Initial Publication Date: January 19, 2026

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

NSF grants support a wide range of projects. What are some examples of recently funded NSF projects with 2YCs as PIs?

You can find examples of successful proposals by using NSFs award search. Find all projects funded by the ITYC program by putting "twoyear" into the program field). (Or you can click here.) You can also search by specific institution, keywords, or put "Community College" in the institution field to get awards to colleges that have that in their name.

What were the funded proposals that emerged from the 2024 Workshop?

  • Developing Scientific Understanding Through Earth and Space Science Investigations at Two-Year Colleges. Community College of Rhode Island. Roger Hart, PI. Award 2514197
  • Authentic Student Research on a Local Greenway as a Catalyst for Leadership and Engagement at a Two-Year College. Delgado Community College. Diondra DeMolle, PI. Award 2515576
  • Collaborative Research: Planning: Innovation in Introductory Geography Courses at Two-Year Colleges. CUNY Bronx Community College and Central New Mexico Community College. Marissa I Wald and Tamar Rothenberg, PIs. Awards 2521676 and 2521675.
  • Ocean Science Research Experiences to Engage Two-Year College Students. Pasadena City College, Elizabeth A Nagy, PI. Award 2515217.

What are some examples of projects that might be a good fit?

Examples of possible proposals:

  • A single- or multi-institution proposal implementing Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experiences (CURES) in geoscience and environmental science courses or a single-institution proposal implementing CURES across STEM disciplines;
  • A single- or multiple-institution proposal on classroom and/or curricular innovations addressing, in part, attracting/recruiting students to the Earth sciences or to STEM);
  • A proposal to develop cross-disciplinary or multidisciplinary curricular materials;
  • A multi-institution proposal to establish a regional network supporting 2YC-4YC transfer;
  • A planning grant focused on project supporting students' workforce preparation;
  • A conference proposal

Each team is required to include at least one Earth scientist. How is "Earth scientist" defined?

We anticipate applicants with expertise in a variety of parts of the Earth system, including geology, atmospheric science, ocean science, soils, environmental science, sustainability, climate science, and others. We enthusiastically welcome participants from other disciplines to join the teams (i.e., chemistry, physics, life sciences, mathematics, computer science, engineering, non-STEM disciplines).

How much time will I be expected to spend on the workshop each day?

The workshop is 4 hours/day on Zoom (with short breaks) and we expect an additional hour of asynchronous work/writing between each workshop day and other asynchronous work between Part 1 and 2. The workshop will also include pre- and post-workshop activities (which include completing all parts of a full NSF proposal).

How does the workshop support writing and the writing process?

This workshop intentionally incorporates strategies successful in teaching writing as a process, and the project team includes two writing center directors. Strategies used to support the writing process from idea development to NSF proposal sections include:

  • Free writing, writing in a set amount of time without editing or organizing, is a low-stakes way for writers to overcome writer's block by brainstorming early in the writing process (Elbow, 1973)
  • Writing regularly and in chunks during the workshop sets a model for how writers can keep their momentum going when working on their own.
  • In-progress feedback from multiple readers throughout the proposal writing process can help writers clearly communicate their ideas. Feedback from other teams, the project leaders, writing consultants, and other reviewers can reveal what readers find compelling or where they have questions. This process can clarify what an audience needs to know and guide writers as they refine their drafts (Gopen, 2024).
  • Revising first for ideas and organization frees writers to explore the most effective way to present their stories. 

Does my participation in this workshop guarantee NSF funding for my project?

Unfortunately, we are not in charge of funding decisions at NSF. We will work with each team to develop a strong proposal for your ideas.