how to submit proposal research.gov

2024 CAREER PROPOSAL SUBMISSION LOGISTICS WEBINAR

Representatives from NSF's Division of Enterprise Services will host a technical webinar on system-related information to assist with CAREER proposal submission: 

• Friday, June 7, 2024, from 2:00 to 3:30 PM Eastern time

This webinar will include a review of the system-related requirements in the CAREER proposal submission timeline guidance, a demo of how to prepare a CAREER proposal in Research.gov, and a question and answer session. Submit question and answer session questions prior to the webinar to [email protected] .   

Register in advance for this webinar at: https://nsf.zoomgov.com/webinar/register/WN_rWehHMRcRz-2SjlkNc08yw

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email with details about joining the webinar. Any questions about this technical webinar may be directed to [email protected] .   

The webinar will be recorded for subsequent on-demand viewing. The recording link will be posted after the event in a Research.gov advisory. 

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Chapter I: Pre-Submission Information

Part I sets forth NSF's proposal preparation and submission guidelines. The coverage provides guidance for the preparation and submission of proposals to NSF. Some NSF programs have program solicitations that modify the general provisions of the PAPPG, and, in such cases, the guidelines provided in the solicitation must be followed.

Chapter I Table of Contents

• NSF Proposal Preparation and Submission
• NSF Programs and Funding Opportunities
• Program Descriptions
• Program Announcements
• Program Solicitations
• Broad Agency Announcements (BAAs)
• Dear Colleague Letters (DCLs)
• Concept Outlines
• Letters of Intent (LOIs)
• Invite/Not Invite Decisions
• Encourage/Discourage Decisions
• Full Proposals
• Categories of Proposers
• Target Dates
• Deadline Dates
• Submission Windows

Special Exceptions to NSF's Deadline Date Policy

Natural or Anthropogenic Events

Closure of NSF

• Submission Instructions
• Requirements Relating to Unique Entity Identifier (UEI)and Registration in the System for Award Management (SAM)
• Proposal Receipt
• Proposal Processing

A. NSF Proposal Preparation and Submission

Unless specified in an NSF program solicitation, proposals submitted to NSF must be submitted via use of Research.gov, Grants.gov, or the Broad Agency Announcement Management (BAAM) System. Further information on each system is provided below.

Proposal Preparation and Submission via Research.gov. Research.gov may be used for proposal preparation, submission, proposal file updates, and budgetary revisions. The policy and procedural guidance contained in Part I of the PAPPG pertains to proposals submitted via Research.gov.

Proposal Preparation and Submission in the NSF FastLane System is being decommissioned. During the transition, some parts of FastLane may be left open to support proposal review. Proposal file updates and budget revisions can be made for FastLane-submitted proposals for a limited period.

Proposal Preparation and Submission via Grants.gov. Grants.gov may be used for proposal preparation and submission. The policy and procedural guidance contained in the NSF Grants.gov Application Guide pertains specifically to proposals submitted via Grants.gov. Detailed information about Grants.gov is available from the Grants.gov website .

Proposal Preparation and Submission via NSF’s BAAM System. The BAAM system may be used for proposal preparation, submission, proposal file updates, and some select post-award administrative activities. Detailed information about the BAAM System is available from the BAAM website . The policy and procedural guidance for submitting to NSF’s BAAM System will be provided in the relevant solicitation or in the Broad Agency Announcement (BAA). (See also Section C. below for additional information).

B. NSF Programs and Funding Opportunities

The NSF website provides the most comprehensive source of information on NSF Directorates/Offices (including contact information), programs, and funding opportunities. See Section C below for more information on Categories of Funding Opportunities. Use of this website by potential proposers is strongly encouraged. In addition, " NSF Update " is an information-delivery system designed to keep potential proposers and other interested parties apprised of new NSF funding opportunities and publications, important changes in proposal and award policies and procedures, and upcoming NSF Grants Conferences. Subscribers are informed each time new publications are issued that match their identified interests.

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C. Categories of Funding Opportunities

NSF utilizes a variety of mechanisms to communicate opportunities for research and education support, as well as to generate proposals. A brief description of each category of funding opportunity follows.

1. Program Descriptions

The term "program description" includes broad, general descriptions of programs and activities in NSF Directorates/Offices and Divisions. Program descriptions are posted on Directorate/Division websites to encourage the submission of proposals in specific program areas of interest to NSF.

Program descriptions utilize the generic eligibility and proposal preparation instructions specified in Part I of the PAPPG , as well as the NSB-approved merit review criteria. See Chapter III for additional information.

2. Program Announcements

The term "program announcement" refers to formal NSF publications that announce NSF programs. Program announcements utilize the generic eligibility and proposal preparation guidelines specified in Part I of the PAPPG and incorporate the NSB-approved merit review criteria.

3. Program Solicitations

The term "program solicitation" refers to formal NSF publications that encourage the submission of proposals in specific program areas of interest to NSF. They generally are more focused than program announcements, and normally apply for a limited period of time. Competition among proposals is more precisely defined than with program announcements, and proposals received compete directly with each other for NSF funding. Program solicitations are issued when the funding opportunity has one or more of the following features:

• provides supplemental proposal preparation guidance or deviates from the guidelines established in Part I of the PAPPG;
• contains additional review criteria relevant to the program;
• requires submission of a letter of intent (see Chapter I.D.2) or preliminary proposal (see Chapter I.D.3);
• deviates from (or restricts) the standard categories of proposers specified in Section E. below;
• limits the number of proposals that may be submitted by an organization and/or Principal Investigator (PI) or co-Principal Investigator (co-PI); [3]
• requires cost sharing;
• requires a limitation in indirect (Facilities & Administrative (F&A)) costs;
• specifies additional award conditions and/or reporting requirements; and/or
• anticipates use of a cooperative agreement.

4. Broad Agency Announcements (BAAs)

The term "Broad Agency Announcement" refers to a type of funding opportunity used by NSF for basic and applied research, scientific study, and experimentation. Unless otherwise specified, NSF can choose to fund proposals submitted in response to a BAA as grants, cooperative agreements, contracts, or other arrangements. BAAs are broad in their subject matter and focus on advancing science rather than acquiring specific products. See Federal Acquisition Regulation Part 35.016 for additional information.

5. Dear Colleague Letters (DCLs)

DCLs are intended to provide general information to the community, clarify or amend an existing policy or document, or inform the NSF proposer community about upcoming opportunities or special competitions for supplements to existing awards. They also may be used to announce NSF’s interest in receiving proposals in specified topical areas for the following proposal types contained in Chapter II.E: Planning, Rapid Response Research (RAPID); Early-concept Grants for Exploratory Research (EAGER); Research Advanced by Interdisciplinary Science and Engineering (RAISE); and Conference.

D. Types of Submissions

1. concept outlines.

Some NSF proposal types (see Chapter II.E for additional information) or funding opportunities may require submission of a Concept Outline prior to submission of a full proposal. A Concept Outline is a concise summary of a project idea that contains information about the prospective PI(s), potentially germane NSF organizational unit(s), project title, keywords, and brief narrative descriptions of the idea and fit to any special criteria required for the proposal type or funding opportunity. The primary purposes of requiring a Concept Outline are to ensure that the concept being proposed by the prospective PI is appropriate for the proposal type/funding opportunity, and to help reduce the administrative burden associated with submission of a full proposal. Concept Outlines are considered by cognizant NSF program officers to determine the appropriateness of the work to the proposal type/funding opportunity. The prospective PI will receive an email that specifies whether a full proposal may be submitted. Full proposals submitted without the requisite “Program Officer Concurrence Email” for proposal types/funding opportunities requiring a Concept Outline will be returned without review or not accepted. See Chapter II.E for additional information.

Concept Outlines also may be submitted at any time by prospective PIs seeking early feedback on the general appropriateness and potentially relevant funding opportunities for a project idea prior to developing a full proposal.

Concept Outlines are submitted either by email to a designated address or via the Program Suitability and Proposal Concept Tool ( ProSPCT ). An NSF funding opportunity that requires a Concept Outline will provide directions on use of email or ProSPCT and specific guidance on email formatting or the completion of the webform to facilitate consistent identification and consideration of the respective Concept Outlines.

ProSPCT consists of a dashboard and webform for prospective PIs to prepare, send, and track the status of their Concept Outline submissions. The ProSPCT webform uses drop-down selections, validations, and text entry fields with character count limits to ensure users have provided the minimal complete information and met consistent formatting requirements based on the selected proposal type prior to submitting the Concept Outline. ProSPCT users must have a valid Login.gov account to access the tool.

2. Letters of Intent (LOI)

Some NSF program solicitations require or request submission of an LOI in advance of submission of a full proposal. An LOI is not a binding document. The predominant reason for its use is to help NSF program staff gauge the size and range of the competition, enabling earlier selection and better management of reviewers and panelists. In addition, the information contained in an LOI is used to help avoid potential conflicts of interest in the review process.

An LOI normally contains the PI’s names, a proposed title, a list of possible participating organizations (if applicable), and a synopsis of one page that describes the work in sufficient detail to permit an appropriate selection of reviewers.

