EAGER: PBI: Assessing Equitable Outcomes of Place-Based Innovation through NSF Engines

Innovation-based economic growth has historically created or exacerbated societal, environmental, and economic inequalities. As the federal government increases investment into place-based innovation, it is critical to understand the process by which impacts are (or are not) equitable. This research will deepen our knowledge on how to measure and account for equitable outcomes and processes in regional innovation ecosystems, such as the NSF Engines.

Using community-based research methods, the research team will identify equity benchmarks by investigating the work NSF Engines are doing to prioritize equity, how their regional community conceptualizes the localized benefits, and analyzing relevant national and regional datasets. The project will culminate with an Equity Action Guide which will include effective processes, local metrics, national benchmarks, and a self-assessment tool to help NSF Engines and other similar programs advance equity in place-based innovation.

The project team will accomplish this work through a comparative case study analysis of three representative NSF engines. Our primary research goal is to identify metrics and benchmarks of a regional innovation ecosystem related to equity (Primary RQ1: What are the metrics and benchmarks of equity in regional innovation ecosystems, such as the NSF Engines?

Primary RQ2: How does a community-based research approach facilitate equitable engagement into the development of metrics and benchmarks?). An additional four preliminary research questions provide the necessary data for the two primary research questions. Using community-based research methods, data collection will include participant-centered semi-structured interviews, community focus groups, federal, regional, and programmatic data, and will be analyzed using mixed methods, including a socioeconomic spatial analysis.

This research will create steppingstones between theoretical frameworks of equity (e.g., intersectionality, decolonization, community wealth building) and the tangible execution of place-based innovation programs. The translation of theory to practice in real time will inform NSF Engines and other federally funded programs to ensure programs are reducing inequalities.

This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.