SPRING 2024 NSF GRANTS CONFERENCE

This session will cover the National Science Foundation’s purpose, mandate, organizational structure, program and budget highlights (including current budget status).

NSF staff will review how and when to prepare a proposal, including discussion of what constitutes a project and a proposal of high quality. Presenters will discuss do’s and don’ts, recent procedural changes, as well as the various sources of NSF programmatic opportunities.

NSF Program Officers will discuss the philosophy of merit review and how it works, as well as ad hoc and multi-tiered reviews. Presenters will also cover the role of the Program Officer, timing of proposal submissions, reviewer selection, release of reviewer comments, and conflict-of-interest issues related to merit review. 

This session will address award requirements and conditions and will outline the responsibilities of those involved in the award process – principal investigators, grantee organizations, program officers, research administrators, and agency grants officials.

Staff from the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) will discuss the roles and responsibilities of the OIG, as well as how it serves the NSF customer communities. Issues arising from current audits and investigations will also be covered.

NSF’s Directorate for Social, Behavioral and Economic (SBE) Sciences supports basic research on people and society. The SBE sciences focus on human behavior and social organizations and how social, economic, political, cultural, and environmental forces affect the lives of people from birth to old age and how people in turn shape those forces. SBE scientists develop and employ rigorous methods to discover fundamental principles of human behavior at levels ranging from cells to society, from neurons to neighborhoods, and across space and time. Such fundamental principles help us understand patterns of stability and change at the individual, group, organizational, and societal levels that can be applied to promote the progress of science and to advance the national health, prosperity, and welfare. Through its various core disciplinary and interdisciplinary programs, as well as contributions to cross-directorate NSF investments, SBE supports approximately 5,000 scientists, educators, and students in a typical year. Understanding human behavior individually and in groups has far-reaching impacts from optimizing child development to safeguarding our troops; from exploring the origins of our species to finding our way with GPS; from understanding the state of the science and engineering enterprise to securing cyberspace. 

NSF’s newest directorate, “TIP,” Technology, Innovation and Partnerships — creates breakthrough technologies; meets societal and economic needs; leads to new, high-wage jobs; and empowers all Americans to participate in the U.S. research and innovation enterprise. TIP is a unique opportunity that engages the nation’s diverse talent in strengthening and scaling the use-inspired and translational research that will drive tomorrow’s technologies and solutions. TIP brings together teams of researchers, practitioners, and users to shape research directions, catalyze iterative co-design and co-creation, develop game changing technologies and solutions to address the nation’s societal and economic challenges, and grow the future workforce.

The mission of EDU (formerly EHR) is to achieve excellence in U.S. science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education at all levels and in all settings (both formal and informal) to support the development of a diverse and well-prepared workforce of scientists, technicians, engineers, mathematicians, and educators and a well-informed citizenry that have access to the ideas and tools of science and engineering. The purpose of these activities is to enhance the quality of life of all citizens and the health, prosperity, welfare, and security of the nation.

Research funded by the National Science Foundation's (NSF) Directorate for Engineering (ENG) has enriched the understanding of natural systems, enhanced electronics, fortified the nation's infrastructure and introduced the exciting possibilities of engineering to the next generation. Investments in engineering research and education are critical building blocks for the nation's future prosperity. Engineering breakthroughs address national challenges, such as smart manufacturing, resilient infrastructure, and sustainable energy systems. Engineering also brings about new opportunities in areas ranging from advanced photonics to prosthetic devices.

GEO supports basic research that advances the frontiers of knowledge and drives technological innovation while improving our understanding of the many processes that affect the global environment. These processes include the role of the atmosphere and oceans in climate, the planetary water cycle, and ocean acidification. Support is provided for interdisciplinary studies that contribute directly to national research priorities such as: understanding, adapting to, and mitigating the impacts of global change; developing and deploying integrated ocean observing capabilities to support ecosystem-based management; and understanding future availability of fresh water. Lives are saved and property is preserved through better prediction and understanding of natural environmental hazards such as earthquakes, tornados, hurricanes, tsunamis, drought, and solar storms. Basic research supported by GEO enables preparation for and subsequent mitigation of, or adaptation to, the effects of these and other disruptive natural events. GEO provides about 64 percent of the federal funding for basic research at academic institutions in the geosciences.

The mission of MPS is to harness the collective efforts of the mathematical and physical sciences communities to address the most compelling scientific questions, educate the future advanced high-tech workforce, and promote discoveries to meet the needs of the Nation. The MPS Divisions support both disciplinary and interdisciplinary activities and partner with each other and with other NSF Directorates to effectively encourage basic research across the scientific disciplines.

The mission of the Directorate for Computer and Information Science and Engineering (CISE) is to enable the U.S. to uphold its leadership in computing, communications, and information science and engineering; promote understanding of the principles and uses of advanced computing, communications, and information systems in service to society; support advanced cyberinfrastructure that enables and accelerates discovery and innovation across all science and engineering disciplines; and contribute to universal, transparent, and affordable participation in an information-based society. To achieve this mission, CISE supports investigator-initiated research and education in all areas of computer and information science and engineering, fosters broad interdisciplinary collaboration, helps develop and maintain cutting-edge national cyberinfrastructure for research and education, and contributes to the development of a computer and information technology workforce with skills necessary for success in the increasingly competitive global market.

The mission of the Directorate for Biological Sciences (BIO) is to enable discoveries for understanding life. BIO-supported research advances the frontiers of biological knowledge, increases our understanding of complex systems, and provides a theoretical basis for original research in many other scientific disciplines. 

NSF’s Office of Integrative Activities (OIA) works across all disciplines to lead and coordinate strategic programs and opportunities that: Advance interdisciplinary research and innovation across the U.S.; Develop critical infrastructure for the nation’s STEM enterprise; Develop a diverse and engaged next generation of scientists and engineers; Support the growth of research capacity and competitiveness across all types of institutions, including those in EPSCoR jurisdictions and emerging research institutions. Funding opportunities of interest to the scientific research and education communities include:

• EPSCoR: The Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research
• GCR: Growing Convergence Research
• GRANTED: Growing Research Access for Nationally Transformative Equity and Diversity
• HBCU-EiR: HBCU Excellence in Research
• Mid-scale RI: Mid-scale Research Infrastructure
• MRI: Major Research Instrumentation
• STC: Science and Technology Centers

Plus, OIA administers several prestigious honorary awards and professional internship programs for aspiring scientists and engineers, and NSF’s evaluation and assessment capabilities.

NSF’s Payment and Analytics Branch, within the Division of Financial Management, will provide an overview of their financial management practices and operations, as well as new initiatives within the branch. Topics covered include awardee financial reporting and reimbursement responsibilities, best practices and frequently asked questions, recurring monitoring activities, critical fiscal year timelines, as well as new innovations in grant monitoring. This session will be helpful to both new and current NSF awardees to learn more about post-award financial activities at NSF.

This session will provide an update to NSF policies and procedures that affect proposal preparation, merit review, and award administration.