NSF 22-501: Mathematical and Physical Sciences Ascending Postdoctoral Research Fellowships (MPS-Ascend)
Program Solicitation
Document Information
Document History
- Posted: October 8, 2021
- Replaces: NSF 21-573
- Replaced by: NSF 23-501
Program Solicitation NSF 22-501
Full Proposal Deadline(s) (due by 5 p.m. submitter's local time): January 06, 2022 Important Information And Revision NotesThe deadline was moved from June to January. Cognizant Program Officers have been updated. Eligibility requirement has been changed from having a doctoral degree conferred to having completed all requirements for a doctoral degree prior to the start of the postdoctoral position. Eligibility no longer forbids concurrent fellowship submissions to other NSF programs or other Federal agencies. Fellowships must begin no later than Oct. 1, 2022. The Project Summary has been updated to include a list of doctoral degree, current, and past institutions as well as the proposed host institution and sponsoring scientist. The Program Description has been updated to clarify the relationships between the applicant, sponsoring scientist, host institutions and other institutions (if any). Mention of a future solicitation for support on the tenure track has been removed. Mention of a future Ascend External Mentoring solicitation remains. Mention added that proposals for consideration by the Division of Astronomical Sciences that are solely or predominantly for the acquisition, analysis, or interpretation of data from National Aeronautics and Space Administration ( NASA)-supported missions will be returned without review. The allowed duration is clarified to be from 12 to 36 months. Award information on duration and tenure is updated. Mention of the career-life balance mechanism is removed since fellowship recipients who receive direct awards (as is the case with Ascend) are not eligible. Paid leave accumulation is clarified. The requirement to choose a program in one of the five participating Divisions as a secondary unit of consideration has been added. Added instruction to report on Graduate Research Fellowship Program ( GRFP) and/or Alliances for Graduate Education and the Professoriate – Graduate Research Supplements ( AGEP-GRS) fellowship as Results from Prior Support in Project Description. Clarification added that the Collaborators & Other Affiliations template is required. Directions for the sponsoring scientist's letter are updated. Any proposal submitted in response to this solicitation should be submitted in accordance with the revised NSF Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG) (NSF 22-1), which is effective for proposals submitted, or due, on or after October 4, 2021. Summary Of Program RequirementsGeneral InformationProgram Title:
Synopsis of Program:
Cognizant Program Officer(s): Please note that the following information is current at the time of publishing. See program website for any updates to the points of contact.
Applicable Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number(s):
Award InformationAnticipated Type of Award: Fellowship Estimated Number of Awards: 40 to 50 Forty to fifty fellowships per year contingent upon availability of funds and receipt of competitive proposals. Anticipated Funding Amount: $8,000,000 to $10,000,000 Subject to the availability of funds. Eligibility InformationWho May Submit Proposals:
Who May Serve as PI:
Limit on Number of Proposals per Organization:
Limit on Number of Proposals per PI or co-PI:
Proposal Preparation and Submission InstructionsA. Proposal Preparation Instructions
B. Budgetary Information
C. Due Dates
Proposal Review Information CriteriaMerit Review Criteria: National Science Board approved criteria. Additional merit review criteria apply. Please see the full text of this solicitation for further information. Award Administration InformationAward Conditions: Additional award conditions apply. Please see the full text of this solicitation for further information. Reporting Requirements: Standard NSF reporting requirements apply. I. IntroductionThe future of the Nation’s scientific enterprise depends on including the best and most highly trained minds in the pursuit of cutting edge scientific problems. This solicitation aims to support outstanding future scientists with a focus on achieving excellence through diversity and supporting postdoctoral Fellows that will broaden the participation of underrepresented minorities in academia as well as across the Nation's scientific enterprise. The intent is to support and prepare postdoctoral Fellows to transition from a postdoctoral position into the first few years of an academic faculty position. The proposed research must be in an area within the purview of one of the Divisions within the Directorate for Mathematical and Physical Sciences (MPS). Fellows must affiliate with appropriate research institutions, as defined below, and are expected to devote themselves full time to the Fellowship activities during its term. II. Program DescriptionThe twofold purpose of the MPS-Ascend program is to support future scientific leaders in MPS fields by facilitating their participation in postdoctoral research environments that will have maximal impact on their future scientific development, and to broaden the participation of those underrepresented ( including Blacks or African Americans, Hispanics, Latinos, Native Americans, Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians and other Native Pacific Islanders) in science areas supported by MPS. MPS recognizes a gap in the participation of these underrepresented groups in academia in MPS fields [1]. Fellows supported through