Broader Impacts Resource Center
University of Idaho is committed to increasing the impact of faculty-led research and creative activity. Staff in the Office of Research and Faculty Development (RFD) work with the campus community to develop plans to maximize the broader societal impacts of their work. Within RFD, a dedicated Research Impact Professional supports individual faculty and teams designing or implementing broader impact activities as part of grant proposals or externally funded work.
During 2020-2021, U of I was chosen as one of five institutions to participate in the inaugural cohort of the Program to Enhance Organizational Research Impact Capacity (ORIC) offered by the Advancing Research Impact in Society (ARIS) Center (NSF Award #1810732). The other institutions selected were Michigan State University; Purdue University; University of California, Berkeley; and University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Through ORIC, ARIS provides institutions with research impact training, resources and mentorship, fostering a research impact community of practice to help participating organizations increase their internal capacity to support research impact activities. Participation in ORIC has enhanced institutional knowledge of and leadership in key competencies that will foster a sustainable research impacts infrastructure at U of I.
Please note: The BI Partner database is currently undergoing updates. Please reach out to the RFD Team with related questions.
National Science Foundation (NSF) Broader Impacts (BI) Criterion
When developing proposals for the National Science Foundation as well as some other organizations, researchers and scholars are expected to focus and reflect on both the scientific and/or scholarly impacts of their work as well as its broader impacts, that is, how their work benefits the broader academic and scientific community, the education community and the public.
Along with a review of each proposal’s intellectual merit, the National Science Foundation (NSF) reviews the merit of its broader impacts – the benefits to society of the proposed research; thus, every NSF proposal must include a section about the intended broader impacts of the proposed work.
As stated in the National Science Foundation Proposal & Award Policies and Procedures Guide:
NSF projects, in the aggregate, should contribute more broadly to achieving societal goals. These broader impacts may be accomplished
- Through the research itself,
- through 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. Such outcomes include, but are not limited to:
- Increasing the economic competitiveness of the United States;
- Advancing of the health and welfare of the American public;
- Supporting the national defense of the United States;
- Enhancing partnerships between academia and industry in the United States;
- Developing an American STEM workforce that is globally competitive through improved pre-kindergarten through grade 12 STEM education and teacher development, and improved undergraduate STEM education and instruction;
- Improving public scientific literacy and engagement with science and technology in the United States.
These examples of societally relevant outcomes should not be considered either comprehensive or prescriptive. Proposers may include appropriate outcomes not covered by these examples.
Please note that NSF guidance around Broader Impacts and broadening participation has recently been updated in April 2025. Researchers should refer to the NSF site for the latest information.
Investigators should prioritize the first six broader impacts goals as defined by the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2010. Investigators wishing to address goal seven — expanding participation in STEM for women and underrepresented groups — must ensure that all outreach, recruitment, or participatory activities in NSF projects are open and available to all Americans. Investigators may conduct these types of engagement activities to individuals, institutions, groups, or communities based on protected characteristics only as part of broad engagement activities. Investigators may also expand participation in STEM based on non-protected characteristics, including but not limited to institutional type, geography, socioeconomic status and career stage. However, engagement activities aimed at these characteristics cannot indirectly preference or exclude individuals or groups based on protected characteristics. Protected characteristics are those contained in relevant laws, such as but not limited to, the Equal Protection Clause of the Constitution and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
NSF will continue to operate programs that contain elements of broadening participation for individuals based on protected characteristics that are explicitly established in law and prioritized in NSF appropriations language. The research and broader impacts activities proposed in response to these programs should align with the relevant statutory language and aim to generate knowledge broadly impactful to Americans from all backgrounds and regions in the country.
Projects submitted to legally mandated broadening participation programs must not directly or indirectly preference or exclude any Americans on the basis of protected characteristics. Projects that have limited impact or rely on DEI frameworks or advocacy do not effectuate NSF priorities.
NSF will continue to fund projects that rate highly using our Intellectual Merit and Broader Impacts review criteria in high priority S&E areas. Projects that aim to create more opportunities for more people in every region of the country to participate in science and technology remain an important part of NSF's mission.
NSF will continue to operate legally mandated programs that aim to expand participation in STEM for individuals of protected characteristics so long as the projects submitted to these programs do not preference or limit participation based on these protected characteristics.
Researchers may recruit or study individuals based on protected characteristics when doing so is (1) intrinsic to the research question (e.g., research on human physiology), (2) not focused on broadening participation in STEM on the basis of protected characteristics and (3) aimed to fill an important gap in S&E knowledge. For example, research on technology to assist individuals with disabilities may be supported even when the research subject recruitment is limited to those with disabilities.
Broader Impacts (BI) Development Assistance
One of RFD’s goals in developing BI plans is to help faculty create competitive proposals. Just as importantly, creating effective broader impacts/public outreach enhances the public’s perception and understanding of the value of research and University of Idaho’s role in supporting it.
Development of Broader Impact Plans in Proposals
RFD staff are available help you develop a strong BI plan based on your individual interests and resources. Please reach out via the Faculty Request for Proposal Development Assistance and check Level 0: Consultation with RFD, then check B: NSF Broader Impacts consultation.
Finding BI Partners
We will work with you to identify potential partners for your BI activities. Our BI Partner Database can be used to find both on-campus and community partners that can help you accomplish your goals and result in a positive impact with your target audience.
Resources for Developing Broader Impacts Plans ⚓
- NSF Broader Impacts; Improving Society
The National Science Foundation’s webpage on Broader Impacts includes examples of broader impacts. - NSF Report: Perspectives on Broader Impacts
This report provides background and history of the NSF broader impacts criterion. - Advancing Research Impact in Society (ARIS) webpage
This NSF-funded program works with scientists and engagement practitioners to build capacity, advance scholarship, grow partnerships and provide resources to help them engage with and demonstrate the impact of research in their communities and society. - ARIS Broader Impacts Toolkit
These ARIS resources and tools are designed to help Researchers and BI Professionals develop projects and partnerships that will satisfy the Broader Impact requirement of National Science Foundation proposals. They include:- BI Guiding Principles - designed to assist NSF program managers, proposal reviewers and review panels, in evaluating the broader impacts (BI) component of NSF proposals and to assist proposers with developing their BI plans.
- BI Planning Checklist - a quick assessment to help you gage the completeness of your BI Plan.
- BI Wizard – to help you develop a BI plan that will satisfy the National Science Foundation BI review criterion and fulfill your interest in communicating your research projects and outcomes.
- BI Project Rubric - to help evaluate a Broader Impact project plan.
- Sample Broader Impacts Statements
Browse examples of broader impact statements from successful NSF proposals, collected from PIs at Georgia Tech.
Please note: We are currently making updates to this webpage to ensure alignment with updated guidance on NSF Priorities following the NSF Director’s statement on April 18, 2025. Thank you for your patience during this process. If you have related questions, please reach out to the RFD Team.