Proposers that plan to submit a collaborative proposal from multiple organizations must submit a single LOI for the entire project, given that NSF considers a collaborative proposal to be a unified research project. An LOI is not externally evaluated or used to decide on funding. The requirement to submit an LOI will be identified in the program solicitation, and such letters are submitted electronically to NSF. Failure to submit a required LOI identified in a program solicitation will result in a full proposal not being accepted or returned without review.

3. Preliminary Proposals

Some NSF program solicitations require or request submission of a preliminary proposal in advance of submission of a full proposal. The three predominant reasons for requiring submission of a preliminary proposal are to:

• reduce the proposers' unnecessary effort in proposal preparation when the chance of success is very small. This is particularly true of exploratory initiatives when the community senses that a major new direction is being identified, or competitions that will result in a small number of awards;
• increase the overall quality of the full submission; and
• assist NSF program staff in managing the review process and in the selection of reviewers.

The NSF program solicitation will specify content and submission requirements when preliminary proposals are to be used. Preliminary proposals are prepared by the PI using the Proposal Preparation Module in Research.go v. On the Cover Sheet, the PI clicks on the "Preliminary Proposal" check box. The PI completes only the sections appropriate to the preliminary proposal. The PI then forwards the proposal to the appropriate office at the proposing organization, and the Authorized Organizational Representative (AOR) signs and submits the preliminary proposal via use of NSF’s electronic systems.

One of the following two types of decisions may be received from NSF upon submission of a preliminary proposal. The program solicitation will specify the type of decision to be rendered for a particular program.

a. Invite/Not Invite Decisions

This type of mechanism is used when the NSF decision made on the preliminary proposal is final, affecting the organization’s eligibility to submit a full proposal. Only submitters of favorably reviewed preliminary proposals are invited and eligible to submit full proposals. The PI and the organization's Sponsored Projects Office (SPO) (or equivalent) will be electronically notified of NSF's decision to either invite submission of a full proposal or decline NSF support.

b. Encourage/Discourage Decisions

This type of mechanism is used when the NSF decision made on the preliminary proposal is advisory only. This means that submitters of both favorably and unfavorably reviewed preliminary proposals are eligible to submit full proposals. The PI and the organization's SPO will be notified of NSF's decision to either encourage or discourage submission of a full proposal.

4. Full Proposals

The full proposal should present the (1) objectives and scientific, engineering, or educational significance of the proposed work; (2) suitability of the methods to be employed; (3) qualifications of the investigator and the recipient organization; (4) effect of the activity on the infrastructure of science, engineering, and education, if applicable; and (5) amount of funding required. It should present the intellectual merit and broader impacts of the proposed project clearly and should be prepared with the care and thoroughness of a paper submitted for publication. The requisite proposal preparation instructions are contained in Chapter II. Sufficient information should be provided to enable reviewers to evaluate the proposal in accordance with the two merit review criteria established by the NSB. (See Chapter III for additional information on NSF processing and review of proposals.)

NSF expects strict adherence to the rules of proper scholarship and attribution. The responsibility for proper scholarship and attribution rests with the authors of a proposal; all parts of the proposal should be prepared with equal care for this concern. Authors other than the PI (or any co-PI) must be named and acknowledged. Serious failure to adhere to such standards can result in findings of research misconduct. Research misconduct refers to fabrication, falsification, or plagiarism in proposing or performing research funded by NSF, reviewing research proposals submitted to NSF, or in reporting research results funded by NSF. Reporting results include but is not limited to: annual/final project reports and Project Outcomes Reports submitted to NSF, as well as the publication of results from the NSF-funded projects. NSF policies and rules on research misconduct are discussed in the Chapter XII.C, as well as 45 CFR Part 689.

NSF will not tolerate research misconduct. Allegations of research misconduct are taken seriously and are investigated by NSF’s Office of Inspector General (OIG). OIG refers completed investigations of research misconduct to NSF for action. Upon findings of research misconduct, NSF will take appropriate action against individuals or organizations.

The Metric Conversion Act of 1975, as amended, and E.O. 12770 of 1991 encourage Federal agencies to use the Metric System (SI) in procurement, award and other business-related activities. Proposers are encouraged to use the Metric System of weights and measures in proposals submitted to the Foundation. Recipients also are encouraged to use metric units in reports, publications and correspondence relating to proposals and awards.

E. Who May Submit Proposals

NSF welcomes proposals on behalf of all qualified scientists, engineers, and educators. The Foundation strongly encourages women, minorities, and persons with disabilities to participate fully in its programs. In accordance with Federal statutes, regulations and NSF policies, no person on grounds of race, color, age, sex, national origin, or disability shall be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under, any program or activity receiving financial assistance from NSF, although some programs may have special requirements that limit eligibility.

Scientists, engineers, and educators usually initiate proposals that are officially submitted by their employing organization. Before formal submission, the proposal may be discussed with appropriate NSF program staff. Graduate students are not encouraged to submit research proposals but should arrange to serve as research assistants to faculty members. Some NSF divisions accept proposals for Doctoral Dissertation Research Grants when submitted by a faculty member on behalf of the graduate student.

Categories of Proposers — The following describes the eligibility of specific categories of proposers. A program solicitation, however, may apply more restrictive eligibility criteria.

1. The following organizations in the following categories are eligible to submit proposals:

(a) Institutions of Higher Education (IHEs) — Two- and four-year IHEs (including community colleges) accredited in, and having a campus located in the U.S., acting on behalf of their faculty members. IHEs located outside the U.S. fall under paragraph 6. below.

Special Instructions for International Branch Campuses of U.S. IHEs

If the proposal includes funding to be provided to an international branch campus of a U.S. IHE (including through use of subawards and consultant arrangements), the proposer must explain the benefit(s) to the project of performance at the international branch campus and justify why the project activities cannot be performed at the U.S. campus. Such information must be included in the project description. The box for “Funding of an International Branch Campus of a U.S. IHE” must be checked on the Cover Sheet if the proposal includes funding for an international branch campus of a U.S. IHE.

(b) Non-profit, Non-academic Organizations — Independent museums, observatories, research laboratories, professional societies, and similar organizations located in the U.S. that are directly associated with educational or research activities.

(c) Tribal Governments — The term " tribal government means the governing body of any Indian or Alaska Native tribe, band, nation, pueblo, village, or community that the Secretary of the Interior acknowledges to exist as an Indian tribe under the Federally Recognized Indian Tribe List Act of 1994 ( 25 U.S.C. 479a , et seq.)

2. The following organizations may be eligible to submit proposals:

(a) For-profit Organizations — U.S.-based commercial organizations, including small businesses, with strong capabilities in scientific or engineering research or education and a passion for innovation. An unsolicited proposal from a for-profit organization may be funded when the project is of special concern from a national point of view, special resources are available for the work, or the proposed project is especially meritorious. NSF is interested in supporting projects that couple industrial use-inspired challenges and research resources with those of IHEs; therefore, the Foundation especially welcomes proposals for cooperative projects involving both IHEs and industry. Specific NSF funding opportunities also may make For-Profit Organizations eligible for submission of proposals to the Foundation. US-based affiliates or subsidiaries of foreign organizations must contact the cognizant NSF program officer prior to preparing and submitting a proposal to NSF.

(b) State and Local Governments — As programmatically necessary and as provided for in a solicitation or BAA, State, and local governments may be eligible to submit proposals.

(c) Foreign Organizations — NSF rarely provides direct funding support to foreign organizations. NSF will consider proposals for cooperative projects involving U.S. and foreign organizations, provided support is requested only for the U.S. portion of the collaborative effort.

In cases however, where the proposer considers the foreign organization or foreign individual’s involvement to be essential to the project and proposes to provide funding through the NSF budget (through a subaward or consultant arrangement), the proposer must explain why support from the foreign counterpart’s in-country resources is not feasible and why the foreign organization or foreign individual can carry out the activity more effectively than a U.S. organization or U.S. individual. In addition, the proposed activity must demonstrate how one or more of the following conditions have been met:

• The foreign organization or foreign individual contributes unique expertise, organizational capability, facilities, data resources, and/or access to a geographic location not generally available to U.S. investigators (or which would require significant effort or time to duplicate); and/or
• The foreign organization or foreign individual offers significant science and engineering education, training, or research opportunities to the U.S.

Such information must be included in any proposal to NSF, including new and renewal proposals. The information must be included in the project description section of the proposal. The box for "Funding of a Foreign Organization or Foreign Individual" must be checked on the Cover Sheet if the proposal includes funding for a foreign organization or foreign individual.

(d) Other Federal Agencies — NSF does not normally support research or education activities by scientists, engineers or educators employed by Federal agencies or FFRDCs. Under unusual circumstances, other Federal agencies and FFRDCs may submit proposals directly to NSF. A proposed project is only eligible for support if it meets one or more of the following exceptions, as determined by a cognizant NSF Program Officer in advance of proposal submission:

• Special Projects. Under exceptional circumstances, research, or education projects at other Federal agencies or FFRDCs that can make unique contributions to the needs of researchers elsewhere or to other specific NSF objectives may receive NSF support.
• National and International Programs. The Foundation may fund research and logistical support activities of other Government agencies or FFRDCs directed at meeting the goals of special national and international research programs for which the Foundation bears special responsibility, such as the U.S. Antarctic Research Program.
• International Travel Awards. To help ensure appropriate representation or availability of a particular expertise at an international conference, staff researchers of other Federal agencies may receive NSF international travel awards.

