Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program | 23 586

Opportunity Information: Apply for 23 586

The Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program is a National Science Foundation (NSF) grant opportunity designed to strengthen the pipeline of highly effective K-12 STEM teachers and teacher leaders, with a clear emphasis on serving high-need Local Education Agencies (LEAs), meaning high-need school districts. The core purpose is to recruit, prepare, and retain strong elementary and secondary mathematics and science teachers who not only enter the profession, but also stay in the classroom over time in districts where staffing and retention challenges are often most severe. In practical terms, the program funds projects that help talented STEM undergraduates, STEM professionals transitioning careers, and accomplished current teachers gain the preparation, support, and incentives needed to teach and lead in high-need settings.

A central feature of the program is its focus on both workforce development and long-term retention. Noyce supports individuals at multiple career stages: (1) STEM undergraduates and certain STEM professionals preparing to become teachers, (2) STEM professionals who want to enter teaching through a focused pathway, and (3) experienced, exemplary K-12 STEM teachers who are ready to take on teacher-leader roles while continuing to teach in the classroom. The program also signals NSF's priority around broadening participation in STEM by explicitly welcoming proposals that include the full spectrum of diverse talent across project roles, including principal investigators, co-investigators, senior personnel, postdoctoral scholars, and graduate or undergraduate trainees.

The solicitation is organized into four main tracks, plus additional options for planning, conferences, and hands-on experiences. Track 1, Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarships and Stipends (S and S), funds projects that develop new K-12 STEM teachers for high-need districts by providing scholarships or stipends to Noyce-eligible STEM undergraduate majors and STEM professionals. Awards under Track 1 can be up to $1.2 million over as long as five years, and participants have a service requirement: they must teach for two years for each year of scholarship support received. Track 2, NSF Teaching Fellowships (TF), targets Noyce-eligible STEM professionals and supports projects up to $3 million over up to six years, with a required four-year teaching commitment. Track 3, NSF Master Teaching Fellowships (MTF), supports the development of STEM teacher leaders in high-need districts by funding experienced and exemplary K-12 STEM teachers who hold a bachelors or masters degree in their field; these awards can also be up to $3 million over up to six years, and fellows commit to teaching for five years. Track 4, the Noyce Research Track, is different from the others in that it does not primarily fund scholarships or fellowships; instead it supports research focused on the effectiveness and retention of K-12 STEM teachers in high-need districts, with awards up to $1 million over up to five years.

For organizations that are not yet ready to submit a full project in one of the main tracks, the program also accepts Capacity Building proposals. These are essentially planning or launch grants meant to help teams develop a strong future Noyce proposal, with funding up to $100,000 for up to one year. In addition, NSF indicates it will consider conference proposals aimed at improving STEM teacher preparation, and it invites proposals that offer authentic Research Experiences in STEM Settings (RESS) for pre-service and in-service teachers (including both Noyce and non-Noyce participants). For conference proposals and RESS efforts, NSF expects budgets to match the scope of work, and applicants are required to discuss these ideas with a Noyce Program Officer before submitting.

The opportunity also includes incentives to encourage stronger partnerships and broader institutional participation. While each track lists typical maximum budgets, awards may exceed those maximums through Collaboration Incentives tied to specific kinds of collaborations, including engagement of community colleges in Capacity Building or Track 1 projects, engagement with Noyce awards in Track 4 research projects, or engagement with minority-serving institutions in proposals submitted to any Noyce track. This is a notable design element because it nudges applicants toward partnerships that can expand recruitment pathways (such as community colleges), strengthen research-practice connections, and broaden participation in the STEM teacher workforce.

Administratively, this is an NSF discretionary grant opportunity in the science and technology research and development category (CFDA 47.076), listed under Funding Opportunity Number 23-586. The published award ceiling for the overall opportunity is $3.25 million, and NSF anticipated making around 77 awards under this solicitation. The original closing date listed for the opportunity was August 29, 2023. Eligibility is described broadly as "Others (see text)," which in NSF practice typically means applicants should consult the full solicitation for the precise institutional eligibility requirements and any track-specific rules.

Overall, the Noyce program is best understood as a targeted workforce and systems-improvement investment: it funds partnerships and programming that move strong STEM talent into teaching, build their skill and effectiveness for high-need classrooms, support them to remain in those schools, and generate evidence about what approaches most successfully improve recruitment, preparation, and retention of STEM teachers and teacher leaders.

• The National Science Foundation in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program" 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 May 09, 2023.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Aug 29, 2023. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $3,250,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 77 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).

Apply for 23 586

[Watch] Creating a grant proposal using the step-by-step wizard inside the applicant portal: