Have the NSF merit review criteria changed?

No, NSF continues to apply the statutorily required Intellectual Merit and Broader Impacts review criteria, as well as any solicitation-specific review criteria.

Even though my panel was postponed, I had to pay for a non-refundable hotel stay. Can I get reimbursed for that expense?

There are many factors to consider when determining eligibility of reimbursement for postponed panels. Please contact the office running the panel to inquire about which option may be available to you. These situations are determined on a case-by-case basis.

My proposal received a favorable determination last calendar year. When can I expect a decision about its eligibility for award?

Questions about proposals that have been recommended but not yet awarded should be directed to the assigned program officer listed on the proposal status screen in Research.gov.

Will funding opportunities that have been recently archived become available again? If so, when?

The community will be notified through normal channels as funding opportunities are made available.

Are SBIR project pitches still being reviewed by NSF?

Yes, there has been no change in the review process.

How will the executive orders affect due dates for proposal submission?

Due dates are subject to change. NSF will publish revised funding opportunities as necessary.

When will proposal submission dates be updated?

NSF will update relevant funding opportunities (and corresponding proposal submission dates) as soon as feasible.

Is NSF planning any changes to the PAPPG in response to the Executive Orders?

NSF is reviewing the PAPPG for any changes that may be necessary in response to the Executive Orders.

Are we still allowed to submit proposals on Research.gov?

Yes. Proposals may be submitted on Research.gov.

I submitted a proposal recently. When can I expect it to be reviewed?

Proposal processing and review activities have resumed and are ongoing.

Are there any modifications to the review process as a result of the executive orders?

As per the agency's normal practice, program directors manage the review process. Panelists are expected to focus their discussions on evaluating the merit of the proposals under consideration. The review criteria remain consistent. Guidance on reviews and panel summaries has not changed. Program directors do not comment on activities outside of the purview of the panel. The reviews and panel summaries are advisory to NSF. As has always been the practice at NSF, we will consider this advisory material in conjunction with agency-wide guidance and applicable federal standards when making funding decisions.

Will the NSF GRFP continue to award fellowships in 2025? If so, when can applicants expect to hear the results?

All public information on the GRFP announcement is available at nsfgrfp.org. You may also send GRFP applicant questions to info@nsfgrfp.org.

When will postdoctoral fellowship applications re-open? Will fellowships archived before the due date be reopened?

NSF will update relevant funding opportunities (and corresponding proposal submission dates) as soon as feasible.

Is NSF proceeding with ad-hoc reviews?

Yes. Ad-hoc proposal reviews are taking place.

Will those who have pending NSF CAREER proposals be notified of their status?

CAREER proposal reviews and awards (subject to availability of funds) are ongoing. Please contact your cognizant program officer if you need information on your pending proposal. Please contact the points of contact listed on the CAREER Contacts page if you have questions about the CAREER program or future submissions.

Will Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) proposals need to be revised based on the Executive Orders?

Although the MRI solicitation (NSF 23-519) may be revised in the future, submitted proposals are currently being reviewed under the NSF merit review criteria and any applicable criteria specific to the current solicitation. Reviews are advisory to NSF.

In light of the recent Executive Order on improving cost efficiencies, will NSF continue to host on-site panels and site visits?

No. Panels and site visits will be virtual until further notice.

What is the likelihood of changes to the scheduled future year increments of my award?

All awards are subject to availability of funding for each fiscal year.

How long will it take NSF to review drawdown requests that have already been submitted?

All payments submitted prior to the ACM$ shutdown should have been disbursed. NSF anticipates normal processing times moving forward, with payments disbursed within 2-3 business days of the request date. If you are missing an expected disbursement past this timeframe, please contact your assigned NSF grant accountant.

Are NSF workshops or NSF Principal Investigator Meetings still being held?

NSF will continue to provide updates as available on a case-by-case basis.

When was the Award Cash Management Service (ACM$) restored to allow disbursements on active awards?

Access to ACM$ was restored to accept payment requests at 12:00 PM ET on February 2, 2025, and has been available ever since.

Recent District court orders have directed grant-making agencies, including the U.S. National Science Foundation, to temporarily stop efforts to “pause, freeze, impede, block, cancel, or terminate... awards and obligations" in the context of the recent Executive Orders. What is NSF doing to comply with these orders?

NSF restored access to the ACM$ system as of 12:00 PM ET on February 2, 2025, and is otherwise complying with the various court orders.

I cannot access the ACM$ system. Why not?

If you cannot immediately access the ACM$ system, please try again. For technical assistance please contact your respective NSF Division of Financial Management representative available at nsf.gov/bfa/dfm/pab. ACM$ frequently asked questions are available at www.nsf.gov/bfa/dfm/docs/DFM_PABGrantFAQ.pdf.

Will Fellows (GRFP, etc.) receive their stipends?

GRFP Fellows receive their stipends from their institutions. GRFP Fellows should contact the GRFP Coordinating Official at their institution regarding the disbursement of their stipend.

For all other Fellows:

1. If you normally receive your stipend through your institution, please contact your institutional payment office.
2. If you normally receive your stipend through ACM$, please log in and verify that your payment request has been accepted. You may need to resubmit your request.

Will we be required to change the types of content we submit in project reports (e.g., annual or final reports)?

NSF will provide updated guidance as needed.

How do the court orders impact the award reviews NSF was conducting?

The court orders do not impact the ongoing review of NSF's award portfolio to identify active grants in the context of recent Executive Orders. NSF will continue the comprehensive review of its award portfolio.

Can NSF terminate my award even if they are still reviewing all awards?

