NSF Outreach for Social Scientists How to Get Funded Jacqueline Meszaros, Ph.D. Decision, Risk and Management Sciences Innovation and Organizational Change

2 Presentation Coverage Finding the Right Funding Program Types of NSF Grants Developing your proposal –Following the rules –Review criteria –Evaluation process Post-decision Activities Tour of NSF websites

3 Different Agencies Fund Different types of work Find the Agency’s Mission –NSF –NIH –DoD –NIJ –Commerce –National Park Service –

4 NSF Program Areas Fund Different Areas of Work Biology Computing, Information Sciences and Engineering Education and Human Resources Engineering Environmental Research Geosciences International Mathematics and Physical Sciences Polar Research Social, Behavioral and Economic Sciences

5 NSF Goals in Supporting the Social, Behavioral And Economic Sciences Increase fundamental understanding of human behavior and society by supporting basic research, infrastructure, and education in the SBE sciences Provide understanding relevant to critical national problems such as education, globalization, economic well being, risk mitigation, and diversity

6 SES Target Dates January 18 & August 18 Decision, Risk, & Management Science Economics Law and Social Science Methodology, Measurement & Statistics Political Science Sociology February 1 & August 1 Societal Dimensions of Eng., Science, & Tech. Science & Technology Studies Innovation and Organizational Change

7 Social and Economic Sciences FY06 Program Allocations Cross-Directorate Activities$4.0M Decision, Risk, & Management Sciences$6.5M Economics$22.0M Innovation and Organizational Change$2.0M Law and Social Science$4.3M Methodology, Measurement & Statistics$3.4M Political Science$8.0M Science and Society$8.0M Sociology$8.0M Directorate for Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences

8 BCS Target Dates December 1 & July 1 Archaeology & Archaeometry Physical Anthropology January 1 & August 1 Cultural Anthropology January 15 & July 15 Cognitive Neuroscience Developmental & Learning Sciences Perception, Action, & Cognition Linguistics Social Psychology January 15 & August 15 Geography & Regional Science

9 Behavioral and Cognitive Sciences FY05 Program Allocations Archaeology & Archaeometry$6.5M Cultural Anthropology$3.5M Cognitive Neuroscience$6.0M Developmental & Learning Sciences$6.5M Geography & Regional Science$6.1M Linguistics$6.0M Perception, Action, & Cognition$5.5M Physical Anthropology$4.0M Social Psychology $5.5M Directorate for Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences

10 Types of NSF Solicitations Regular Target Dates in Standing Programs Programs for Particular Groups of Researchers Special Solicitation Deadlines SGERs

11 Grants For Particular Groups Graduate Research Fellowship Program Faculty Early CAREER Development Program Increasing Participation and ADVANCEment of Women in Science and Engineering Minority Research Planning Grants Minority Post-Doctoral Fellowships Dissertation Improvement Grants RUI REU’s

12 SGERs: Small Grants for Exploratory Research Internal Review Only –Time Sensitivity –Path-breaking Research Can be submitted at any time

13 How to Develop a Proposal Determine best possible funding sources Understand the ground rules –Read announcements and instructions carefully –Make sure your project really fits program scope –Look over prior award abstracts –Ascertain evaluation procedures and criteria (see the solicitation) –Talk with NSF Program Officer about specific questions Coordinate with your chair and research office Ask PIs for copies of proposals

14 Special Solicitations Human and Social Dynamics Other Investment Areas: –Improvised Explosive Devices –The Science of Science Policy –Biocomplexity in the Environment –Climate Change Science Program –Cyberinfrastructure –International Polar Year ; May 1, 2006 –Mathematical Sciences –National Nanotechnology Initiative –Networking Information Technology R&D

15 Human and Social Dynamics Three areas of emphasis –Agents of Change (AOC) –Dynamics of Human Behavior (DHB) –Decision Making, Risk and Uncertainty (DRU) Three types of award –Exploratory <$125,000 –Full <$750,000 –Full <1.25 million

16 Support in Proposal Writing NSF Publications –Program Announcements/ Solicitations –Additional Program Web Pages –Grant Proposal Guide –Funded Project Abstracts –Reports, Special Publications Program Officers –Incumbents –Former “Rotators” Mentors Previous Panelists Serve As Reviewer Sponsored Research Office Successful Proposals

17 Sections of an NSF Proposal Cover Sheet Project Summary (one page)* Table of Contents Project Description (15 pages max) References Cited Biographical Sketch(es)* Budget* Current & Pending Support Facilities, Equipment & Other Resources Special Information & Supplementary Documentation*

18 Do not violate the 15-page rule (without PO approval) Do not violate typeface, other GPG strictures (some programs will give you no second chance) Do not submit the same proposal to two programs (instead: ask for co-reviews) Caution: We are a Bureaucracy

19 Budgetary Guidelines Amounts –Reasonable for work - Realistic –Well justified - Needs established –In-line with program guidelines Eligible costs –Personnel –Equipment –Travel –Participant Support –Other Direct Costs (including subawards, consultant services, computer services, publication costs)

20 Cost Sharing Valuing Partnerships Funding from NSF no longer requires cost sharing from the host institution. However a strong support basis for the researcher at the host institution is generally good for the PI and the research team.

21 Types of Review Outside Reviewers plus Panel Review Panel Review Internal Review Only (Panel or less formal) Sources of Reviewers: Program Officer’s knowledge References in proposal Web of science; SSRN; Google Scholar Reviewer recommendations Investigator’s suggestions

22 NSF Standard Merit Criteria Intellectual merit Importance Creativity and originality Conception and organization Achievability (access to resources, record of achievement) Broader impacts Training Diversity Infrastructure Dissemination/Public Awareness Societal Benefits (of the findings themselves)

23 Positive Funding Decisions Program Officer decision Feedback to PI HUMAN SUBJECTS (IRB) APPROVAL Abstract Scope of work and budget discussions –Revised budget –Revised scope of work

24 Negative funding decisions Remember that we decline 70-80% Don’t be rash…. Go over the reviews, panel summaries, and other materials Read your panel summary for clues Revise and resubmit

25 Reasons for Declinations “Trust-me” proposal Not feasible –Expertise gaps –Insufficient funding for program success –Too ambitious Incremental contribution “Bad luck” –Not enough money in the fiscal year –Portfolio objectives in a given fiscal year

26 Now that you are funded…. Abstract Human Subjects approvals Annual Reports Final Report

27 Now that you are funded Think “Nuggets” –This is how we get more attention for science and more money for science

28 Visiting the NSF Website –Contains information on Programs and solicitations Grant Proposal Guide (GPG) Contact information Dates –Contains business information on Proposal submission and follow up Panel and reviewer information