(4) development and hosting of intra- or inter- 
institutional workshops to propagate best practices 
in recruiting, retaining, and advancing faculty mem-
bers from underrepresented minority groups; 
(5) professional development opportunities for 
faculty members from underrepresented minority 
groups; 
(6) activities aimed at making undergraduate 
STEM students from underrepresented minority 
groups aware of opportunities for academic careers 
in STEM fields; 
(7) activities to identify and engage exceptional 
graduate students from underrepresented minority 
groups at various stages of their studies and to en-
courage them to enter academic careers; and 
(8) other activities consistent with subsection 
(a), as determined by the Director of the National 
Science Foundation. 
(d) SELECTION PROCESS.— 
(1) APPLICATION.—An institution of higher 
education (or consortia thereof) seeking funding 
under this section shall submit an application to the 
Director of the National Science Foundation at such 
time, in such manner, and containing such informa-
tion and assurances as such Director may require. 
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The application shall include, at a minimum, a de-
scription of— 
(A) the reform effort that is being pro-
posed for implementation by the institution of 
higher education; 
(B) any available evidence of specific dif-
ficulties in the recruitment, retention, and ad-
vancement of faculty members from underrep-
resented minority groups in STEM academic 
careers within the institution of higher edu-
cation submitting an application, and how the 
proposed reform effort would address such 
issues; 
(C) how the institution of higher education 
submitting an application plans to sustain the 
proposed reform effort beyond the duration of 
the grant; and 
(D) how the success and effectiveness of 
the proposed reform effort will be evaluated and 
assessed in order to contribute to the national 
knowledge base about models for catalyzing in-
stitutional change. 
(2) REVIEW
OF
APPLICATIONS.—In selecting 
grant recipients under this section, the Director of 
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the National Science Foundation shall consider, at a 
minimum— 
(A) the likelihood of success in under-
taking the proposed reform effort at the institu-
tion of higher education submitting the applica-
tion, including the extent to which the adminis-
trators of the institution are committed to mak-
ing the proposed reform effort a priority; 
(B) the degree to which the proposed re-
form effort will contribute to change in institu-
tional culture and policy such that greater value 
is placed on the recruitment, retention, and ad-
vancement of faculty members from underrep-
resented minority groups; 
(C) the likelihood that the institution of 
higher education will sustain or expand the pro-
posed reform effort beyond the period of the 
grant; and 
(D) the degree to which evaluation and as-
sessment plans are included in the design of the 
proposed reform effort. 
(3) GRANT
DISTRIBUTION.—The Director of 
the National Science Foundation shall ensure, to the 
extent practicable, that grants awarded under this 
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section are made to a variety of types of institutions 
of higher education. 
(e) AUTHORIZATION
OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 
are authorized to be appropriated to the Director of the 
National Science Foundation $10,000,000 for each of fis-
cal years 2016 through 2020 to carry out this section. 
SEC. 221. NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION SUPPORT FOR 
BROADENING 
PARTICIPATION 
IN 
UNDER-
GRADUATE STEM EDUCATION. 
(a) GRANTS.—The Director of the National Science 
Foundation shall award grants to institutions of higher 
education (or consortia thereof) to implement or expand 
research-based reforms in undergraduate STEM edu-
cation for the purpose of recruiting and retaining students 
from minority groups who are underrepresented in STEM 
fields, with a priority focus on natural science and engi-
neering fields. 
(b) MERIT REVIEW; COMPETITION.—Grants shall be 
awarded under this section on a merit-reviewed, competi-
tive basis. 
(c) USE OF FUNDS.—Activities supported by grants 
under this section may include— 
(1) implementation or expansion of innovative, 
research-based approaches to broaden participation 
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