NSF (National Science Foundation) Grant Writing Guidelines

Agency Overview

Mission: To promote the progress of science; to advance the national health, prosperity, and welfare; to secure the national defense

Annual Budget: ~$9-10 billion

Website: https://www.nsf.gov

Key Characteristics:

• Supports all fields of fundamental science and engineering (except medical sciences)
• Emphasis on education and workforce development
• Strong commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion
• Promotes open science and data sharing
• Collaborative research across institutions encouraged

NSF Directorates

1. BIO - Biological Sciences
2. CISE - Computer and Information Science and Engineering
3. EHR - Education and Human Resources
4. ENG - Engineering
5. GEO - Geosciences
6. MPS - Mathematical and Physical Sciences
7. SBE - Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences
8. TIP - Technology, Innovation, and Partnerships (formerly EDA)
9. OPP - Office of Polar Programs
10. OISE - Office of International Science and Engineering

Core Review Criteria

NSF uses two equally weighted criteria for all proposals:

Intellectual Merit

Definition: The potential to advance knowledge

Evaluation Questions:

• How important is the proposed activity to advancing knowledge and understanding within its own field or across different fields?
• How well-qualified is the proposer (individual or team) to conduct the project?
• To what extent does the proposed activity suggest and explore creative, original, or potentially transformative concepts?
• How well-conceived and organized is the proposed activity?
• Is there sufficient access to resources?

Writing Strategy:

• Lead with the research question and its importance
• Demonstrate deep knowledge of the field
• Articulate the knowledge gap clearly
• Present innovative approach to address the gap
• Show preliminary results or proof-of-concept
• Demonstrate team qualifications
• Present feasible, well-organized plan

Broader Impacts

Definition: The potential to benefit society and contribute to the achievement of specific, desired societal outcomes

Evaluation Questions:

• What is the potential for the proposed activity to:
  • Benefit society or advance desired societal outcomes?
  • Broaden participation of underrepresented groups?
  • Enhance infrastructure for research and education?
  • Enhance scientific and technological understanding?
  • Foster partnerships between academia, industry, and others?

Critical Point: Broader Impacts are NOT an afterthought. They carry equal weight with Intellectual Merit and must be substantive, specific, and measurable.

Five Pillars of Broader Impacts (address at least one substantively):

1. Advance discovery and understanding while promoting teaching, training, and learning

   • Integrate research into courses
   • Develop new curriculum materials
   • Train undergraduate, graduate, and postdoctoral researchers
   • Provide research experiences for students
   • Create educational resources (videos, software, databases)
   • Offer workshops or training programs

   Example: "We will develop a 10-module online course on computational genomics, incorporating data from this project, to be offered to 500+ students annually across 15 partner institutions. Course materials will be open-access and include Jupyter notebooks for hands-on analysis."

2. Broaden participation of underrepresented groups (in STEM)

   • Partner with minority-serving institutions (HBCUs, HSIs, TCUs)
   • Recruit students from underrepresented groups
   • Provide mentoring and support programs
   • Address systemic barriers to participation
   • Create inclusive research environments
   • Engage underrepresented communities in research

   Example: "We will establish a summer research program for 8 undergraduates annually from 4 partner HBCUs, providing stipends, housing, and year-round mentoring. Program will include professional development workshops and pathways to graduate school."

3. Enhance infrastructure for research and education

   • Develop shared instrumentation or facilities
   • Create cyberinfrastructure, software, or databases
   • Build collaborative networks
   • Establish living stock centers or repositories
   • Develop standards or protocols
   • Create open-source tools

   Example: "We will develop and maintain an open-source software platform for analyzing spatial transcriptomics data, with comprehensive documentation, tutorials, and user support forum. Software will be deposited on GitHub and indexed in bio.tools."

4. Disseminate to enhance scientific and technological understanding

   • Public outreach and science communication
   • Engagement with K-12 students and teachers
   • Museum exhibits or science festivals
   • Media engagement (podcasts, videos, articles)
   • Policy briefs for decision-makers
   • Community science projects

   Example: "We will partner with the City Science Museum to create a hands-on exhibit on AI and climate modeling, reaching 50,000+ annual visitors. Exhibit will include interactive simulations and bilingual materials. We will also host quarterly 'Science Saturdays' for local K-12 students."

