NSF on the web- An indispensable resource www.nsf.gov

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NSF on the web- An indispensable
resourcewww.nsf.gov
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Directorate for Biological Sciences
Division of Environmental Biology (DEB)
Division of Integrative Organismal Systems (IOS)
Division of Biological Infrastructure (DBI)
Division of Molecular and Cellular
Biosciences (MCB)
Ecological Biology
Human Resources
Biomolecular Systems
Behavioral Systems
Ecosystem Science
Research Resources
Cellular Systems
Developmental Systems
Genes and Genome Systems
Population and Evolutionary Processes
Physiological and Structural Systems
Plant Genome Research Program
Systematic Biology and Biodiversity Inventories
Neuronal Systems
Emerging Frontiers (EF)
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Regular Research Grants

• Unsolicited
• Any topic
• BIO Directorate does not consider disease related
  research proposals.
• BIO Directorate does not consider duplicate
  proposals unless you are a beginning
  investigator.
• Research Programs and Clusters are described on
  the web page.

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NSF Proposal Award Process Timeline
Returned As Inappropriate/Withdrawn
NSF Proposal Generating Document
Scientific Review
Administrative Review
Minimum of 3 Reviews Required
NSF
Via DGA
Award

• Organization
• submits
• via
• FastLane

Proposal Processing Unit
Program Director Analysis Recom.
Division Director Concur
Mail
Panel
NSF Program Director
Both
Organization
Research Education Communities
Decline
Proposal Receipt at NSF
DD Concur
Award
90 Days
6 Months
30Days
DGA Review Processing of Award
Proposal Preparation and Submission
Proposal Review and Decisions
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Merit Review Criteria

• The intellectual merit of the proposed activity
• Creativity and originality
• Potential to advancing knowledge and
  understanding within and across fields
• Conceptualization and organization
• Qualifications of investigators
• Access to resources
• The broader impacts of the proposed activity
• Discovery while promoting teaching, training and
  learning
• Participation of underrepresented groups
• Enhancement of infrastructure for research and
  education
• Dissemination of results to enhance scientific
  and technological understanding
• Benefits to society

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Grantsmanship makes a difference

• Know your audience.
• Think about the reviewers.
• Write accurately, concisely and clearly.
• Make the reviewers job easy.
• Figures and tables get your point across clearly.
• The reviewer may not be an expert in your
  specific field.

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Why do some proposals fail to get funding?

• Absence of innovative ideas or hypothesis
• Will provide only an incremental advance
• Not exciting or cutting edge
• Errors
• Unclear or incomplete expression of aims
• Faulty logic or experimental design
• Less than rigorous presentation
• Unrealistic, sloppy or incomplete
• Resources and facilities not in place
• PI qualifications/expertise not evident
• Necessary collaborations not documented

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Commandments for Writing Competitive NSF Proposals

• Thou shall propose a brilliant idea.
• Thou shall design focused, thoughtful
  experiments.
• Thou shall read Grant Proposal Guide and Program
  Solicitation.
• Thou shall strategize and use thine strengths.
• Thou shall get help with proposal writing.
• Thou shall ask us early, ask us often.
• Thou shall write for the right audience.
• Thou shall not irritate the reviewers.