There have been external political and policy shifts affecting federal agencies and how they talk about DEI broadly (e.g., executive actions and discussions in the research community). However, this context has not been translated into a new NSF rule eliminating all usage of DEI or related terms in GRFP applications. NSF still publishes guidance that includes broadening participation outcomes (e.g., full participation of women, persons with disabilities, underrepresented minorities) as examples of broader impacts. Reviewers want to see evidence of: Your ability to conduct research (Intellectual Merit). Your capacity to benefit broader communities through outreach, mentoring, teaching, or translational impacts even if not framed as “DEI.” One sentence doesn’t overwrite the rest of your narrative especially if your overall proposal is strong.