This bill authorizes the National Science Foundation to award competitive grants to organizations for programs that increase participation of women, underrepresented minorities, LGBTQ individuals, and people with disabilities in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics fields. Eligible activities funded through these grants include mentoring programs, internships, school outreach, online workshops, and faculty recruitment initiatives aimed at underrepresented groups. The bill is driven by data showing significant disparities—for example, women earn only 24 percent of engineering degrees compared to men, and Black and Hispanic workers represent only 9 and 4 percent respectively of the STEM workforce despite making up larger shares of the population. The legislation authorizes $15 million annually for five fiscal years (2026–2030) to support these diversity-building efforts in STEM education and careers.
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