Funding Wizard

The Archaeology Program supports anthropologically relevant archaeological research. This means that the value of the proposed research can be justified within an anthropological context. The program sets no priorities by either geographic region or time period. It also has no priorities in regard to theoretical orientation or question and it is the responsibility of the investigator to explain convincingly why the focus of their research is significant and has the potential to contribute to anthropological knowledge. While the program, in order to encourage innovative research, neither limits nor defines specific categories of research, most applications either request funds for field research or the analysis of archaeological material through multiple approaches. The program also supports methodological projects which develop analytic techniques of potential archaeological value.

The Archaeology Program supports anthropologically relevant archaeological research to increase understanding of past behaviors. This means that the value of the proposed research can be justified within an anthropological context. It is the responsibility of the investigator to explain convincingly why the focus of their research is significant and has the potential to contribute to anthropological knowledge. The program sets no priorities by either geographic region or time period. It also has no priorities in regard to theoretical orientation or question. While the program, in order to encourage innovative research, neither limits nor defines specific categories of research, most proposals either request funds for field research or the analysis of archaeological material through multiple approaches.

The National Science Foundation (NSF) invites investigators at U.S. organizations to submit proposals to the Arctic Sciences Section in the Office of Polar Programs (OPP) within the Geosciences Directorate, to conduct research about the Arctic region. The goal of this solicitation is to attract research proposals that advance a fundamental, process, and/or systems-level understanding of the Arctic's rapidly changing natural environment, social and cultural systems, and, where appropriate, to improve our capacity to project future change. The Arctic Sciences Section supports research focused on the Arctic region and its connectivity with lower latitudes. The scientific scope is aligned with, but not limited to, research priorities outlined in theInteragency Arctic Research Policy Committee (IARPC)five-year plan. The Arctic Sciences Section coordinates with programs across NSF and with other federal and international partners to co-review and co-fund Arctic-related proposals as appropriate. The Arctic Sciences Section also maintains Arctic logistical infrastructure and field support capabilities that are available to enable research.

The National Science Foundation (NSF) hereby solicits proposals for the establishment of the Arecibo Center for STEM Education and Research (ACSER) at the original site of the Arecibo Observatory (AO). NSF seeks to evaluate proposals that would transition the existing AO site to the new ACSER, shifting the disciplinary focus from primarily on the astronomical sciences to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education and research more broadly [1]. ACSER would serve as a hub for STEM discovery and exploration by building upon existing programs and opportunities currently in place at the AO site, while also creating and implementing new STEM education, research, and outreach programs and initiatives. The goals of ACSER would be to: promote STEM education, learning, and teaching, support fundamental and applied STEM and STEM education research, broaden participation in STEM, and build and leverage existing and new collaborations and partnerships. The reimagined Center would have a significant role in modeling and advancing equitable and inclusive STEM education and research, especially in Puerto Rico and for individuals and communities underrepresented in STEM. ACSER would be poised to serve as a catalyst for increased and inclusive engagement in a broad range of STEM disciplines, cutting-edge research, and workforce development initiatives by students, teachers, researchers, local communities, and the public within and outside of Puerto Rico. NSF recognizes the scientific, educational, historic, cultural, and economic significance of the AO site to Puerto Rico and the global scientific community. Listed on the US National Register of Historic Places, the AO site is identified as a historic district worthy of preservation and includes a Learning Center, a Visitor’s Center and Shop, an auditorium, exhibition space, cafeteria, office space, and dormitories. This solicitation calls for proposals to manage the education, research, and outreach aspects of ACSER. A third-party contractor would be responsible for overall site maintenance. [1]Prior to reaching a final decision in response to this solicitation, NSF will need to complete any required environmental reviews.

