STEM intervention programs: funding practices and challenges

This study examines the funding practices and challenges of diversity initiatives found in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. Interviews with 55 intervention program administrators, representing 48 unique STEM intervention programs, were conducted at nine large research-intensive universities. The interviews, which examined the design, structure, implementation, and funding challenges of STEM interventions, revealed that institutional funding priorities often run counter to national efforts to increase diversity within STEM. As institutions face budget cuts and reduced external funding, institutional support of STEM interventions reflects the university's commitment (or lack thereof) to diversifying the STEM fields. Many programs struggled with changes in funding over time, inadequate staffing and service delivery, and long-term program sustainability.