this program will affiliate at all times with a host institution(s) during the postdoctoral appointment component of the Fellowship and select a sponsoring scientist who will provide mentoring and guidance for the research proposed by the applicant. In addition, the sponsoring scientist must design a mentoring plan for the Fellow. The applicant is responsible for making prior arrangements with the host institution and sponsoring scientist(s). If more than one sponsor is proposed, one must be named lead sponsor and the roles of the other sponsors must be clearly stated in the Project Description. An important basis for judging the suitability of the host institution is the degree to which the sponsoring scientist statement describes and offers a research, education, and mentoring plan that could not be provided without Fellowship support. (See Section V. Proposal Preparation Instructions for additional information about the sponsoring scientist statement.) Appropriate host institutions include U.S. institutions of higher education, private nonprofit institutes and museums, government installations and laboratories, and scientific facilities such as observatories. For applicants to AST, NASA or Department of Energy (DOE) supported centers are not eligible host institutions. Fellows are expected to be fully integrated into the research and educational activities of their host institution. The postdoctoral support can be requested for between 12 and 36 months, depending on the research plan and the nature of the science. It is allowable to spend all or portions of the F ellowship tenure at international sites that are operated by U.S. organizations eligible for NSF funding, such as the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array, Gemini South, or the Large Hadron Collider, among others, provided the sponsoring scientist at the host institution addresses this in the documentation (see preparation instructions). As these awards will span multiple scientific disciplines, NSF anticipates additional cohort building and professional development support for the Fellows through an external institution (herein referred to as the External Mentoring Institution) supported through a future solicitation. Postdocs supported through this program will be prepared for success in their choice of career paths. Proposals to this program must demonstrate the context of the work within or across disciplines supported by MPS. There may be proposals that are most appropriate for consideration by other NSF programs or by other federal agencies. Please contact the cognizant program officer identified for the appropriate division if you have any questions about the suitability of your proposal for the MPS-Ascend program [2]. [1]National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics, Women, Minorities, and Persons with Disabilities in Science and Engineering: 2019. Alexandria, VA: Special Report NSF 19-304, 2019. Available at www.nsf.gov/statistics/wmpd [2] Proposals for consideration by the Division of Astronomy that are solely or predominantly for the acquisition, analysis, or interpretation of data from NASA-supported missions will be returned without review. III. Award InformationEstimated program budget, number of awards and average award size/duration are subject to the availability of funds. DURATION/TENURE AND STIPEND/ALLOWANCES A. Duration and Tenure The duration of support for a Fellowship award is for between 12 and 36 months. Extensions beyond 36 months are rare and must be agreed upon by the Program Officer managing the award. The postdoctoral appointment must start no later than Oct. 1, 2022. All requirements for a doctoral degree must be completed before the start date of the appointment. Within the Fellowship period, paid leave, including parental or family leave, can be accumulated up to one day of paid leave earned per month. The paid leave cannot be used to increase the level of NSF support. Fellowships may not be renewed. Those applicants selected to receive Fellowships will be contacted by NSF and asked to provide additional information, such as completing acceptance forms and starting certificates, before starting their Fellowships. Successful applicants who have not completed the PhD at the time of application must provide certification that all requirements for a PhD have been completed before receiving their Fellowship award. Normally Fellowships will be held at institutions specified in the proposal, but under certain circumstances and with suitable justification, Fellows may transfer during the tenure of the Fellowship to a new institution upon approval by NSF. Fellowships may end before the anticipated end date at the request of the Fellow (for example, if the Fellow accepts a different job offer during the expected duration of the postdoctoral appointment). If a Fellow chooses to accept employment (i.e. a tenure-track position or other full time employment) during a Fellowship year, the Fellow stipend will be terminated upon the start of the new position, no further funds will be dispensed, and any remaining funds will be returned. B. Stipend and Allowances The Fellowship amount of $100,000 per year for up to three years consists of two separate payments:
IV. Eligibility InformationWho May Submit Proposals:
Who May Serve as PI:
Limit on Number of Proposals per Organization:
Limit on Number of Proposals per PI or co-PI:
V. Proposal Preparation And Submission InstructionsA. Proposal Preparation InstructionsFull Proposal Preparation Instructions: Proposers may opt to submit proposals in response to this Program Solicitation via FastLane or Grants.gov.
