Strengthen Your NSF Proposal with the ARIS Broader Impacts Toolkit
published Dec 17, 2024 4:29pm-
As the new year approaches, researchers are in the thick of NSF proposal season, racing to finalize submissions for early 2024 proposal deadlines. A standout resource for researchers preparing Broader Impacts (BI) sections is the newly revised ARIS Broader Impacts Toolkit. The Journal of Community Engagement and Scholarship features a special issue publication, including contributions from SERC's evaluation team. The issue highlights the use of the Toolkit at various institutions and how its design supports researchers in crafting high-quality BI plans.
What the ARIS Broader Impacts Toolkit Offers
The ARIS BI Toolkit is an online resource that equips researchers and BI professionals with tools for developing, implementing, and evaluating BI activities. This comprehensive suite includes:
- ARIS Guiding Principles: A framework to inspire impactful and meaningful BI projects.
- BI Planning Checklist: A step-by-step guide for organizing BI activities.
- BI Wizard: An interactive tool to generate tailored BI plans.
- BI Rubric: A validated tool for assessing the quality and scope of BI plans.
These resources were pilot-tested at diverse institutions, from Minority Serving Institutions to R1 universities, ensuring broad applicability across research contexts. By addressing common challenges in BI plan development, such as balancing proven strategies with innovation and adapting to disciplinary norms, the Toolkit serves as a powerful guide for strengthening NSF proposals.
Benefits for Educators and Researchers
For educators and researchers writing NSF proposals, the ARIS Toolkit is a game-changer. As demonstrated in studies co-authored by SERC's Ellen Iverson and Kristin O'Connell, the Toolkit's BI Rubric provides a reliable and valid method for evaluating and enhancing BI plans. Researchers using the Toolkit report greater confidence in aligning their BI strategies with NSF's merit review criteria, particularly for proposals like NSF CAREER awards that integrate research and education.
A case study from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln found that early-career faculty using the Toolkit were better equipped to develop robust BI plans, fostering impactful community partnerships and long-term success in grant writing.
Check out the publications:
- Iverson, E.R., O'Connell, K., McDonnell, J., Renoe S., Hotaling, L. (2024) The Reliability and Validity of the ARIS Broader Impacts Rubric, Journal of Community Engagement and Scholarship, Vol. 17, No. 2. https://doi.org/10.54656/jces.v17i2.638
- Hotaling, L., Lichtenwalner, C.S., McDonnell, J., O'Connell, K., Ferraro, C. (2024), The ARIS Broader Impacts Toolkit: An Online Guide to Support Broader Impact Project Development and Evaluation for Researchers and BI Professionals, Journal of Community Engagement and Scholarship, Vol. 17, No. 2. https://doi.org/10.54656/jces.v17i2.644
- Bosley, J., Dwyer, M., Mullen, T.G., Bohlin, A., Tan, W.A., Pelland, C.M., Iverson, E.R., Meier, N. Leveraging the ARIS BI Toolkit to Equip Faculty for Career - and CAREER - Success. Journal of Community Engagement and Scholarship, Vol. 17, No. 2. https://doi.org/10.54656/jces.v17i2.614