Understanding National
Science Foundation
(NSF) Funding
Opportunities
Susan Winter
University of Maryland
sjwinter@umd.edu
1
NSF: A Federal Agency

“…promote the progress of science… advance
the national health, prosperity and welfare…
secure the national defense…”
• National Science Foundation Act of 1950

All fields of science/engineering
 Discipline
& cross-discipline
 NOT
 Medical (NIH)
 Classified

Sources Ideas

Science Community
Executive Priorities

President’s Science &
Technology Priorities for FY2015
Budget
Promote Economic Growth/Job Creation
 Improve Health of All Americans
 Move toward Clean Energy
 Address Global Climate Change
 Manage Environmental Resources
 Ensure National Security

NSF Facilitates
Fund Extramural Research
 Build Research Workforce Capability

 Grad
and UG, Junior Faculty
 Workforce Diversity

Engage Academic Community
 Workshops
Outreach to General Public
 Increase International Partnerships


Cannot Do Research!
NSF Impact
-
Annual Budget of over $7.0
Billion
-
Funding Source for Research
by US universities
-
20% of all federally supported basic
research
80% of basic computer science research
-
(NSF at a Glance – NSF Home page – FY 2010)
5
NSF Structure
National Science
Board
Comp &
Info Sci &
Eng
Bio
Sciences
Office of
Internat’l &
Integrated
Activities
Director
Deputy Director
Social,
Behav
& Econ
Sciences
Engineering
GeoSciences
Educ &
Human
Resources
Math
& Physical
Sciences
NSF Process

Merit Review for Award Selection


Process
Criteria

Select about 10,000 New Awards
Annually

About 45,000 Proposals Submitted

Credit: Garie Fordyce, National Science Foundation
7
NSF Proposal & Award Process & Timeline
Returned As Inappropriate/Withdrawn
NSF
Announces
Opportunity
GPG
P.A.
P.S
Min.
3
Revs.
Req.
Org. submits
via:
FastLane
N
S
F
Mail
NSF
Prog.
Off.
Panel
Award
Prog,
Off.
Analysis.
&
Recom.
Via
DGA
DD
Concur
Both
Research &
Education
Communities
Organization
Decline
Proposal Receipt
at NSF
90 Days
Proposal Preparation Time
DD Concur
6 Months
Proposal Receipt to Division
Director Concurrence
of Program Officer
Recommendation
Award
30Days
DGA Review & Processing
of Award
Types of Review




‘Mail’ Reviewers plus Panel Review
Panel Review (Standing vs. Ad-Hoc)
Internal Review Only
Sources of Reviewers:
 Program
Officer’s knowledge
 References in proposal
 Web of science; SSRN; Google Scholar, etc.
 Reviewer recommendations
 Investigator’s suggestions
 Volunteers
9
Things to Know About Panels
Proposal Pressure
Dozens of Proposals
1 ½ Days for Discussion
10% to 20% Funded
Write for:

Scholar Serving as Lead
 Will Present Positive and Negative Aspects
Another Scholar Serves as Scribe
 Captures Panel Deliberations
 Full Panel Who Will Rank All the Proposals
 PO Who will Consider Panel Discussion and
Ranking in Making Funding Recommendation

NSF Merit Review Criteria
Intellectual Merit
Advancing Knowledge in
Describe How the Project
Some Field of Study
is Specifically Advancing
Science by Developing/Testing Novel Theories,
Algorithms, Methodology, Instrumentation, Analytic,
Visualization, … Techniques
Broader impacts
Benefiting




Society – Be specific about Activities!
Diversity: Involve, Train, and Mentor Undergrads,
Women & Minorities
Training
Dissemination/Public Awareness/Education and Outreach
Infrastructure
11
Merit Review Elements
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Potential to Advance Knowledge or to
Benefit Society
Creativity and Originality (“Potentially
Transformative”)
Sound Plan for Achieving Goals
(Including Evaluation of Outcomes)
Qualifications of the Proposers
Sufficient Access to Resources
Proposal Opportunities

