STEM Talent Expansion Program (STEP) is sponsored by National Science Foundation (NSF). Supports projects that enhance STEM education and workforce development for underrepresented groups, including low-income youth.

NSF 11-550: Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Talent Expansion Program (STEP) | 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 11-550: Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Talent Expansion Program (STEP) Download the solicitation (PDF, 0. 6mb) National Science Foundation Directorate for Education & Human Resources Division of Undergraduate Education Full Proposal Deadline(s) (due by 5 p. m.

proposer's local time): Important Information And Revision Notes Special Funding Focus on Retention in Engineering and Computer Science: In FY13, NSF especially encourages Type 1A or Type 1B projects that are committed to producing significant improvements in first and second year retention rates in engineering or computer science. (See solicitation details below for more information).

Deadlines for Full Proposals are provided for 2011, 2012, and 2013. Letters of Intent are no longer requested. Type 1C proposals are no longer requested.

For all proposals with a significant focus on retention, additional guidance has been included in Section V. A. , "Proposal Preparation Instructions."

A revised version of the NSF Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG) , NSF 11-1, was issued on October 1, 2010 and is effective for proposals submitted, or due, on or after January 18, 2011. Please be advised that the guidelines contained in NSF 11-1 apply to proposals submitted in response to this funding opportunity.

Cost Sharing: The PAPPG has been revised to implement the National Science Board's recommendations regarding cost sharing. Inclusion of voluntary committed cost sharing is prohibited. In order to assess the scope of the project, all organizational resources necessary for the project must be described in the Facilities, Equipment and Other Resources section of the proposal.

The description should be narrative in nature and must not include any quantifiable financial information. Mandatory cost sharing will only be required when explicitly authorized by the NSF Director. See the PAPP Guide Part I: Grant Proposal Guide (GPG) Chapter II.

C. 2. g(xi) for further information about the implementation of these recommendations.

Data Management Plan: The PAPPG contains a clarification of NSF's long standing data policy. All proposals must describe plans for data management and sharing of the products of research, or assert the absence of the need for such plans. FastLane will not permit submission of a proposal that is missing a Data Management Plan.

The Data Management Plan will be reviewed as part of the intellectual merit or broader impacts of the proposal, or both, as appropriate. Links to data management requirements and plans relevant to specific Directorates, Offices, Divisions, Programs, or other NSF units are available on the NSF website at: https://www. nsf.

gov/bfa/dias/policy/dmp. jsp . See Chapter II.

C. 2. j of the GPG for further information about the implementation of this requirement.

Postdoctoral Researcher Mentoring Plan: As a reminder, each proposal that requests funding to support postdoctoral researchers must include, as a supplementary document, a description of the mentoring activities that will be provided for such individuals. Please be advised that if required, FastLane will not permit submission of a proposal that is missing a Postdoctoral Researcher Mentoring Plan. See Chapter II.

C. 2. j of the GPG for further information about the implementation of this requirement.

Any proposal submitted in response to this solicitation should be submitted in accordance with the revised NSF Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG) (NSF 15-1). The PAPPG is consistent with, and, implements the new Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards (Uniform Guidance) (2 CFR § 200).

NSF anticipates release of the PAPPG in the Fall of 2014 and it will be effective for proposals submitted, or due, on or after December 26, 2014. Please be advised that proposers who opt to submit prior to December 26, 2014, must also follow the guidelines contained in NSF 15-1.

Summary Of Program Requirements Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Talent Expansion Program (STEP) The Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Talent Expansion Program (STEP) seeks to increase the number of students (U.S. citizens or permanent residents) receiving associate or baccalaureate degrees in established or emerging fields within science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).

Type 1 proposals are solicited that provide for full implementation efforts at academic institutions. Type 2 proposals are solicited that support educational research projects on associate or baccalaureate degree attainment in STEM. 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 . Connie K.

Della-Piana, Type 2 Lead Program Director, Applicable Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number(s): --- Education and Human Resources Anticipated Type of Award: Standard Grant or Continuing Grant Estimated Number of Awards: 15 to 20 Type 1 awards and 1-3 Type 2 awards per year Anticipated Funding Amount: $30,000,000 per year in FY 2012, FY 2013, and FY 2014 for new and continuing awards, subject to availability of funds.

