NSF Checklist
This checklist is designed only to serve as a proposal preparation tool. It does NOT replace the detailed
information available within the relevant NSF funding opportunity announcement, the funding agency’s
forms, instructions, and review criteria. Each particular funding opportunity announcement may have
specific requirements that may not be included in this checklist, or the checklist may have more than is
required for your project.
PROPOSAL
CONTENTS
General
PAGE LIMITS
DETAILS
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Cover Sheet
Project Summary
4600
Characters 51
lines
Table of Contents
Automatically
Generated
15 Pages
Project Description
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Fillable Form
For international activities list country involved on the
cover sheet. (e.g. international conferences, research,
training, education)
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Overview
Intellectual merit
Broader impacts
Should be written in third person
If special characters are required, summary may be
uploaded as a pdf, but must contain separate headings
for the three sections and the same character limits
apply.
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Broader impacts must be discussed
There must be a section labeled “Broader Impact of the
Proposed Work”
URLs should not be used
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5 Pages max
(these pages
count towards
15 page limit)
Font: Arial11, Courier New, or Palatino Linotype (10pt or
larger); Times New Roman (11pt or larger); Computer
Modern family (11pt or larger); no more than six lines of
text within vertical space of one inch
Margins: At least 1 inch in all directions
Formatting: Single column formatting preferred
Pagination: Each section uploaded as a separate file
is individually paginated
 Results from prior NSF Support
-- Each PI or co-PI identified on the project has received NSF
funding (including any current funding) in the past five
years, information on the award(s) is required, irrespective
of whether the support was directly related to the proposal
or not.
--Following info must be provided
-NSF award #, amount and period of support
-Title
-Summary of results, including accomplishments, results
must separately describe under two headings Intellectual
Merit and Broader Impacts.
-Listing of publications from award, if none state “No
publications were produced under this award.”
-evidence of research products and availability e.g.
data, software, models.
References Cited
No limit
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Biographical
Sketches
2 Pages
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Budget
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Include bibliographic citations only.
All authors are listed (no”et al.”s)
If there are no references cited, a statement to that
effect should be included in this section and uploaded
into FastLane.
Required for each individual identified as senior project
personnel
Required Contents
--Professional Preparation
--Appointments - List appointments and positions in
reverse chronological order.
--Products - section may include, but is not limited to,
publications, data sets, software, patents, and
copyrights (max of 5 closely related) (max of 5 other
significant)
--Synergistic Activities (max of 5)
--Collaborators and Other Affiliations
-Collabs/Co-Editors(must be in alphabetical order)
(total number must be identified)
-Graduate Advisors/Postdoctoral sponsors (total
number must be identified)
-Thesis advisor/Postgraduate Scholar sponsor
(total number must be identified)
Do not include any information that is not requested.
This could cause your proposal to be returned without
review.
In FastLane, if biographical sketches for all senior
personnel are uploaded in a single PDF file associated
with the PI, insert text or upload a document that states,
“Not Applicable” for any co- PI or Senior Person.
Co-sponsorship should not be included in the budget or
budget justification.
NCAR salary guidance available at this link:
--NCAR NSF Salary Guidelines
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Meals or coffee breaks for intramural meetings are not
allowed
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Liquid beverages are allowed for non-intramural
meetings (snacks [e.g. cookies or pastries] are not
allowed)
Working lunch that is necessary and integral to the
meeting is allowed with detailed justification
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Budget
Justification
3 pages
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Current and
Pending
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Facilities
Equipment and
Other Resources
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The description should be narrative in nature and must
not include any quantifiable financial information.
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Unfunded individuals or collaborators not included in
the budget should be described in the Facilities,
Equipment and Other Resources section of the proposal
and documented in a letter of commitment from each
collaborator. (Letter should be attached in
supplementary documents section)
Describe only those resources that are directly
applicable.
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Supplementary
Documentation
2 Pages
Computers should not be requested unless there is
compelling need on the project
Domestic travel includes travel in the U.S., its territories
and possessions
Unfunded individuals or collaborators may not be
mentioned (see Facilities section)
The budget justification should detail the rates of pay by
individual for senior personnel, postdoctoral associates,
and other professionals.
If a program solicitation does not require a budget, and
there is no budgetary information to justify, the
proposer should insert text or upload a document in the
budget justification section that states, “Not
Applicable.”
Each subaward must include a budget justification (3
pages)
Include this proposal in the Current and Pending
If Current and Pending Support information is not
required, the proposer should insert text or upload a
document in this section of the proposal that states,
“Not Applicable.”
In FastLane, if Current and Pending Support information
for all senior personnel are uploaded in a single PDF file
associated with the PI, the proposer should insert text or
upload a document that states, “Not Applicable” for any
co-PI or Senior Person.
Co-sponsorship of effort may be included in the Current
and Pending.
If there are no Facilities, Equipment and Other
Resources, insert text or upload a document in this
section of the proposal that states, “Not Applicable.”
 Data Management Plan
-- Required for all proposals.
--Describe how the proposal will conform to NSF policy on
the dissemination and sharing of research results.
-- For collaborative proposals only one plan should be
submitted.
1 Page
Suggested
Reviewers
 Postdoctoral Researcher Mentoring Plan
--Required for proposals requesting funding for postdocs.
--For collaborative proposals only one plan should be
submitted.
No Limit
 Letters of Collaboration
-- Any substantial collaboration with individuals not included
in the budget should be described and documented with a
letter from each collaborator.
No Limit
 Letters of Support
-- Should not be submitted unless they are required by a
specific program solicitation.
No Limit
 Optional
-- Proposers may include a list of suggested reviewers who
they believe are especially well qualified to review the
proposal.
Note: Three business days prior to the due date an email to ncarprop@ucar.edu must be sent stating
that the final completed Fastlane package has been submitted and is ready for review.
UCAR requires Significant Financial Disclosure forms to be emailed to sacon@ucar.edu with a cc to
ncarpop@ucar.edu prior to proposal submission.