June 28, 2023

Dear Colleagues:

This Dear Colleague Letter (DCL) seeks to clarify the opportunity for future awards funded in response to solicitation NSF 23-586, the Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program (Noyce), to use grant funds to provide salary supplements of $10,000 or more per year for Scholars and Fellows. This clarification stipulates that in addition to the funding of salary supplements as described for Track 2: the NSF Teaching Fellowships (TF) Track and Track 3: the NSF Master Teaching Fellowships (MTF) Track in solicitation NSF 23-586, proposals in response to this solicitation may include funding for salary supplements for Track 1: Scholarships (undergraduate STEM majors) or Stipends (post-baccalaureate STEM degreed individuals) recipients during the first five (5) years of their teaching of STEM subjects as certified/licensed teachers in high-need school districts.

Noyce Track 1 recipients who have graduated with teacher certification and started teaching in a high-need school district by the 7th year (or earlier) of the Noyce grant would be eligible for five years of a salary supplement. Note that the award terms and conditions authorize a single Grantee-approved No-Cost Extension, which may be followed in future years by NSF-Approved No-Extensions. This will mean that institutions that chose to include salary supplements in their Track 1 projects will need to be prepared to administer the grant for (11) years.

Funds for salary supplements should be included on line F.1 and contribute to the 60% of the Total Direct Costs on the budget as specified in solicitation NSF 23-586.

School district letters submitted in support of a Track 1 that includes salary supplements in the proposal must specify that the district will support the award of salary supplements and will not lower the base salary of Scholars receiving the salary supplements.

Full Proposal Deadline Date:  August 29, 2023