NSF Funding Opportunities Anthony Garza General Funding Opportunities

NSF Funding Opportunities Anthony Garza

General Funding Opportunities • Standard proposals or investigator-initiated research projects (submission once or twice a year, depending on the directorate and may have pre-proposals) • CAREER proposals (tenure-track Assistant Professors or equivalent position) • EAGER, INSPIRE and RAPID proposals

Intellectual Merit and Broader Impacts 1. What is the potential for the proposed activity to: a) advance knowledge and understanding within its own field or across different fields (Intellectual Merit); and b) benefit society or advance desired societal outcomes (Broader Impacts)? 2. To what extent do the proposed activities suggest and explore creative, original, or potentially transformative concepts? 3. Is the plan for carrying out the proposed activities well-reasoned, well organized, and based on a sound rationale? Does the plan incorporate a mechanism to assess success? 4. How well qualified is the individual, team, or institution to conduct the proposed activities? 5. Are there adequate resources available to the PI (either at the home institution or through collaborations) to carry out the proposed activities?

More on Broader Impacts • Training graduate students, undergraduate students and high school students • Training and education of members of underrepresented groups • Provide K-12 teachers with a research experience • Outreach-educational and to the public • Enhance research community resources/infrastructure

Additional Elements • The Results from Prior Support of the proposed activity – NSF supported Research funded within the last five years – Publications produced from prior NSF supported research • The Data Management Plan of the proposed activity – The impact of data generated at the site – How will the data be stored, disseminated, and/or shared • The Post Doc Mentoring Plan of the proposed activity – If the Proposal shows financial support in the budget for a post-doc then a plan must be included

Standard Proposals • Typically for 3 years • Must include a research plan and a broader impacts section (15 pages total) • Open to faculty at all stages of their careers • Funding levels vary widely between directorates and even divisions within a directorate

Proposal Review-Standard Proposals • Usually takes 4 -6 months • Reviewed by Panels • May also have ad hoc reviews • Panel rates the proposal, which serves as a recommendation to the program directors

Faculty Early-Career Development (CAREER) Program • Prestigious awards to help a junior faculty member develop activities that can effectively integrate research and education • All directorates/offices participate in the program • Must have a research plan and broader impacts (broader impacts must have an element that integrates research and teaching)-15 pages total • Five years of support (≥ 400 K in most Directorates – BIO, GEO/PLR, ENG are ≥ 500 K) • Only 3 submissions are allowed

Investigator Eligibility Criteria (CAREER) • Hold a doctoral degree in a field supported by NSF by proposal deadline • Be untenured by Oct 1 st following proposal deadline • Be employed in a tenure-track (or equivalent) position at an eligible institution as an Assistant Professor (by Oct 1 st following deadline) • Have not previously received a CAREER award

Proposal Review-CAREER Proposals • Some directorates review CAREER proposals with standard proposals and others have CAREER-specific panels • May also have ad hoc reviews • Takes 4 -6 months when reviewed with standard proposal, but often shorter when reviewed on CAREER-specific panel • Panel rates the proposal, which serves as a recommendation to the program directors

EAGER, RAPID and INSPIRE proposals • EAGER (5 -8 pages total) grants support “high risk-high reward” projects. EAGER grants are 300 K, 2 years maximum. They may only be reviewed internally. They are not renewable. • RAPID (2 -5 pages) grants support research with a severe urgency. RAPID grants are 200 K maximum for 1 year. They may only be reviewed internally. They are not renewable. • INSPIRE grants (15 pages) support bold interdisciplinary projects in all NSF-supported areas of science, engineering, and education research. Must be funded by two intellectually distinct divisions. INSPIRE grants are 1 million, 5 years maximum. They may only be reviewed internally

Questions? Anthony Garza agarza@syr. edu