Solicited
 Core Programs
 Special Solicitations


May Cross NSF Boundaries
Unsolicited
 “Dear Colleague” Letters
 EAGER
 RAPID
 Supplements
 Workshops
Proposal Rules:
Grant Proposal Guide

Well-Known




Lesser Known





Submission: Electronic (Fastlane/grants.gov), SRO Role
Page Limits, Font Size, Margins, etc.
Components: Bio-Sketch, Current & Pending, Data Management Plan,
Post-Doc Mentoring Plan, COI Lists…
Letters: Support vs. Commitment
Cost-Sharing Not Allowed
List of Potential Reviewers (or Non-Reviewers)
IRB Exempt or Approved
Solicitation/Program Specific (Read Carefully!)


Limits: Proposals per PI or per Institution
Requirements for Partnerships


Multiple Disciplines, Industry, International
Management Plans
Post-Award

Annual Reports


Due After 9 Months
Overdue After 12 Months

Block Any Award Actions for You and For Co-PIs

Update PO

Organize Events to Showcase Research to Academic
Audiences

Submit “Public Interest” Science Highlights to NSF

Acknowledge Awards in Publications and Presentations

Start Working on Future Submissions

Award Activity and Perf. Eval. (Tenure and Promotion)
Some Tips in Seeking Funding:
The Homework

Deductive, Top-down Strategy

www.nsf.gov Funding Opportunities
Find Funding Opportunities
 How to Prepare Your Proposal


Read the Program or Solicitation Description


Content vs. Boilerplate
Inductive, Bottom-up Strategy
Search NSF awards for abstracts
 Offer to review proposals

16
Some tips in seeking funding

Discuss your idea with an NSF PO/PD/PM
 1-2
pg written synopsis
 Need, Work Being Built Upon, Work to be
Done, 5-10 Major References

Get copies of previously funded proposals
 Directly
from the PI
 From NSF (FOI: takes much longer)
Institutional Constraints
Your Program Officer is Your Best Friend.


Like a Journal Editor, but Different
POs are Expatriate Scholars


Dual Institutional Logics



Rotators and Permanent
Want to Fund High Quality Research (Academic) that
Addresses Program Objectives (Bureaucratic Politics)
Funding




Rates Vary by Program (Usually 10-30%)
Don’t Like Rejecting Quality Proposals
Don’t Like Funding Dodgy Proposals
Must Spend Out Budget to the Penny Each Year
POs Help Manage Flow of Proposals
Pre-submission, your PO stands ready to:






Translate the RFP into English
Critique your Conceptual 2-pager
Offer Developmental Comments
Give Candid Advice – Encouragement or
Redirection
Meet with You in D.C., or at Conferences
Suggest Framing
POs Want you to Succeed
Post-award, treat your PO like a valued colleague:





Communicate Often, Not Just in Annual
Reports
Ask your PO’s Advice
Provide Updates on Progress and
Changes
Invite your PO to Conference
Presentations Based on NSF Awards
Ask your PO, What Could I Do That
Would Make you a Hero?
Proposal Content

Use Language from RFP Criteria as Appropriate

Underscore PI Team Prior Collaboration
 Demonstrates
Higher Potential of Success
 Dispel Suspicion of Shotgun-Marriage of
Convenience

Leverage/Extend Prior Funded Research
 Specifically
Describe how the Proposed Research
Adds Value Above and Beyond Previous Research

Clear Roles and Expectations for Personnel

Stay within Specified Funding Limit

Budget Justification Aligned with Work Plan
and Timeline
What’s in the Proposal?

Write it Long, Then Tighten It Up

Write a Detailed Outline First
 Headings/Subheadings;

More Structure is Better
Tables & Figures for Complex Information
 Must
be Self-Explanatory; Reference Them; Use for
both Theory & Method

Questions you MUST Directly Address:
 What
important problem (scientific, societal) will you
work on?
 How is your team uniquely qualified to work on it?
 Exactly what “new” work will you do?

Include a Gantt Chart; Who Does What, When, Where
Who’s in the Proposal?

Match the Ideas & Scope of Work
 Explain

the Alignment in the Proposal
Choose Team Carefully
 Assemble
the Smallest Team with all of the Expertise
& Resources You Need
 Multi-Disciplinary/Multi-University vs. SingleDiscipline/Single-University
 Senior Collaborators:
Know How to Manage Funded Research Projects & Research
Teams
 Resources & Infrastructure
 Can Be co-PIs or Consultants


Include Post-doc(s), Graduate Students,
Undergraduates
What’s in the Budget?
Summer Salary (Up to 2 months) of Faculty
 Salary (Full or Partial) for Post-Docs,
Programmers, Support Staff
 Stipend & Tuition for PhD Students
 Travel to Collect Data/Disseminate
Findings
 Equipment and Supplies
 Overhead

Some Tips in Seeking Funding

Find a Partner, Colleague, or Collaborator
Colleagues to “Pre-Review” your Proposal
 Collaborate with Previously Successful PI
Adding your Dimension to their Work
 Create Partnership for Interdisciplinary
Research
 Get

Colleague at a Predominantly Undergrad
Institution:
 Submit
a RUI Proposal
25
Questions?
CISE
Office of the Assistant Director
AD: Farnam Jahanian
DAD: C. Suzanne Iacono
Computing and Communications
Foundations (CCF)
DD: Debbie Lockhart
Computer and Network
Systems (CNS)
DD: Keith Marzullo
Information and
Intelligent Systems
(IIS)
DD: Howard Wactlar
Advanced Cyberinfrastructure
DD: Irene Qualters
Algorithmic
Foundations
Computer Systems
Research
Cyber-Human
Systems
Data
Communication and
Information
Foundations
Networking
Technology and
Systems
Information
Integration and
Informatics
High-performance
Computing
Robust Intelligence
Networking/Cyberse
curity
Software and
Hardware
Foundations
Software
Types of
Opportunitiess
Cyber-Human Systems (CHS)
•
Core
CHS supports research on
-
Creative ideas and novel theories for
understanding:
•
Solicited
•
Types of
Individuals
No External
Review
•
-
Innovative technologies for:
•
•
Large
Centers
•
•
•
iCorps
Human-computer and human-human
interactions, collaboration, and competition.
Role of computing in how humans
communicate, work, learn, and play.
Systems that interact with people using
various modalities.
•
Computer supported collaboration.
Human-Computer and human-robot
interactions.
Social computing.
Affective computing.
Universal access.
Immersive environments.
Applying to Core Programs


Program Solicitations:
 CCF:
NSF 13-579
Coordinated
 CNS:
NSF 13-581
Solicitations
 IIS:
NSF 13-580
Project Types:
 Large:
$1,200,001 to $3,000,000; up to 5 years, collaborative teams
• Medium:
$500,001 to $1,200,000; up to 4 years, multi-investigator
teams
Small:
up to $500,000; up to 3 years, one or two investigator projects
CISE-wide Submission Windows:
 Large:
November 4–19, annually
 Medium:
September 24–October 15 (2013 only)
 Small:
January 2–17, annually
PI Limit:
 Participate in no more than 2 “core” proposals/year