Who May Submit Proposals: Proposals may only be submitted by the following: Type 1 proposals are invited from academic institutions accredited in, and having a campus located in the United States and its territories, from consortia thereof, or from nonprofit organizations that have established consortia among such academic institutions.

The academic institutions must offer either associate degrees or baccalaureate degrees in science, technology, engineering and/or mathematics (STEM). Associate degree-granting institutions with a demonstrated record of articulation to STEM baccalaureate programs need not necessarily grant associate degrees in STEM fields in order to be eligible for this program.

Projects may involve a single institution, collaboration with business and industry partners, or collaboration among several institutions. For example, projects may include collaborative efforts that improve the transition of students among the collaborating institutions, such as transfer between two- and four-year institutions. Type 2 proposals are invited from any individual or organization eligible to submit proposals to the NSF.

There are no restrictions or limits. Limit on Number of Proposals per Organization: An institution that awards baccalaureate degrees is allowed to submit only one Type 1 proposal, or to be part of only one consortium submitting a Type 1 proposal.

An institution that awards associate degrees, and does not award baccalaureate degrees, is allowed to be the lead institution on only one Type 1 proposal, and, in addition, may be a partner on one or more Type 1 proposals. There are no restrictions on the number of Type 2 proposals that an individual or organization may submit.

Exception: If an institution is submitting a proposal under the "Special Funding Focus on Retention in Engineering and Computer Science" (see Program Description for details), it may also submit a second proposal under Type 1, either individually or as part of a consortium. Limit on Number of Proposals per PI or Co-PI: See Limit on Number of Proposals per Organization Proposal Preparation and Submission Instructions A.

Proposal Preparation Instructions Letters of Intent: Not required 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: Not Applicable Other Budgetary Limitations: Other budgetary limitations apply.

Please see the full text of this solicitation for further information. Full Proposal Deadline(s) (due by 5 p. m.

proposer's local time): Proposal Review Information Criteria Merit Review 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 Award Conditions: Standard NSF award conditions apply. Reporting Requirements: Additional reporting requirements apply. Please see the full text of this solicitation for further information.

Undergraduate education is central to the National Science Foundation's mission in human resource development.

Whether preparing students to participate as citizens in a technological society, to enter the workforce with two- or four-year degrees, to continue their formal education in graduate school, or to further their education in response to new career goals or workplace expectations, undergraduate education provides the critical link between the Nation's secondary schools and a society increasingly dependent upon science and technology.

Increasing the number of undergraduate students obtaining degrees in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields will provide a workforce that is prepared to ensure a healthy economy, respond to demands for national security, and maintain and elevate the quality of life and standard of living in the United States through technological and scientific advancements.

The essential role of science and technology in the economy was highlighted in a recent report from the National Academies of Science, Rising Above the Gathering Storm, Revisited: Rapidly Approaching Category 5 (National Academies Press, 2010).

The report noted that "Substantial evidence continues to indicate that over the long term the great majority of newly created jobs are the indirect or direct result of advancements in science and technology, thus making these and related disciplines assume what might be described as disproportionate importance."

Program activities under the STEP Type 1 competition should be efforts aimed at adapting and implementing best practices that will lead to an increase in the number of students (United States citizens or permanent residents) obtaining STEM degrees at institutions with baccalaureate degree programs or completing associate degrees in STEM fields or completing credits toward transfer to a baccalaureate degree program in STEM fields at community colleges.

The goal of the project must be to increase the total graduation numbers of such students at the institution(s), and all STEP proposals must include specific numerical targets for these increases. If a project focuses efforts on only a subset of STEM fields, increases in those fields must not be at the expense of degrees granted in other STEM fields.

Projects may focus on the retention and/or recruitment of undergraduate students into STEM fields. Outreach efforts are appropriate only if the efforts can be expected to result in additional STEM majors and graduates at the submitting institution(s) within the grant period. All Type 1 projects are considered to be institutional efforts.

A Type 1 proposal should be identified as falling into one of two categories: 1A or 1B. A Type 1A proposal is submitted by an institution that has not previously been the lead institution on a STEP Type 1 award. A Type 1B proposal is submitted by an institution that has previously been the lead institution on a STEP Type 1 award.

The proposal is for a new five-year implementation project that is not intended to simply continue efforts for which funding was provided under the original award or to support a project that represents a small adjustment in activities or a simple change in the targeted population. It is intended to fund efforts that are substantially different from those supported in the original award.