5. Benefit society

   • Economic development and competitiveness
   • Health and quality of life improvements
   • Environmental sustainability
   • National security
   • Societal well-being
   • Workforce development

   Example: "Our drought prediction models will be integrated into USDA's decision support system, benefiting 15,000+ farmers in the Southwest. We will work with extension agents to provide training and accessible interfaces for non-technical users."

Common Broader Impacts Mistakes:

• ❌ Vague statements: "We will train graduate students" (everyone does this)
• ❌ No plan: Aspirational goals without concrete activities
• ❌ No metrics: No way to assess success
• ❌ Tacked on: Not integrated with research plan
• ❌ Unrealistic: Grand claims without resources or expertise
• ✅ Specific and measurable: Clear activities, timelines, and assessment

Proposal Sections and Page Limits

Project Summary (1 page)

Required Structure (NSF mandates three labeled sections):

Overview (first paragraph):

• Research question and approach in accessible language
• Suitable for public dissemination

Intellectual Merit:

• Potential to advance knowledge
• Innovative aspects
• Qualifications of team

Broader Impacts:

• Societal benefits and specific activities
• How success will be measured

Formatting: Must use section headings exactly as shown above

Project Description (15 pages for most programs)

No required structure, but typical organization:

1. Introduction / Background (1-2 pages)

   • Research question and significance
   • Current state of knowledge
   • Knowledge gaps
   • Preliminary results (if applicable)

2. Research Objectives (0.5-1 page)

   • Specific, measurable goals
   • Hypotheses or research questions

3. Research Plan / Methodology (8-10 pages)

   • Detailed approach for each objective
   • Methods and techniques
   • Timeline and milestones
   • Expected outcomes
   • Potential challenges and alternatives

4. Broader Impacts (1-2 pages)

   • Can be integrated throughout OR separate section
   • Specific activities and timelines
   • Assessment and evaluation plan

5. Results from Prior NSF Support (if applicable, up to 5 pages)

   • Required if PI or co-PI has had NSF award in past 5 years
   • Intellectual merit of prior work
   • Broader impacts of prior work
   • Publications and products

Formatting Requirements:

• Font: 11-point or larger (Times Roman, Arial, Palatino, Computer Modern)
• Margins: 1 inch all sides
• Line spacing: No more than 6 lines per inch
• Page size: 8.5 x 11 inches
• No smaller fonts in figures (must be legible)

References Cited (no page limit)

• Each reference must include:
  • Names of all authors
  • Article and journal title
  • Volume, page numbers, year
  • DOI if available
• Use consistent format (doesn't have to match specific style)
• Sufficient information for reviewers to locate references

Biographical Sketch (3 pages max per person)

Required NSF Format (as of 2023 PAPPG):

Section A: Professional Preparation

• Undergraduate, graduate, postdoctoral institutions
• Majors and degrees with years

Section B: Appointments and Positions

• Last 5 positions, current first

Section C: Products (up to 5 most relevant to proposal)

• Publications, datasets, software, patents, etc.
• Can include products in preparation

Section D: Synergistic Activities (up to 5)

• Service, teaching, mentoring, outreach
• Demonstrates broader engagement beyond research

Current and Pending Support (no page limit)

• All current and pending support for PI and co-PIs
• Include project/proposal title, source, award amount, dates
• Describe overlap with proposed project (if any)
• Must be updated until award/decline

Facilities, Equipment, and Other Resources (no page limit)

• Describe available facilities (labs, computational, libraries)
• Major equipment accessible to project
• Other resources (personnel, core facilities, partnerships)
• Demonstrate institutional commitment

Data Management and Sharing Plan (2 pages max)

Required for all proposals (as of 2023 PAPPG)

Must address:

1. Types of data: What data will be generated?
2. Standards: Formats, metadata, standards for data and metadata
3. Access: How and when will data be shared?
4. Reuse: Who can access and under what conditions?
5. Repository: Where will data be archived long-term?
6. Protection: Privacy, confidentiality, intellectual property considerations

NSF Expectations:

• Data should be made publicly available in a timely manner
• Use discipline-specific repositories when available
• Justify any restrictions on data sharing
• Plan for data preservation beyond project period

Postdoctoral Researcher Mentoring Plan (1 page max)

Required if funding postdocs

Must address:

• Career development objectives
• Mentoring activities (research, teaching, professional skills)
• Metrics for success
• Mentoring plan should be specific, not generic

Special NSF Proposal Types

CAREER (Faculty Early Career Development Program)

Eligibility: Tenure-track (or equivalent) faculty who have not yet received tenure, within 6 years of PhD (or equivalent)

Requirements:

• Integration of research and education
• Demonstrate potential for leadership
• Department chair letter required
• 5-year project plan
• Typical budget: $400,000-$500,000

Key Elements:

• Ambitious research plan
• Innovative educational component
• Strong integration (not just parallel tracks)
• Path to independence and leadership
• Institutional commitment

Review Criteria: Same two criteria (Intellectual Merit, Broader Impacts) but with emphasis on:

• Integration of research and education
• Innovative educational component
• Potential for leadership in field

Common CAREER Mistakes:

• Education component feels tacked on
• Overly ambitious research plan
• Weak integration between research and education
• Generic mentoring or teaching plans
• Insufficient preliminary data

Collaborative Research

Structure: Multiple proposals submitted separately from different institutions, reviewed as a single project

Requirements:

• Lead institution designated
• All proposals must have identical titles (except institution name)
• Project descriptions should be substantially similar
• Clear division of labor
• Coordination plan

Budget: Each institution submits own budget for their portion

Review: Reviewed together as single integrated project

Benefits: Brings together complementary expertise and resources

RAPID (Rapid Response Research)

Purpose: Support time-sensitive research opportunities

Examples:

• Natural disasters
• Disease outbreaks
• Unique astronomical events
• Rare opportunities for data collection

Requirements:

• Urgent need justification
• Up to $200,000
• Up to 1 year duration
• Simplified review process (program officer discretion)
• No preliminary data required

Submission: Contact program officer first, then submit proposal

EAGER (Early-concept Grants for Exploratory Research)

Purpose: Support exploratory work on untested, but potentially transformative, ideas

Requirements:

• High-risk, high-reward research
• Radically different approaches
• Up to $300,000
• Up to 2 years
• Program officer approval required before submission
• No panel review (program officer decision)

Key: Must be truly exploratory and high-risk, not incremental

Budget Considerations

Allowable Costs

Personnel:

• Senior personnel: Up to 2 months (summer salary) for 9-month faculty
• Postdoctoral scholars: Full salary and benefits
• Graduate students: Stipend (tuition typically covered under fringe/indirect)
• Undergraduate students: Hourly or stipend
• Technical and administrative staff

Fringe Benefits: Follow institutional rates

Equipment: Items ≥$5,000 per unit

• Must be justified
• Shared equipment requires letters from collaborators

Travel:

• Domestic and international scientific meetings
• Collaboration and fieldwork
• Justification required

Participant Support Costs: For workshops, training, conferences

• Stipends, travel, subsistence for participants
• Not subject to indirect costs

Other Direct Costs:

• Publication costs
• Consulting services
• Computer services
• Materials and supplies
• Subawards to collaborating institutions

Indirect Costs (F&A): Institutional negotiated rate applies to modified total direct costs (MTDC)

• MTDC excludes: equipment, participant support, subawards >$25K

Cost Sharing

NSF Policy: Cost sharing is not required and should not be voluntary

Exceptions: Some programs require cost sharing (check program solicitation)

When Included: Must be documented, verifiable, auditable, and necessary for project

Submission and Review Process

Submission Deadlines

Varies by program:

• Some programs have specific deadlines (e.g., twice per year)
• Some programs accept proposals anytime (check with program officer)
• CAREER: July deadline (directorate-specific)

Submission Windows: NSF deadlines are typically 5 PM submitter's local time

Submission Portal

Research.gov or Grants.gov: NSF accepts both

Process:

1. Institutional authorization required
2. Upload all required documents
3. Verify PDF compilation
4. Submit (aim for 48 hours early)
5. Receive confirmation and proposal number

Review Process

Timeline: Typically 6 months from submission to decision

Steps:

1. Administrative Review: NSF checks compliance (1-2 weeks)
2. **Program