This document has been archived and replaced by NSF-94-2
CHAPTER V
SPECIAL PROGRAMS
A. RESEARCH INSTRUMENTATION/FACILITIES
The Academic Research Infrastructure Program provides support
for both research equipment and facilities. The purpose of the
program is to improve the Nation's research infrastructure through
focused investment in the acquisition or development of major
research instrumentation and revitalization of facilities used
for research and research training. For more information, see
the program announcements/solicitations or contact the Office
of Science and Technology Infrastructure.
(See Appendix A.)
Also, NSF occasionally provides assistance for the acquisition
of specialized facilities. Examples include supercomputers, oceanographic
research vessels, major controlled-environment facilities and
specialized biological and social science facilities.
All NSF programs will consider proposals that include funds for
facility construction, renovation or improvements where required
for the proposed research, in competition with other proposals
received. It is, however, NSF policy that the principal responsibility
for providing facilities for research and education rests with
the proposing organizations. Preliminary inquiry should be made
before preparing a formal proposal. (See
Section VII.D for additional
information on equipment.)
B. CONFERENCES, SYMPOSIA AND WORKSHOPS
NSF supports conferences, symposia and workshops in special areas
of science and engineering that bring experts together to discuss
recent research or education findings or to expose other researchers
or students to new research and education techniques. NSF encourages
the convening in the U.S. of major international conferences and
unions. Conferences will be supported only if equivalent results
cannot be obtained at regular meetings of professional societies.
Although requests for support of conferences, symposia and workshops
ordinarily originate with educational institutions or scientific
societies, they may also come from other groups. Shared support
by several Federal agencies, States or private organizations is
encouraged. Because proceedings of such conferences normally
should be published in professional journals, requests for support
may include publication costs. Requests should generally be made
at least a year in advance of the scheduled date. Conferences
or meetings, including the facilities in which they are held,
funded in whole or in part with NSF funds, must be accessible
to participants with disabilities.
A proposal (which complies with the page and font size instructions
in Section II.C.) for support of a conference, symposium or workshop
must include:
· Summary of one page or less indicating the objectives of the
project. (Project Summary,
NSF Form 1358, may be used
to submit this information.)
· Statement of the need for such a gathering and a list of topics.
· Recent meetings on the same subject, including dates and places.
· Names of the chairperson and members of organizing committees
and their organizational affiliations.
· Information on the location and probable date(s) of the meeting
and the method of announcement or invitation.
· Statement of how the meeting will be organized and conducted,
how the results of the meeting will be disseminated and how the
meeting will contribute to the enhancement and improvement of
scientific, engineering and/or educational activities.
· Estimated total budget for the conference together with an itemized
statement of the amount of support requested from NSF. The budget
may include participant support for transportation (when appropriate),
per diem costs, stipends, publication and other conference-related
costs. Participant support costs must be excluded from the indirect
cost base. (See
Section II.D.7.e.)
· Support requested or available from other Federal agencies and
other sources.
For additional coverage on allowability of costs associated with
meetings and conferences, proposers should consult GPM Section
625.
C. INTERNATIONAL COOPERATIVE ACTIVITIES
In addition to the international projects funded and managed
by the disciplinary directorates, the Division of International
Programs provides support for bilateral and regional cooperative
science and engineering projects to foster and facilitate cooperation
between U.S. investigators and their foreign colleagues in joint
activities of mutual interest and benefit. Grants may be made
for the U.S. portion of the costs of the initial phases of cooperative
research, joint seminars and workshops, planning visits, programs
to enhance the international perspectives of the next generation
of U.S. scientists and engineers, and for fellowships, summer
programs and research participation. Information on proposal
requirements and award selection procedures is contained in the
Program Announcement of the Division of International Programs.
The box for "International Cooperative Activity" should
be checked and the countries identified on the
NSF Form 1207.
(For telephone numbers and program contacts by region, see
Appendix A, under listings for SBE
Directorate.)
D. INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL GRANTS
Proposals for travel support for U.S. participation in international
scientific and engineering meetings held abroad are handled by
the NSF organizational unit with program responsibility for the
area of research interest.
Group travel awards are encouraged as the primary means of support
for international travel. A university, professional society
or other non-profit organization may apply for funds to enable
it to coordinate and support U.S. participation in one or more
international scientific meeting(s) abroad. Group travel grants
may include as compensation for the grantee a flat rate of $50
per traveler for general administrative costs of preparing announcements,
evaluating proposals and handling travel arrangements customarily
associated with this type of project. (See GPM
Section 765.)
Group travel grantees are required to retain supporting documentation
that funds were spent in accordance with the original intent of
the proposal. Such documentation may be required in final reports
and is subject to audit.
E. DOCTORAL DISSERTATION RESEARCH
NSF awards grants in support of doctoral dissertation research
in some disciplines, primarily field research in the environmental,
behavioral and social sciences. Support may be sought through
those disciplinary programs and, in cases involving research abroad,
through the Division of International Programs. Proposals are
submitted by the thesis advisor or concerned faculty member on
behalf of the graduate student. Further information can be obtained
from the cognizant program office.
