An Introduction to National Science Foundation (NSF)

1. An Introduction toNational Science Foundation (NSF) Grants Development Office 23 Bacon Hall, Morris Conference Center Staff Members: Kathy Meeker, Director kathy.meeker@oneonta.edu; x2632 Christine Barberio, Senior Grantswriter christine.barberio@oneonta.edu; x2434

2. External Grant-Seeking Policy All externally funded grants and contracts to SUNY Oneonta are fiscally administered by the Research Foundation for SUNY (RF). The RF administers all funds provided by sponsors for performance of a specified scope of work or to provide a specific product, service, or other deliverable. College policy requires that proposals to external funding sources must be reviewed by the Grants Development Office (GDO) and approved by the College’s Authorized Organizational Representative (AOR) prior to submission. GDO & Sponsored Programs

3. NSF Goals • Develop the STEM/STEM-related workforce • Advance science • Broaden participation in STEM • Educate a STEM-literate populace • Build capacity in higher education • Improve K-12 STEM education • Encourage life-long learning

4. Which Type of Proposal? • Unsolicited research • Focus on basic research • Appropriate directorate (organized by subject area) must be determined: • Biological Sciences (BIO) • Computer & Info Science Engineering (CISE) • Geosciences (GEO) • Math & Physical Sciences (MPS) • Social, Behavioral & Economic Sciences (SBE) • Others • Cross-cutting programs • Many geared specifically to undergraduate institutions • Education & Human Resources directorate • Usually only one deadline per year • Deadlines vary • May require letter of inquiry or pre-proposal (Biology) • Contact a program officer • Best to begin EARLY – proposals are a process!

5. Sample Program Grants • Many focused upon U.S. STEM education • Most appropriate for our institution type: primarily undergraduate institution (PUI) • Selected solicitations: • Scholarships in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (S-STEM) • Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) [past awards]:category for non-PhD-granting institutions • Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) • Field Station & Marine Laboratory (FSML) • Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program • Improving Undergraduate STEM Education (IUSE)

6. RUI Umbrella & Collaborative Proposals • Research at Undergraduate Institutions (RUI) • Integrated into regular unsolicited proposals and some cross-cutting program proposals • Allows extra five-page statement of how award would impact the research environment at the PUI • Intended to “level playing field” for PUIs • Collaborative Proposal Model • Allows Co-PIs at different institutions to receive own award • Allows both institutions to collect direct and indirect costs • Alternative to subaward / Co-PI on one award

7. NSF Proposal & Award Process & Timeline

8. Guides overall proposal development May be supplemented/supplanted by solicitation-specific requirements Serves as guide to all of the many components of a proposal Biographical Sketches Current & Pending Support Data Management Plan Facilities & Resources Other supplemental documentation …and more! The NSF Grant Proposal Guide (GPG)

9. But there is help! GDO Services • Initial discussion of ideas • Identification of appropriate solicitation/division/program • Narrative development and editing • Budgeting (including budget narrative) • Creation and formatting of additional documents • Routing and approvals • Institutional and external collaboration and support letters • Submission via Contact us well in advance (30-90 days before the deadline is ideal) Meet with us to discuss even preliminary ideas

10. Elements of Competitive NSF Proposals ALL proposals must address NSF Merit Review Criteria: Does the proposed project: Suggest and explore creative, original, or potentially transformative concepts? Include a plan for carrying out activities that is well-reasoned, well-organized, and based on a sound rationale? Involve an individual, team, or organization well qualified to conduct the proposed activities? Include adequate resources (at home or through collaborations) to carry out the proposed activities? Intellectual Merit Potential of proposed project to advance knowledge within its field or across different fields Broader Impact Potential of proposed project to “benefit society & contribute to the achievement of specific, desired societal outcomes”

11. A Changing Landscape • President’s 2014 budget restructured STEM Education programs in NSF (undergraduate and graduate), U.S. Department of Education (K-12), and Smithsonian Institution (informal) • Several NSF programs have been eliminated (STEP, TUES, CE-21, WIDER) and/or integrated into IUSE • The GDO will continue to utilize its resources to anticipate and respond to other potential changes

12. Improving Undergraduate STEM Education (IUSE) • NSF’s framework for investments in research and development curricular development in undergraduate STEM education • Engaged Student Learning (ESL) track to develop, use, and test teaching practices and curricular innovations to improve STEM learning and retention • Institutional and Community Transformation (ICL) track to promote changes at the community and institutional level that increase the use of highly-effective STEM teaching practices

13. NSF’s IUSE Program (cont’d) • Projects must be research-based AND research-generating • Two Tiers of Funding: • Exploration projects (up to $250,000 for up to 2 years) Deadline: October 22, 2014 • Design and Development projects (larger scale projects, up to $2,000,000 for 5 years for ESL projects and up to $3,000,000 for 5 years for ICT projects) Deadline: January 13, 2015