Proposers who think their project may meet one of the exceptions listed above must contact a cognizant NSF Program Officer before preparing a proposal for submission. In addition, a scientist, engineer or educator who has a joint appointment with an IHE and a Federal agency (such as a Veterans Administration Hospital, or with an IHE and a FFRDC) may submit proposals through the IHE and may receive support if the individual is a faculty member (or equivalent) of the IHE, although part of the individual’s salary may be provided by the Federal agency. Preliminary inquiry must be made to the appropriate program before preparing a proposal for submission.

3. Unaffiliated individuals

Unaffiliated individuals in the U.S. and unaffiliated U.S. citizens are not eligible to receive direct funding support from NSF. Recipients of Federal funds must be able to demonstrate their ability to fully comply with the requirements specified in 2 CFR §200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards. As such, unaffiliated individuals are strongly encouraged to affiliate with an organization that is able to meet the requirements specified in 2 CFR §200.

An individual submitting a proposal to an NSF Postdoctoral Fellowship solicitation is not considered an unaffiliated individual.

F. When to Submit Proposals

Proposers should allow adequate time for processing of proposals (see Chapter I.H for further information). Many NSF programs accept proposals at any time. Other programs, however, establish due dates for submission of proposals. The following types of due dates are utilized by NSF:

1. Target Dates : dates after which proposals will still be accepted, although they may miss a particular panel or committee meeting.

2. Deadline Dates : dates after which proposals will not be accepted or will be returned without review by NSF. The deadline date will be waived only in extenuating circumstances. Such a deviation may be authorized only in accordance with Chapter II.A.

3. Submission Windows : designated periods of time during which proposals will be accepted for review by NSF. It is NSF’s policy that the end date of a submission window converts to, and is subject to, the same policies as a deadline date.

These target dates, deadlines, and submission windows are published in specific program descriptions, program announcements and solicitations that can be obtained through the NSF website. [4] Unless otherwise stated in a program announcement or solicitation, proposals must be received by the specified date. If the deadline date falls on a weekend, it will be extended to the following Monday; if the date falls on a Federal holiday, it will be extended to the following business day. Proposals must be received by 5 p.m. submitter's local time on the established deadline date. Failure to submit by 5.p.m. submitter’s local time will result in the proposal not being accepted. See Chapter IV.B for additional information. Letters of intent or preliminary proposals also follow the 5 p.m. submitter's local time standard.

Special Exceptions to NSF’s Deadline Date Policy

In the occurrence of a natural or anthropogenic event, or when NSF is closed due to inclement weather or other reason that interferes with an organization’s ability to meet a proposal submission deadline, NSF has developed the following guidelines for use by impacted organizations.

Natural or Anthropogenic Event - Flexibility in meeting announced deadline dates because of a natural or anthropogenic event that impacts a proposer’s ability to submit a proposal to NSF may be granted with the approval of the cognizant NSF Program Officer. Where possible, such requests should be submitted in advance of the proposal deadline. Proposers should contact the cognizant NSF Program Officer in the Division/Office to which they intend to submit their proposal and request authorization to submit a proposal after the deadline date. Proposers must then follow the written or verbal guidance provided by the cognizant NSF Program Officer. The Foundation will work with each impacted organization on a case-by-case basis to address its specific issue(s). Generally, NSF permits extension of the deadline by up to five business days.

To submit the proposal after the deadline date, proposers must check the “Special Exception to the Deadline Date Policy” box on the NSF Cover Sheet, indicating NSF approval has been obtained. A statement identifying the nature of the event that impacted the ability to submit the proposal on time must be uploaded under Nature of Natural or Anthropogenic Event in the Single Copy Document section in Research.gov. If available, written approval from the cognizant NSF Program Officer also should be uploaded under the Additional Single Copy Documents in the Single Copy Document section in Research.gov.

Closure of NSF – When NSF is closed due to inclement weather or other reason [5] , deadline(s) that occurred during the closure automatically will be extended to the following business day after the closure ends.

G. How to Submit Proposals

1. submission instructions.

The same work/proposal cannot be funded twice. If the proposer envisions review by multiple programs, more than one program may be designated on the Cover Sheet. The submission of duplicate or substantially similar proposals concurrently for review by more than one program will result in the return of the redundant proposals. (See Chapter IV.B.)

In submission of a proposal for funding, the AOR is required to provide certain NSF-specific proposal certifications. (See Chapter II.C.1.d for a listing.) This certification process will occur concurrently with submission of the proposal. Submission of government-wide representations and certifications is addressed in Chapter I.G.2 below.

2. Requirements Relating to Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) and Registration in the System for Award Management (SAM)

All proposers must provide a UEI when applying for a new or renewal award. NSF requires that organizations registering to use NSF's electronic systems have a valid and active SAM registration and have a valid UEI. NSF will validate that each proposer's UEI and SAM registration are active and valid prior to allowing submission of a proposal to NSF. If a registration is not active, an organization will not be able to submit a proposal. Additionally, if the registration is not revalidated annually and is not valid, NSF will block any award approval actions. Organizations are responsible for maintaining their SAM registration and UEI information.

Any subrecipients named in the proposal also are required to obtain a UEI and register in Research.gov. Subrecipients named in the proposal, however, do not need to be registered in SAM. GSA has implemented a process by which an organization that will only be a subrecipient may receive a UEI without undergoing a complete SAM registration. See the SAM.gov website for additional information about registration and UEI assignment.

SAM is the primary registrant database for the U.S. Government. SAM collects, validates, stores, and disseminates data in support of agency acquisition missions, including Federal agency contract and Federal financial assistance awards. This SAM registration must be maintained with current information at all times during which an organization has an active award or a proposal under consideration by NSF. Failure to comply with SAM registration requirement prior to proposal submission may impact the processing of the proposal. Proposers are advised that entity registration will become active after three to five business days when the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) validates the Tax ID Number.

Organizations are responsible for maintaining the accuracy of their information in SAM and utilizing SAM to submit government-wide representations and certifications. Prior to proposal submission, all proposing organizations are required to have reviewed and certified compliance with the government-wide financial assistance representations and certifications maintained in SAM. Failure to comply with SAM certification and registration requirements will impact the submission and processing of the proposal. If a registration is not active, an organization will not be able to submit a proposal, nor will NSF be able to take approval actions on any submitted proposals or recommended awards. Additionally, payments will not be able to be processed and approved.

Organizations also are responsible for updating all SAM registration information as it changes. Once an award is made, failure to maintain current and complete information within SAM will impact receipt of funding. To maintain an active status in SAM, an organization's registration must be renewed and revalidated at least every 12 months from the date of the previous registration, including recertification of the government-wide financial assistance representations and certifications. If the registration is not renewed, it will expire. An expired registration will impact an organization's ability to submit proposals and/or receive award payments. Note that if an organization's registration lapses, it will take longer to reactivate the registration than if the registration is still active when doing the revalidation and recertification.

SAM is the NSF system of record for organizational information, including financial and address information. The Legal Business Name and Physical Address information are automatically pulled from SAM and used by NSF to validate organizational information. All name and address changes must be handled via SAM. NSF has no control over SAM and cannot override SAM data or statuses.

The NSF ID is a unique numerical identifier assigned to users by NSF. The NSF ID is used throughout NSF's electronic systems as a login ID and identification verification. Each individual user of NSF systems, (e.g., Research.gov) should not have more than one NSF ID. Users with more than one NSF ID should contact the Help Desk at 1-800-381-1532 or by e-mail to [email protected] for assistance.

Submission of Social Security Numbers (SSNs) only will be requested where it is necessary for business purposes, e.g., financial reimbursement. An SSN is solicited under the NSF Act of 1950, as amended.

4. Proposal Receipt

Once the proposal is submitted, PIs can check the status of the proposal via use of NSF's electronic systems. If a proposal number is not reflected in the electronic systems, contact the Help Desk at 1-800-381-1532 or by e-mail to [email protected] .

Communications about the proposal should be addressed to the cognizant NSF Program Officer with reference to the proposal number. Proposers are strongly encouraged to use NSF's electronic systems to verify the status of their submission to NSF.

H. Proposal Processing

Proposers should allow up to six months for programmatic review and processing (see Chapter III for additional information on the NSF merit review process). In addition, proposers should be aware that the NSF Division of Grants and Agreements generally makes awards within 30 calendar days after the program division/office makes its recommendation. Grants and cooperative agreements that are being made to organizations that have not received an NSF award within the preceding five years or involving special situations (such as coordination with another Federal agency or a private funding source), cooperative agreements, and other unusual arrangements may require additional review and processing time. Proposals that are time-sensitive (e.g., conference and group travel) will be accepted for review only if, in the opinion of the cognizant Program Officer, they are received in sufficient time to permit appropriate NSF review and processing to support an award in advance of the activity to be supported. Every effort is made to reach a decision and inform the proposer promptly. Until an award is made, NSF is not responsible for any costs incurred by the proposing organization.