The Astronomy and Astrophysics Research Grants (AAG) Program is an inclusive and flexible funding opportunity to support research in the astronomical sciences. The Program provides individual investigator and collaborative research grants for observational, theoretical, laboratory, and archival data studies in astronomy and astrophysics. The Program also considers proposals for projects and tools that enable or enhance astronomical research. Proposals may span multiple disciplines and/or areas of study and may utilize multiple techniques.

The Division of Atmospheric and Geospace Sciences (AGS), awards Postdoctoral Research Fellowships (PRF) to highly qualified early career investigators to carry out an independent research program. The research plan of each Fellowship must address scientific questions within the scope of AGS disciplines. These disciplines include Atmospheric Chemistry (ATC), Climate and Large-Scale Dynamics (CLD), Paleoclimate (PC), and Physical and Dynamic Meteorology (PDM) in the Atmospheric Sciences, and Aeronomy (AER), Magnetospheric Physics (MAG), Solar Terrestrial (ST), and Space Weather Research (SWR) in the Geospace Sciences. The AGS-PRF program supports researchers (also known as Fellows) for a period of up to 24 months with Fellowships that can be taken to the institution of their choice. The program is intended to recognize beginning investigators of significant potential and provide them with experiences in research that will broaden perspectives, facilitate interdisciplinary interactions, and help establish them in leadership positions within the Atmospheric and Geospace Sciences community. Fellowships are awards to individual Fellows, not institutions, and are administered by the Fellows. AGS has made it a priority to address challenges in creating an inclusive geoscience discipline through activities that increase belonging, accessibility, justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion (BAJEDI). Proposers are encouraged to explicitly address this priority in their proposed activities. Proposers who are women, veterans, persons with disabilities, and underrepresented minorities in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), or who have attended two-year colleges and minority-serving institutions for undergraduate or graduate school, or plan to conduct their Fellowship activities at one of these institutions (e.g. Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Tribal Colleges and Universities, Hispanic Serving Institutions, Alaska Native Serving Institutions, and Hawaiian Native and Pacific Islander Serving Institutions) are especially encouraged to apply.

The Program supports research on the sources, sinks, transport, and transformation of gases and aerosols in the atmosphere through models, observations, and experiments, including homogeneous and heterogeneous chemical reactions, emissions, deposition, atmospheric oxidation and photochemistry, aqueous-phase chemistry and aerosol processes; the formation of new particles and secondary organic aerosols, the modeling of atmospheric chemical processes, the study of chemical mechanisms in the atmosphere, optical properties of gases and aerosols, and improved methods for measuring the concentrations of trace species and their fluxes into and out of the atmosphere.The Program encourages principal investigators from a wide variety of institutions and backgrounds to submit proposals.

The biodiversity found in nature is essential for healthy ecosystems and human well-being. However, the disruption and decline of Earth’s biodiversity is currently occurring at an unprecedented rate. The resulting shifts in biodiversity dynamics-- including changes in the scope and structure of biodiversity-- are increasingly significant but not well-understood. Shifting biodiversity dynamics in turn influence functional biodiversity, which includes the roles of traits, organisms, species, communities, and ecosystem processes in natural systems. Changes in biodiversity dynamics and functional biodiversity are essential factors for future planetary resilience under environmental change, including climate change. The connection between functional biodiversity and biodiversity dynamics on a changing planet is the main focus of the Biodiversity on a Changing Planet (BoCP) program. The program encourages proposals that integrate pattern- and process-based research approaches in the context of the constant gain, loss, and reorganization of biodiversity on a changing planet. To advance a comprehensive understanding of functional biodiversity requires a highly integrative approach - including consideration of spatial and temporal dimensions from the organismal to the ecosystem level and from recent to deep timescales. The program therefore places a strong emphasis on multidisciplinary research among climatic, geological, paleontological, ecological, organismal, phylogenetic and evolutionary sciences. The BoCP program is a cross directorate and international program led by NSF that invites submission of interdisciplinary proposals addressing grand challenges in biodiversity science within the context of unprecedented environmental change, including climate change. Successful BoCP proposals will test novel hypotheses about functional biodiversity and its connections to shifting biodiversity dynamics on a changing planet, with an emphasis on integrative research into the complex intersections among climatic, geological, paleontological, and biological processes. Integrative research is likely to combine multiple perspectives--including organismal, species, ecological, evolutionary, phylogenetic, geological, and/or paleontological approaches-- at various scales. Proposals that seek to improve predictive capability about functional biodiversity across temporal and spatial scales by considering the linkages between past, present, and future biological, climatic, and geological processes are also encouraged. While this focus complements several core programs at NSF, it differs by requiring an integrative approach to understanding functional biodiversity as it relates to shifting biodiversity dynamics under changing environmental conditions. The program supports both US-only collaborative proposals and proposals with international partnerships with the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC), the São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP) of Brazil, and the National Research Foundation (NRF) of South Africa. International collaborative proposals are to be submitted jointly, with the US PIs submitting to NSF and the collaborating Chinese, Brazilian, or South African PIs submitting to their appropriate national funding agencies. These agreements do not preclude other international collaborations (see below for additional details).

The Biodiversity on a Changing Planet program is a cross directorate and international program led by NSF that invites submission of interdisciplinary proposals addressing grand challenges in biodiversity science within the context of unprecedented environmental change. Environmental change takes many forms, including climate change. Biodiversity is one of the most complex features of our planet and is critical for the survival of our species. Current rates of rapid and permanent species loss require new knowledge about how the functional diversity of organisms interacts with, and responds to, environmental change. The program supports a comprehensive and integrative approach to understanding planetary biodiversity from a functional perspective, and it encourages the use of new technology and team science approaches. Research supported by this program will improve modeling and forecasting of the consequences of functional change in biodiversity in response to environmental change. Successful BoCP proposals will test hypotheses about functional biodiversity on a changing planet by integrating cellular, organismal, ecological, evolutionary, geological, and/or paleontological perspectives. While this focus complements several core programs at NSF, it differs by requiring an integrative approach to address the functional role of biodiversity in response to changing environmental conditions. The program supports both US-only collaborative proposals and proposals with international partnerships with the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC), the São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP) of Brazil, and the National Research Foundation (NRF) of South Africa. International collaborative proposals are to be submitted jointly, with the US PIs submitting to NSF and the collaborating Chinese, Brazilian, or South African PIs submitting to their appropriate national funding agencies. These agreements do not preclude other international collaborations (see below for additional details). There are two proposal tracks covered by this solicitation: Design and Implementation. It is strongly recommended that prospective PIs contact the BoCP Program Officer(s) to ascertain that the focus and budget of their proposed activities are appropriate for this solicitation.

The Biological Anthropology Program seeks to advance scientific knowledge about the processes that have shaped biological diversity in living and fossil humans and their primate relatives through support of basic research on human and primate evolution, biological variation, and interactions between biology, behavior and culture. The program supports a portfolio of research that demonstrates engagement with biological anthropological and evolutionary theory; includes diverse and interdisciplinary methods in field, laboratory and computational settings; encompasses multiple levels of analysis (e.g., molecular, organismal, population, ecosystem) and time scales from the short-term to evolutionary; and considers the ethical implications and societal impacts of the research. The program also supports a wide range of broader impact activities as part of research grants, including research outcomes with inherent benefit to society, efforts to broaden participation in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) training, research and outreach activities and other evidence-based activities developed within the context of the mission, goals and resources of the organizations and people involved. The program contributes to the integration of education and basic research through support of dissertation projects conducted by doctoral students enrolled in U.S. universities. This solicitation specifically addresses the preparation and evaluation of proposals for Doctoral Dissertation Research Improvement Grants (DDRIG). Dissertation research projects in all of the subareas of biological anthropology are eligible for support through these grants. These awards are intended to enhance and improve the conduct of dissertation research by doctoral students who are pursuing research in biological anthropology that enhances basic scientific knowledge.