The National Science Foundation and the Department of Defense Agencies

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The National Science Foundation and the
Department of Defense Agencies

• Lucy Deckard
• Office of Proposal Development
• L-deckard_at_tamu.edu
• 458-4290

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• For an electronic version of this and all other
  presentations in this workshop,
• E-mail opd_at_tamu.edu
• Subject presentations

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Overview

• National Science Foundation
• NSFs culture and mission
• Investment priorities
• How to analyze an NSF solicitation
• Review criteria and performance expectations
• Tips for preparing a competitive proposal
• DoD Agencies
• DoD agencies and their culture
• How the process works
• How to find out what they fund

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NSF Culture and MissionCore Strategies, 2001-2006

• Develop intellectual capital
• discover, learn, create, identify problems and
  formulate solutions
• develop potential of underutilized groups
• Integrate research and education, K-Ph.D.
• develop reward systems that support teaching,
  mentoring and outreach
• Promote partnerships
• optimize impact of people, ideas, tools

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National Science Foundation

• Funds research in
• Biological Sciences (BIO)
• Computer and Info Science and Eng (CISE)
• Engineering (ENG)
• Education and Human Resources (EHR)
• Geosciences (GEO)
• Math and Physical Sciences (MPS)
• Polar Research (OPP)
• Social, Behavioral and Economic Sciences (SBE)
• Cross-cutting Research

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NSF Priority Areas

• Biocomplexity in the Environment (BE)
• Human and Social Dynamics (HSD)
• Information Technology Research (ITR)
• Mathematical Sciences
• Nanoscale Science and Engineering (NSE)
• Cyberinfrastructure
• http//www.nsf.gov/news/priority_areas/

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NSF Culture and Mission Structure

• Divided into directorates
• Biological Sciences
• Computer and Information Science and Eng
• Education and Human Resources
• Engineering
• Geosciences
• Mathematical and Physical Sciences
• Social, Behavioral and Economic Sciences
• Office of Polar Programs
• Each directorate divided into divisions and
  programs -see http//www.nsf.gov/staff/orglist.jsp
  
• Submit most proposals to specific disciplinary
  program
• Also cross-cutting programs

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NSF Structure and Culture

• Each directorate has its own culture and
  priorities
• Get to know the directorates and divisions that
  could fund your work
• Read web site goals, priorities of directorate,
  division, programs
• Get to know program directors
• E-mail and/or call with questions
• Be prepared to answer the question, What is your
  research objective? in 25 words or less
• Visit NSF
• Look for them at conferences
• Read about their background (e.g., google) and
  talk to colleagues
• Use funded programs data base to find out what
  has been funded recently
• Attend NSF national and regional workshops

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Investment PrioritiesHow to Find Out What NSF
is Funding

• NSF releases solicitations for proposals for
  particular programs
• Most programs are funded on a regular cycle
• Have specific goals and requirements
• See http//www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_list.jsp?orgNS
  Forddate
• Lists all regularly funded programs by due date
• Or see list of programs page for particular
  directorates
• http//www.nsf.gov/funding/aboutfunding.jsp
  http//www.nsf.gov/funding/
• Disciplinary programs and Cross-cutting programs

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How to Find out What NSF is Funding

• Directorates also fund unsolicited proposals
• Often one or two due dates in year
• Fund proposals related to directorate and program
  goals (typ. 1 3 investigators)
• Many directorates fund SGER grants
• Small grants for exploratory research
• Typically 30K - 50K for proof-of-concept work
  on high-risk, high-payoff research ideas
• Fund research not application studies

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RFPs Analyzing an NSF Solicitation

• Who is eligible to submit?
• What is the funding level and funding period?
• What is NSFs objective?
• What are the review criteria?
• What is the review process?
• Do they refer to reports, other programs?
• What projects have been funded in the past?
• Example Solicitation http//www.nsf.gov/funding/p
  gm_summ.jsp?pims_id13621
• Example Unsolicited http//www.nsf.gov/funding/pg
  m_summ.jsp?pims_id13523

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Grant Proposal Guidehttp//www.nsf.gov/pubs/gpg/n
sf04_23/

• Default authority for formatting, page length,
  etc.
• Includes info on
• Biosketches
• Budgets
• Additional documents
• Procedures
• Exceptions from GPG must be detailed in
  solicitation

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Typical NSF proposal components

• Cover Sheet (form filled out on Fastlane)
• Project Summary (1 page)
• Intellectual merit
• Broader impacts
• Project Description (15 pages)
• References Cited (no page limit)
• Biographical Sketches (2 pages each see GPG for
  format include sketch for all senior personnel,
  definition in GPG)
• Current and Pending Support (for all senior
  personnel no page limit required info in GPG
  no set format required)
• Budget (Fastlane form, filled out in
  collaboration with Proposal Administrator)
• Budget Justification (narrative description and
  justification of budget items)
• Facilities, Equipment and Other Resources
  (describe directly applicable equipment, etc.
  not necessarily required for all proposals)
• Special information and Supplementary
  Documentation
• As needed. Examples letters of collaboration
  letters of support No page limit.

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Performance ExpectationsReview Criteria

• Intellectual Merit
• 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 and original concepts?
• How well conceived and organized is the proposed
  activity?
• Is there sufficient access to resources?