Footnotes to Chapter I

[3] Unless otherwise specified, the term "organization" refers to all categories of proposers.

[4] A listing of upcoming target dates and deadlines, sorted by date and by program area is available on the NSF website.

[5] This policy is not intended to cover NSF closures due to lapses in appropriation. In such cases, specific guidance will be issued, as appropriate.

Alert: Recent phishing attempts

Please read important tax updates that took effect for tax years beginning after Dec. 31, 2021.

A new SBIR/STTR Phase II solicitation is expected in the coming weeks.

After a brief pause, new Phase I SBIR and STTR solicitations are expected in the coming weeks.

Research.gov

Register a new organization.

Organizations must be registered with NSF to submit proposals using NSF’s systems. Before a new organization can register with NSF, it must first be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM - https://www.sam.gov ) Note that completion of the SAM registration process can take up to one month.

Follow the step-by-step process below to register a new organization in Research.gov.

How do I register a new organization with NSF?

• Open Research.gov
• Click “Sign In” located at the top right of the screen.
• Enter your NSF ID and password and click “Sign In.”
• Click “My Profile” located at the top right of the screen.
• Click “Add a New Role” from the left navigation bar.
• Note: If an organization is new to NSF, you must start the process by setting yourself up as the Administrator for the new organization. You must have an NSF account to start this process. The system will automatically detect that the organization is new and will walk you through setting up the organization and Administrator role.

• If your organization is not already registered with NSF, a message will display to confirm that the organization is not found in NSF systems and you will be able to register the organization and become the first Administrator.
• If your organization is not already registered with NSF, a message will display to confirm that the organization is not found in NSF systems and you will be able to register the organization and become the first Administrator

Helpful Tip: If a new organization is registered with NSF without an Administrator, the first user to request a role will become the organization’s first Administrator.

• Enter your contact information for the Administrator role, add your organization’s information, and then click “Next.” (Figure 3)
• Notice the “Administrator” role is pre-selected. Click “Next.” (Figure 4)
• Review your organization’s information for accuracy and click “Submit.” (Figure 5)
• The request to register your organization with NSF will be forwarded via email to your organization’s SAM points of contact for their information only. The SAM points of contact will not need to approve the request. (Figure 6)

Helpful Tip: Once an organization is registered with NSF, any updates to organizational information must be made by an organizational Administrator in SAM.gov.

It is recommended that the Principal Investigator (PI) also registers as an “Authorized Organizational Representative – AOR” for the organization. The PI creates and uploads all proposal components to Research.gov and the AOR formally submits the proposal to NSF. Only PIs with AOR privileges can submit the proposal. Failing to register as an AOR is not a valid excuse for missing the solicitation deadline.

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Please see the message below from NSF.

Dear Colleagues:

We are pleased to announce that supplemental funding requests including Career-Life Balance requests can now be prepared in Research.gov. Supplemental funding requests can be submitted in Research.gov regardless of the system used (Research.gov, FastLane, or Grants.gov) for proposal submission. FastLane supplemental funding request functionality will remain available in parallel for the preparation and submission of new requests until January 27, 2023.

In addition, the last two proposal types for the Small Business Innovation Research Program (SBIR) and the Small Business Technology Transfer Program (STTR) will be enabled in Research.gov for the fiscal year (FY) 2023 competitions. With all proposal and submission types soon fully supported in Research.gov, the system will be ready for the transition from FastLane for the preparation and submission of all new proposals in late January 2023, when the Proposal and Award Policies and Procedures Guide (PAPPG) (NSF 23-1) is effective. The last day to submit new proposals in FastLane is January 27, 2023.

Please see the table of important FastLane transition deadlines below. Additional information will be forthcoming on the transition of other FastLane functionality and a FastLane Decommissioning webpage is being developed.

Important FastLane Proposal Preparation and Supplemental Funding Request Transition Deadlines

New Supplemental Funding Request Functionality

• Intuitive and dynamic interfaces which provide only relevant preparation options;
• Inline help features;
• Fast document uploads and immediate feedback within each section; and
• Automated compliance checks with specific, actionable warning and error messages.
• The new Research.gov Supplemental Funding Request Demo Site can be used to explore preparing supplemental requests and to check the compliance of uploaded documents.
• The supplemental funding request functionality and demo site are accessible from new links within the Awards & Reporting tile on the Research.gov My Desktop page after signing in to Research.gov.
• Topic-specific Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) and demo site guidance are posted on the new Research.gov About Supplemental Funding Request Preparation and Submission page.
• Please refer to PAPPG Chapter VI.E.5. for supplemental funding request policy guidance.

New SBIR and STTR Proposal Types

• Proposers will prepare and submit SBIR and STTR Phase I and Phase II proposals in Research.gov for the FY 2023 competitions.
• SBIR and STTR proposal types will be available to try out on the Research.gov Proposal Preparation Demo Site (you will be prompted to sign in to Research.gov if you are not already signed in) after the SBIR and STTR program solicitations for the FY 2023 competitions are published.

Research.gov Proposal and Supplemental Funding Request Feedback

NSF wants your feedback on the proposal preparation and submission functionality, as well as on the new supplemental funding request enhancements. Your input helps NSF to ensure the systems and demo site features are working as intended and to identify areas of improvement. Feedback may be submitted on the Research.gov Feedback page. Submitted feedback is reviewed on an ongoing basis by NSF's Research.gov Business Office.

Questions? If you have IT system-related questions, please contact the NSF Help Desk at 1-800-381-1532 (7:00 AM - 9:00 PM ET; Monday - Friday except federal holidays) or via email to [email protected] . Policy-related questions should be directed to [email protected] .

National Science Foundation

Welcome to the OSP Blog!

Please note that policies and guidance are subject to revision, and specific policies and guidance referenced in past blog posts may have been updated since the posts' original publication dates. If you have any questions regarding whether a policy or guidance referenced in an older blog post is still in effect, please visit the  Policies and Guidance section of our website or contact your OSP representative .

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Project Reports

On March 18, 2013, NSF transitioned all project reporting from FastLane to Research.gov. This means that PIs/Co-PIs use Research.gov to meet all NSF project reporting requirements, including submission of final, annual and interim project reports and the Project Outcomes Report.

Reminder - Project Reports are not Cumulative: Final reports are not cumulative; they are considered the last annual report of the project, and should be written specifically for the most recently completed budget period.

For more information about Project Reporting at NSF, click here

V iew the Example Project Reports (Demo site) to try out interacting with a project report

The Grant Proposal Guide

Consult the Grant Proposal Guide (GPG) , Part 1 of the Proposal and Award Policies and Procedures Guide (PAPP) , for all of your questions on NSF policy regarding preparing project reports for NSF.

Note: These links takes you outside of Research.gov.

The Award & Administration Guide

Consult the Award & Administration Guide (AAG) , for all your questions on NSF policy on awards. The AAG is Part 2 of the Proposal and Award Policies and Procedures Guide (PAPP) .

  Note: These links take you outside of Research.gov.

Project Outcomes Report

Accessing Project Outcomes Report

Access the Project Outcomes Report by logging into Research.gov. There are multiple ways to navigate to the Project Outcomes Report tool on Research.gov. You can also access Research.gov through links provided in email notifications that you will receive for due and overdue reports.

Accessing Project Outcomes Report Directly on Research.gov

To access the Project Outcomes Report tool, log into Research.gov:  

• Go to www.research.gov .
• Click on Log In, located in the upper right-hand corner of the Research.gov homepage.

On the NSF Login page, enter your Last Name, NSF ID, and Password and then click the “Log In” button.  

Note:  To use this tool and certain other tools on Research.gov, both the user and his/her institution must be registered in NSF’s FastLane. If your organization is not registered in FastLane, the Institution Administrator should register him or herself as the FastLane Contact at https://www.fastlane.nsf.gov/a0/about/registration.htm . The institution registration information will be available on Research.gov the next day. Please refer to the “Get Started Now” page on Research.gov for more information on how to register.

Figure 2 – NSF User Log in page

Following login, you will see your Project Report Dashboard on the Research.gov Homepage. The Dashboard provides a snapshot of your total number of PORs, as well as the number of PORs you have Due, Overdue, Submitted, and Not Yet Due. The Dashboard is also where you will find your final, annual, and interim project reports. For directions on how to submit final, annual, and interim project reports, see that section of the help system.

Figure 3 – Project Reporting Dashboard

Viewing the Status of Your Project Outcomes Reports on Research.gov

Once logged into Research.gov as a PI/Co-PI, you will be directed to the Project Reports Dashboard page where your Project Outcomes Report Dashboard displays the number and status of required reports. Statuses include:  

Not yet due

Click on the “Project Outcomes Report” link provided on the Project Outcomes Report Dashboard to view, prepare, and submit reports.

Figure 4 – Project Reporting Dashboard 

Preparing and Submitting Your Report

Preparing Your Report

To prepare your report: 

• Click on the Project Outcomes Report link provided on the Project Reporting Dashboard of your Research.gov Homepage to view, prepare, and submit reports.
• Select the report you would like to complete.

Figure 5 – Project Reports

• Complete your report in the text editing box. Your report must be between 200 and 800 words.