See PAPPG Chapter II.C.2 for guidance on the required sections of a full research proposal submitted to NSF. Please note that the proposal preparation instructions provided in this program solicitation may deviate from the PAPPG instructions. An application consists of many parts, and requires input from the applicant, the sponsoring scientist, and the authors of reference letters. Applicants are advised to begin the application well in advance of the deadline and to submit as early as possible. Before starting proposal preparation, the proposer must be registered as an individual. Proposers must register as a new individual in Research.gov and/or as a new individual in Grants.gov. Fellowship proposals must be submitted by the Fellowship proposer, not by the proposer's current or proposed organizational Sponsored Projects Office (SPO). The proposer serves as his/her own SPO and Authorized Organizational Representative (AOR) for the purposes of any research administration functions in FastLane or Grants.gov. Submission through NSF FastLane is strongly recommended because these are Fellowships with unique requirements. If the proposer elects to submit through Grants.gov, notification that ALL required documents have been successfully uploaded into FastLane by the deadline date must be affirmed. Proposal Contents The following instructions supplement the guidelines in the NSF Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG) and NSF Grants.gov Application Guide for the specified sections. In cases where requirements given in this document differ from those given in the PAPPG or NSF Grants.gov Application Guide, this solicitation takes precedence. For the purposes of this solicitation, NSF expects that the Fellow and the sponsoring scientist will collaborate on most sections of the proposal. Single-Copy Documents : Follow PAPPG instructions to prepare the Collaborators & Other Affiliations (COA) Information template. NSF Cover Sheet: Select the MPS-Ascend program solicitation number shown at the beginning of this solicitation from the drop-down menu in FastLane. (Grants.gov Users: The program solicitation number will be pre-populated by Grants.gov on the NSF Grant Application Cover Page.) When designating the Unit of Consideration, proposals should be submitted to the Office of Multidisciplinary Activities within the Directorate for Mathematical and Physical Sciences. Select as the secondary unit of consideration one of the five participating programs: Astronomical Sciences: AST: 1219 Education and Special Programs Chemistry : CHE: 7487 Broadening Participation Materials Research: DMR: 7222 XC-Crosscutting Activities Program Mathematical Sciences: DMS: 7335 Workforce in the Mathematical Sciences Physics: PHY: 9134 Integrative Activities in Physics " MPS-Ascend: " should precede the title of your research project in the title section of the NSF cover sheet. The applicant should be designated as PI. Project Summary (1 page limit). The "Overview" section of the Project Summary should begin with the following: Doctoral Granting Institution and state: The remainder of the Project Summary outlines the proposed research and training activities, including specific and separate statements in the Overview, Intellectual Merit, and Broader Impacts sections, and including a justification of how the applicant and project will serve to broaden the participation of underrepresented minorities ( including Blacks or African Americans, Hispanics, Latinos, Native Americans, Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians or other Native Pacific Islanders) in MPS fields; Project Description (10 page limit), which addresses what the postdoctoral Fellow proposes to accomplish during the fellowship period and how it relates to the Fellow’s career goals, as well as a more detailed description of how the applicant and project will serve to broaden the participation of underrepresented minorities in MPS fields. The Project Description should be written with both specialists and non-specialists in mind. The Project Description consists of: an introduction or background section; a description of the applicant's past accomplishments, including those aimed at broadening participation; a statement of research objectives, methods, and significance; an explanation of how the Fellowship activities will enhance the applicant's career development; a justification of the choice of sponsoring scientist and institution; and a separate section entitled "Broader Impacts" that discusses the broader impacts of the proposed activities and includes the justification describing how the applicant and project will serve to broaden the participation of underrepresented minorities in MPS fields and the applicant's past experience in such broadening participation efforts (this justification should be at least one page). Results from Prior Support (if any). Suggested maximum of 2 pages describing the intellectual merit and broader impacts of prior NSF fellowship funding such as GRFP or AGEP-GRS fellowships (if any). See PAPPG for guidance. References Cited: Follow the instructions in the PAPPG. Biographical Sketch: Follow the instructions in the PAPPG for senior personnel. NSF Budget : See instructions in Section V.B, Budgetary Information. Current and Pending Support : Follow the instructions in the PAPPG for senior personnel. Facilities, Equipment and Other Resources : Please note that this section is a required part of the proposal. The applicant should enter "See Letters of Collaboration" in the Facilities, Equipment, and Other Resources section of the proposal. Supplementary Documentation consisting of:
