Program Overview
The Minority Science and Engineering Improvement Program (MSEIP) assists predominantly minority institutions in effecting long-range improvement in science and engineering education programs and increasing the flow of underrepresented ethnic minorities, particularly minority women, into science and engineering careers.
Types of Projects
The program funds are generally used to implement institutional projects, special projects, cooperative projects, and design projects for a broad range of activities that address specific barriers that eliminate or reduce the entry of minorities into science and technology fields.
Institutional project grants are grants that support the implementation of a comprehensive science improvement plan, which may include any combination of activities for improving the preparation of minority students, particularly minority women, for careers in science.
There are two types of special project grants. First, there are special project grants for which only minority institutions are eligible. These special project grants support activities that improve quality training in science and engineering at minority institutions or enhance the minority institutions' general scientific research capabilities. There also are special project grants for which all applicants are eligible. These special project grants support activities that provide a needed service to a group of eligible minority institutions or provide in-service training for project directors, scientists, and engineers from eligible minority institutions.
Cooperative project grants assist groups of nonprofit accredited colleges and universities to work together to conduct a science improvement project.
Design project grants assist minority institutions that do not have their own appropriate resources or personnel to plan and develop long-range science improvement programs.
Sample map of participating institutions — This map samples of institutions that have applied for and been awarded grants under this program by the Institutional Service (IS), U.S. Department of Education.
Funding
| Year | Appropriation |
|---|---|
| FY 2024 | $16,370,000 |
| FY 2023 | $16,370,000 |
| FY 2022 | $14,539,000 |
| FY 2021 | $13,394,000 |
| FY 2020 | $12,635,000 |
| FY 2019 | $11,135,000 |
| FY 2018 | $11,025,000 |
| FY 2017 | $9,466,000 |
| FY 2016 | $9,648,000 |
| FY 2015 | $8,971,000 |
| FY 2014 | $8,971,000 |
| FY 2013 | $8,971,000 |
| FY 2012 | $9,466,000 |
| FY 2011 | $9,483,994 |
| FY 2010 | $9,503,000 |
Legislation
- Title III, Part E, Subpart 1, Secs. 350-365 of the Higher Education Act (HEA) of 1965, as amended
- 20 U.S.C. 1067-1067k
Regulations
- 34 CFR Part 637
- Education Department General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 74, 75, 77, 79, 82, 85, 86, 97, 98, and 99
Applicant Information
The most recent competition for the MSEIP was held in FY 2023. View the FY 2023 MSEIP Notice Inviting Applications, published March 30, 2023.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the purpose of the Minority Science and Engineering Improvement Program?
The purpose of the Minority Science and Engineering Improvement Program (MSEIP) is to make grants that are designed to effect long-range improvement in science and engineering education at predominantly minority institutions of higher education and to increase the participation of underrepresented ethnic minorities, particularly minority women, in scientific and technological careers. MSEIP supports the Federal Government's efforts to improve and expand the scientific and technological capacity of the United States to support its technological and economic competitiveness.
What is the definition of the term "minority" for MSEIP?
The term ‘‘minority'' means American Indian, Alaskan Native, Black (not of Hispanic origin), Hispanic (including persons of Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban, and Central or South American origin), Pacific Islander or other ethnic group under-represented in science and engineering.
What is the definition of the term "minority institution" for MSEIP?
The term ‘‘minority institution'' means an institution of higher education whose enrollment of a single minority or a combination of minorities exceeds 50 percent of the total enrollment.
What is the definition of the term "science" for MSEIP?
The term ‘‘science'' means the biological, engineering, mathematical, physical, behavioral, and social sciences, and history and philosophy of science; also included are interdisciplinary fields which are comprised of overlapping areas among two or more sciences.
What is the duration of the MSEIP grant?
A grant award under MSEIP is for 12 to 36 months and is based on the request of the applicant.
What are the four types of grants supported by MSEIP?
- Institutional grants support the implementation of a comprehensive science improvement plan, which may include any combination of activities for improving the preparation of minority students, particularly minority women, for careers in science.
- Cooperative grants assist groups of nonprofit accredited colleges and universities working together to conduct a science improvement program. Any nonprofit accredited college or university may participate in a cooperative grant; however, the fiscal agent must be an eligible minority institution.
- Design grants are projects that assist minority institutions that do not have their own appropriate resources or personnel to plan and develop long-range science improvement programs. Applicants that receive design grants are not guaranteed to receive an award the following year to execute the planned science improvement program. Therefore, the Department has decided not to award Design grants as of Fiscal Year 2011.
