To
strengthen and enhance the national scientific enterprise through
the expansion of fundamental knowledge and increased understanding
of the integrated Earth system through the support of basic research
in the atmospheric, earth and ocean sciences. Major objectives include
the discovery of new knowledge of the atmosphere from the sun to
the Earth's surface over the entire spectrum of physical and chemical
phenomena; a better understanding of the physical, chemical, and
biological character of the Earth and the processes that govern
its evolution; and increased insight into the world's oceans, their
composition, structure, behavior, and tectonics. Support is also
provided for science and technology centers, undergraduate Student
research, facility enhancement, instrumentation, and laboratory
equipment; and for research opportunities for women, minority, and
disabled scientists and engineers.
TYPES
OF ASSISTANCE:
Project Grants. Place Cursor Here for Definition
USES
AND USE RESTRICTIONS:
Grant
funds may be used for paying costs necessary to conduct research
or studies such as salaries and wages, permanent equipment and supplies,
computer services, travel, publication costs, and other direct and
indirect costs. Primary responsibility for general supervision of
all grant activities rests with the grantee institution; the principal
investigator is responsible for the scientific work. Funds may not
be used for purposes other than those specified in the proposal.
ELIGIBILITY
REQUIREMENTS:
Applicant
Eligibility: Public and private colleges and
universities, nonacademic research institutions, private profit
organizations and unaffiliated scientists under special circumstances.
Grants are made on a competitive basis and are open to all individuals
regardless of sex, race, creed, or color.
Beneficiary
Eligibility: Public and private colleges and
universities, nonacademic research institutions, private profit
organizations, and unaffiliated scientists under special circumstances.
Credentials/Documentation:
Proposals must be signed electronically by an official authorized
to commit the institution or organization in business and financial
affairs and who can commit the organization to certain proposal
certifications. Costs will be determined in accordance with OMB
Circular Nos. A-21 for colleges and universities and A-122 for
nonprofit organizations. This program is excluded from coverage
under OMB Circular No. A-87.
Pre-application
Coordination: None required, but preliminary
discussions with the relevant National Science Foundation program
officer are encouraged, particularly for projects requiring logistic
or facility support or involving coordination with other projects
and programs. This program is excluded from coverage under E.O.
12372.
Application
Procedure: By electronic submission via FastLane
of a formal proposal describing the research or study to be undertaken.
Guidelines are contained in publication, "Grant Proposal Guide,"
NSF 03-2, and "Guide to Programs Fiscal Year 2003," NSF 03-009.
This program is subject to the provisions of OMB Circular No.
A-110. This program is excluded from coverage under OMB Circular
No. A-102.
Award
Procedure: NSF staff members review and evaluate
all proposals, usually with the assistance and advice of other
qualified scientists and other appropriate persons who are specialists
in the field covered by the proposal. Awards are made based on
merit and program relevance to the extent permitted by available
funds. States will be notified of Federal assistance awards through
the Federal Assistance Awards Data System (FAADS).
Deadlines:
Deadlines vary depending upon the nature of the program. Write
to the address below for specific programs. Deadlines are published
in the NSF Bulletin. NSF World Wide Web site URL: http://www.nsf.gov/.
Range
of Approval/Disapproval Time: From 90 to 180
days.
Appeals:
The Principal Investigator whose proposal for support has been
declined may request, in writing, and receive from the cognizant
program officer the reasons for declination. The applicant may
also obtain verbatim copies of reviews of his/her proposals, though
not the names of reviewers. If not satisfied, the Principal Investigator
may request the NSF Assistant Director for Geosciences to reconsider
the procedural aspects of the declination action. Request for
reconsideration must be received within 90 days of the declination
letter.
Renewals:
Standard grants may be renewed once by amendment of the original
grant. Proposals for renewal should be submitted 6 months prior
to the expiration of the original grant and should contain the
same type of information as the original proposal plus a summary
of progress to date, a proposed budget for the ensuing period,
and a statement of expenditures to date and existing commitments
that will require expenditure of residual funds from the original
grant after the requested renewal date. Renewals compete with
other proposals for available funds.
ASSISTANCE
CONSIDERATIONS:
Formula
and Matching Requirements: In general, cost-sharing
is not required for awards made solely for symposia, conferences
and workshops, publication, education and training, facilities,
equipment, ship operations, or travel. The Grant Proposal Guide
(GPG)(Chapter II) and the Grant Policy Manual (Sec. 330) provide
additional information on the general NSF policy on cost-sharing.
Length
and Time Phasing of Assistance: Normally 1
to 5 years.
POST
ASSISTANCE REQUIREMENTS:
Reports:
For all multi-year grants (including both standard and continuing
grants), the PI must submit an annual project report to the cognizant
program office at least 90 days before the end of the current budget
period. Within 90 days after the expiration of a grant, the PI is
required to submit a final project report. Quarterly Federal Cash
Transaction Reports are required. Other reporting requirements may
be imposed via the grant instrument.
Audits:
In accordance with the provisions of OMB Circular No. A- 133 (Revised,
June 24, 1997), "Audits of States, Local Governments, and Non-Profit
Organizations," nonfederal entities that expend financial assistance
of $300,000 or more in Federal awards will have a single or a
program-specific audit conducted for that year. Nonfederal entities
that expend less than $300,000 a year in Federal awards are exempt
from Federal audit requirements for that year, except as noted
in Circular No. A-133.
Records:
Grantees are expected to maintain separate records for each grant
to insure that funds are used for the general purpose for which
the grant was made. Records are subject to inspection during the
life of the grant and for three years thereafter.
