Broader Impacts

Broader Impacts are a fundamental part of the mission of most funding agencies and seek to demonstrate how the proposed research will benefit society beyond the research community.

Below are links to resources to help you think about and prepare your Broader Impacts statement. 

 

Broader Impacts

ARIS - Broader Impacts

Resources and tools on this site are designed to help Researchers develop projects and partnerships that will satisfy the Broader Impact requirement of National Science Foundation (NSF) proposals, and help you fulfill your interest in communicating your science.

  • Broader Impacts Toolkit - Helpful tool for investigators seeking guidance when constructing a BI Statement for NSF proposals and framing BI projects.

Columbia Climate School LEAD - Exploring Broader Impacts

This session will help you get started on thinking about and planning out a long-term plan for this type of engagement and how to start building important connections now.

NSF - Broader Impacts 

Ensures that publicly funded research has tangible benefits to society that go beyond increasing knowledge.

 

Broadening Participation 

AAAS - Public Engagement 
  • Communications Toolkit - Provides guidance for scientists to build skills to more effectively communicate and engage with public audiences, including ways to apply the fundamentals of communication to scientific topics.

ARIS - Broader Impacts
  • STEM Outreach Collaboration Toolbox - A practical guide for partnerships between scientists and educators. This step-by-step guide provides tools to align thinking with action to plan, deliver, and reflect on youth STEM programming. 

  • Tool for Building a Public Engagement Plan - Provides a place to organize ideas, and consider community partnerships and audience needs at the beginning of a project.

CADRE - Dissemination Toolkit

Collection of resources can be used for planning your communication & dissemination strategies or for learning more about different dissemination methods and approaches.

InformalScience.org - Broadening Participation Toolkit

A toolkit to support science engagement professionals who are developing strategic efforts to broaden participation in STEM.

NSF - Broadening Participation in STEM for Women and Girls

Focus on understanding and developing strategies to address differences in participation in STEM education and career outcomes by gender.

 

Examples of Broader Impacts Activities 

AAAS - Public Engagement
COSEE NOW Case Studies

Series of case studies that highlight successful broader impact activities from the scientists’ perspective. Each case study includes an interview with the scientist involved on what they did, how they got involved, who they worked with, any challenges and benefits, what it cost, and how they measured the success.

National Alliance for Broader Impacts Repository and Digital Library

Allows users to add projects to the repository or browse and download proposals and other resources.

The Michigan Public Engagement Framework

Identifies twelve domains of public engagement reflecting current practices and professional communities.

 

Evaluation 

InformalScience.org - Design Evaluation

Information and tools for evaluating informal STEM education experiences. 

NSF - Broader Impacts