Figure 6 – Project Outcomes Report

Adding Images to Your Report

To add images to your report:  

Click the “Add an Image” button on the Project Outcomes Report editing page to add images to your report.

Figure 7 – Add an Image

Click Browse to find and select the image you would like to upload. Your image should be:  

·         Oriented as landscape (width is greater than height)

·         Less than 8MB

·         In one of the following file formats: JPG, JPEG, GIF, BMP, PNG, TIFF

Figure 8 – Add Image page

Complete the required information include an image title, caption (up to 300 characters), and credit.  

Note:  You must have permission to use the images you upload.

Check the Primary Image box if you would like this image to be the main image posted with your report.

Note:  If there are no current images associated with your report, this box will not appear and the image will automatically be made the primary image. 

Figure 9 – Primary Image checkbox

Select the copyright designation of your image and check the copyright release box.

Explanation of Copyright Release:

By checking the “Copyright Release” box, I verify that I own the copyright to the uploaded images or I have a license to use the images and allow others to use them. I agree to indemnify the federal government against any loss or damages arising out of a copyright infringement action regarding the use of the uploaded images. I certify that I grant the National Science Foundation (NSF) permission to use and distribute my multimedia material submitted herewith on a royalty-free basis for news, educational and public-information purposes at NSF’s discretion. Such uses include, but are not limited to, posting the material on the NSF Multimedia Gallery website (thereby making it generally available to such outlets as news organizations, universities, teachers and the general public) and distributing the material to other websites for educational and/or informational purposes. The copyright owner keeps the copyright on the material.

Definition of Terms

The following website is helpful in understanding copyright terms in addition to the definitions below:

·          http://stockphotolicense.com/faq

Copyrighted: Under the copyright law, the author/creator of the multimedia is the copyright owner unless there is a written agreement by which the author/creator assigns the copyright to another person or entity, such as a publisher. In cases of works made for hire, the employer or commissioning party is considered to be the author. For more information about copyright see the U.S. Copyright Office website:

·          http://www.copyright.gov

Public Domain: Multimedia in the public domain are those whose intellectual property rights have expired, been forfeited, or are inapplicable. Multimedia of the United States Government and various other governments are excluded from copyright law and may therefore be considered to be in the public domain in their respective countries. Multimedia in the public domain may be used freely without permission. For more information about Public Domain see the following websites:

·          http://www.publicdomainsherpa.com/definition-of-public-domain.html

·          http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_domain

Creative Commons: Creative Commons licenses enable copyright owners to state specifically how others may use their multimedia. Some Creative Commons licenses, for example, permit others to copy, make derivative works or adaptations, or to distribute the multimedia, under specific conditions, such as requiring attribution (credit). See the terms of the license for credit requirements and restrictions. For more information about Creative Commons and types of licenses see the following website:

·          http://creativecommons.org/

Royalty-free (restricted use – cannot be shared): This category refers to royalty-free multimedia that someone pays to use. The buyer may reuse the multimedia without additional payment, but may not share it with others.

Royalty-free (unrestricted use): This category refers to multimedia from free royalty-free sites that anyone may use, as long as the terms of use on the site are followed.

For more information about royalty-free multimedia see the following website:

Copyright owner is an institution with an existing agreement allowing use by NSF: Some institutions have given NSF “blanket permission” to use specific kinds of multimedia. Please check with your Public Information Officer (PIO) to see whether your multimedia is covered by such an agreement.

Figure 10 – POR Copyright Release

Click Save to add the image to your report.

To preview your image, select Preview under the image you would like to view.

Figure 11 – POR Image options

To edit your image’s caption or credit, select Edit under the image you would like to revise, edit the necessary information, and select Save.

Figure 12 – POR Edit Image

To delete your image, select Delete under the image. You will be asked to confirm that you wish to delete the image.

Figure 13 – POR Delete Image

Saving and Returning to Your Report, Later

To save your report:  

Click Save at the bottom of the report editing page.

Figure 14 – Save Project Outcomes Report

To return to your report:  

If you have logged out of Research.gov, log into Research.gov then log into the Project Reporting system (for instructions, refer to instructions for accessing your report).

Select Create/Edit Report for the report you would like to continue editing. You will be directed to your saved report.

F igure 15 – Project Reports

Previewing Your Report

To preview your report:  

Click Preview Report at the bottom of the report editing page.

Figure 16 – Preview report

You will see a preview of your report and images. Click Close Preview to close the preview window.

Submitting Your Report

To submit your report:  

Click Save and Submit at the bottom of the report editing page.

Figure 17 – Save and Submit report

You will see a confirmation screen notifying you that your report has been successfully submitted. Additionally, you will receive an email confirming your report submission.

Note:  Once your report has been submitted, you have 30 days to edit your report. To view your report after submission, follow the instructions outlined for returning to your report. Following submission, your report will be available on your award’s detail page in the Research Spending & Results service on Research.gov

Figure 18 – POR Submission Confirmation

Editing Your Submitted Report

To edit your submitted report during the 30 day editing period, refer to the instructions above for accessing your report, editing a saved report, and submitting your report.

Adding an Addendum to Your Report

Creating a Report Addendum

To create an addendum:  

Return to Research.gov and follow the steps for accessing the Project Outcomes Report to view a list of your reports.

Click the link to Edit/View Report for the report you would like add addendum to.

You will be directed to your report’s page.

Click the “Add Addendum” button.  

Figure 19 – POR Disclaimer and Add Addendum

You can enter the addendum text in the text editor. Your addendum can be up to 800 words.

Figure 20 – POR Addendum Text Editor

Adding Images to Your Addendum

You can add up to six images with each addendum you create. To add images to your addendum, refer to the instructions on how to add images to your report.

Saving and Returning to Your Addendum Later

You can save your addendum and return later to complete and submit it. To save and return to your addendum, refer to the instructions on how to save and return to your report.

Previewing Your Report Addendum

To preview your addendum:  

Click Preview at the bottom of the addendum editing page.

You will see a preview of your report with addenda and images. Click Close Preview to close the preview window.

Submitting Your Report Addendum

When you are satisfied with the content of your addendum, you can submit it by clicking the "Save and Submit” button.

Note: Once submitted, addenda cannot be edited. Following submission addenda will be available along with your report through the Research Spending & Results service on Research.gov the next day.

Figure 22 – Save & Submit Addendum

Viewing Your Submitted Report

Viewing Submitted Reports through Research Spending & Results on Research.gov

Once your Project Outcomes Report is submitted, it is made available to the public through Research.gov’s Research Spending & Results service. The public will access your report by completing a search in Research Spending & Results. To view Project Outcomes Reports:  

• Click on the “Search Awards” link under NSF Award Highlights or click on the Research Spending & Results link from the footer.
• On the Research Spending & Results search page, enter awardee or award information text, obligated funds amount, project director or PI/Co-PI name, award date range, and indicate whether you are looking for Recovery Act Awards, then click the “Search” button.

Figure 23 – Research Spending & Results

On the search results page, click the Award ID number for the award in which you are interested in viewing.

Figure 24 – Search results in Research Spending & Results

• This will direct you to the Research Spending & Results Award Detail page. Scroll down to the final section of the page to view the submitted Project Outcomes Report, including associated images and addenda.

Note: Visitors to Research.gov are not required to log in to view Project Outcomes Reports through the Research Spending & Results service.

Figure 25 – POR content in RS&R Search results

Annual, Final, and Interim Project Reports

On March 18, 2013, NSF transitioned all project reporting from FastLane to Research.gov. This means that PIs/Co-PIs will now use Research.gov to meet all NSF project reporting requirements, including submission of final, annual and interim project reports and the Project Outcomes Report.

The new project reporting service in Research.gov meets the federal government’s requirement that research agencies implement a reporting format for research and research-related projects called the Research Performance Progress Report (RPPR). The RPPR is the result of a government-wide effort to create greater consistency in the administration of federal research awards by streamlining and standardizing reporting formats.

Accessing the Project Report Dashboard

Accessing Final, Annual, and Interim Project Reports

Access your annual, final, and interim project reports by logging into Research.gov. Additionally, you will receive email notifications of due and overdue reports that provide links to Research.gov.

To access the Project Report Dashboard, log into Research.gov:

• On the NSF Login page, enter your Last Name, NSF ID, and password and then click the “Log In” button.  

Note:  To use this tool and certain other tools on Research.gov, both the user and his/her institution must be registered in NSF’s FastLane. If your organization is not registered in FastLane, the Institution Administrator should register him or herself as the FastLane Contact at https://www.fastlane.nsf.gov/a0/about/registration.htm . The institution registration information will be available on Research.gov the next day. Please refer to the “Get Started Now” page on Research.gov for more information on how to register.

Figure 27 – NSF User Log In page

• Following login, you will see your Project Reporting Dashboard on the Research.gov Homepage. The Dashboard provides access to your annual, final, interim and Project Outcomes reports. You will also be able to view the number of POR reports you have Due, Overdue, Submitted, and Not Yet Due.

Figure 28 – Project Reporting Dashboard

How Do I Prepare and Submit a Project Report?

