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NSF 23-152

Dear Colleague Letter: Growing Post-Award Research Support and Service Infrastructure for Nationally Transformative Equity and Diversity

The GRANTED initiative encourages proposals focused on growing capacity and access to post-award regulatory, financial, and administrative research support to alleviate institutional/organizational and/or investigator burden and broaden participation in sponsored research, innovation, and training activities.

September 20, 2023

Dear Colleagues:

As the financial, regulatory, and administrative requirements of sponsored projects management become more complex, institutions will need ample post-award research administration capacity to be effective in supporting investigators engaged in externally sponsored research, innovation, and training activities. Increasing capacity and access to post-award research support and service infrastructure is critical to lessen administrative burden and maximize participation in research activities. Through the NSF GRANTED program description funding opportunity (PD 23-221Y), NSF invites proposals for innovative approaches and ambitious projects that address the gaps, challenges, and opportunities for growth in post-award regulatory, financial, and administrative research support. GRANTED-aligned project ideas may include but are not limited to the following:

  • Innovation in post-award service provision including the organization of post-award support and service structures, functions, and governance;
  • Development of pathways into the post-award administration workforce, including curriculum development, certification, and other means to attract talent into this essential part of the research enterprise;
  • Development and testing of new roles/positions that span the boundary between pre-and post-award activities or that support post-award and project management activities;
  • Development of programs/resources that increase efficiency and reduce the burden of post-award research administration management activities;
  • Research on the post-award sector of the research enterprise.

In issuing this DCL, the GRANTED initiative encourages proposals focused on post-award research administration and management. The GRANTED program description funding opportunity, however, remains open to all ideas that are GRANTED aligned. Post-award administration and management projects should be aligned with one or more of the three primary themes of GRANTED. Proposals that focus on enhancing access to post-award research support infrastructure at emerging research and minority-serving institutions and/or that include partnerships with national and regional professional societies are strongly encouraged.

PROPOSAL PREPARATION AND SUBMISSION

All types of proposals are encouraged within this DCL. Ideas may take the form of research, implementation (e.g. model development and testing), and evaluation studies as well as conferences and workshops and planning projects. Concept outlines in support of planning proposals may be submitted to GRANTED@nsf.gov. Proposers interested in submitting a GRANTED-aligned Research Coordination Network proposal should see NSF 23-529.

Regardless of the type, proposals must be prepared and submitted in accordance with the guidance in the NSF Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG). Proposals may be submitted through Research.gov or Grants.gov.

Proposers are encouraged to submit proposals focused on growing access to post-award research support and service infrastructure to NSF by January 9, 2024. Subsequent target dates will be listed on the GRANTED website: https://new.nsf.gov/funding/initiatives/broadening-participation/granted. To ensure a geographically broad portfolio, institutions and organizations located in EPSCoR jurisdictions are particularly encouraged to apply.

Inquiries about this DCL and questions about the submission of proposals should be directed to GRANTED@nsf.gov. Additional information about the GRANTED initiative can be found at new.nsf.gov/granted.

Sincerely,

Alicia J. Knoedler, Ph.D.
Head, Office of Integrative Activities (OIA)