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Review Criteria

• Broader Impacts
• Advance discovery while promoting teaching,
  training and learning
• Broaden participation of under-rep. groups
• Dissemination
• Societal benefits
• Improve infrastructure for research
• Discuss throughout proposal AND in separate
  section in both Project Summary and Description
• Special Criteria
• Program specific
• Listed in solicitation under Proposal Review
  Information

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Tips Project Summary

• Most important part of proposal
• Clearly address intellectual merit and broader
  impacts separately (and label them) if you
  dont, your proposal will be returned without
  review!
• This is a sales document and may be the only
  thing the reviewer will read
• Must capture the reviewers interest
• State up front the advantages of your project
  (technical, societal, diversity, etc.) dont be
  shy!
• Summary should be clear and easy to read spend a
  lot of time on this!

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Points to Emphasize

• State benefits of your research clearly
• Why is it important and how is it novel?
• How will it advance knowledge in field?
• Societal benefits
• Research Plan should be specific and detailed
• Clearly state measurable goals and outcomes
• Discuss how you will address any possible
  problems
• Be sure to emphasize integration of education and
  research
• Measurable goals (e.g., number of students,
  diversity goals, etc.)
• Connect to existing NSF projects if possible

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Review Process

• Several Types
• Panel
• Ad hoc mail reviews
• Combination
• Proposal rated Excellent, Very Good, Good, Fair,
  Poor
• Recommendation on whether to fund given
• Comments of reviewers included

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NSF Funds.

• Research
• Acquisition of instrumentation
• Development of new instruments
• Hosting of conferences
• Programs and supplements for
• Dissertation enhancement in certain areas (DDIG)
• Research in Undergraduate Institutions
• Tenure track, untenured faculty (CAREER)
• Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU)
• Research Experiences for Teachers (RET)

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Department of Defense

• Defense Advance Research Agency (DARPA)
• www.darpa.mil
• Army Research Office (ARO)
• www.aro.army.mil
• Office of Naval Research (ONR)
• www.onr.navy.mil
• Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR)
• www.afosr.af.mil
• Congressionally Directed Medical Research
  Programs (CDMRP)
• http//cdmrp.army.mil/default.htm
• See DoD Director of Research site
  http//www.acq.osd.mil/ddre/research/opportunities
  .html

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Culture

• Highly mission-oriented
• Research designated
• 6.1 basic research
• 6.2 applied research
• 6.3 applications
• DARPA funds more basic, high-risk research but
  6.1 also funded at other agencies
• See web sites for technical areas of interest
• Highly directed by Program Officers
• Personal relationship very important!
• Connection to defense companies helpful
• Intramural research

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Funding Opportunities

• Unsolicited
• Research priorities outlined in Long Range Broad
  Agency Announcement (BAA)
• Discuss idea with Program Officer
• If interested, will ask for white paper or
  preliminary proposal
• If PO likes white paper, s/he will request full
  proposal
• Solicited
• Targeted BAAs and Programs
• Get to know your technical point of contact!
• Discuss ideas with him/her
• Find out what they are interested in

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Programs for Universities

• Multidisciplinary University Research Initiative
  (MURI)
• http//www.acq.osd.mil/ddre/researchtest/muri/muri
  .htm
• Defense University Research Instrumentation
  Program (DURIP)
• http//www.onr.navy.mil/sci_tech/industrial/363/du
  rip.asp
• Young Investigator Program (YIP)
• http//www.onr.navy.mil/sci_tech/industrial/363/yi
  p.asp
• Defense Experimental Program to Stimulate
  Competitive Research (DEPSCoR) for selected
  states
• http//www.onr.navy.mil/sci_tech/industrial/363/de
  pscor.asp
• Historically Black Colleges and Universities
  Program
• http//www.acq.osd.mil/ddre/research/opportunities
  .html

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Funding Opportunities

• Faculty and Student Exchanges and Summer
  Positions
• http//www.acq.osd.mil/ddre/research/opportunities
  .html
• http//www.onr.navy.mil/sci_tech/industrial/363/su
  mmfac.asp
• http//www.acq.osd.mil/ddre/research/opportunities
  .html
• Small Business Innovations Research (SBIR)
• Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR)

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Useful Websites

• Office of Naval Research (ONR)
• BAAs http//www.onr.navy.mil/02/baa/
• University and education related programs
  http//www.onr.navy.mil/education/
• Army Research Office (ARO)
• Research organizations http//www.arl.army.mil/ma
  in/main/default.cfm?Action231Page231
• Research portfolio http//www.arl.army.mil/main/m
  ain/default.cfm?Action18Page70
• Defense Advanced Research Projects Office (DARPA)
• Organization http//www.darpa.mil/body/off_progra
  ms.html http//www.darpa.mil/body/darpaoff.html
  
• Funding Opportunities http//www.darpa.mil/baa/
• Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR)
• Organization http//www.afosr.af.mil/orgcha2.pdf
  
• Research Opporutnieis http//www.afosr.af.mil/oppt
  s/afrfund.htmResearch
• General BAA http//www.afosr.af.mil/pdfs/BAA2005-
  1.pdf