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Proposal and Award Policies and Procedures:
http://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=nsf081Award Administration Guide:
http://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=aag081Grant Proposal Guide:
http://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=gpg081
- Significant Change to NSF Division of Chemistry’s Unsolicited Proposal Submission Window (posted August 20, 2007)
The Directorate for Mathematical and Physical Sciences (MPS) Division of Chemistry (Division) has changed its proposal submission window for unsolicited proposals from the current single long window (second Monday in July until the second Friday in January) to two shorter windows; one between July 1 and July 31 and another between November 1 and November 30. The window changes are effective immediately.
This information was published in the August 2007 Division of Chemistry newsletter, found at:
http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2007/nsf07047/nsf07047.pdf.To read the "Dear Colleague" published in March 2007, visit:
http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2007/nsf07139/nsf07139.jsp
The National Science Board (Board) unanimously adopted a motion to release for public comment a draft action plan to address critical 21st century needs in the nation's STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) education system. Two overarching actions stressed in the plan are increasing coordination of STEM education--both horizontally among states and vertically through grade levels--and increasing the supply of qualified K-12 STEM teachers.
This national action plan lays out strategies to better enable and encourage stakeholders from local, state and federal governments, as well as nongovernmental STEM education stakeholder groups, to collaborate. The goal is to produce a numerate and scientifically literate society and to increase and improve the current STEM education workforce.
In recognition of the essential lead role of local and state jurisdictions in the nation's P-12 education system, one of the Board's recommendations would require that federal STEM education programs coordinate their activities with local and state education bodies, and a variety of stakeholder groups, through a new Congressionally chartered non-federal National Council for STEM Education.
Among its other recommended actions, the Board would also bolster STEM education programs at the National Science Foundation in order to address the needs of the U.S. for a competitive, well-educated workforce.
The Board developed this action plan, in part, based on a request from Congress in 2005. The Board held three public hearings around the U.S. and established a federal advisory committee, the Commission on 21st Century Education in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics, to provide advice as the Board developed its action plan.
The Board is actively seeking public comments on the plan and hopes to integrate public comment into a final version for Board approval and release at its next meeting on October 3, 2007, the day before the historic 50th anniversary of the launch of Sputnik.
For more information, please visit:
http://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=pr07199
Featuring the following topics, and more:
- Turning a new leaf: technology that will enable plants to communicate with humans
- New Algorithm May Increase Kidney Transplants: algorithm creates matches for three- and four-way exchanges as well as two-way exchanges
- Power Transfer Goes Unplugged: discovery could revolutionize the wireless industry and leave batteries as a thing of the past
- Unraveling the Secrets of the Black Widow's Unique Silk: Biologists have identified the ingredients and the genetic blueprint of the spider's "dragline silk" .... for use in lightweight super-strong body armor, components of medical devices and high-tech athletic attire
- Implementation of Changes to National Science Foundation Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures (posted July 20, 2007)
NSF has published a new NSF Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (NSF 07-140) which can be accessed at: http://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=nsf07140. Some of the important changes include:
- Coverage on exceptions to NSF’s deadline date policy;
- Revised proposal format coverage, including mandated use of specific fonts, pagination, page limits, current and pending support content, biographical sketch requirements, and attachment authorization;
- Increased coverage on the Grants.gov apply function;
- Further guidance on the elimination of program-specific cost sharing and removal of the statutory (1%) cost sharing requirement;
- Incorporation of two additional proposal certifications, one regarding Nondiscrimination and another regarding Flood Hazard Insurance;
- Incorporation of language regarding use of the Facilities and Administrative (F&A) rate at the time of the award; and
- New guidelines for proposals involving human and vertebrate animal data, consistent with Grants.gov.
Another of the important changes contained in the new guidelines is the use of designated fonts in proposals submitted to NSF. Proposers are reminded that the proposal must be clear, readily legible, and conform to the following requirements:
1. Use of only the approved typefaces identified below, a black font color, and a font size of 10 points or larger must be used:
- For Windows users: Arial, Helvetica, Palatino Linotype, or Georgia
- For Macintosh users: Arial, Helvetica, Palatino, or Georgia
- For TeX users: Computer Modern
A Symbol font may be used to insert Greek letters or special characters; however, the font size requirement still applies;
2. No more than 6 lines within a vertical space of 1 inch; and
3. Margins, in all directions, must be at least an inch.
Proposers are cautioned that proposals not in conformance with this guidance may be returned without review.
The National Science Foundation has recently published a new NSF Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (NSF 07-140). This document comprises two previously standalone NSF policy documents, the NSF Grant Proposal Guide (GPG) and the Grant Policy Manual (GPM), combining them into a single electronic policy framework. The new NSF Proposal & Award Policies and Procedures Guide (NSF 07-140) will be effective for proposals submitted on or after June 1, 2007. This document supersedes all prior versions of the GPG and GPM and can be accessed at:
http://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=nsf07140.
For proposals submitted on or after January 5, 2008, please see:
http://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=nsf081.
Hints and Pointers about PDF Documents in Fastlane
NSF Funding Opps
Scientists will find new ways of understanding the interactions of the biological sciences with society, as a result of awards from the National Science Foundation's (NSF) directorates for biological sciences and for social, behavioral, and economic sciences. Topics to be studied include widely disseminating the letters and other correspondence of Charles Darwin; ways to foster scientific collaboration with Native American communities on issues of sustainability; how populations in Brazil have used scientific information to adapt water systems to climate change; and how concepts of "biodiversity" have changed over time and the impact of these changes on conservation efforts. For more details, see the NSF News Release.
The awards are part of the Science and Society Program. The goal of the Science and Society Program is to fund research that examines questions that arise in the interactions of engineering, science, technology, and society. A subset of these awards focuses specifically on the intersections of biology and society.
See also Abstracts of Recent Awards Made Through This Program
The next program deadline is February 1, 2008, except for the Small Grants for Training and Research (SGTR) mode of support, which may only be submitted by the August 1st target date for consideration in the fall of each year.
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