Chapter 11: How the National Science Foundation Supports Family Engagement in STEM Learning

When researchers and educators who value family engagement think about support for their work, the National Science Foundation (NSF) may not be the first resource that comes to mind. This is unfortunate given that the agency offers a variety of funding opportunities and practitioner resources relevant to family engagement. This chapter is designed to inform readers about how NSF’s Directorate of Education and Human Resources (EHR) funds research examining relations among families’ home-, school- and community-based activities, student interest in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) and the development of students’ STEM knowledge over time. A second goal is to provide potential grant applicants with information about how to propose a family engagement project to NSF.