NSF cannot take action to delay or stop payment for active awards based solely on actual or potential non-compliance with the Executive Orders. However, the court orders do not affect the agency's ability to take action for reasons not related to compliance with the Executive Orders, such as violations of law, regulation, or current NSF grant terms and conditions.

Can awardees resume with activities and spending relative to the non-compliant activities mentioned in the rescinded Memorandum M-25-13?

Consistent with the district court orders, NSF awardees may continue activities consistent with the current terms and conditions of their NSF awards at this time.

Are no-cost extensions being processed as usual?

Yes, no-cost extensions may still be processed.

Will I be notified if NSF changes my award as a result of any Executive Orders?

NSF will communicate about any changes to awards through normal channels.

What award-related travel, such as research conferences, fieldwork and outreach, is permitted under the Executive Orders?

Activities are permitted to proceed in accordance with the terms and conditions of existing awards.

How do the Executive Orders affect accessibility for in-person event planning, such as providing sign language interpreters and wheelchair access?

Nothing has changed regarding the allowability of making in-person meetings accessible.

Are we allowed to publish outcomes from our current work (i.e., accomplished before the EOs came out), no matter what the topic area? And if so, do we acknowledge NSF funding in our publication?

Yes. There are no restrictions on the publication of your research results. In addition, NSF has not modified its terms and conditions, which require acknowledgement of NSF support.

If my program officer is no longer with NSF, with whom should I work moving forward?

Awards (and proposals) will be reassigned to a different program officer. Institutions and researchers can view program officer information for both proposals and awards in the Proposal Status screen in Research.gov.

Is there a list of keywords I should avoid in my proposal to make it compliant with the executive orders?

NSF does not recommend using a keyword-based approach. Instead, focus on the substance of your proposal.

Should we start including a written justification for each payment request per the recent executive order on improving cost efficiencies?

Please do not change your payment submission process unless we provide guidance to all ACM$ users through our normal channels.

Can I revise a proposal that has already been submitted to the agency?

Changes in the content of a proposal may be submitted (a) prior to the deadline date; (b) prior to initiation of external peer review when a target date or no-deadline submission mechanism is utilized; and (c) prior to initiation of external peer review in the case of an unsolicited proposal. If you need to fix a technical issue with your proposal after the deadline, you must get approval from the cognizant NSF program officer. If there are major changes (like new research findings, changes in circumstances or if key personnel become unavailable) that could impact your pending proposal review, you should reach out to your program officer to discuss it. Check Chapter III.C and III.D of the PAPPG for more details.

Are REU Sites continuing? How do the Executive Orders affect Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) programs?

NSF continues to fund REU Sites and REU Supplements, and these activities continue to operate as described in the REU solicitation. Like most NSF scholarship, fellowship and traineeship opportunities, admission to REU Sites is highly competitive, with many students applying for a limited number of slots. For the FY 2025 competition cycle (i.e., proposals submitted for the annual deadline in August 2024), the agency is making some awards but is still making decisions about other proposals as NSF's budget for FY 2025 is finalized. NSF realizes that delayed decisions and notifications may impact sites that were hoping to run during the summer of 2025.

How do the executive orders affect the NSF Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) or submitters from EPSCoR jurisdictions?

NSF EPSCoR continues to operate as described in the program's funding announcements. At this time, awardees should continue activities consistent with the current terms and conditions of their NSF EPSCoR award(s). NSF continues its overall commitment to increase investments in EPSCoR jurisdictions. Submissions from EPSCoR jurisdictions to NSF EPSCoR and other NSF funding opportunities are encouraged.

Are project reports for currently awarded projects still being reviewed, and is NSF issuing funding increments for continuing grants?

Project reports are being reviewed, and NSF is issuing funding increments.

Am I allowed to hire postdocs and research assistants on my current award? Can I still train students?

Activities are permitted to proceed in accordance with the approved budget and terms and conditions of your award. If you have other questions about your award, please contact the cognizant grants officer listed in the award notice.

What is the status of NSF's advisory committees?

Consistent with the President's February 19, 2025, executive order, Commencing the Reduction of the Federal Bureaucracy, the following federal advisory committees are disestablished as of April 15, 2025:

• Advisory Committee for Biological Sciences
• Advisory Committee for Business and Operations
• Advisory Committee for Computer and Information Science and Engineering
• Advisory Committee for Cyberinfrastructure
• Advisory Committee for Engineering
• Advisory Committee for Environmental Research and Education
• Advisory Committee for Geosciences
• Advisory Committee for Integrative Activities
• Advisory Committee for International Science and Engineering
• Advisory Committee for Mathematical and Physical Sciences
• Advisory Committee for Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences
• Advisory Committee for STEM Education

The following advisory committees are required in statute and will therefore continue to meet and provide advice to the NSF under the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA):

• Alan T. Waterman Award Committee
• President's Committee on the National Medal of Science
• Advisory Committee for Astronomy and Astrophysics
• Advisory Committee for Technology, Innovation and Partnerships
• Committee for Equal Opportunity in Science and Engineering (CEOSE)

I submitted a preliminary proposal to the NSF Science and Technology Centers: Integrative Partnerships (STC) solicitation (NSF 24-594). When will I hear back about whether we are invited to submit a full STC proposal? Has the due date for invited full proposals changed?

The NSF STC program has finished sending out invitations to those who are invited to submit a full proposal. Program staff are continuing to process the paperwork for the preliminary proposals that are not being invited to submit full proposals, and NSF is sending out those decisions and the proposal reviews as expeditiously as possible. The due date for submission of invited full STC proposals (June 2, 2025) has not changed.