A Type 1B proposal must provide information about the previous Type 1 grant, including (1) evaluation information that supports claims of successes that have been achieved, (2) the degree to which the previous project has been institutionalized, (3) a description of significantly new directions in which the project will be heading, (4) the rationale for choosing these new directions, and (5) the relationship between the previous project and the proposed project.

At least four years of data about the effects of the previous STEP Type 1 grant on student enrollments and graduation rates in STEM must be provided.

As examples, Type 1A or 1B projects might propose a comprehensive effort that uses some combination of the following approaches in order to increase the number of graduates in STEM fields: Programs that intend to increase the number of students persisting in STEM courses and majors by focusing directly on the quality of student learning, including efforts that encourage (a) high-caliber teaching, including enabling faculty to spend additional time teaching participating students in smaller class settings, including in the laboratory environment; (b) opportunities to implement new pedagogical approaches such as the implementation of active learning strategies, web-based course strategies, distributed and collaborative digital teaching tools, or interactive course modules; and (c) training of teaching assistants; Programs that expand the capacity of institutions of higher education to incorporate current advances in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) into the undergraduate learning environment; Programs including interdisciplinary approaches to undergraduate STEM education; Bridge programs that enable students at community colleges to matriculate directly into baccalaureate STEM programs; Programs among collaborating academic institutions designed to increase the number of pathways available for achieving a degree in STEM, or to improve the articulation among programs at the institutions; Mentoring programs that involve faculty or peer student mentoring; Programs that focus on increasing enrollments in STEM undergraduate majors through the incorporation of strategies targeted at traditionally underrepresented students (low-income, ethnic and racial minority students, first-generation college students, women, and persons with disabilities); Programs that (a) facilitate student exposure to potential careers, including cooperative programs with industry or government that place students in internships as early as the summer following their first year of study; (b) provide part-time employment in industry during the school year; or (c) provide opportunities for undergraduates to participate in industry- or government-sponsored research; Programs to encourage undergraduate research, particularly in the early undergraduate years, on- or off-campus; Programs that assist institutions of higher education in states that participate in the Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) to broaden the STEM student base or increase retention in these fields; Programs that recruit and retain Veterans in STEM fields; Programs that provide financial incentives to students entering and persisting in the study of STEM; or Other approaches to achieving program goals.

The intent of a STEP project should be to make a significant impact on the culture at an institution(s) with the expectation that major portions of the impact will be sustained after the completion of the project.

The most competitive proposals are those based on an institutional self-study that has determined when and why students leave STEM majors at the institution or identifies untapped recruitment opportunities and that focuses on changing the situation through appropriate strategies. A project that supports only a targeted cohort of students without including strategies for on-going institutional change is not likely to be competitive.

Finally, although the use of scholarships is allowed as one part of a larger strategic effort to retain students, if the project is intended to rely largely on scholarships, it should be submitted to the NSF Scholarships in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (S-STEM) Program .

For projects that are considering outreach to high school students, such activities are appropriate only if they will recruit students to the proposing institution(s) and if the high school students will be entering and progressing through undergraduate STEM majors within the five-year period of the proposed project.

In most cases, this requires that outreach and recruitment efforts be limited to juniors and seniors in high schools that have a history of sending their graduates to the proposing institution(s).

The outcomes expected of funded Type 1A and Type 1B STEP projects include all of the following: Significant progress toward achieving the specific proposed increases in the number of students who are United States citizens or permanent residents obtaining STEM degrees at institutions with baccalaureate degree programs or completing associate degrees or completing credits in STEM fields at a community college toward transfer to a baccalaureate degree; A description of the activities that have been institutionalized as a result of the project; A description of the expectations, following the end of the grant period, for continued efforts at the institution to increase the number of STEM degrees in established or emerging fields at institutions with baccalaureate degree programs or completing associate degrees in established or emerging fields or completing credits in STEM fields at a community college toward transfer to a baccalaureate degree; An evaluation, using the preliminary indicators and benchmarks defined in the proposal, that informs the institution and others about the effectiveness of specific implementation strategies; and Effective dissemination of project processes and results to the broader community.

All Type 1A and Type 1B grants will be reviewed during their third year to determine whether satisfactory progress has been made, with continued funding contingent on the result of the third-year review.

In addition to the individual project evaluation, Principal Investigators of all Type 1 awards will be required to participate in evaluation activities related to the Directorate for Education and Human Resource's program monitoring and program evaluation.

