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Title: Dear Colleague Letter: Promoting Partnerships between Centers 
       for Chemical Innovation and Informal Science Education 
       Organizations, FY 2012 Supplemental Funding Opportunity
Date: 03/08/12

   NSF 12-056

Dear Colleague Letter: Promoting Partnerships between Centers for Chemical
Innovation and Informal Science Education Organizations, FY 2012
Supplemental Funding Opportunity

   The NSF Divisions of Chemistry (CHE) and Research on Learning in
   Formal and Informal Settings (DRL) wish to provide supplemental
   funding opportunities to Phase II Centers for Chemical Innovation
   (CCI) that enable new collaborations with informal science education
   (ISE) organizations.

   Empowering the Nation through Discovery and Innovation, the NSF
   Strategic Plan for FY 2011-2016,^[1]1 articulates the need for public
   literacy in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM):
   "The scientific literacy of society is central to the progress of
   science and is a necessary backdrop for innovation. Given the complex
   and technical challenges that society faces, ranging in scope from
   personal to global, it is vital that resources and opportunities for
   continued access to cutting-edge science are broadly available."

   Teams are invited to develop a project that benefits both the CCI and
   the ISE Organization. Higher risk projects that explore new models of
   collaboration, new approaches or platforms for informal science
   education, and new models of professional development are particularly
   encouraged. Supplements are expected to address at least one of the
   following goals:

     * to promote strong partnerships between CCI researchers and ISE
       professionals that lead to a deeper mutual understanding of each
       other's profession
     * to develop and pilot new collaborative programs that enhance
       public science literacy and public understanding of the research
       being done at the CCIs
     * to provide professional development opportunities to ISE
       professionals and CCI researchers and staff

   Supplemental funding requests of up to $150,000 may be submitted. NSF
   expects to fund up to three supplements, contingent on availability of
   funds and quality of submitted requests. For full consideration, such
   supplemental funding requests must be submitted by May 16, 2012. For
   planning purposes, the estimated start date for these programs should
   be three to four months after submission. The duration of this
   partnership development activity should reflect the scope of work and
   be less than 24 months. Travel costs for three team members'
   attendance at the FY 2014 ISE PI Meeting (January 2014 in Washington
   DC) should be included in the requested budget.
   The supplemental funding request should include plans for an
   evaluation component, particularly front-end and formative evaluations
   that will strengthen their project. In addition to the project
   evaluation, teams (CCI staff or researcher, ISE professional,
   evaluator) will participate in a formative evaluation of this
   partnership program, potentially including focus groups and
   interviews, to take place at the ISE PI meeting in January 2014.

   ^1 Empowering the Nation through Discovery and Innovation, NSF
   Strategic Plan for Fiscal Years (FY) 2011-2016.
   [2]http://www.nsf.gov/news/strategicplan/nsfstrategicplan_2011_2016.pd
   f

References

   1. http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2012/nsf12056/nsf12056.htm#ftn1
   2. http://www.nsf.gov/news/strategicplan/nsfstrategicplan_2011_2016.pdf