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Maximizing NSF Funding for Social Science Research

This workshop provides guidance on how to secure funding from the National Science Foundation for social science research. Learn about the NSF's opportunities, submission procedures, and separating awards from declinations.

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Maximizing NSF Funding for Social Science Research

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  1. How to Get NSF to Fund Your Social Science ResearchRobert E. O’Connor, DirectorProgram in Decision, Risk and Management Sciences Division of Social and Economic SciencesDirectorate for Social, Behavioral, and Economic SciencesNational Science FoundationPenn State 2015

  2. Workshop Outline • Background on the National Science Foundation • Social Science Research Opportunities • Submission Procedures • Separating Awards from Declinations

  3. Independent Agency Supports basic research Uses grant mechanism Low overhead; highly automated Discipline-based structure Cross-disciplinary mechanisms Use of Rotators/IPAs 2014 budget: $7.172 billion NSF in a Nutshell

  4. National Science Foundation Director Deputy Director National Science Board Inspector General Staff Offices Computer & Information Science & Engineering Mathematics & Physical Sciences Biological Sciences Engineering Geosciences Social, Behavioral & Economic Sciences Budget, Finance & Award Management Information Resource Management Education & Human Resources

  5. Office of the Director Directorate for Social, Behavioral & Economic Sciences Social and Economic Sciences Behavioral and Cognitive Sciences Science Resources Statistics

  6. Why Do You Want NSF Funding? • Funds curiosity-driven research • Pays full overhead (no match) • Provides summer salary support • Uses the grant mechanism

  7. Opportunities • Unsolicited competitions • Special solicitations (e.g., IBIS) • Rapid response research (RAPID) • Early-concept grants for exploratory research (EAGER) • CAREER grants • Dear Colleague Letter • Doctoral dissertation improvement grants • Research Coordination Networks

  8. Where to Start? • www.nsf.gov • Check awards by program, keyword, etc. (www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/) • Read solicitation carefully (if not unsolicited competition) • Download Grant Proposal Guide (http://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=gpg)

  9. Social and Economic Sciences (SES) FY 2015 budget: approximately $100 million • Decision, Risk, & Management Sciences • Economics (Big Dog) • Science of Organizations • Law and Social Science • Methodology, Measurement & Statistics • Political Science • Science, Technology and Society • Sociology Directorate for Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences

  10. SES Target Dates January 15 & August 15 Law and Social Science Political Science Sociology January 16 & August 16 Methods, Measures, and Statistics January 18 & August 18 Decision, Risk, & Management Sciences Economics February 1 & August 1 Science and Society February 2 & September 3 Science of Organizations

  11. Behavioral and Cognitive Sciences (BCS) FY 2015 budget: $100 million • Archaeology & Archaeometry • Cultural Anthropology • Cognitive Neuroscience • Developmental & Learning Sciences • Geography & Regional Science • Linguistics • Perception, Action, & Cognition • Biological Anthropology • Social Psychology

  12. January 14 & July 14 Cognitive Neuroscience January 15 & July 15 Developmental & Learning Sciences Linguistics Social Psychology January 15 & August 15 Cultural Anthropology Geography & Regional Science January 20 & August 20 Biological Anthropology February 1 & August 1 Perception, Cognition and Action July 1 & December 1 Archaeology BCS Target Dates

  13. Doctoral Dissertation Improvement Awards • Archaeology • Cultural Anthropology • Decision, Risk, & Management Science • Economics • Geography & Regional Science • Law and Social Science • Linguistics • Biological Anthropology • Political Science • Science and Society • Sociology Directorate for Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences

  14. Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Program • Untenured faculty (or comparable) • Single scholar award • $400,000, 5-years minimum award • Three proposals lifetime limit • July 1 deadline • “Walk on Water” expectation

  15. Rapid Response Research (RAPID) • Research when data are ephemeral • $200,000 maximum; 1 year • 5-page project description • Internal review only • Contact program officer first

  16. Early-concept grants for exploratory research (EAGER) • Exploratory work on untested, potentially transformative ideas • High-risk, high-potential payoff • $300,000 maximum; 2 years • 8-page descriptive • Internal review only • Contact program officer first

  17. Dear Colleague Letter Example: Stimulating Research Related to the Science of Broadening Participation • http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2014/nsf14038/nsf14038.jsp • Submit to relevant SBE program • Front office to pay half of award

  18. Interdisciplinary Behavioral and Social Science Research • http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2012/nsf12614/nsf12614.htm • December 2, 2014 Deadline • $1M awards for interdisciplinary SBE science • Future uncertain

  19. Research Coordination Networks • http://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=11691 • Support groups of scholars focused on a theme • Submit to a program • Limited to 5-years, $500,000