Once logged on to Research.gov, you will see the My Desktop page with the Project Reporting Dashboard. Now follow these steps to prepare and submit a report:

1. Click on the Annual, Final and Interim Project Report link provided on the Project Reporting Dashboard to prepare reports.

Note: Only PIs and co-PIs can prepare and submit a project report.

The tabs on the Project Report Page, as seen in the image below, will show you the status of your project reports that are due or overdue; reports that are due in less than 12 months; and all of your awards.

Figure 29 – Project Reports Landing Page

2. Click the Create/Edit link under the Action column for the award to create or edit an Annual or Final project report.

Figure 30 – Privacy Act and Public Burden Statement

3. Read the Privacy Act and Public Burden Statement, and then click Continue (Figure 30).

Figure 31 – Report Summary page

Next, you will be brought to the Report Summary page (Figure 31) which provides award information and progress/status of your report. Below the Report Summary page, you will see the Report Content.

Note: The default status of the Participants section will be ‘Started’ because the PI and co-PI (s) are included as project participants by default. You must visit the Participants tab and fill out the remaining required fields for each PI and co-PI(s) and include data for any additional project participants before the section is completed.

Figure 32 – Cover Tab

Note: Pre-populated information about your award can be found on the Cover tab.

4. Click Next Section or the Accomplishments tab to continue.

Figure 33 – Accomplishments tab

You will shift to the Accomplishments tab.

5. Fill out all required information and click Save/Next Section or the Products tab to continue. Within the Accomplishments tab, you will fill out text fields with information such as major goals, objectives, results, etc.

Note: If needed, you can save the report and come back to it at any time.

Note: The system session times out after 60 minutes so be sure to save frequently. A warning will be displayed 5 minutes before the timeout.

6. To complete the Accomplishments tab, you must either fill out all required text boxes or click Nothing to Report. You also have the option to upload PDF files in support of the Accomplishments section.

Note: If you have previously submitted an Annual Report for the award through Research.gov and it is Approved, then the major goals will be pre-populated with information from that previously approved Annual Report. Please review this information and edit the response as necessary.

Note: The text boxes have a maximum limit of 8000 characters. When more than 8000 characters are entered, the character counter turns red and shows a negative number to indicate that the maximum limit has been exceeded.

Note: If you have an image that you’d like to upload with your report, you will first need to convert it to PDF, save the file, and then upload it to this section of the report.

Note: Nothing to Report can only be selected as a response if you delete any existing information in the field. Conversely, you cannot enter information in a field if Nothing to Report is checked.

7. Next, you will shift to the Products tab. Fill out all required information and click Save/Next Section or the Participants/Organizations tab to continue. Also, within the Products tab, list any products resulting from the project during the reporting period. Once again, you have the option of uploading PDF files in support of this section.

For detailed instructions on entering products, refer to the section How to add Products to your Project Report .

Figure 35 – Products Tab

8. Next, you will shift to the Participants/Organizations tab. Fill out all required information and click Save/Next Section or the Impact tab to continue. You will now go to the Impact tab.

Figure 36 – Participants/Organizations tab

Remember to include additional participants or other collaborating organizations.

Note: Your name(s) (PI and co-PIs) will be pre-populated as a participant. You must select View/Edit for ALL pre-populated names and fill out all required information to complete this tab.

Figure 37 – Impact tab

9. To complete this tab, you must either fill out all required text boxes or click Nothing to Report. Then click Save/Continue. Remember to explain the impact of the project during the reporting period.

You now will go to the Changes/Problems tab.

Figure 38 – Changes/Problems Tab

10. To complete the tab, you must either fill out all required text boxes or click Nothing to Report. Within the Changes/Problems tab, describe any changes or problems that occurred on the project during the reporting period.

Note: If an award has a Special Reporting Requirement as described in the solicitation, a seventh tab will appear next to the Changes/Problems Tab. The Special Requirements tab allows the user to fill out text, and provides the ability to upload a PDF file.

When all sections are fully complete, the Progress Indicator will be full, and all sections will be marked Complete. At this point, a window will appear that will allow the report to be previewed or submitted. Also, when the report is Complete, the Submit Report link in the Available Actions box at the top of your page will be enabled. Either link can be used to submit the report.

Figure 39 – Preview Report links

If you would like to print the report, select Preview Report then print.

11. To complete the report, click submit.

Note : Requirements will vary for Interim Project Reports . There will also be no Progress Indicator included with interim reports.

12. Once you click to submit the report, review the checklist to ensure everything is complete. Then click Continue.

Figure 40 – Submission Checklist

13. Certify the report by checking the box, and click Submit Report. Upon submission of the report, the Program Officer (PO), PI and co-PI, and Sponsored Programs Officers will be notified via email of the report submission. Project participants, other than the PI and co-PI(s), will also receive an email with a request to provide their demographic information. Instructions will be included in the email.

Figure 41 – Report Certification page 

What are Special Reporting Requirements?

The Special Requirements tab displays on the report creation page only if the solicitation cited special reporting requirements. Below is an example of the Special Reporting Requirements tab you will see on your project report. For instructions on how to get to this screen, see the How to Submit a Final, Annual or Interim Project Report section of this online help.

Figure 42 – Special Requirements tab

Viewing Reporting Requirements for an Annual, Final, or Interim Project Report

1. Login to Research.gov. On the My Desktop page, click on the Annual, Final and Interim Report Link on the Project Reporting Dashboard.

Figure 43 – Project Reporting Dashboard

2. Click on the Award Number for which you want to see the Reporting Requirements. If you don’t see anything in the Reports Due tab, select the All Awards tab to get a listing of all of your awards.

Figure 44 – Project Reports Landing Page

You will now see the Reporting Requirements for the Award you selected.

   Figure 45 – Reporting Requirements

How Do I Attach a PDF to my Project Report?

You can attach files within three different tabs of your Project Report: the Accomplishments tab, the Products tab, and the Special Requirements tab.

Note: The Special Requirements tab will only be displayed if your award has a predetermined Special Reporting Requirement.

1. To upload a PDF, click the Browse button and select a file. You may upload up to four PDFs with a maximum size of 5 MB each for the Accomplishments or Products tab. The Special Requirements tab will accept four PDF files with a maximum size of 10 MB each.

2. Enter a PDF description and click the Upload File button to attach the PDF.

Figure 47 – Remove supporting files

To remove your PDF file, click the Remove link shown above.

How Do I View a PDF attachment?

To view a PDF attachment within a project report, complete the following steps:

1. Click Preview Report in the Available Actions box at the top of your page. Scroll to the section where the PDF was uploaded.

2. Click the Download link, and a dialog box will be displayed.

3. Select Open to view the PDF.

Note: The instructions in this section only apply for viewing uploaded PDFs of reports that were submitted through Research.gov. For reports submitted through FastLane, all attachments will be viewable when you click Preview Report in the Available Actions box.

Figure 48 – Download supporting files

How Do I Check the Completeness of a Report?

To check the completeness of your project report, you can click the Check Report Completeness link in the Available Actions box at the top of your page.

Figure 49 – Available Actions box

You can also view the Progress Indicator bar located in the Report Summary of your report. The list of tabs next to the progress indicator shows what sections are complete, started, and not started.

Below is example of the Progress Indicator Bar for a completed project report.

Note: When the report is complete, the Check Report Completeness link in the Available Actions box will be disabled, and the Submit Report link will be enabled. The Check Report Completeness link is only available for Annual and Final Project Reports. It is not available for Interim Project Reports.

Figure 50 – Progress Summary

After clicking the Check Report Completeness link in the Available Actions box, you will see a detailed list of information that is required to complete and submit the report.

Figure 51 – Check Report Completeness Page

How Do I Recall a Submitted Report?

If you need to recall a submitted report, follow these directions:

1. Go to the Project Reports Due tab (or Reports Due < 12 Months tab if your report is not in the Due tab), and locate the award for which you want to recall a report. Then click the Recall link located under the Action column.

Figure 52 – Recall a report

2. Next, click the Recall Report button to completely recall your report. Once you recall the report, the co-PI(s) and PO will be notified that the report has been recalled.

How Do I Review Past Report Submissions?

To review project reports previously submitted in FastLane or in Research.gov complete the following:

1. Go to the Reports Due, Reports Due < 12 Months, or the All Awards tab.

2. Click the Award Number link. 

3. To view a specific award, click the Award Number.

4. Then click the View link under the Action column to view the report.

Figure 53 – View a Report

How Do I View Comments on a Report Returned to PI?

If your Program Office returns a submitted report to you, you will see your report in the Reports Due tab of the Project Report Dashboard with a status of Returned. To view the Program Officer’s comments to your report, follow these steps:

1. Click on the Review Comments link under the Action column.

Figure 54 – Returned Report

2. You will now be able to review your report comments.

Figure 55 – Review the comments

How Do I Add a New Participant?

To add a participant to your project report, complete the following steps:

1. Click the Participants/Organizations tab and then click the Add a New Participant button.

Figure 56 – Add new Participant button on Participants/Organizations tab

2. Next you will fill out the participant’s information. Note: All fields are mandatory.

Figure 57 – Save a new participant

On the participant screen you will need to provide information about project participants who have worked at least one month per year during the reporting period, regardless of the source of compensation.

