National Science Foundation - Where Discoveries Begin

• Eligible IHEs can submit one proposal to IT-Preliminary, Adaptation, OR Catalyst.  IHEs can also be a partner on one or more Partnership proposals.
• Eligible Non-profit, non-academic organizations can submit one proposal to the Adaptation competition and be a partner on one or more Partnership proposals.
• IHEs and non-profit, non-academic organizations may be partners on multiple ADVANCE Partnership proposals in the same competition but can be the lead organization only on one Partnership proposal in the same competition. 

Only one Thematic Collections Networks (TCN) proposal may be submitted by any one organization as the lead organization. Organizations may be involved in more than one collaborative effort as a non-lead proposal.

Only one preliminary CREST Center proposal may be submitted per eligible institution. Full CREST Center proposals are to be submitted only when invited by NSF.  An institution may have only one active CREST Center award, irrespective of focus area. Centers that have completed two prior, consecutive 5-year CREST Center awards may recompete in disciplinary areas that are significantly different from those of the previous award(s).

Only three (3) individuals per active CREST Center may submit a CREST-PRF application per competition.  Only one individual can be awarded a CREST-PRF at an active CREST Center per year.

Only one HBCU-RISE proposal may be submitted per eligible institution. An institution may have only one active HBCU-RISE award.

For each active SBIR/STTR Phase II grant, only one SBIR/STTR collaboration with a CREST Center may be submitted.  For each CREST center, only one SBIR/STTR collaboration can be active at any given time.

An organization may only submit 1 proposal as the lead. There is no limit on the number of proposals on which an organization can be included as a subawardee.

Only three RII Track-4 proposals may be submitted in response to this solicitation by any single organization in a RII-eligible jurisdiction.  If more than three proposals are received from any single institution for the RII Track-4 competition, all proposals from that institution are subject to Return Without Review.

Only one proposal may be submitted by an eligible organization, as defined above, in which a member of their organization serves as the PI. Potential PIs are advised to contact their organizational office of research regarding processes used to select proposals for submission. Organizations submitting more than one proposal will be notified and given one week from notification to select one proposal for consideration. If one is not selected in that period, all of those proposals will be returned without review. There is no limit on the number of proposals under which an organization may be included as a non-lead collaborator or subawardee.

HBCU-UP Proposals:

• There is no limit on the number of Excellence in Research proposals that may be submitted by an eligible institution.
• An eligible institution can submit only one Implementation Project or ACE Implementation Project proposal per year. An institution may have only one active Implementation Project or ACE Implementation Project award. However, a new proposal can be submitted by an institution with an active project if that project is due to expire before new awards will be made. Also, an institution can be awarded, at most, three Implementation Projects and one ACE Implementation Project over time.
• An eligible institution can submit only one Broadening Participation Research Center proposal and can have only one active center. The lead institution of the center proposal must have been awarded three rounds of an Implementation or ACE Implementation Project and must demonstrate the capacity to conduct broadening participation research.
• An eligible institution can submit no more than two Broadening Participation Research proposals per year.
• An eligible institution can submit no more than two Targeted Infusion Project proposals per year and can only have one active Targeted Infusion Project for any given department or unit.
• An eligible institution can submit no more than two Research Initiation Award proposals per year.

• For Track 1 (Building Capacity), an institution can submit only one proposal.
• For Track 2 (HSIs New to NSF), there are no restrictions or limits.

An organization may serve as sole submitting organization or as lead organization of a collaborative project on only one submission per competition, regardless of track, but may serve as the non-lead organization of a collaborative project more than once per competition. Additional eligibility requirements are described later in the solicitation.

Potential PIs are advised to contact their institutional office of research regarding processes used to select proposals for submission.

Alliances: Only one proposal may be submitted by an eligible (lead) institution. Alliances may hold only one active alliance award at a time.  Institutions partnering in an alliance may not be a formal partner in more than one alliance at the same time.  This eligibility applies to proposals for STEM Pathways Implementation-Only Alliances, Bridge to the Baccalaureate Alliances and Louis Stokes STEM Pathways and Research Alliances.

Bridge to the Doctorate (BD) Activity:  One proposal for BD support may be submitted annually by an eligible alliance institution.  Beginning in FY2018, an institution may have only one active BD award.  New proposals for additional cohorts may be submitted in the competition closest to the active BD award's expiration date.

