Framingham State University

Framingham State University, a public higher-education institution and child entity of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, operates as a federal grant recipient focused on STEM education, digital humanities, workforce development, and educational infrastructure initiatives. The university does not hold federal contracts as a prime, but receives project grants directly from federal agencies and participates as a sub-recipient on grants flowing through Massachusetts state agencies.

Framingham State University's federal footprint is anchored by eight prime grant awards totaling $1 million in combined potential value across 85 total awards (prime plus sub). Recent capability work centers on three concrete domains: aerospace and STEM education infrastructure, postsecondary education pathways and equity, and humanities curriculum development. The $1 million NASA Shared Services Center award (October 2024, completion September 2026) funds establishment of the McAuliffe Simulation Lab at the university's Christa McAuliffe Center, supporting aerospace engineering and space exploration education. The Department of Education's Office of Postsecondary Education has funded three grants: a $1.977 million project grant (October 2024) for Career and AI Readiness While Remixing Open Textbooks Through an Equity Lens (CA-ROTEL, CFDA 84.116), running through September 2027; a $708 thousand grant (September 2022) supporting early-college dual-enrollment pathways through the Metrowest Scholars Early Start Waltham program (CFDA 84.116), completing September 2025; and a planning grant (September 2026) for a collaborative 2+2+2 food science educational pathway spanning secondary schools, community colleges, and four-year degree completion. The National Science Foundation funded a collaborative research grant (July 2022, completion April 2025) supporting an equity-minded model for recruiting and advancing early-career STEM faculty across three Massachusetts public universities—Framingham State, Bridgewater State, and Worcester State—targeting underrepresented populations in the STEM professoriate. The National Endowment for the Humanities has supported two initiatives: a $146 thousand grant (February 2022, completion January 2025) for investigating race through digital humanities curriculum and faculty institutes, and an American Rescue Plan project grant (January 2022) for creating a Digital Humanities Center within the FSU Library and supporting faculty-led DH projects. The Institute of Museum and Library Services funded a collection preservation and accessibility project (September 2023, completion August 2025) for the Danforth Art Museum's 3,600-work permanent collection.

As a sub-recipient, Framingham State University participates in AmeriCorps and school-nutrition professional development initiatives. Three sub-awards flow through the Massachusetts Service Alliance for the Framingham Teacher Residency AmeriCorps Program (awards in July 2024, August 2025, and July 2026), placing 20 AmeriCorps members annually in Framingham Public Schools to support dual-language and culturally responsive teaching. Seven sub-awards from the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (awards September 2023 through December 2024) fund professional development in school nutrition and wellness for educators and child nutrition professionals. A single sub-award (December 2024) provides administration of the Comprehensive Environmental Compliance Assessment Program (CECAP) for Massachusetts schools.

Customer concentration spans federal education and cultural agencies. The top five customers by award count account for 79 percent of awards, led by the Department of Housing and Urban Development's Assistant Secretary for Community Planning and Development (45 awards), the Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service (10 awards), the Department of Education Office of Postsecondary Education (6 awards), the Institute of Museum and Library Services (3 awards), and the Corporation for National and Community Service (3 awards). Potential-value concentration diverges from award volume; NASA's Shared Services Center anchors the top-value position with $1 million across two awards, while Army Materiel Command research and engineering awards carry modest individual values. Activity has grown significantly year over year, rising from three awards in 2023 to twelve in 2024, with one recompete exposure in the next twenty-four months.