1.  Unsolicited proposals  1x year:  preproposals (4 pages);  invited full (~30 pages)  Some special competitions  E.g., sustainability, climate investment proposals, centers, long-term ecological research (LTER)

3. NSF: BIOLOGY’s mission Enable discoveries for understanding life

4. Evolutionary Processes Evolutionary Processes Directorate for Biological Sciences (BIO) Directorate for Biological Sciences (BIO) Division of Environmental Biology (DEB) Division of Environmental Biology (DEB) Population and Community Ecology Population and Community Ecology Ecosystem Science Ecosystem Science Division of Integrative Organismal Systems (IOS) Division of Integrative Organismal Systems (IOS) Behavioral Systems Developmental Systems Developmental Systems Neural Systems Research Resources Research Resources Human Resources Division of Biological Infrastructure (DBI) Division of Biological Infrastructure (DBI) Division of Molecular and Cellular Biosciences (MCB ) Division of Molecular and Cellular Biosciences (MCB ) Biomolecular Systems Biomolecular Systems Cellular Systems Genes and Genome Systems Genes and Genome Systems Emerging Frontiers (EF) Plant Genome Research Program Plant Genome Research Program Systematic Biology & Biodiversity Inventories Physiological & Structural Systems Physiological & Structural Systems

7.  The Research Community  EVERY proposal (44,000!) receives no fewer than 3 reviews, often ~6 reviews  Written reviews  Panels review and recommend  The Program Directors Recommend  Research Futures  Balance the Portfolio

8. I. What is the intellectual merit of the proposed activity? II. What are the broader impacts of the proposed activity? At NSF, these are considered equally important merit criteria

9.  Timely and compelling idea; transformative research  Sound justification for the work  Simple hypothesis(es)  Clear, succinct experimental design and realistic scope of work  Preliminary data or record of publication  Clear management plan  Goals for future work  Written and proofread carefully

10. How Many Iterations?

12. How Many Awards/Principal Investigator at any One Time?

14.  Probably at least 2 nd resubmission  One of the <20%  3 years duration/grant  0.7-1.7 months’ salary  6X more senior personnel and students supported vs postdoctoral associates  4X as many men as women proposers  Equal success