How Do I Delete a Participant?

To delete a participant, complete the following steps:

1. Click the Delete link located in the Action column next to the participant you want to delete.

Figure 58 – Delete a participant

Note: Participants with the PI or co-PI role cannot be added or deleted in Research.gov. They must be added or deleted using FastLane’s What People Have Worked on the Project screen.

2. Click the Save button.

How Do I Add Demographic Information for a Participant?

In Research.gov you do not need to enter demographic information for your project’s participants; instead, Research.gov will send an automated email to each participant and ask that they complete their own demographic information. The system will send an email to each participant who has contributed more than 160 hours to the project and is listed on the project report. This email will have instructions on how to provide/update their demographic information.

What Is Demographic Information?

If you are a participant who has worked more than 160 hours on a project we ask that you also supply demographic information. Individuals will receive an email with instructions on how to supply the demographic information.

Demographic information includes:

• Gender Values:

• Ethnicity definition

– Hispanic or Latino, for a person of Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban, South or Central American, or other Spanish culture of origin, regardless of race

– Not-Hispanic or not-Latino

• Race definition

– American Indian or Alaska Native. A person having origins in any of the original peoples of North and South America (including Central America) and who maintains tribal affiliation or community attachment

– Asian. A person having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, or the Indian subcontinent, including, for example, Cambodia, China, India, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Pakistan, the Philippine Islands, Thailand, and Vietnam

– Black or African-American. A person having origins in any of the black racial groups of Africa.

– Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander. A person having origins in any of the original peoples of Hawaii, Guam, Samoa, or other Pacific Islands

– White. A person having origins in any of the original peoples of Europe, the Middle East, or North Africa

• Disability Status values:

– Yes (check any of the following that apply)

·           Deaf or serious difficulty hearing

·           Blind or serious difficulty seeing even when wearing glasses

·           Serious difficulty walking or climbing stairs

·           Other serious disability related to a physical, mental, or emotional condition

Submitting demographic information is voluntary. You will suffer no adverse consequences if you choose not to submit it.

Why Does NSF Need Demographic Information?

We use the demographic information to generate statistics that help us:

• Evaluate outputs and outcomes of the programs that taxpayers support through NSF

• Report to Congress as required on NSF programs and their results and outcomes

• Gauge whether our programs and other opportunities in science and technology are fairly reaching and benefiting everyone regardless of demographic category

• Ensure that those in under-represented groups have the same knowledge of and access to programs, meetings, vacancies, and other research and educational opportunities as everyone else

• Assess involvement of international investigators or students in work we support

Your information helps assure the statistical validity of our data.

How Do I Add a Partner Organization?

To add a partner organization to your Project Report, complete the following steps:

1. Go to the Participants/Organizations tab.

2. Click the Add New Organization button.

3. Next, fill out the required fields and describe the partner organization that has been involved with the project

4. Click the Save Entry button to add the partner organization to your report.

Figure 59 – Add a new organization

What Are Partner Organizations?

A partner organization is one that is outside your own organization that contributes to your project. Partner organizations could be academic institutions, nonprofits, industrial or commercial firms, state or local governments, schools or school systems, or other organizations.

Activities of partner organizations might be:

• Providing financial or in-kind support

• Supplying facilities or equipment

• Collaborating in the research

• Exchanging personnel

Listing your partner organizations helps us gauge and report our performance in promoting partnerships. NSF’s ambitious goals for the country’s science and technology base cannot be met with NSF resources alone. That is why we strongly encourage working in partnership with other public and private organizations engaged in science, engineering, and education. We also seek partnerships across national boundaries, working with comparable organizations in other countries wherever possible.

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How to write a research proposal?

Department of Anaesthesiology, Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India

Devika Rani Duggappa

Writing the proposal of a research work in the present era is a challenging task due to the constantly evolving trends in the qualitative research design and the need to incorporate medical advances into the methodology. The proposal is a detailed plan or ‘blueprint’ for the intended study, and once it is completed, the research project should flow smoothly. Even today, many of the proposals at post-graduate evaluation committees and application proposals for funding are substandard. A search was conducted with keywords such as research proposal, writing proposal and qualitative using search engines, namely, PubMed and Google Scholar, and an attempt has been made to provide broad guidelines for writing a scientifically appropriate research proposal.

INTRODUCTION

A clean, well-thought-out proposal forms the backbone for the research itself and hence becomes the most important step in the process of conduct of research.[ 1 ] The objective of preparing a research proposal would be to obtain approvals from various committees including ethics committee [details under ‘Research methodology II’ section [ Table 1 ] in this issue of IJA) and to request for grants. However, there are very few universally accepted guidelines for preparation of a good quality research proposal. A search was performed with keywords such as research proposal, funding, qualitative and writing proposals using search engines, namely, PubMed, Google Scholar and Scopus.

Five ‘C’s while writing a literature review

BASIC REQUIREMENTS OF A RESEARCH PROPOSAL

A proposal needs to show how your work fits into what is already known about the topic and what new paradigm will it add to the literature, while specifying the question that the research will answer, establishing its significance, and the implications of the answer.[ 2 ] The proposal must be capable of convincing the evaluation committee about the credibility, achievability, practicality and reproducibility (repeatability) of the research design.[ 3 ] Four categories of audience with different expectations may be present in the evaluation committees, namely academic colleagues, policy-makers, practitioners and lay audiences who evaluate the research proposal. Tips for preparation of a good research proposal include; ‘be practical, be persuasive, make broader links, aim for crystal clarity and plan before you write’. A researcher must be balanced, with a realistic understanding of what can be achieved. Being persuasive implies that researcher must be able to convince other researchers, research funding agencies, educational institutions and supervisors that the research is worth getting approval. The aim of the researcher should be clearly stated in simple language that describes the research in a way that non-specialists can comprehend, without use of jargons. The proposal must not only demonstrate that it is based on an intelligent understanding of the existing literature but also show that the writer has thought about the time needed to conduct each stage of the research.[ 4 , 5 ]

CONTENTS OF A RESEARCH PROPOSAL

The contents or formats of a research proposal vary depending on the requirements of evaluation committee and are generally provided by the evaluation committee or the institution.

In general, a cover page should contain the (i) title of the proposal, (ii) name and affiliation of the researcher (principal investigator) and co-investigators, (iii) institutional affiliation (degree of the investigator and the name of institution where the study will be performed), details of contact such as phone numbers, E-mail id's and lines for signatures of investigators.

The main contents of the proposal may be presented under the following headings: (i) introduction, (ii) review of literature, (iii) aims and objectives, (iv) research design and methods, (v) ethical considerations, (vi) budget, (vii) appendices and (viii) citations.[ 4 ]

Introduction

It is also sometimes termed as ‘need for study’ or ‘abstract’. Introduction is an initial pitch of an idea; it sets the scene and puts the research in context.[ 6 ] The introduction should be designed to create interest in the reader about the topic and proposal. It should convey to the reader, what you want to do, what necessitates the study and your passion for the topic.[ 7 ] Some questions that can be used to assess the significance of the study are: (i) Who has an interest in the domain of inquiry? (ii) What do we already know about the topic? (iii) What has not been answered adequately in previous research and practice? (iv) How will this research add to knowledge, practice and policy in this area? Some of the evaluation committees, expect the last two questions, elaborated under a separate heading of ‘background and significance’.[ 8 ] Introduction should also contain the hypothesis behind the research design. If hypothesis cannot be constructed, the line of inquiry to be used in the research must be indicated.

Review of literature

It refers to all sources of scientific evidence pertaining to the topic in interest. In the present era of digitalisation and easy accessibility, there is an enormous amount of relevant data available, making it a challenge for the researcher to include all of it in his/her review.[ 9 ] It is crucial to structure this section intelligently so that the reader can grasp the argument related to your study in relation to that of other researchers, while still demonstrating to your readers that your work is original and innovative. It is preferable to summarise each article in a paragraph, highlighting the details pertinent to the topic of interest. The progression of review can move from the more general to the more focused studies, or a historical progression can be used to develop the story, without making it exhaustive.[ 1 ] Literature should include supporting data, disagreements and controversies. Five ‘C's may be kept in mind while writing a literature review[ 10 ] [ Table 1 ].

Aims and objectives

The research purpose (or goal or aim) gives a broad indication of what the researcher wishes to achieve in the research. The hypothesis to be tested can be the aim of the study. The objectives related to parameters or tools used to achieve the aim are generally categorised as primary and secondary objectives.

Research design and method

The objective here is to convince the reader that the overall research design and methods of analysis will correctly address the research problem and to impress upon the reader that the methodology/sources chosen are appropriate for the specific topic. It should be unmistakably tied to the specific aims of your study.

In this section, the methods and sources used to conduct the research must be discussed, including specific references to sites, databases, key texts or authors that will be indispensable to the project. There should be specific mention about the methodological approaches to be undertaken to gather information, about the techniques to be used to analyse it and about the tests of external validity to which researcher is committed.[ 10 , 11 ]

The components of this section include the following:[ 4 ]

Population and sample

Population refers to all the elements (individuals, objects or substances) that meet certain criteria for inclusion in a given universe,[ 12 ] and sample refers to subset of population which meets the inclusion criteria for enrolment into the study. The inclusion and exclusion criteria should be clearly defined. The details pertaining to sample size are discussed in the article “Sample size calculation: Basic priniciples” published in this issue of IJA.