"If the proposal submitted by Dr. [insert the full name of the Principal Investigator] entitled [insert the proposal title] is selected for funding by NSF, it is my intent to collaborate and/or commit resources as detailed in the Project Description or the Facilities, Equipment and Other Resources section of the proposal." Sponsoring Scientist Statement: The sponsoring scientist's statement is meant to show how the host and host institution will provide a vibrant and supportive environment for the Fellow's proposed research and training activities and provide a basis for the Fellow's future independent research career. The statement is limited to 3 pages. The statement should address the following: the mentoring plan for the Fellow, the sponsoring scientist’s past experiences and track record in mentoring postdocs, especially the track record (if any) in mentoring underrepresented minorities and broadening participation of underrepresented minorities; the expected availability of the sponsoring scientist for consultation during the requested award period; the role that the sponsoring scientist will play in the professional development of the Fellow; the opportunities for training and research at the sponsoring institution that will be of particular benefit to the Fellow; the appropriateness of the match between the sponsoring scientist and the Fellow; an agreement that the sponsoring scientist will support the applicant’s involvement in cohort building and professional development activities at the anticipated External Mentoring Institution, once operational, as well as planned activities aimed at broadening participation of underrepresented minorities; and a description of how the sponsoring scientist expects to benefit from the experience of supervising the Fellow. The statement should describe how the Fellow’s research achievements and future research goals align with those of the sponsoring scientist. Sponsors are not expected to provide all the mentoring themselves and may call on resources available on campus or through other organizations, as well as those provided by the External Mentoring Institution. If a significant portion (longer than 1 month) of the Fellowship tenure will take place at a site other than the host institution, plans for the mentoring and supervision of the Fellow at the secondary site should be addressed in the sponsoring scientist's statement. Mentoring and supervision contributions of any secondary mentor should be briefly described in the sponsoring scientist's statement and the secondary mentor should provide a collaboration letter as described in item 4 of supplementary documentation (see above). The sponsoring scientist's statement should also include the name, title, department, email address, and telephone number of the sponsoring scientist, as well as the address and phone number of the sponsoring scientist's department at the host institution. The sponsoring scientist should sign the statement before sending it to the Fellow. In addition, the Department Chair (or equivalent) should add the following statement and sign below: “As Department Chair (or equivalent), I have reviewed the sponsoring scientist statement for (name of MPS-Ascend Fellow) and hereby state my overall support and commitment to provide the necessary Departmental resources described in the statement.” B. Budgetary InformationCost Sharing: Inclusion of voluntary committed cost sharing is prohibited. Other Budgetary Limitations: Other budgetary limitations apply. Budget Preparation Instructions: The stipend and fellowship allowance should be entered in Participant Support Costs (Section F on the FastLane budget and Field E on the Grants.gov budget). Enter the $70,000 stipend in F.1 (FastLane) or E.2 (Grants.gov) and the $30,000 fellowship allowance in F.4 (FastLane) or E.5 (Grants.gov). Enter (1) as the Total Number of Participants. An annual budget page must be submitted for each of up to three years of fellowship support. A budget Justification is not required and should not be submitted. Applicants should disregard the warning generated by FastLane. FastLane users: Since no person months and no salary are being requested for senior personnel, the PI (fellow) should be removed from section A of the budget. This can be done by clicking "Add\Delete Senior Personnel", then "Check to remove" by the name, on the budget. Additional information is available on the FastLane website. The average total Fellowship amount is between $100,000 and $300,000 (depending on the length of support requested) and is limited to three main categories:
Fellows will be expected to devote full time to appropriate scientific research, broadening participation activities, and professional development activities either sponsored by the host institution or intended external mentoring institution during the appointment period of the fellowship, and to pursue the program for which the fellowship was awarded. One exception is opportunities for teaching, which are important for the professional development of the Fellow. Limited engagement in teaching responsibilities is encouraged. Such engagement can include no more than one one-semester course per year, with a limit of two such courses over the entirety of the postdoc fellowship. Since teaching opportunities are not covered by the Fellowship, the institution may hire the Fellow to teach such courses, but the Fellowship support must be reduced by the same amount. Institutional regulations and discipline specific practices may be more suitable a more intensive, limited duration teaching experience. This may be accommodated with an unpaid interruption in the MPS-Ascend support. Such arrangements must be discussed in advance with the cognizant Program Director. C. Due Dates