Louis Stokes Regional Centers of Excellence in Broadening Participation (LSRCE):  One proposal may be submitted by eligible lead institutions/organizations annually.  Organizations may have only one active center award.  All active alliances are eligible to submit LSRCE proposals as lead organizations.

Pre-Alliance Planning: Only one proposal may be submitted by an eligible institution.

Three (3) as described below. Potential PIs are advised to contact their institutional office of research regarding processes used to select proposals for submission.

The MRI program requires that an MRI-eligible organization may, as a performing organization, submit or be included as a significantly funded[3] subawardee in no more than three MRI proposals. Beginning with this competition, each performing organization is now limited to a maximum of three proposals in revised “Tracks” as defined below, with no more than two submissions in Track 1 and no more than one submission in Track 2. Any MRI proposal may request support for either the acquisition or development of a research instrument. Within their submission limit, NSF strongly encourages organizations to submit proposals for innovative development projects.

Any MRI proposal may request support for either the acquisition or development of a research instrument.

• Track 1: Track 1 MRI proposals are those that request funds from NSF greater than or equal to $100,000¹ and less than $1,000,000.
• Track 2: Track 2 MRI proposals are those that request funds from NSF greater than or equal to $1,000,000 up to and including $4,000,000.

Note: The 30% cost-sharing requirement applies to only the portion of the total project cost budgeted to non-exempt organizations, including those participating through subawards. When required, cost-sharing must be precisely 30%. Cost sharing is required for Ph.D.-granting institutions of higher education and for non-degree-granting organizations. Non-Ph.D.-granting institutions of higher education are exempt from cost-sharing and cannot provide it. National Science Board policy is that voluntary committed cost sharing is prohibited. See section V.B. for specific information on cost-sharing calculations and the solicitation text for definitions of organizational types used for the MRI program.

A single organization may submit a maximum of three preliminary proposals as the lead institution.  Full proposals are to be submitted only when invited by NSF, and no more than two invitations will be issued to a single organization. There is no limit to participation as a partner institution.

Only individuals may submit proposals. There is no limit on the number of fellows that an institution may host.

Organizations may only be a participant (Principal, Partner or Affiliate) in one proposal per deadline.

An Institution may submit one proposal (either as a single institution or as subawardee or a member of a Collaborative Research project) from each constituent school or college that awards degrees in an S-STEM eligible discipline. See Additional Eligibility Information below for more details (see IV. Eligibility Information).

None Specified

There is no limit on the number of PFI-TT proposals an organization may submit to a deadline of this solicitation. However, an organization may not submit more than one (1) new or resubmitted PFI-RP proposal to a deadline of this solicitation. This eligibility constraint will be strictly enforced. If an organization exceeds this limit, the first PFI-RP proposal received will be accepted, and the remainder will be returned without review. An organization may not receive more than two (2) awards from a submission deadline of this solicitation.

There are no restrictions or limits on the number of proposals per organization except for the following: NSF Centers or National Facilities managed by NSF's Division of Materials Research (DMR) that have an active REU Site may not request additional support for a new Site or an expansion of their existing Site. (For questions, e-mail reu.dmr@nsf.gov.)

An organization may submit no more than ONE invited SBIR Phase I proposal per full proposal submission window. Submission of an invited SBIR Phase I full proposal to a given submission window precludes the same organization from submitting a proposal to the concurrent STTR Phase I solicitation. This eligibility constraint will be strictly enforced. In the event that an organization exceeds this limit, the first proposal received will be accepted, and the remainder will be returned without review.

An organization may submit no more than ONE invited STTR Phase I proposal per full proposal submission window. Submission of an invited STTR Phase I full proposal to a given submission window precludes the same organization from submitting a proposal to the concurrent SBIR Phase I solicitation. This eligibility constraint will be strictly enforced. In the event that an organization exceeds this limit, the first proposal received will be accepted and the remainder will be returned without review.

Eligible institutions may receive consecutive, but not concurrent, Instructional Capacity Excellence in TCUP Institutions awards. Eligible institutions may participate in only one SEA-PHAGES in TCUs awards concurrently. Eligible institutions may participate in only one Partnerships for Geoscience Education award concurrently, but participation is not prevented by the institution having other TCUP awards. Eligible institutions may submit only one TEA Center proposal per year. There is no limit on the number of Targeted STEM Infusion Projects or Small Grants for Research projects per TCUP-eligible institution. Institutions may receive only one Preparing for TCUP Implementation award.