F. HUMAN RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT
The Foundation supports a range of cross-directorate activities
to increase participation by women, minorities, persons with disabilities
and by faculty from minority institutions and predominantly undergraduate
institutions. Programs which have a strong focus on underrepresented
communities are:
· Minority Graduate Fellowships
· Research in Undergraduate Institutions
· Visiting Professorships for Women
· Research Planning Grants and Career Advancement
Awards for Women Scientists and Engineers
· Research Planning Grants and Career Advancement
Awards for Minority Scientists and Engineers
· Opportunities for Women and Persons with Disabilities
· Research Improvement in Minority Institutions
· Minority Research Centers of Excellence
· Research Assistantships for Minority High School Students
· Alliances for Minority Participation
· Research Careers for Minority Scholars
· Research Opportunity Awards
· Facilitation Awards for Scientists and Engineers with
Disabilities
· Women in Engineering Graduate Fellowships
· Women in Computer and Information Science Graduate
Fellowships
· Faculty Early Career Development
· Career Access
- Summer Science Camps
- Comprehensive Partnerships for Minority Student
Achievement
In some cases, additional information may be required
as part of a proposal. Program announcements/solicitations describing
these activities are available from the Forms and Publications
Unit or general information may be obtained from the NSF Information
Center at (703) 306-1234.
G. FACILITATION AWARDS FOR SCIENTISTS AND ENGINEERS WITH DISABILITIES
Facilitation Awards for Scientists and Engineers with Disabilities
encourage participation in NSF Programs by scientists and
engineers (investigators or other staff, postdoctoral associates,
student research assistants and awardees and honorable mention
recipients for Graduate and Minority Graduate Fellowships) with
disabilities. This effort provides funds for equipment or assistance
specifically required for performance of research on an NSF-supported
project. Requests for support may be included in new proposals
submitted to any NSF program or in requests for supplements to
existing grants, and the box for "Facilitation for Scientists/Engineers
with Disabilities" should be checked on the
NSF Form 1207.
H. RESEARCH OPPORTUNITY AWARDS (ROAs)
A faculty member at an organization with limited research opportunities
may arrange to work with a PI at another organization who holds
or is applying for an NSF research grant. If supplemental funds
are required to cover additional costs, the PI should make preliminary
contact with the cognizant Program Officer. The formal ROA request
letter, endorsed by the organization and addressed to the program
office, should be received at least three months before funds
will be needed. It must include: a description of the arrangements
and the work to be performed by the ROA visitor; a statement of
the contribution of this work to the NSF project and to the visitor's
future research and home organizations; a budget
(NSF Form 1030)
with appropriate explanatory information; a biographical sketch
of the visitor and any additional information as specified by
the Program Officer. The box for "Research Opportunity Award"
should be checked on the
NSF Form 1207. See the
Research in
Undergraduate Institutions program announcement/solicitation
for further details.
I. RESEARCH EXPERIENCES FOR UNDERGRADUATES (REUs)
REUs provide opportunities for talented undergraduate students
to participate in active research in mathematics, science and
engineering. Awards are of two types:
Sites--grants to initiate and support undergraduate research
participation sites. These projects could be carried out during
the summer months, the academic year or both. NSF expects that
an appropriate number of students will be involved, and proposals
involving fewer than four to six students are discouraged.
Supplements--to ongoing NSF research grants provide research
training experiences for one or two additional undergraduates.
Funds will normally be available for up to two students, but
exceptions will be considered for training additional minority
and women students and students with disabilities.
See the program announcement/solicitation for more information.
J. SUPERCOMPUTER FACILITIES SUPPORT AND ACCESS
NSF supports National Supercomputer Centers as user facilities.
Researchers who need supercomputer time should submit their requests
directly to the individual supercomputer centers. Requests are
reviewed by a local allocation committee for each center. The
allocation committees usually meet on a quarterly basis. NSF Supercomputer
Access brochure provides guidance for submitting requests for
supercomputer time.
K. SMALL BUSINESS INNOVATION RESEARCH (SBIR) PROGRAM
The Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program is a highly
competitive three-phase process which provides eligible small
businesses with opportunities to propose innovative ideas that
meet specific Research and Development (R&D) needs of the
Federal Government. Phase I is a six-month effort to determine
the scientific, technical and commercial merit and feasibility
of the proposed concept or idea, and establishes the eligibility
for Phase II. Phase II is a two-year effort that further develops
the proposed concept and dem-onstrates the potential for commercialization.
Phase III is the commercialization phase and is funded by non-SBIR
sources, normally from the private sector. For more detailed
information regarding the SBIR Program, proposers should consult
the NSF SBIR solicitation.
L. SMALL BUSINESS TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER PILOT (STTR) PROGRAM
The Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Program is a pilot
program encouraging technology transfer through jointly conducted
research between small business concerns and non-profit research
organizations. The program follows the same three-phase process
as the SBIR Program. Proposals must be submitted by the small
business and the proposed effort must be responsive to the program
focus described in the annual STTR Program solicitation. Phase
I is a 12-month project which determines the scientific, technical
and commercial merit and feasibility of the proposed concept or
idea and establishes the eligibility for Phase II. Phase II is
a 24-month effort that further develops the proposed concept and
demonstrates the potential for commercialization. Phase III is
to pursue commercialization from the Government funded research
with non-STTR funds, primarily from the private sector. For more
detailed information regarding the STTR Program, proposers should
consult the NSF STTR solicitation.