational change. Therefore, the communication of results and diffusion of knowledge gained about institutional transformation to organizations and institutions that can implement reforms based on what has been learned is an essential part of an ADVANCE project.

The proposal must include a detailed communication strategy that at a minimum includes an ADVANCE Program website and demonstrates that the proposer is aware of appropriate channels for sharing results from the project, such as specific peer-reviewed journals and publications, engagement activities, web sites and professional association conferences.

Simply making materials, tools, research, and practices available to others is not an effective communication strategy. Institutional Transformation proposals must include a management plan and timeline including anticipated milestones. The plan should also detail how project activities will be organized and implemented.

The timeline should include the project’s major activities and milestones (including project evaluation) and identify the individual(s) responsible for completing each activity. A project organizational chart that illustrates how the project fits into the institution's hierarchy may be included.

The roles, responsibilities and level of effort on the project must be clearly described for the institutional transformation team (PIs and other key personnel, including those for whom no funding is requested). The institutional transformation team must include appropriate STEM expertise.

IT projects are required to have an Internal Steering Committee or Internal Advisory Committee to oversee project implementation, resolve project issues, and ensure that the project is on track for meeting project goals. Ideally, the Internal Steering/Advisory Committee is not involved in the implementation of ADVANCE activities but includes the necessary knowledge to develop the activities.

IT projects are required to have an External Advisory Committee, with members who can advise the institutional transformation team on the implementation of the project and progress toward project goals. Members could include experts in areas relevant to the project activities and leaders from other institutions of higher education or industry. The External Advisory Committee role is distinct from the external evaluation of the project.

Each project is required to include a formative and summative evaluation plan. The detailed evaluation plan should refer to the objectives, goals, and baseline data presented within the description of the proposed project activities.

The formative evaluation should include benchmarks and indicators of progress that demonstrate the proposers' understanding of the essential quantitative and qualitative indicators for assessing the project's implementation processes.

The summative evaluation should assess the impact of the project activities indicating the extent to which overall and individual project goals were achieved, and should also identify any unexpected results. The collection and reporting of project-related data and participant’s evaluations of activities alone are not sufficient for project evaluation .

IT projects are required to have both an internal and external evaluation component because of the size and complexity of the project; the proposal must include an evaluation plan outline. An individual at the institution, who