D. FastLane/Research.gov/Grants.gov RequirementsFor Proposals Submitted Via FastLane: Before starting proposal preparation, the proposer must register as a new individual in Research.gov: https://www.research.gov/accountmgmt/assets/welcomeunaffiliated.html. Detailed instructions regarding the technical aspects of preparation and submission via FastLane are available at: https://www.fastlane.nsf.gov/a1/newstan.htm. For FastLane user support, call the FastLane Help Desk at 1-800-673-6188 or e-mail fastlane@nsf.gov. The FastLane Help Desk answers general technical questions related to the use of the FastLane system. Specific questions related to this program solicitation should be referred to the NSF program staff contact(s) listed in Section VIII of this funding opportunity. Submitting the Proposal: Fellowship proposals must be submitted by the individual, not by the individual's current or proposed organizational Sponsored Projects Office (SPO). The individual serves as his/her own SPO and Authorized Organizational Representative (AOR) for the purposes of any research administration functions in FastLane. As such, the proposer, serving as the SPO/AOR must electronically sign and submit the proposal using the Sign and Submit button in FastLane. The individual is signing on his/her own behalf and by signing the proposal NSF is in no way inferring that the individual has assumed organizational status. Further instructions regarding this process are available on the FastLane Website at: https://www.fastlane.nsf.gov/fastlane.jsp. For Proposals Submitted Via Grants.gov: Before starting proposal preparation, the proposer must register as a new individual in Research.gov and Grants.gov. To register as a new individual in Research.gov go to: https://www.research.gov/accountmgmt/assets/welcomeunaffiliated.html and to register in Grants.gov go to: https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/registration.html. Once registered, the proposer can then apply for grant opportunities which indicate "Individual" eligibility on the Grants.gov website. Comprehensive information about using Grants.gov is available on the Grants.gov Applicant Resources webpage: https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants.html. In addition, the NSF Grants.gov Application Guide provides additional technical guidance regarding preparation of proposals via Grants.gov. For Grants.gov user support, contact the Grants.gov Contact Center at 1-800-518-4726 or by email: support@grants.gov. The Grants.gov Contact Center answers general technical questions related to the use of Grants.gov. Specific questions related to this program solicitation should be referred to the NSF program staff contact(s) listed in Section VIII of this solicitation. Submitting the Proposal: Fellowship proposals must be submitted by the individual, not by the individual’s current or proposed organizational Sponsored Projects Office (SPO). Once all documents have been completed, the individual must submit the proposal to Grants.gov and verify the desired funding opportunity and agency to which the proposal is submitted. The individual must then sign and submit the application to Grants.gov. The completed application will be transferred to the NSF FastLane system for further processing. Proposers that submitted via FastLane may use Research.gov to verify the status of their submission to NSF. For proposers that submitted via Grants.gov, until an application has been received and validated by NSF, the applicant may check the status of an application on Grants.gov. After proposers have received an e-mail notification from NSF, Research.gov should be used to check the status of an application. VI. NSF Proposal Processing And Review ProceduresProposals received by NSF are assigned to the appropriate NSF program for acknowledgement and, if they meet NSF requirements, for review. All proposals are carefully reviewed by a scientist, engineer, or educator serving as an NSF Program Officer, and usually by three to ten other persons outside NSF either as ad hoc reviewers, panelists, or both, who are experts in the particular fields represented by the proposal. These reviewers are selected by Program Officers charged with oversight of the review process. Proposers are invited to suggest names of persons they believe are especially well qualified to review the proposal and/or persons they would prefer not review the proposal. These suggestions may serve as one source in the reviewer selection process at the Program Officer's discretion. Submission of such names, however, is optional. Care is taken to ensure that reviewers have no conflicts of interest with the proposal. In addition, Program Officers may obtain comments from site visits before recommending final action on proposals. Senior NSF staff further review recommendations for awards. A flowchart that depicts the entire NSF proposal and award process (and associated timeline) is included in PAPPG Exhibit III-1. A comprehensive description of the Foundation's merit review process is available on the NSF website at: https://www.nsf.gov/bfa/dias/policy/merit_review/. Proposers should also be aware of core strategies that are essential to the fulfillment of NSF's mission, as articulated in Building the Future: Investing in Discovery and Innovation - NSF Strategic Plan for Fiscal Years (FY) 2018 – 2022. These strategies are integrated in the program planning and implementation process, of which proposal review is one part. NSF's mission is particularly well-implemented through the integration of research and education and broadening participation in NSF programs, projects, and activities. One of the strategic objectives in support of NSF's mission is to foster integration of research and education through the programs, projects, and activities it supports at academic and research institutions. These institutions must recruit, train, and prepare a diverse STEM workforce to advance the frontiers of science and participate in the U.S. technology-based economy. NSF's contribution to the national innovation ecosystem is to provide cutting-edge research under the guidance of the Nation's most creative scientists and engineers. NSF also supports development of a strong science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) workforce by investing in building the knowledge that informs improvements in STEM teaching and learning. NSF's mission calls for the broadening of opportunities and expanding participation of groups, institutions, and geographic regions that are underrepresented in STEM disciplines, which is essential to the health and vitality of science and engineering. NSF is committed to this principle of diversity and deems it central to the programs, projects, and activities it considers and supports. A. Merit Review Principles and CriteriaThe National Science Foundation strives to invest in a robust and diverse portfolio of projects that creates new knowledge and enables breakthroughs in understanding across all areas of science and engineering research and education. To identify which projects to support, NSF relies on a merit review process that incorporates consideration of both the technical aspects of a proposed project and its potential to contribute more broadly to advancing NSF's mission "to promote the progress of science; to advance the national health, prosperity, and welfare; to secure the national defense; and for other purposes." NSF makes every effort to conduct a fair, competitive, transparent merit review process for the selection of projects. 