Special Type 1 Funding Focus on Retention in Engineering and Computer Science in FY13: In FY13, NSF especially encourages Type 1A or Type 1B projects that are committed to producing significant improvements in first and second year retention rates in engineering or computer science, under a special track (Graduate 10K).

Support for this track is anticipated to come from a cooperative activity between NSF and members of the President's Council on Jobs and Competitiveness (Jobs Council) aimed at increasing the annual number of new B. S. graduates in engineering and computer science by 10,000 (see http://www.

jobs-council. com/about/ ). The number of awards to be made in "Graduate 10K" is contingent upon the availability of funds.

Program activities under the STEP Type 2 competition represent educational research on factors affecting associate or baccalaureate degree attainment in STEM. The results are expected to contribute to the knowledge base of scholarly research in education. Proposals requesting up to a total of $1.

5 million for projects of up to a duration of four years should be based in a research design that incorporates appropriate and proven methodologies and strategies.

The proposal should identify the research questions, and the results should provide convincing evidence of the relationship of the factor(s) (including departmental/institutional) studied to the issues of associate and/or baccalaureate degree attainment, and/or undergraduate access to STEM careers, and/or persistence to STEM graduate study.

These educational research studies should reflect explicit cognizance of the broad variety of institutions of higher education, and should address the unique challenges and opportunities posed by that variety. Studies that involve a single institution are discouraged unless the proposal provides compelling arguments that the results can be generalized to the larger community.

The proposed research should be developed with the intent to provide the education community, including faculty, administrators, policymakers, and parents, with practical information to consider with respect to the impact of the factor(s) being studied within the educational system.

The results should enable the education community to guide better the future development of learning experiences, and to foster the retention and academic success of diverse students in STEM. Faculty in STEM disciplines are strongly encouraged to collaborate with appropriate experts in educational research when developing a Type 2 proposal.

Note that broader research opportunities in student learning and student academic success are eligible for support under the Research and Evaluation on Education in Science and Engineering (REESE) Program .

The outcomes expected of funded Type 2 STEP projects include all of the following: Evidence concerning an important factor(s) and its role(s) in associate and/or baccalaureate degree attainment, and/or undergraduate access to STEM careers, and/or persistence to STEM graduate study; Practical information useful to educators about the impact of the factor(s) that has been studied within the educational system; and Dissemination of the research results to the education community.

The number and size of awards will depend on the quality of the proposals received and the availability of funds. Grant duration for Type 1A and 1B awards is expected to be 5 years, with the final 2 years of funding contingent on determination that satisfactory progress has been made by the awardee during the first 3 years.

The level of funding for which institutions can apply is based on their total enrollments of undergraduate students (full-time equivalents). Institutions enrolling 5,000 or fewer undergraduate students may request up to a total of $500,000 for a period of five years, those enrolling between 5000 and 15,000 undergraduate students may request up to a total of $1.

0 million for five years, and those enrolling more than 15,000 undergraduate students may request up to a total of $2. 0 million for five years. Consortia of institutions are eligible to request funds within these limits based on their total, combined undergraduate enrollment.

Such consortial requests must provide clear evidence that the proposed partnership is both meaningful and important to the success of the project.

In addition, consortia for which the lead institution is one that awards baccalaureate degrees may request additional funds if the consortium includes one or more institutions that award only associate degrees, and if the institution(s) that awards associate degrees has a substantive role in the project and will receive significant funding under the request.

In such cases the total that may be requested is raised from $500,000 to $600,000, or from $1. 0 million to $1. 2 million, or from $2.

0 million to $2. 5 million according to the guidelines above based on the total, combined enrollments of undergraduate students (full-time equivalents). Awards will be made as standard or continuing grants.

The expectation is that about 15 to 20 Type 1 awards will be made each year. Grant duration for Type 2 awards is 1 to 4 years, and the request may be up to a total of $1. 5 million.

Type 2 proposals are exempt from the restriction on Type 1 proposals limiting an institution to participation in only one submission. The expectation is that 1 to 3 Type 2 awards will be made each year. IV.

Eligibility Information Who May Submit Proposals: Proposals may only be submitted by the following: Type 1 proposals are invited from academic institutions accredited in, and having a campus located in the United States and its territories, from consortia thereof, or from nonprofit organizations that have established consortia among such academic institutions.