FINANCIAL
INFORMATION:
Account
Identification: 49-0100-0-1-251.
Obligations:
(Grants) FY 01 $563,600,000; FY 02 est $609,470,000; and FY 03
est $691,070,000.
Range
and Average of Financial Assistance:
$1,000 to $60,000,000; Average: $101,000.
In fiscal year 2001, 5,071 proposals were received and 2,899 awards
were made. In fiscal year 2002, about 5,270 proposals are expected
to be received and approximately 3,010 awards will be made, and
in fiscal year 2003 approximately 5,800 proposals are expected to
be received and approximately 3,310 awards will be made.
REGULATIONS,
GUIDELINES, AND LITERATURE:
48 CFR Chapter 25; 45 CFR Chapter VI; "Guide to Programs, Fiscal
Year 2003," NSF 03-009 (http://www.nsf.gov/cgi-bin/getpub?nsf03009);
"Grant Proposal Guide," NSF 03-2 (http://www.nsf.gov/cgi-bin/getpub?nsf032).
In addition, information is made available on the World Wide Web
at http://www.nsf.gov/ and http://www.geo.nsf.gov/.
INFORMATION
CONTACTS:
Regional
or Local Office: Not applicable.
Headquarters
Office: National Science Foundation; 4201
Wilson Blvd., Arlington, VA 22230. Atmospheric Sciences: Dr. Jarvis
Moyers, Telephone: (703) 292-8520; Fax: (703) 292-9022; Earth
Sciences: Dr. Herman Zimmerman, Telephone: (703) 292-8550; Fax:
(703) 292-9025; Ocean Sciences: Dr. James Yoder, Telephone: (703)
292-8580; Fax (703) 292-9085.
Web
Site Address: NSF
World Wide Web site URL:
http://nsf.gov
Geosciences World Wide Web site URL:
http://www.geo.nsf.gov
EXAMPLES
OF FUNDED PROJECTS:
Atmospheric Sciences: Research on meteorology, climate, paleoclimate,
chemistry and physics of the lower and upper atmosphere; and solar-terrestrial
relationships. Earth Sciences: Research on structure, composition,
history, and the physical, chemical, and biological processes affecting
the Earth. Ocean Sciences: Research on physical, chemical, geological,
and biological processes in the ocean.
CRITERIA
FOR SELECTING PROPOSALS:
The National Science Board approved revised criteria for evaluating
proposals at its meeting on March 28, 1997 (NSB 97-72). All NSF
proposals are evaluated through use of the two merit review criteria.
In some instances, however, NSF will employ additional criteria
as required to highlight the specific objectives of certain programs
and activities. On July 8, 2002, the NSF Director issued Important
Notice 127, Implementation of new Grant Proposal Guide Requirements
Related to the Broader Impacts Criterion. This Important Notice
reinforces the importance of addressing both criteria in the preparation
and review of all proposals submitted to NSF. NSF continues to strengthen
its internal processes to ensure that both of the merit review criteria
are addressed when making funding decisions. In an effort to increase
compliance with these requirements, the January 2002 issuance of
the GPG incorporated revised proposal preparation guidelines relating
to the development of the Project Summary and Project Description.
Chapter II of the GPG specifies that Principal Investigators (PIs)
must address both merit review criteria in separate statements within
the one-page Project Summary. This chapter also reiterates that
broader impacts resulting from the proposed project must be addressed
in the Project Description and described as an integral part of
the narrative. Effective October 1, 2002, NSF will return without
review proposals that do not separately address both merit review
criteria within the Project Summary. It is believed that these changes
to NSF proposal preparation and processing guidelines will more
clearly articulate the importance of broader impacts to NSF-funded
projects. The two National Science Board approved merit review criteria
are listed below (see the Grant Proposal Guide Chapter III.A for
further information). The criteria include considerations that help
define them. These considerations are suggestions and not all will
apply to any given proposal. While proposers must address both merit
review criteria, reviewers will be asked to address only those considerations
that are relevant to the proposal being considered and for which
he/she is qualified to make judgements. What is the intellectual
merit of the proposed activity? How important is the proposed activity
to advancing knowledge and understanding within its own field or
across different fields? How well qualified is the proposer (individual
or team) to conduct the project? (If appropriate, the reviewer will
comment on the quality of the prior work.) To what extent does the
proposed activity suggest and explore creative and original concepts?
How well conceived and organized is the proposed activity? Is there
sufficient access to resources? What are the broader impacts of
the proposed activity? How well does the activity advance discovery
and understanding while promoting teaching, training, and learning?
How well does the proposed activity broaden the participation of
underrepresented groups (e.g., gender, ethnicity, disability, geographic,
etc.)? To what extent will it enhance the infrastructure for research
and education, such as facilities, instrumentation, networks, and
partnerships? Will the results be disseminated broadly to enhance
scientific and technological understanding? What may be the benefits
of the proposed activity to society? NSF staff will give careful
consideration to the following in making funding decisions: Integration
of Research and Education. One of the principal strategies in support
of NSF's goals is to foster integration of research and education
through the programs, projects, and activities it supports at academic
and research institutions. These institutions provide abundant opportunities
where individuals may concurrently assume responsibilities as researchers,
educators, and students and where all can engage in joint efforts
that infuse education with the excitement of discovery and enrich
research through the diversity of learning perspectives. Integrating
Diversity into NSF Programs, Projects, and Activities. Broadening
opportunities and enabling the participation of all citizens --
women and men, underrepresented minorities, and persons with disabilities
-- 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.
