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Broader Impacts

Broader Impacts

Community Engagement Identity Coalition posing for photo in front of a chalkboard in a classroom.

Broader Impacts

Broader Impacts refers to the potential for a research project to benefit society or advance desired societal outcomes. Those outcomes include, but are not limited to:

  • full participation of women, persons with disabilities, and underrepresented minorities;
  • improved education and educator development at any level;
  • increased public engagement;
  • improved well-being of individuals in society;
  • development of a diverse, globally competitive workforce;
  • increased partnerships between academia, industry, and others;
  • improved national security;
  • increased economic competitiveness of the United States; and
  • enhanced infrastructure for research and education

Broader Impacts are described as a priority area in the National Science Foundation's (NSF) current strategic plan, but NSF is not the only funding agency with a Broader Impacts requirement. This requirement extends beyond those conducting scientific research to also include grant applicants in the fields of the social sciences, humanities and the arts. Many funders are asking their reviewers to assess the quality of a project's outreach and educational activities, public engagement or cross-institutional collaborations.

ARIS Toolkit for Developing Broader Impacts

The resources and tools on ARIS are designed to help Researchers and BI Professionals 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.

Start with the BI wizard to develop your program 

Once you have designed your BI program, test your ideas with the ARIS rubric

Join us for a Broader Impact workshop or one-on-one consultation.  Contact pendley@ou.edu for more information.