1. Merit Review Principles These principles are to be given due diligence by PIs and organizations when preparing proposals and managing projects, by reviewers when reading and evaluating proposals, and by NSF program staff when determining whether or not to recommend proposals for funding and while overseeing awards. Given that NSF is the primary federal agency charged with nurturing and supporting excellence in basic research and education, the following three principles apply:
With respect to the third principle, even if assessment of Broader Impacts outcomes for particular projects is done at an aggregated level, PIs are expected to be accountable for carrying out the activities described in the funded project. Thus, individual projects should include clearly stated goals, specific descriptions of the activities that the PI intends to do, and a plan in place to document the outputs of those activities. These three merit review principles provide the basis for the merit review criteria, as well as a context within which the users of the criteria can better understand their intent. 2. Merit Review Criteria All NSF proposals are evaluated through use of the two National Science Board approved merit review criteria. In some instances, however, NSF will employ additional criteria as required to highlight the specific objectives of certain programs and activities. The two merit review criteria are listed below. Both criteria are to be given full consideration during the review and decision-making processes; each criterion is necessary but neither, by itself, is sufficient. Therefore, proposers must fully address both criteria. (PAPPG Chapter II.C.2.d(i). contains additional information for use by proposers in development of the Project Description section of the proposal). Reviewers are strongly encouraged to review the criteria, including PAPPG Chapter II.C.2.d(i), prior to the review of a proposal. When evaluating NSF proposals, reviewers will be asked to consider what the proposers want to do, why they want to do it, how they plan to do it, how they will know if they succeed, and what benefits could accrue if the project is successful. These issues apply both to the technical aspects of the proposal and the way in which the project may make broader contributions. To that end, reviewers will be asked to evaluate all proposals against two criteria:
The following elements should be considered in the review for both criteria:
Broader impacts may be accomplished through the research itself, through the activities that are directly related to specific research projects, or through activities that are supported by, but are complementary to, the project. NSF values the advancement of scientific knowledge and activities that contribute to achievement of societally relevant outcomes. Such outcomes include, but are not limited to: full participation of women, persons with disabilities, and other underrepresented groups in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM); improved STEM education and educator development at any level; increased public scientific literacy and public engagement with science and technology; improved well-being of individuals in society; development of a diverse, globally competitive STEM workforce; increased partnerships between academia, industry, and others; improved national security; increased economic competitiveness of the United States; and enhanced infrastructure for research and education. Proposers are reminded that reviewers will also be asked to review the Data Management Plan and the Postdoctoral Researcher Mentoring Plan, as appropriate. Additional Solicitation Specific Review Criteria Within the standard NSF review criteria, the evaluation of proposals will place special emphasis on:
B. Review and Selection ProcessProposals submitted in response to this program solicitation will be reviewed by Ad hoc Review and/or Panel Review. Reviewers will be asked to evaluate proposals using two National Science Board approved merit review criteria and, if applicable, additional program specific criteria. A summary rating and accompanying narrative will generally be completed and submitted by each reviewer and/or panel. The Program Officer assigned to manage the proposal's review will consider the advice of reviewers and will formulate a recommendation. After scientific, technical and programmatic review and consideration of appropriate factors, the NSF Program Officer recommends to the cognizant Division Director whether the proposal should be declined or recommended for award. NSF strives to be able to tell applicants whether their proposals have been declined or recommended for funding within six months. Large or particularly complex proposals or proposals from new awardees may require additional review and processing time. The time interval begins on the deadline or target date, or receipt date, whichever is later. The interval ends when the Division Director acts upon the Program Officer's recommendation. After programmatic approval has been obtained, the proposals recommended for funding will be forwarded to the Division of Grants and Agreements for review of business, financial, and policy implications. After an administrative review has occurred, Grants and Agreements Officers perform the processing and issuance of a grant or other agreement. Proposers are cautioned that only a Grants and Agreements Officer may make commitments, obligations or awards on behalf of NSF or authorize the expenditure of funds. No commitment on the part of NSF should be inferred from technical or budgetary discussions with a NSF Program Officer. A Principal