SBE Organization
SBE
Assistant Director
Joanne Tornow
Division of Social and
Economic Sciences
Division of Behavioral and
Cognitive Sciences
Economic, Decision, and
Management Sciences
Anthropological and
Geographic Sciences
Methods, Cross-Directorate,
and Science and Society
Programs
Cognitive, Psychological,
and Language Sciences
Office of Multidisciplinary
Activities
Science of Science and
Innovation Policy (SciSIP)
Program
Science, and Technology
Social and Political
Sciences
30
Types of
Opportunities
Unsolicited
Solicited
Types of
Individuals
No External
Review
Large
Centers
iCorps
Key Social, Behavioral and
Economics Programs
Jan/Feb and Aug/Sept due dates annually
Science of Organizations
Decision, Risk & Management Science
Economics
Law and Social Science
Methodology, Measurement & Statistics
Social Psychology
Sociology
Science, Technology & Society
Geography and Spatial Sciences
Sept due date annually
Science of Science and Innovation Policy
31
Types of
Opportunities
Unsolicited
Solicited
Types of
Individuals
No External
Review
Example Standing Opportunities in
Other Directorates
ENG
 Service Enterprise Systems (SES)
 Systems Science (SYS)
 Infrastructure Management and Extreme
Events (IMEE)
Large
Centers
iCorps
32
Types of
Opportunities
Unsolicited
Solicited
Types of
Individuals
No External
Review
Large
Centers
iCorps
Promising Current Solicitations for
Management Scholars
Building Community and Capacity for DataIntensive Research in the Social, Behavioral
and Economic and in Education and Human
Resources
Catalyzing New International Collaborations
(contact the country expert in OISE)
Science, Engineering and Education for
Sustainability
Research Coordination Networks
Science Across Virtual Institutes
33
Sample of CISE Cross-Cutting
Programs
Types of
Opportunities

Unsolicited
Cross-Directorate

Cyberlearning: Transforming Education (CTE)
Designing and implementing technologies to aid and understand learning.

Solicited
Types of
Individuals
Secure and Trustworthy Cyberspace (SaTC)
Securing our Nation’s cyberspace from malicious behavior, while preserving privacy and promoting
usability.

Cross-Agency

Smart and Connected Health (SCH)
Transforming healthcare knowledge and delivery, and improving quality of life through
IT.
No External
Review

Developing tools to manage and analyze data in order to extract knowledge from data.

Large
Centers
iCorps
Core Techniques and Technologies for Advancing Big
Data Science & Engineering (BIG DATA)
National Robotics Initiative (NRI)
Developing and using robots that work alongside, or cooperatively with, people.
Types of
Opportunities
Unsolicited
Solicited
Types of
Individuals
No External
Review
Large
Centers
iCorps
Grants for Particular Types of
Individuals
Graduate Research Fellowships
Doctoral Dissertation Improvement
Grants (in SBE)
SBE Postdoctoral Research
Fellowship Program
CAREER Awards
35
Types of
Opportunities
Faculty Early Career
Development (CAREER) Program
Unsolicited
Solicited
Types of
Individuals
No External
Review
Large
Centers
iCorps
• The NSF’s most prestigious awards in
support of junior faculty who exemplify the
role of teacher-scholars through:
• outstanding research,
• excellent education, and
• the integration of education and
research within the context of the
mission of their organizations.
Types of
Opportunities
Unsolicited
Grants with Only Internal Review
RAPIDs: Grants for Rapid Response
Research
Solicited
Types of
Individuals
No External
Review
Large
Centers
EAGERs: Early concept Grants for
Exploratory Research
INSPIREs: Integrated NSF Support
Promoting Interdisciplinary Research and
Education
Workshops, doctoral consortia
REU Supplements
iCorps
37
Types of
Opportunities
Large Center Opportunities
Unsolicited
Solicited
Types of
Individuals
No External
Review
Large
Centers
iCorps
Science and Technology Centers: Integrative
Partnerships (STC)
Industry & University Cooperative Research
Program (I/UCRC)
ADVANCE: Increasing the Participation and
Advancement of Women in Academic
Science and Engineering
Careers (ADVANCE)
38
Types of
Opportunities
NSF Innovation Corps (I-Corps)
Unsolicited
Solicited
Types of
Individuals
Supplements to current or recently expired
NSF grants to catalyze commercialization
of research products.
Involves mentoring and funding to develop
commercialization options
No External
Review
The lead can be a student
Large
Centers
Building capacity and capability for the long
run.
iCorps
39
Finding information:
http://www.nsf.gov
Funding opportunities
Upcoming
Due Dates
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