  20. Special Program: Dynamics of Coupled Natural and Human Systems (CNH) • Funds quantitative, interdisciplinary analyses of relevant human and natural system processes and complex interactions at diverse scales • First permanent inter-directorate program • Now part of the SEES Investment Program Officer: Tom Baerwald

  21. Innovations at the Nexus of Food, Energy, and Water • New program to replace Water Sustainability and Climate • FY2016 budget request is $74,960,000 • FY2015 DCL for supplements and workshops • March 30, 2015 deadline • http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2015/nsf15040/nsf15040.jsp

  22. Critical Resilient Interdependent Infrastructure Systems and Processes • Integration of engineering, computer science, and social science • Three PIs • March 20, 2015 deadline • http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2015/nsf15531/nsf15531.htm • Big Future

  23. NRT National Science Foundation Research Traineeship Program • The new IGERT • http://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=nsf15542 • December 22, 2015 letters of intent • $3M for 5 years in for interdisciplinary graduate education

  24. STEM* Initiatives • NSF Graduate STEM Fellows in K-12 Education  (GK-12) • National STEM Education Distributed Learning  (NSDL) • Alliances for Broadening Participation in STEM (ABP) As three examples . . . . * Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics

  25. NSF’s Future? • FY2016 budget request is a significant increase over 2015 budget • The eternal conflict: disciplinary v. inter-disciplinary priorities • Threats to social science

  26. Proposal Structure 1 • Summary (1 page; overview, intellectual merit, broader impacts) • Description (15 pages) • References (no limit, but….) • Biographical sketches (2 pages each) • Budget • Budget justification (3 pages)

  27. Proposal Structure 2 • Current and pending support • Data Management Plan • Post-Doc Mentoring Plan • Reviewing Suggestions (optional)

  28. NSF Proposal Generating Document Minimum of 3 Reviews Required Organization submits via FastLane Program Officer Analysis & Recom- mendation Ad hoc Division Director Concur Panel Both Research & Education Communities Proposal Process Returned as Inappropriate/Withdrawn Award via DGA Proposal Processing Unit NSF Program Officer Decline Organization Proposal received by NSF Div. Dir. Concur Award 4 months 30 days DGA Review & Processing of Award Proposal Preparation Time Review of Proposal P.O. Recommend

  29. NSF Sources of Reviewers • Program Officer’s knowledge • References listed in the proposal • Google • Community of Science and other databases • Reviewer’s recommendations • Investigator’s suggestions

  30. Human Subjects • No award for a project involving human subjects can be made without prior Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval of the research activity. • IRB approval is not needed at the time of proposal submission.

  31. Funding Decisions • Program Officer decision • Feedback to PI • Informal and formal notification • Scope of work and budget discussions

  32. Two Funding Criteria • Intellectual merit • Broader impacts

  33. Intellectual Merit? • NSF funds basic research • NSF funds basic research • Intellectual merit means increasing knowledge through developing and examining basic theories or methods

  34. Broader Impacts The Project Description must contain, as a separate section within the narrative, a discussion of the broader impacts of the proposed activities. 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 the achievement of societally relevant outcomes. Such outcomes include, but are not limited to: full participation of women, persons with disabilities, and underrepresented minorities 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.

  35. Budget Tips • Amounts • Reasonable for work -- Realistic • Well justified -- Need established • In-line with program guidelines • Eligible costs • Personnel • Equipment • Travel • Other Direct Costs, Subawards • Facilities & Administrative Costs

  36. Myths about NSF • Only funds scholars at elite graduate institutions • Only funds “famous” academics • Once declined, you are likely always to be declined • Only funds “normal science” • Advisory committees make funding decisions

  37. Reasons for Declinations • “Trust-me” proposal • Not feasible • Expertise gaps • Insufficient funding • Too ambitious • Incremental contribution • Bad luck

  38. How to Put Together an Interdisciplinary Team • Commit for the long haul • Be wary if untenured • Expect a long development period • Find a wise and strong leader • Proposals need coherence • Leaders need to listen and then decide • Meet for intellectual as well as task-related purposes

  39. NSF vs. NIH • NSF tends to be smaller • NSF is more open to risky, exploratory, paradigm-challenging work • NSF stresses basic research • NSF has no scoring system, percentile system • NSF program officers make funding decisions • NSF uses “revision encouragement” loosely

  40. Advice • Learn to love rejection • Team up • E-mail or call Program Officer with specific questions • Encourage dissertation improvement grant proposals (check program first)

  41. Useful to submit even if declined • Revise and resubmit • Discover other funding sources • Forces thinking • Build relationships • Receive reviews from experts

  42. QUESTIONS?? Contact Bob O’Connor (703) 292-7263 roconnor@nsf.gov

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