NSF Outreach for Social Scientists

How to Get Funded

Jacqueline Meszaros, Ph.D.Jacqueline Meszaros, Ph.D.Decision, Risk and Management SciencesDecision, Risk and Management SciencesInnovation and Organizational ChangeInnovation and Organizational Changejmeszaro@nsf.gov

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Presentation Coverage

• Finding the Right Funding Program• Types of NSF Grants• Developing your proposal

– Following the rules– Review criteria– Evaluation process

• Post-decision Activities• Tour of NSF websites

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Different Agencies Fund Different types of work

• Find the Agency’s Mission– NSF– NIH– DoD– NIJ– Commerce– National Park Service– www.grants.gov

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NSF Program AreasFund Different Areas of Work

• Biology• Computing, Information Sciences and Engineering• Education and Human Resources• Engineering• Environmental Research• Geosciences• International• Mathematics and Physical Sciences• Polar Research• Social, Behavioral and Economic Sciences

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NSF Goals in Supporting the Social, Behavioral And Economic

Sciences• Increase fundamental understanding of human behavior and society by

supporting basic research, infrastructure, and education in the SBE sciences

• Provide understanding relevant to critical national problems such as education, globalization, economic well being, risk mitigation, and diversity

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SES Target DatesJanuary 18 & August 18

Decision, Risk, & Management Science

Economics

Law and Social Science

Methodology, Measurement & Statistics

Political Science

Sociology

February 1 & August 1Societal Dimensions of Eng., Science, & Tech.

Science & Technology Studies

Innovation and Organizational Change

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Social and Economic Sciences FY06 Program Allocations

• Cross-Directorate Activities $4.0M• Decision, Risk, & Management Sciences $6.5M• Economics $22.0M• Innovation and Organizational Change $2.0M• Law and Social Science $4.3M• Methodology, Measurement & Statistics $3.4M• Political Science $8.0M• Science and Society $8.0M• Sociology $8.0M

Directorate for Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences

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BCS Target DatesDecember 1 & July 1

Archaeology & Archaeometry

Physical Anthropology

January 1 & August 1

Cultural Anthropology

January 15 & July 15

Cognitive Neuroscience

Developmental & Learning Sciences

Perception, Action, & Cognition

Linguistics Social Psychology

January 15 & August 15

Geography & Regional Science

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Behavioral and Cognitive SciencesFY05 Program Allocations• Archaeology & Archaeometry $6.5M

• Cultural Anthropology $3.5M

• Cognitive Neuroscience $6.0M

• Developmental & Learning Sciences $6.5M

• Geography & Regional Science $6.1M

• Linguistics $6.0M

• Perception, Action, & Cognition $5.5M

• Physical Anthropology $4.0M

• Social Psychology $5.5M

Directorate for Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences

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Types of NSF Solicitations

• Regular Target Dates in Standing Programs

• Programs for Particular Groups of Researchers

• Special Solicitation Deadlines

• SGERs

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Grants For Particular Groups

• Graduate Research Fellowship Program• Faculty Early CAREER Development Program • Increasing Participation and ADVANCEment of

Women in Science and Engineering• Minority Research Planning Grants• Minority Post-Doctoral Fellowships• Dissertation Improvement Grants• RUI• REU’s

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SGERs:Small Grants for Exploratory Research

• Internal Review Only– Time Sensitivity– Path-breaking Research

• Can be submitted at any time

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How to Develop a Proposal• Determine best possible funding sources

• Understand the ground rules

– Read announcements and instructions carefully

– Make sure your project really fits program scope

– Look over prior award abstracts

– Ascertain evaluation procedures and criteria (see the solicitation)

– Talk with NSF Program Officer about specific questions

• Coordinate with your chair and research office

• Ask PIs for copies of proposals

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Special Solicitations

• Human and Social Dynamics• Other Investment Areas:

– Improvised Explosive Devices– The Science of Science Policy– Biocomplexity in the Environment– Climate Change Science Program– Cyberinfrastructure – International Polar Year 06-534; May 1, 2006– Mathematical Sciences – National Nanotechnology Initiative – Networking Information Technology R&D

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Human and Social Dynamics

• Three areas of emphasis – Agents of Change (AOC)

– Dynamics of Human Behavior (DHB)

– Decision Making, Risk and Uncertainty (DRU)

• Three types of award – Exploratory <$125,000

– Full <$750,000

– Full <1.25 million

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Support in Proposal Writing

• NSF Publications

– Program Announcements/

Solicitations

– Additional Program Web Pages

– Grant Proposal Guide

– Funded Project Abstracts

– Reports, Special Publications

• Program Officers– Incumbents– Former “Rotators”

• Mentors

• Previous Panelists

• Serve As Reviewer

• Sponsored Research Office

• Successful Proposals

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Sections of an NSF Proposal• Cover Sheet• Project Summary (one page)*• Table of Contents• Project Description (15 pages max)• References Cited• Biographical Sketch(es)*• Budget*• Current & Pending Support• Facilities, Equipment & Other Resources• Special Information & Supplementary Documentation*

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• Do not violate the 15-page rule (without PO approval)

• Do not violate typeface, other GPG strictures (some programs will give you no second chance)

• Do not submit the same proposal to two programs (instead: ask for co-reviews)

Caution: We are a Bureaucracy

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Budgetary Guidelines• Amounts

– Reasonable for work - Realistic– Well justified - Needs established– In-line with program guidelines

• Eligible costs– Personnel– Equipment– Travel– Participant Support– Other Direct Costs (including subawards, consultant

services, computer services, publication costs)

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Cost SharingValuing Partnerships

• Funding from NSF no longer requires cost sharing from the host institution.

• However a strong support basis for the researcher at the host institution is generally good for the PI and the research team.

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Types of Review

• Outside Reviewers plus Panel Review• Panel Review• Internal Review Only (Panel or less formal)• Sources of Reviewers:

• Program Officer’s knowledge

• References in proposal

• Web of science; SSRN; Google Scholar

• Reviewer recommendations

• Investigator’s suggestions

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NSF Standard Merit Criteria• Intellectual merit

• Importance• Creativity and originality• Conception and organization• Achievability (access to resources, record of

achievement)

• Broader impacts• Training• Diversity• Infrastructure• Dissemination/Public Awareness• Societal Benefits (of the findings themselves)

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Positive Funding Decisions

• Program Officer decision

• Feedback to PI

• HUMAN SUBJECTS (IRB) APPROVAL

• Abstract

• Scope of work and budget discussions

– Revised budget

– Revised scope of work

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Negative funding decisions

• Remember that we decline 70-80%

• Don’t be rash….

• Go over the reviews, panel summaries, and other materials

• Read your panel summary for clues

• Revise and resubmit

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Reasons for Declinations

• “Trust-me” proposal• Not feasible

– Expertise gaps– Insufficient funding for program success– Too ambitious

• Incremental contribution• “Bad luck”

– Not enough money in the fiscal year– Portfolio objectives in a given fiscal year

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Now that you are funded….

Abstract

Human Subjects approvals

Annual Reports

Final Report

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Now that you are funded

• Think “Nuggets”– This is how we get more attention for science

and more money for science

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Visiting the NSF Website

• http://www.nsf.gov/– Contains information on

• Programs and solicitations

• Grant Proposal Guide (GPG)

• Contact information

• Dates

• https://www.fastlane.nsf.gov/– Contains business information on

• Proposal submission and follow up

• Panel and reviewer information