Investigator or organization that makes financial or personnel commitments in the absence of a grant or cooperative agreement signed by the NSF Grants and Agreements Officer does so at their own risk. Once an award or declination decision has been made, Principal Investigators are provided feedback about their proposals. In all cases, reviews are treated as confidential documents. Verbatim copies of reviews, excluding the names of the reviewers or any reviewer-identifying information, are sent to the Principal Investigator/Project Director by the Program Officer. In addition, the proposer will receive an explanation of the decision to award or decline funding. VII. Award Administration InformationA. Notification of the AwardNotification of the award is made to the submitting organization by a Grants Officer in the Division of Grants and Agreements. Organizations whose proposals are declined will be advised as promptly as possible by the cognizant NSF Program administering the program. Verbatim copies of reviews, not including the identity of the reviewer, will be provided automatically to the Principal Investigator. (See Section VI.B. for additional information on the review process.) B. Award ConditionsAn NSF award consists of: (1) the award notice, which includes any special provisions applicable to the award and any numbered amendments thereto; (2) the budget, which indicates the amounts, by categories of expense, on which NSF has based its support (or otherwise communicates any specific approvals or disapprovals of proposed expenditures); (3) the proposal referenced in the award notice; (4) the applicable award conditions, such as Grant General Conditions (GC-1)*; or Research Terms and Conditions* and (5) any announcement or other NSF issuance that may be incorporated by reference in the award notice. Cooperative agreements also are administered in accordance with NSF Cooperative Agreement Financial and Administrative Terms and Conditions (CA-FATC) and the applicable Programmatic Terms and Conditions. NSF awards are electronically signed by an NSF Grants and Agreements Officer and transmitted electronically to the organization via e-mail. *These documents may be accessed electronically on NSF's Website at https://www.nsf.gov/awards/managing/award_conditions.jsp?org=NSF. Paper copies may be obtained from the NSF Publications Clearinghouse, telephone (703) 292-8134 or by e-mail from nsfpubs@nsf.gov. More comprehensive information on NSF Award Conditions and other important information on the administration of NSF awards is contained in the NSF Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG) Chapter VII, available electronically on the NSF Website at https://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=pappg. Special Award Conditions: The main purpose of this award is to support the identified postdoctoral Fellow. If the Fellow transfers at any time prior to or during the award period to another postdoctoral position that is eligible for a MPS Ascend award, the award may support the new postdoctoral experience with the agreement of the cognizant Program Officer. The Fellow must supply documentation, including a new sponsoring scientist statement, in advance of the change in institution and project. By accepting a fellowship award made pursuant to this solicitation, the Fellow agrees to abide by the affiliated institution’s policies or codes of conduct. The Fellow further agrees to notify NSF’s Office of Equity and Civil Rights (OECR) if, pursuant to a complaint made under federal or state law or the institution’s policies or codes of conduct relating to sexual harassment, other forms of harassment, or sexual assault, the Fellow is subjected to any “administrative leave/administrative action,” (defined below) or is the subject of any “finding/determination” (defined below). Failure to so notify NSF may result in termination of the Fellowship. “Administrative leave/administrative action” is defined as any temporary/interim suspension or permanent removal of the fellow, or any administrative action imposed on the fellow by the institution under the institution’s policies or codes of conduct, federal or state statutes, regulations, or executive orders, relating to activities, including but not limited to the following: teaching, advising, mentoring, research, management/administrative duties, or presence on campus. “Finding/determination” is defined as the final disposition of a matter involving sexual harassment or other form of harassment under the institution’s policies and processes, to include the exhaustion of permissible appeals exercised by the Fellow, or a conviction of a sexual offense in a criminal court of law. C. Reporting RequirementsFor all multi-year grants (including both standard and continuing grants), the Principal Investigator must submit an annual project report to the cognizant Program Officer no later than 90 days prior to the end of the current budget period. (Some programs or awards require submission of more frequent project reports). No later than 120 days following expiration of a grant, the PI also is required to submit a final project report, and a project outcomes report for the general public. Failure to provide the required annual or final project reports, or the project outcomes report, will delay NSF review and processing of any future funding increments as well as any pending proposals for all identified PIs and co-PIs on a given award. PIs should examine the formats of the required reports in advance to assure availability of required data. PIs are required to use NSF's electronic project-reporting system, available through Research.gov, for preparation and submission of annual and final project reports. Such reports provide information on accomplishments, project participants (individual and organizational), publications, and other specific products and impacts of the project. Submission of the report via Research.gov constitutes certification by the PI that the contents of the report are accurate and complete. The project outcomes report also must be prepared and submitted using Research.gov. This report serves as a brief summary, prepared specifically for the public, of the nature and outcomes of the project. This report will be posted on the NSF website exactly as it is submitted by the PI. More comprehensive information on NSF Reporting Requirements and other important information on the administration of NSF awards is contained in the NSF Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG) Chapter VII, available electronically on the NSF Website at https://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=pappg. VIII. Agency ContactsPlease note that the program contact information is current at the time of publishing. See program website for any updates to the points of contact. General inquiries regarding this program should be made to:
For questions related to the use of FastLane or Research.gov, contact:
For questions relating to Grants.gov contact:
IX. Other InformationThe NSF website provides the most comprehensive source of information on NSF Directorates (including contact information), programs and funding opportunities. Use of this website by potential proposers is strongly encouraged. In addition, "NSF Update" is an information-delivery system designed to keep potential proposers and other interested parties apprised of new NSF funding opportunities and publications, important changes in proposal and award policies and procedures, and upcoming NSF Grants Conferences. Subscribers are informed through e-mail or the user's Web browser each time new publications are issued that match their identified interests. "NSF Update" also is available on NSF's website. Grants.gov provides an additional electronic capability to search for Federal government-wide grant opportunities. NSF funding opportunities may be accessed via this mechanism. Further information on Grants.gov may be obtained at https://www.grants.gov. About The National Science FoundationThe National Science Foundation (NSF) is an independent Federal agency created by the National Science Foundation Act of 1950, as amended (42 USC 1861-75). The Act states the purpose of the NSF is "to promote the progress of science; [and] to advance the national health, prosperity, and welfare by supporting research and education in all fields of science and engineering." NSF funds research and education in most fields of science and engineering. It does this through grants and cooperative agreements to more than 2,000 colleges, universities, K-12 school systems, businesses, informal science organizations and other research organizations throughout the US. The Foundation accounts for about one-fourth of Federal support to academic institutions for basic research. NSF receives approximately 55,000 proposals each year for research, education and training projects, of which approximately 11,000 are funded. In addition, the Foundation receives several thousand applications for graduate and postdoctoral fellowships. The agency operates no laboratories itself but does support National Research Centers, user facilities, certain oceanographic vessels and Arctic and Antarctic research stations. The Foundation also supports cooperative research between universities and industry, US participation in international scientific and engineering efforts, and educational activities at every academic level. Facilitation Awards for Scientists and Engineers with Disabilities (FASED) provide funding for special assistance or equipment to enable persons with disabilities to work on NSF-supported projects. See the NSF Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide Chapter II.E.6 for instructions regarding preparation of these types of proposals. The National Science Foundation has Telephonic Device for the Deaf (TDD) and Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) capabilities that enable individuals with hearing impairments to communicate with the Foundation about NSF programs, employment or general information. TDD may be accessed at (703) 292-5090 and (800) 281-8749, FIRS at (800) 877-8339. The National Science Foundation Information Center may be reached at (703) 292-5111.
Privacy Act And Public Burden StatementsThe information requested on proposal forms and project reports is solicited under the authority of the National Science Foundation Act of 1950, as amended. The information on proposal forms will be used in connection with the selection of qualified proposals; and project reports submitted by awardees will be used for program evaluation and reporting within the Executive Branch and to Congress. The information requested may be disclosed to qualified reviewers and staff assistants as part of the proposal review process; to proposer institutions/grantees to provide or obtain data regarding the proposal review process, award decisions, or the administration of awards; to government contractors, experts, volunteers and researchers and educators as necessary to complete assigned work; to other government agencies or other entities needing information regarding applicants or nominees as part of a joint application review process, or in order to coordinate programs or policy; and to another Federal agency, court, or party in a court or Federal administrative proceeding if the government is a party. Information about Principal Investigators may be added to the Reviewer file and used to select potential candidates to serve as peer reviewers or advisory committee members. See System of Record Notices, NSF-50, "Principal Investigator/Proposal File and Associated Records," and NSF-51, "Reviewer/Proposal File and Associated Records.” Submission of the information is voluntary. Failure to provide full and complete information, however, may reduce the possibility of receiving an award. An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, an information collection unless it displays a valid Office of Management and Budget (OMB) control number. The OMB control number for this collection is 3145-0023. Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 12 hours per response, including the time for reviewing instructions. Send comments regarding the burden estimate and any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to: Suzanne H. Plimpton |
