Taking Advantage of
NSF Funding Opportunities
Daniel Udovic
Program Director, Division of
Undergraduate Education
National Science Foundation
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Presentation Outline
NSF Organization
 DUE Programs
 The Proposal Review Process
 Using the NSF Web Page (nsf.gov)


Tips for Writing Successful Proposals
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NATIONAL SCIENCE
FOUNDATION
With an annual budget of over $6.0 billion, NSF is the funding
source for about 20 percent of all federally supported basic
research conducted by U.S. colleges and universities.
(NSF at a Glance – NSF Home page – FY 2008)
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The NSF Structure
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Organization of
Education & Human Resources
Directorate of
Education & Human Resorces
(EHR)
Division of Graduate Education
(DGE)
Division of Undergraduate Education
(DUE)
Division of Research on Learning in
Formal & Informal Settings (DRL)
Division of Human Resource
Development (HRD)
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NSF-wide Education Themes
Broadening participation
in the S&E workforce
Strengthening
teacher preparation
Integrating
research and education
Stimulating students through
Inquiry-based learning
Reaching a broader public
through informal education
Directorate for Education and Human Resources FY 2009 Budget Rollout
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The Division of
Undergraduate Education
and its Programs
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DUE Mission:
To promote excellence in undergraduate science,
technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM)
education for all students.
DUE is an agent of change that leads the NSF efforts to
achieve excellent STEM undergraduate education for all
students.
It creates, develops, and manages programs that enable
institutions to expand the professional Science and
Engineering workforce and to strengthen the scientific
literacy for citizens through undergraduate curricula and
related activities.
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Some DUE Programs

Advanced Technological Education (ATE)

Course, Curriculum, & Laboratory Improvement (CCLI)
Interdisciplinary Training for Undergraduates in Biological &
Mathematical Sciences (UBM): EHR, BIO, MPS
Math and Science Partnership (MSP)
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NSF Scholarships in Science, Technology, Engineering, and
Mathematics (S-STEM)
Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program
Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Talent
Expansion Program (STEP)
Presidential Awards for Excellence in Science, Mathematics and
Engineering Mentoring
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Course, Curriculum &
Laboratory Improvement (CCLI)
Vision
Excellent
STEM education for all undergraduate
students
Goal
Stimulate,
evaluate, and disseminate innovative
developments in STEM education through the
production of knowledge about learning and the
improvement of practice.
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Course, Curriculum &
Laboratory Improvement (CCLI)
Supports efforts to:

Create new learning materials and teaching strategies

Develop faculty expertise

Implement educational innovations

Assess learning and evaluate innovations

Conduct research on STEM teaching and learning
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Course, Curriculum &
Laboratory Improvement (CCLI)

Projects should address a recognized need and describe
exemplary work addressing at least one component of
this cycle:
Producing
New Learning
Materials
Research on
Teaching and
Learning
Assessing
Learning

Projects vary in scope and scale
Developing
Faculty
Expertise
Implementing
Innovations
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Course, Curriculum &
Laboratory Improvement (CCLI)
-- Three “Phases”

Phase 1: Exploratory Projects
Involves exploratory, initial investigation or adaptation in one of the
component areas

Phase 2: Expansion Projects
Builds on small scale projects with proven innovations, refine and test
innovations on diverse users

Phase 3: Comprehensive Projects
Several diverse institutions, evaluation or assessment activities, deep
and broad, combine proven results and mature innovations from
several component areas, sustainablity, national dissemination, etc.
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Course, Curriculum &
Laboratory Improvement (CCLI)
Phase 1 (exploratory projects) ****

Total budget up to $150 K (1-3 years)

or $200K when 4-year schools collaborate with 2-year schools

893 proposals submitted in 2007, representing 829
projects (down slightly in 2008)
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About 100 biology proposals per year
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Expected funding rate for 2008: 10-15%
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Dates:
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Due: May 2009 (but see below!)
**** PLEASE NOTE -- There may be some significant changes in next
year’s solicitation!! Look for it in January or February 2009!!
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Interdisciplinary Training for
Undergraduates in Biological and
Mathematical Sciences (UBM)
Institutional Awards and Group Awards
Student involvement in innovative research at
the forefront of the biological and mathematical sciences
Students working and learning together in
interdisciplinary teams
Long-term involvement of each student with project
activities to provide:
intense involvement in research
 mutual reinforcement between research and classroom
activities;
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Interdisciplinary Training for
Undergraduates in Biological and
Mathematical Sciences (UBM)
Required for All Projects:
Extensive, interdisciplinary mentoring from senior
faculty in both disciplines;
A diversity of students with attention to ethnic and
gender diversity;
For Institutional Projects:
Use of program models to motivate curriculum
changes and faculty development;
The ability to affect programs and students beyond
those directly involved in the project.
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Interdisciplinary Training for
Undergraduates in Biological and
Mathematical Sciences (UBM)
Group Projects:
Up to 3 years;
Budget: Average <= $80,000 per year
Institutional Projects:
Up to 5 years;
Budget: Average <= $200,000 per year
Proposal Deadline: February 12, 2009 (2nd Thursday in Feb)
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UBM: Undergraduate Research
in Metapopulation Ecology
College of William and Mary
 Establishes an undergraduate training program in mathematical
biology based on a core of 6 faculty (3 math, 3 biology)
 Uses paired undergraduate mentoring with each student being
mentored by a mathematician and a biologist on a multi-year
research project studying dynamics and viability of animal
metapopulations
 Blends theoretical mathematical and field based biological techniques
 Develops new bio-math courses
 Hosts a regional bio-math conferences
 Partners with a local community college with a focus on recruiting
underrepresented minorities
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UBM: Research-Based Interdisciplinary
Training for Mathematics and Biology
Majors
University of Vermont
 Integrates interdisciplinary courses in mathematics and biology
with multi-year research projects
 Involves 8 faculty mentors from the Departments of Biology and
Mathematics and Statistics
 Involves equal number of math and biology (or joint
math/biology) majors working on teams with joint mentors from
both departments
 Includes Calculus for Life Science Students, College Biology,
Mathematical Biology and Ecology, and a Seminar series
 Provides a capstone course that ensures students have the
opportunity to analyze data, prepare manuscripts, and present
papers at annual symposia
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NSF Scholarships in Science,
Technology, Engineering, and
Mathematics (S-STEM)
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Goal: Provide scholarships to academically
talented, financially needy students pursuing
associate, baccalaureate, or graduate degrees
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Deadlines:
Letter of Intent: July 10, 2008
 Full proposal: August 12, 2008
 2009 dates should be around the same time; look for
new solicitation in Spring 2009
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S-STEM

