1.Partnerships for
innovation
(a)The Director of the National Science Foundation shall
carry out a program to award merit-reviewed, competitive grants to institutions
of higher education to establish and to expand partnerships that promote
innovation and increase the economic and social impact of research by
developing tools and resources to connect new scientific discoveries to
practical uses.
(b)
(1)To be eligible for funding under this section, an
institution of higher education must propose establishment of a partnership
that—
(A)includes at least
one private sector entity; and
(B)may include other
institutions of higher education, public sector institutions, and private
sector entities.
(2)In selecting grant recipients under this
section, the Director shall give priority to partnerships that include one or
more institutions of higher education that are among the 100 institutions
receiving, over the 3-year period immediately preceding the awarding of grants,
the highest amount of research funding from the National Science Foundation and
at least one of the following:
(A)A minority serving
institution.
(B)A primarily
undergraduate institution.
(C)A 2-year
college.
(c)Proposals
funded under this section shall seek to—
(1)increase the
economic or social impact of the most promising research at the institution or
institutions of higher education that are members of the partnership through
knowledge transfer or commercialization;
(2)increase the
engagement of faculty and students across multiple disciplines and departments,
including faculty and students in schools of business and other appropriate
non-STEM fields and disciplines in knowledge transfer activities;
(3)enhance education
and mentoring of students and faculty in innovation and entrepreneurship
through networks, courses, and development of best practices and
curricula;
(4)strengthen the
culture of the institution or institutions of higher education to undertake and
participate in activities related to innovation and leading to economic or
social impact;
(5)broaden the participation of all types of
institutions of higher education in activities to meet STEM workforce needs and
promote innovation and technology transfer; and
(6)build lasting
partnerships with local and regional businesses, local and State governments,
and other relevant entities.
(d)In selecting grant recipients under this section, the
Director shall also consider the extent to which the applicants are able to
demonstrate evidence of institutional support for, and commitment to—
(1)achieving the goals of the program as
described in subsection (c);
(2)expansion to a
university-wide program if the initial proposal is not for a university-wide
program; and
(3)sustaining any new
innovation tools and resources generated from funding under this
program.
(e)No
funds provided under this section may be used to construct or renovate a
building or structure.