NSF Launches GRFP Partnership Opportunity

By: Nabila Riaz
Wednesday, May 21, 2025
On May 7, the National Science Board (NSB) convened and announced a new initiative: the National Science Foundation (NSF) Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP) Fellows Partnership Opportunity. The GRFP supports the quality, vitality, and diversity of the United States scientific and engineering workforce by broadening participation from historically excluded groups, including women, individuals with disabilities, and veterans.

During the open session, NSB board member Dorota Grejner-Brzezinska introduced the initiative, emphasizing NSF’s interest in forming partnerships to strengthen this year’s graduate fellowship program amid uncertainty surrounding the agency’s future budget. This year, the GRFP awarded 1,000 fellowships, while a record 3,000 applicants received honorable mentions. To extend support beyond its current funding capacity, NSF is seeking external contributions from industry, philanthropy, and state governments to fund graduate fellowships for students who received honorable mentions. The pilot program invites these partners to sponsor three-year fellowships under their own organizational banners while “sustaining the original spirit” of the NSF program. Grejner-Brzezinska noted that partners would have access to lists of honorable mention recipients—students recognized for their potential for significant research contributions in STEM or STEM education—and could select fellows based on research interests, academic institutions, or geographic preferences. 

A recording of the presentation is available on YouTube.