The National Science Foundation's Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences (SBE) directorate has issued a Dear Colleague Letter describing a new framework for the explanation of broader impacts in proposals submitted to SBE programs. As the DCL notes, "This "broader impacts framework" in no way alters NSF's existing criteria ‒ rather, it offers guidance on how to consider and convey broader impacts in ways that are easier for others to understand." If you are planning to write a proposal for NSF, you will want to review this letter carefully. Other directorates have not adopted this framework, but have acknowledged that it may provide proposal writers with a good way of framing their broader impacts narratives in other proposals. Please review the letter carefully, and let the Research Office know if you have any questions.
