Broader Impacts

What are Broader Impacts and Why are They Important?

From the National Science Foundation

The project Summary will contain the following required separate statements: overview of the project, statement on intellectual merit, and statement on broader impacts.  Annual and Final Reports must address activities related to the Broader Impacts criterion that are not intrinsic to the research. NSF Grant Proposal Guide

The Project Description must contain, as a separate section within the narrative, a discussion of the broader impacts of the proposed activities. Broader impacts may be accomplished through the research itself, through the activities that are directly related to specific research projects, or through activities that are supported by, but are complementary to the project. NSF values the advancement of scientific knowledge and activities that contribute to the achievement of societally relevant outcomes:

  • Full participation of women, persons with disabilities, and underrepresented minorities in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM)
  • Improved STEM education and educator development at any level
  • Increased public scientific literacy and public engagement with science and technology
  • Improved well-being of individuals in society
  • Development of a diverse, globally competitive STEM workforce
  • Increased partnerships between academia, industry, and others
  • Improved national security
  • Increased economic competitiveness of the United States
  • Use of science and technology to inform public policy
  • Enhanced infrastructure for research and education


Grants Hub Broader Impact Services

  • Programs – A comprehensive listing of programs on campus that work with Broader Impacts initiatives and information on how faculty can effectively partner with them.
  • Resources – Informational links, NSF documents, and recent scholarly articles that support the various areas of NSF’s Broader Impacts criterion.
  • Evaluation – Links and resources available to evaluate your Broader Impacts.
  • Schedule a Consultation – Assistance in discovering what area of Broader Impacts faculty are passionate about and identify opportunities to integrate that into their research enterprise.


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