Transitioning funding for macrosystems biology and NEON-enabled science

Over the last 13 years since the creation of the Macrosystems Biology and NEON-Enabled Science (MSB-NES) program, the field of macrosystems biology has grown in size and recognition. Researchers in the field have pioneered technical and conceptual advances to study processes that intrinsically play out at large spatial scales with significant relevance to a variety of areas in environmental and biological science. 

Additionally, NSF’s National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON) has now been in operation for several years and is producing resources, data and assignable assets used broadly across the biological sciences community. Over 500 publications already cite the use of NEON data. 

As such, these areas have outgrown the need for a special call for proposals to highlight NSF’s support for them. Therefore, the MSB-NES program will "graduate" after awards made in Fiscal Year 2024. This means that there will be no funding for new awards by the program in Fiscal Year 2025, but support for macrosystems biology and biological research supported by NEON data will expand through other programs. 

Where to submit macrosystems biology and/or NEON-enabled science proposals moving forward 

NSF will continue to support macrosystems biology and NEON-enabled science through programs including Core Programs within the Division of Environmental Biology (DEB) and the Integrative Research in Biology (IntBIO) Track in Core Programs across the Directorate for Biological Sciences, as well as through infrastructure programs, workforce development efforts, and programs aimed at supporting interdisciplinary biology. 

Researchers wishing to conduct macrosystems biology or NEON-enabled science can send proposals to these programs and/or discuss their project ideas with NSF Program Directors prior to proposal submission.

As a reminder, BIO Core Programs (including the Innovation, Capacity, and Sustaining programs in the Division of Biological Infrastructure (DBI)) accept proposals at any time. 

Programs of interest for macrosystems biology or NEON-enabled science 

Proposals using NEON data and/or resources* to advance an area of biology may also be eligible to apply to the following programs, depending on the area of biology on which they focus. 

* Proposals that plan to use NEON resources that are not generally available in the public NEON data catalogue, such as those listed on the NEON Research Support Services page, on-site sampling or experiments, access to specimens or samples, or other work outside the standard, available NEON data must include a letter of collaboration from the NEON Project management organization that attests to the anticipated availability of the resources.

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