The academic institutions must offer either associate degrees or baccalaureate degrees in science, technology, engineering and/or mathematics (STEM). Associate degree-granting institutions with a demonstrated record of articulation to STEM baccalaureate programs need not necessarily grant associate degrees in STEM fields in order to be eligible for this program.

Projects may involve a single institution, collaboration with business and industry partners, or collaboration among several institutions. For example, projects may include collaborative efforts that improve the transition of students among the collaborating institutions, such as transfer between two- and four-year institutions. Type 2 proposals are invited from any individual or organization eligible to submit proposals to the NSF.

There are no restrictions or limits. Limit on Number of Proposals per Organization: An institution that awards baccalaureate degrees is allowed to submit only one Type 1 proposal, or to be part of only one consortium submitting a Type 1 proposal.

An institution that awards associate degrees, and does not award baccalaureate degrees, is allowed to be the lead institution on only one Type 1 proposal, and, in addition, may be a partner on one or more Type 1 proposals. There are no restrictions on the number of Type 2 proposals that an individual or organization may submit.

Exception: If an institution is submitting a proposal under the "Special Funding Focus on Retention in Engineering and Computer Science" (see Program Description for details), it may also submit a second proposal under Type 1, either individually or as part of a consortium. Limit on Number of Proposals per PI or Co-PI: See Limit on Number of Proposals per Organization V. Proposal Preparation And Submission Instructions A.

Proposal Preparation Instructions 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.

The following instructions supplement the GPG guidelines: For Type 1 proposals, the signature of the Authorized Organizational Representative (AOR) on the Cover Sheet signifies that the proposer and all partner organizations understand and agree to the following statement: The AOR of each organization involved in this proposal is aware of this submission.

In addition to describing the proposed activities, all Type 1A and 1B proposals are expected to include within the 15 pages of the Project Description: The current undergraduate STEM enrollment and graduation figures at the institution(s), and the total undergraduate student enrollment (FTE) at the institution(s); A clearly stated summary of both the numerical and percentage increases expected during the grant period in the number of students who are United States citizens or permanent residents obtaining STEM degrees at institutions with baccalaureate degree programs or completing associate degrees or completing credits in STEM fields at community colleges toward transfer to a baccalaureate degree program; The reasons that working toward an increase in the number of students graduating in STEM areas is compatible with the institution's mission; A description of prior efforts to increase interest in STEM and results of those efforts; A statement of the overall vision that underlies the institution's management and implementation plan to increase the numbers of students graduating in STEM areas; The specific strategies to be used during the grant period to increase the number of students graduating in STEM fields, with rationales and justifications for these efforts; An explanation of why the proposed activities are not expected to cause decreases in the enrollments in other STEM fields, should the project activities focus on only a subset of STEM fields; A clear statement of which of the proposed activities, if successful, would be expected to be institutionalized by the end of the grant period and of which of the proposed activities, if successful, would require further sources of support in order to be continued; and A plan for rigorous evaluation and use of appropriate metrics to assess the institution's progress toward its goals, including preliminary indicators and benchmarks that will be used to determine which implementation strategies are proving to be effective; and methods that will help the project to determine how implementations might be improved, and to determine early on whether specific strategies are likely to be effective.

For all projects with a significant focus on retention , proposals are expected to contain: A concise articulation of current first- and second-year retention rates and the conditions that give rise to those figures; A clear statement of "stretch goals" for raising these rates and the basis for setting those targets; A clear explanation of the institution's capacity to accommodate significant increases in enrollment in the particular STEM disciplines that are targeted; and A cogent description of the institution's readiness to implement and execute effective practices that raise current retention and graduation rates to significantly higher levels.

In addition to the information that must be included in all Type 1 proposals, a Type 1B proposal must provide: Information about the previous Type 1 grant including evaluation information that supports claims of successes that have been achieved and the degree to which the previous project has been institutionalized; A description of significantly new directions in which the project will be heading, the rationale for choosing these new directions, and the relationship between the previous project and the proposed project; and An analysis of at least four years of data about the effects of the previous STEP Type 1 grant on student enrollments and graduation rates in STEM.

The National Science Foundation allows maximum flexibility in the design of efforts to increase the number of students receiving associate or baccalaureate degrees in established or emerging fields within STEM fields. However, the Type 1 proposal must fully document