Eligible disciplines include almost all NSF-supported areas
(see solicitation for guidance)
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Maximum scholarships -- $10,000 (based on financial need)
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Awards can be for up to 5 years

Grant size increased to $600,000 with 7% allowed for
administration and 8% for student support
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Maximum of $225,000 in any one year, but can ramp up

One proposal per constituent school or college that awards
degrees (also schools within institutions)
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STEM Talent Expansion Program
(STEP)
Type 1 projects

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Seek to increase the number of students (U.S. citizens or
permanent residents) receiving associate or baccalaureate
degrees in established or emerging fields within science,
technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM)
Awards up to $2.5 million (depending on size of the institution)
over a 5-year period.
Type 2 projects

Support educational research on associate or baccalaureate
degree attainment in STEM
Deadline: September 30, 2008
Typical Funding Rate: ~15% (~140 proposals; ~20 awards)
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STEP Implementation
Strategies
Efforts might include:
Bridge programs that enable additional preparation for
students
 Programs that focus on the quality of student learning
 high-caliber teaching in smaller classes
 new pedagogical approaches
 training of teaching assistants
 Programs to encourage undergraduate research
 Programs that provide financial incentives to students
 Many others
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Proposals should include:
The specific strategies to be used during the grant
period to increase the number of STEM graduates
 An explanation of why the proposed activities are
not expected to cause decreases in enrollments in
other STEM fields
 The benchmarks that will be used to measure
progress as the project moves forward
 A clear statement of which of the proposed
activities, if successful, would be expected to be
institutionalized by the end of the grant period
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The Proposal Review Process
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How the Proposal Review &
Decision Process Works
Mail
Reviews
Award
(Via DGA)
Investigator/
Institution
FastLane:
Central
Processing
Program
Manager
Division
Director
Declination
Withdrawal
Panel
Review
Not
appropriate
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Merit Review
“NSF’s merit review process is the keystone for
award selection … NSF uses merit review to
select about 10,000 new awards each year
from more than 35,000
competitive proposals
submitted … annually …”
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NSF Strategic Plan FY2003-08, p. 4, 21, 26
Credit: Garie Fordyce, National Science Foundation
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Navigating the NSF Web Page
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NSF web site (www.nsf.gov)
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Directorate for Education and Human
Resources (EHR)
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Division of Undergraduate Education
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Searching the Awards Database
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Searching the Awards Database
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Tips for
Writing
Successful
Proposals
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The core of a successful proposal
is a good idea (s)*
* But that is just the beginning
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Questions for the Prospective PI
 What
problem are you addressing?
 What do you intend to do?
 Why is the work important?
 Intellectual
Merit
 Broader Impact
 What
has already been done?
 How are you going to do the work?
 How will you know if it worked?
 How will you get the word out?
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Writing Effective Proposals
What Makes a Proposal Competitive?
Original and/or good ideas
 Succinct, focused project plan
 Realistic amount of work
 Sufficient detail provided
 Cost effective
 High impact
 Knowledge and experience
 Evidence of potential effectiveness
 Likelihood project will be sustained
 Solid evaluation plan

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Things to Remember
 Read
(and follow!) the Program Solicitation
and the GPG (Grant Proposal Guide)!!!
 Address both Intellectual Merit and Broader
Impacts
 Address additional program criteria
 Solicit help of colleagues – e.g., mock review
panels
 Get started early!
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Final Thoughts
Start with a good idea:
• Embed it within a larger context with measurable
objectives
• Relate the idea to the literature
• Evaluate progress and outcomes
• Disseminate findings and results
• Be persistent! Often it is the person who reworks and
resubmits that is funded.
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Ways for you to participate
Grant Holder
 PI
 Project Team Member, or Coalition, or Advisory
Board
 Test Site
 User of Products
 Workshop and Symposium Participant
 Review Proposals
 Rotating Program Officer
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Information and Inquiries
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DUE
o
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Email
Phone
Fax
Snail Mail:
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undergrad@nsf.gov
703-292-8670
703-292-9015
Division of Undergraduate Education,
NSF
4201 Wilson Boulevard, Room 835
Arlington, VA 22230
DUE Project Information Resource System
https://www.ehr.nsf.gov/pirs_prs_web/search/
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THANKS!
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