- Special Project grants are designed to assist minority institutions with activities that improve the quality of training in science and engineering at minority institutions or enhance the minority institution's general scientific research capabilities. A Special Project grant may be given to any applicant supporting activities that provide a needed service to a group of eligible minority institutions. Special grants may also be used to provide in-service training for project directors, scientists, and engineers from eligible minority institutions.
How often are MSEIP competitions generally held?
In general, MSEIP competitions are held annually. However, contingent upon the availability of funds and the quality of applications, the Department of Education may decide not to conduct a competition and instead, we may make additional awards in the next fiscal year from the previous competition's list of high scoring, unfunded applications.
What kinds of activities cannot be supported with MSEIP grant funds?
MSEIP does not support scholarships or the construction of new STEM facilities. However, it does support stipends for eligible participants and renovations of STEM facilities.
What are the reporting requirements for MSEIP grantees?
First year MSEIP grantees are required to submit an Interim Performance Report after the first six months of the grant to document the progress made towards meeting the approved objectives.
Second and third year MSEIP grantees are required to submit an Annual Performance Report (APR) documenting the progress made towards meeting the approved objectives.
Additionally, all grantees must maintain records to determine the participant's eligibility, the services being provided to the participant, and the educational progress of the participant.
Eligibility
Eligible applicants include public and private, nonprofit accredited institutions of higher education (IHEs) with minority enrollments that exceed 50 percent of the total enrollment; professional scientific societies; nonprofit science-oriented organizations; and nonprofit four-year accredited colleges and universities that provide needed services to a group of eligible minority institutions or that provide special training for project directors, scientists, and engineers from eligible minority institutions. Additionally, eligible applicants include two-year public or private non-profit IHEs that award associate degrees and are minority institutions that have curricula that include science and engineering subjects and enter into a partnership with a four-year minority IHE. A minority institution is defined in the regulations at 34 CFR 637.4(b). This program does not support scholarships for students.
FY 2024
FY 2023
FY 2022
FY 2021
- New Grant Recipients MS Excel (18K)
- NCC Grant Recipients MS Excel (29K)
- Project Abstracts MS Word (65K)
FY 2020
FY 2019
FY 2018
- New Grant Recipients MS Excel (14K)
- NCC Grant Recipients MS Excel (14K)
- Project Abstracts MS Word (42K)
FY 2017
FY 2016
- New Grant Recipients MS Excel (24K)
- NCC Grant Recipients MS Excel (25K)
- Project Abstracts MS Word (176K)
FY 2015
Program Overview
The Minority Science and Engineering Improvement Program (MSEIP) assists predominantly minority institutions in effecting long-range improvement in science and engineering education programs and increasing the flow of underrepresented ethnic minorities, particularly minority women, into science and engineering careers.
Types of Projects
The program funds are generally used to implement institutional projects, special projects, cooperative projects, and design projects for a broad range of activities that address specific barriers that eliminate or reduce the entry of minorities into science and technology fields.
Institutional project grants are grants that support the implementation of a comprehensive science improvement plan, which may include any combination of activities for improving the preparation of minority students, particularly minority women, for careers in science.
There are two types of special project grants. First, there are special project grants for which only minority institutions are eligible. These special project grants support activities that improve quality training in science and engineering at minority institutions or enhance the minority institutions' general scientific research capabilities. There also are special project grants for which all applicants are eligible. These special project grants support activities that provide a needed service to a group of eligible minority institutions or provide in-service training for project directors, scientists, and engineers from eligible minority institutions.
Cooperative project grants assist groups of nonprofit accredited colleges and universities to work together to conduct a science improvement project.
Design project grants assist minority institutions that do not have their own appropriate resources or personnel to plan and develop long-range science improvement programs.
Sample map of participating institutions — This map samples of institutions that have applied for and been awarded grants under this program by the Institutional Service (IS), U.S. Department of Education.
Funding
| Year | Appropriation |
|---|---|
| FY 2024 | $16,370,000 |
| FY 2023 | $16,370,000 |
| FY 2022 | $14,539,000 |
| FY 2021 | $13,394,000 |
| FY 2020 | $12,635,000 |
| FY 2019 | $11,135,000 |
| FY 2018 | $11,025,000 |
| FY 2017 | $9,466,000 |
| FY 2016 | $9,648,000 |
| FY 2015 | $8,971,000 |
| FY 2014 | $8,971,000 |
| FY 2013 | $8,971,000 |
| FY 2012 | $9,466,000 |
| FY 2011 | $9,483,994 |
| FY 2010 | $9,503,000 |
Legislation
- Title III, Part E, Subpart 1, Secs. 350-365 of the Higher Education Act (HEA) of 1965, as amended
- 20 U.S.C. 1067-1067k
Regulations
- 34 CFR Part 637
- Education Department General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 74, 75, 77, 79, 82, 85, 86, 97, 98, and 99
Applicant Information
The most recent competition for the MSEIP was held in FY 2023. View the FY 2023 MSEIP Notice Inviting Applications, published March 30, 2023.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the purpose of the Minority Science and Engineering Improvement Program?
