The U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) and NordForsk, the science funding body of the Nordic Council of Ministers, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on Research Cooperation on Sustainable Development of the Arctic. The MOU provides an overarching framework to encourage collaboration among U.S., Nordic, and Canadian research communities and sets out the principles by which jointly supported activities might be developed.

NordForsk and NSF are pleased to announce support for interdisciplinary research to bring forward new knowledge on how to ensure sustainable development of the Arctic. When relevant, this opportunity also aims to encourage the engagement of Indigenous perspectives. Full submission guidance is in the Dear Colleague Letter: Nordic-U.S. Research Collaboration on Sustainable Development of the Arctic (NSF 24-070).

Proposers must contact the NSF cognizant Program Director(s) to ensure the proposal aligns with the goals and requirements of the participating NSF program prior to submission of pre-proposals to NordForsk.

• BIO - debquestions@nsf.gov
• GEO - nsfgeo-nordforsk@nsf.gov
• SBE - nsfsbe-nordforsk@nsf.gov
• EDU - nsfedu-nordforsk@nsf.gov

Under the NSF-NordForsk opportunity, projects must be at the intersection of participating NSF units and NordForsk.

Participating NSF Programs:

DIRECTORATE FOR BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES (BIO)

Researchers are encouraged to leverage NSF BIO Investments in the Arctic Region, such as NEON infrastructure, data, or research coordination (https://new.nsf.gov/funding/opportunities/national-ecological-observatory-network).

NSF/BIO/DEB: Division of Environmental Biology

PIs with projects that address foundational evolutionary and ecological processes at the level of populations, species, communities, and ecosystems should reach out via debquestions@nsf.gov to inquire about this funding opportunity.

DIRECTORATE FOR GEOSCIENCES (GEO)

NSF/GEO/AGS: Division of Atmospheric and Geospace Sciences

The level of funding should be consistent with the associated Program(s).

NSF/GEO/OPP: Office of Polar Programs

• Arctic Research Opportunities

Specifically, proposals focused on Arctic Social Sciences, Arctic Natural Science, and Arctic System Science.

Level of support: $200,000 per project, up to a total of four awards. Proposers must contact Arctic Research Support and Logistics prior to pre-proposal submission, and any logistics costs that NSF is expected to cover must fall within the $200K project limit.

DIRECTORATE FOR SOCIAL, BEHAVIORAL AND ECONOMIC SCIENCES (SBE)

To contact NSF's SBE directorate about this funding opportunity, please email nsfsbe-nordforsk@nsf.gov. Level of funding should be consistent with the relevant program.

• NSF/SBE/BCS: Division of Behavioral and Cognitive Sciences
• NSF/SBE/SES: Division of Social and Economic Sciences
• NSF/SBE/SMA: Office of Multidisciplinary Activities

DIRECTORATE FOR STEM EDUCATION (EDU)

The focus, activities, and funding level in a proposal targeting these programs must match the requirements described in the relevant program solicitation.

NSF/EDU/DUE: Division of Undergraduate Education

• Improving Undergraduate STEM Education (IUSE: EDU)
• Innovation in Two-Year College STEM Education (ITYC)

NSF/EDU/DGE: Division of Graduate Education

• National Science Foundation Research Traineeship (NRT)

OFFICE OF DIRECTOR/OFFICE OF INTERNATIONAL SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING (OD/OISE)

OISE helps to coordinate the overall engagement between NSF and NordForsk.

Contact: Keith Chanon, (NSF-NordForsk@nsf.gov or kchanon@nsf.gov)

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