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Writing a Successful

NSFProposal

November 4, 2003Website: nsf.gov

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National Science Foundation - Background

• Created in 1950

• Aim to promote and advance progress in science and engineering

• Responsible for overall health of science and engineering across all disciplines, ensuring supply of scientists, engineers, and educators

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NSF Background (continued)

• Responsible for 25% of Federal support to academic institutions for basic research

• Receives 30,000 proposals per year, funds about one-third

• Over 50,000 scientists and engineers used each year on formal committees or ad hoc reviewers producing 170,000 reviews

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Step by Step Guide

• Investigate funding opportunities

• Select the funding area - Directorate, Division, cross-cutting program. Visit web site for program announcements/solicitations and check for special programmatic requirements. Unsolicited proposals can always be submitted but usually will take up to twice as long to reach a decision

• Note target dates and deadlines for program

• Contact the relevant Program Officer with questions

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Tips

• Subscribe to custom news service and create a personal profile to inform you of new opportunities.

• Search Award Abstracts Database for similar projects to see what types of projects were funded.

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Review Process

• Panels of peer reviewers» Each reviewer provides evaluation of merits and

shortcomings, provides an overall rating

» Discussion

» Summary of discussion

• Grants based on merit

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Merit Review Criteria

• What is the intellectual merit of the proposed activity?

» Advance knowledge within field and across fields.

» How well qualified are proposers to conduct project?

» Creative and original concepts.

» Organization of proposed activity.

» Are there sufficient resources?

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Merit Review Criteria (continued)

• Broader Impacts» Advanced discovery/understanding while promoting

teaching, training, and learning.

» Broader participation of underrepresented groups

» Enhance infrastructure for research and education

» Broad dissemination

» Benefits to society

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What Makes a Good Proposal

• Best proposals are those to which reviewers respond -”Of course, I wish I had thought of that.”

• Proposal should answer» Objectives and scientific significance of the proposed

work

» Suitability of the methods to be employed

» Qualifications of the investigator

» Effect of the activity on the infrastructure of science

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Other Elements to Address

• Integration of Research and Education.

• Integrating Diversity into NSF programs

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Advice to Proposal Writers

Step 1 - Before you write

• Getting started» Generate a clear idea of the goals and objectives of the

project.

» Why will it be a significant improvement over current practice

» Relationship of proposed project to work of others

• Look at Program Announcement» Additional review criteria, format, deadlines

• Building Coalitions» Intra-university, inter-university, industry

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Advice to Proposal Writers - continued

Step 2

• Writing the Proposal Narrative» Be explicit on how it will make an improvement

» Include details of experiments

» Be specific about proposed activities

» How does the work fit in with prior results

Step 3

• Before Sending Proposal to NSF» Learn about the review process - volunteer for panels

» Ask advice of others with experience