The purpose of the Minority Science and Engineering Improvement Program (MSEIP) is to make grants that are designed to effect long-range improvement in science and engineering education at predominantly minority institutions of higher education and to increase the participation of underrepresented ethnic minorities, particularly minority women, in scientific and technological careers. MSEIP supports the Federal Government's efforts to improve and expand the scientific and technological capacity of the United States to support its technological and economic competitiveness.
What is the definition of the term "minority" for MSEIP?
The term ‘‘minority'' means American Indian, Alaskan Native, Black (not of Hispanic origin), Hispanic (including persons of Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban, and Central or South American origin), Pacific Islander or other ethnic group under-represented in science and engineering.
What is the definition of the term "minority institution" for MSEIP?
The term ‘‘minority institution'' means an institution of higher education whose enrollment of a single minority or a combination of minorities exceeds 50 percent of the total enrollment.
What is the definition of the term "science" for MSEIP?
The term ‘‘science'' means the biological, engineering, mathematical, physical, behavioral, and social sciences, and history and philosophy of science; also included are interdisciplinary fields which are comprised of overlapping areas among two or more sciences.
What is the duration of the MSEIP grant?
A grant award under MSEIP is for 12 to 36 months and is based on the request of the applicant.
What are the four types of grants supported by MSEIP?
- Institutional grants support the implementation of a comprehensive science improvement plan, which may include any combination of activities for improving the preparation of minority students, particularly minority women, for careers in science.
- Cooperative grants assist groups of nonprofit accredited colleges and universities working together to conduct a science improvement program. Any nonprofit accredited college or university may participate in a cooperative grant; however, the fiscal agent must be an eligible minority institution.
- Design grants are projects that assist minority institutions that do not have their own appropriate resources or personnel to plan and develop long-range science improvement programs. Applicants that receive design grants are not guaranteed to receive an award the following year to execute the planned science improvement program. Therefore, the Department has decided not to award Design grants as of Fiscal Year 2011.
- Special Project grants are designed to assist minority institutions with activities that improve the quality of training in science and engineering at minority institutions or enhance the minority institution's general scientific research capabilities. A Special Project grant may be given to any applicant supporting activities that provide a needed service to a group of eligible minority institutions. Special grants may also be used to provide in-service training for project directors, scientists, and engineers from eligible minority institutions.
How often are MSEIP competitions generally held?
In general, MSEIP competitions are held annually. However, contingent upon the availability of funds and the quality of applications, the Department of Education may decide not to conduct a competition and instead, we may make additional awards in the next fiscal year from the previous competition's list of high scoring, unfunded applications.
What kinds of activities cannot be supported with MSEIP grant funds?
MSEIP does not support scholarships or the construction of new STEM facilities. However, it does support stipends for eligible participants and renovations of STEM facilities.
What are the reporting requirements for MSEIP grantees?
First year MSEIP grantees are required to submit an Interim Performance Report after the first six months of the grant to document the progress made towards meeting the approved objectives.
Second and third year MSEIP grantees are required to submit an Annual Performance Report (APR) documenting the progress made towards meeting the approved objectives.
Additionally, all grantees must maintain records to determine the participant's eligibility, the services being provided to the participant, and the educational progress of the participant.
Eligibility
Eligible applicants include public and private, nonprofit accredited institutions of higher education (IHEs) with minority enrollments that exceed 50 percent of the total enrollment; professional scientific societies; nonprofit science-oriented organizations; and nonprofit four-year accredited colleges and universities that provide needed services to a group of eligible minority institutions or that provide special training for project directors, scientists, and engineers from eligible minority institutions. Additionally, eligible applicants include two-year public or private non-profit IHEs that award associate degrees and are minority institutions that have curricula that include science and engineering subjects and enter into a partnership with a four-year minority IHE. A minority institution is defined in the regulations at 34 CFR 637.4(b). This program does not support scholarships for students.
FY 2024
FY 2023
FY 2022
FY 2021
- New Grant Recipients MS Excel (18K)
- NCC Grant Recipients MS Excel (29K)
- Project Abstracts MS Word (65K)
FY 2020
FY 2019
FY 2018
- New Grant Recipients MS Excel (14K)
- NCC Grant Recipients MS Excel (14K)
- Project Abstracts MS Word (42K)
FY 2017
FY 2016
- New Grant Recipients MS Excel (24K)
- NCC Grant Recipients MS Excel (25K)
- Project Abstracts MS Word (176K)