Data collection

The researcher is expected to give a detailed account of the methodology adopted for collection of data, which include the time frame required for the research. The methodology should be tested for its validity and ensure that, in pursuit of achieving the results, the participant's life is not jeopardised. The author should anticipate and acknowledge any potential barrier and pitfall in carrying out the research design and explain plans to address them, thereby avoiding lacunae due to incomplete data collection. If the researcher is planning to acquire data through interviews or questionnaires, copy of the questions used for the same should be attached as an annexure with the proposal.

Rigor (soundness of the research)

This addresses the strength of the research with respect to its neutrality, consistency and applicability. Rigor must be reflected throughout the proposal.

It refers to the robustness of a research method against bias. The author should convey the measures taken to avoid bias, viz. blinding and randomisation, in an elaborate way, thus ensuring that the result obtained from the adopted method is purely as chance and not influenced by other confounding variables.

Consistency

Consistency considers whether the findings will be consistent if the inquiry was replicated with the same participants and in a similar context. This can be achieved by adopting standard and universally accepted methods and scales.

Applicability

Applicability refers to the degree to which the findings can be applied to different contexts and groups.[ 13 ]

Data analysis

This section deals with the reduction and reconstruction of data and its analysis including sample size calculation. The researcher is expected to explain the steps adopted for coding and sorting the data obtained. Various tests to be used to analyse the data for its robustness, significance should be clearly stated. Author should also mention the names of statistician and suitable software which will be used in due course of data analysis and their contribution to data analysis and sample calculation.[ 9 ]

Ethical considerations

Medical research introduces special moral and ethical problems that are not usually encountered by other researchers during data collection, and hence, the researcher should take special care in ensuring that ethical standards are met. Ethical considerations refer to the protection of the participants' rights (right to self-determination, right to privacy, right to autonomy and confidentiality, right to fair treatment and right to protection from discomfort and harm), obtaining informed consent and the institutional review process (ethical approval). The researcher needs to provide adequate information on each of these aspects.

Informed consent needs to be obtained from the participants (details discussed in further chapters), as well as the research site and the relevant authorities.

When the researcher prepares a research budget, he/she should predict and cost all aspects of the research and then add an additional allowance for unpredictable disasters, delays and rising costs. All items in the budget should be justified.

Appendices are documents that support the proposal and application. The appendices will be specific for each proposal but documents that are usually required include informed consent form, supporting documents, questionnaires, measurement tools and patient information of the study in layman's language.

As with any scholarly research paper, you must cite the sources you used in composing your proposal. Although the words ‘references and bibliography’ are different, they are used interchangeably. It refers to all references cited in the research proposal.

Successful, qualitative research proposals should communicate the researcher's knowledge of the field and method and convey the emergent nature of the qualitative design. The proposal should follow a discernible logic from the introduction to presentation of the appendices.

Financial support and sponsorship

Conflicts of interest.

There are no conflicts of interest.

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Important Changes to NSF Proposal Submission Requirements

The National Science Foundation has released an updated Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG) , which includes revised requirements for proposals due or submitted on or after May 20, 2024. While all the changes are summarized , the following are the most important for investigators at Ohio State.

Biographical Sketch

• Must be prepared in SciENcv
• Page limit has been removed
• Synergistic Activities section has been moved

Synergistic Activities Document (New)

• Each individual identified as key/senior personnel must include a 1-page document listing up to five distinct activities that demonstrate the individual’s broader impact. The document is uploaded as part of the senior/key personnel documents in research.gov.

Malign Foreign Talent Recruitment Programs

• Each individual identified as key/senior personnel must certify on both their Biographical Sketch and Current and Pending forms that they are not participating in a malign foreign talent recruitment program . Participants in such programs cannot participate as key/senior personnel on NSF proposals and awards. 

Mentoring Plan

• A mentoring plan is required if the proposal includes support for either a graduate student or a postdoctoral researcher. The plan is still limited to one page for the entire proposal, including collaborative and linked collaborative proposals.

Individual Development Plans for Postdoctoral Scholars or Graduate Students (New)

• Each graduate student and/or postdoctoral researcher receiving at least one month of support from the award must have an individual development plan (IDP) that maps their educational goals, career exploration and professional development . 
• The plans are not part of the proposal, nor are they submitted to NSF. However, the PI must certify in each annual and final report that IDPs are in place for the relevant postdocs/grad students.
• OSP is working with the Grad School and Office of Postdoctoral Affairs in developing resources to help PIs meet this requirement.
• Additional information will be provided by late summer, before the first awards subject to the requirement are issued.

Foreign Organization Eligibility

• Clarification of the information required to justify providing funds to a foreign organization by a subaward or to a foreign individual through a consulting agreement

Tribal Nation Approval for Proposals that May Impact Tribal Resources or Interests (New)

• Proposals that may impact the resources of a Tribal Nation must seek and obtain approval from the Tribal Nation prior to award.

New and updated post-award requirements

• If a project that did not include a mentoring plan adds a graduate student or a postdoctoral researcher after an award is made, the required plan must be submitted to the NSF program officer and reported on annually.
• If a project that did not have a safe and inclusive working environment plan subsequently adds an off-campus or off-site component a plan must be developed and maintained according to NSF program guidelines . 

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Submit Proposals by October 3 for the “Smart Health and Biomedical Research” Initiative

NCI is one of the 23 NIH institutes and centers participating with the National Science Foundation (NSF) in an interagency, reissued funding opportunity called the “ Smart Health and Biomedical Research in the Era of Artificial Intelligence and Advanced Data Science .”

The Smart and Connected Health program supports innovative, high-risk/high-reward research with the promise of disruptive transformations in biomedical research. NCI is interested in applications that align with NCI’s mission and scientific priorities. Proposals must make contributions to two or more disciplines (e.g., computer/information sciences, engineering, social, behavioral, biomedical, cognitive, and/or economic sciences) to improve the understanding of biomedical- and health-related processes and address a key health problem.

The deadline for the proposal is October 3, 2024, at 5:00 p.m. (submitter’s local time).

This solicitation aims to address technological and data science -oriented challenges that require fundamental research and development of new tools, workflows, and methods across many dimensions. Such dimensions include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Fairness and trustworthiness
• Transformative analytics in biomedical and behavioral research
• Next generation multimodal and reconfigurable sensing systems
• Cyber-physical systems
• Biomedical image interpretation
• Unpacking health disparities and health equity

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NASA Requests Information on Follow-On Program Assessment Support Contract

NASA has begun seeking information from potential industry sources on a recompete contract to help review missions, investigations, programs and proposals at Langley Research Center.

A notice posted Thursday on SAM.gov states that the fourth iteration of the Evaluations, Assessments, Studies, Services, and Support contract will support NASA’s Science Office for Mission Assessments, which, in turn, supports the NASA Science Mission Directorate in investigating and acquiring Earth and space science instruments.

Tasks include proposal and concept study report evaluations; independent reviews of missions, investigations and programs; and studies of scientific, technical, schedule, cost and other aspects of SMD missions and investigations.

Cornell Technical Services is the incumbent contractor on the $111.8 million EASSS 3 contract awarded in September 2020.

Responses to the request for information are due June 7.

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Unsolicited Submissions

You never know where the next great idea will come from. That’s why USAID welcomes unsolicited contract proposals and assistance applications for consideration. We do review every submission, but can only approve only a small number, so please read this guidance carefully.

Introduction

Unsolicited proposals and applications provide a pathway for organizations to submit unique, innovative, or proprietary approaches for solutions to development and humanitarian challenges. USAID reviews unsolicited proposals and applications to determine whether funding submissions is in the best interest of the Agency and consistent with USAID’s development objectives.

Unsolicited proposals and applications can be received by USAID on a continuous basis for review; however, only in highly exceptional cases are these likely to be approved for funding. Generally, funding for USAID programs is concentrated and focused on clear objectives within program priorities and funding for unsolicited submissions is limited.

USAID encourages those considering submitting unsolicited proposals and applications to first review USAID competitive announcements published on SAM.gov and Grants.gov and review the Agency’s Business Forecast , Funding Feed , and Sub-Opportunities portal to learn more about different funding pathways. The Agency also provides its Country Development Cooperation Strategies (CDCSs) to help potential partners understand the high-level goals that each Mission will work to address during a strategy period.

How to Apply

USAID accepts unsolicited submissions on a rolling basis in the Unsolicited Submissions portal on WorkwithUSAID.gov. Before submitting information to USAID, we encourage you to review the step-by-step guide that is available here as well as our downloadable and fillable checklist of information needed for a submission. When you’re ready to submit an opportunity, log in to your account or sign up for the WorkwithUSAID.gov Partner Directory. Creating an account will allow for quicker processing. If you are already registered, please log in to your WorkwithUSAID.gov account . A list of frequently asked questions about Unsolicited Submissions is also available on WorkwithUSAID.gov.

At this time, USAID is only accepting submissions in English.