Equity in Research Act

This Act may be cited as the Equity in Research Act.

(a) In general. The Director of the National Science Foundation shall establish a grant program to provide financial assistance to institutions of higher education specified in subsection (d) to aid such institutions in the development and enhancement of research facilities in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, medical matters, and other research and development matters.

(b) Uses. Institutions of higher education specified in subsection (d) that receive grants from the National Science Foundation may use such grants for the following in furtherance of the purpose described in subsection (a):

(1) Existing building infrastructure improvements or enhancements.

(2) Materials and equipment needed to conduct or produce research.

(3) Infrastructure needs to maintain building infrastructure.

(4) Personnel costs directly associated with the planning, management, maintenance, or operation of research related activities.

(c) Amounts. The Director of the National Science Foundation may make a grant to an institution of higher education specified in subsection (d) in an amount between $1,000,000 and $5,000,000, as determined appropriate by the Director.

(d) Institutions of higher education specified. The institutions of higher education specified in this subsection are the following:

(1) Historically Black Colleges and Universities.

(2) Hispanic-serving institutions.

(3) Tribal colleges.

(4) Native Hawaiian-serving institutions.

(5) Predominantly Black institutions.

(6) Native American-serving, nontribal institutions.

(7) Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-serving institutions.

(8) Minority-serving institutions.

(9) 1890’s Land Grant Universities.

(10) 1994 Land Grant institutions.

(e) Authorization of appropriations. There is authorized to be appropriated to the Director of the National Science Foundation $50,000,000 for fiscal year 2027 and each subsequent fiscal year to carry out this section.