Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences
Published on AidPage by IDILOGIC on Jun 24, 2005
Purpose of this program:
To promote the progress of the social, behavioral, and economic sciences to contribute to the continued scientific strength and welfare of the Nation; to facilitate cooperative research activities for U.S. scientists and engineers with foreign scientists, engineers, and institutions; and to support understanding of the resources invested in science and engineering in the United States. The research supported is basic in character. The program includes support of research project grants in the following disciplines: Anthropological and geographic sciences; cognitive, psychological and language sciences; economic, decision and management sciences; social and political sciences; infrastructure, methods and science studies; studies of scientists and engineers, Federal R&D funding and expenditures, and educational attainment in science, mathematics and engineering; and international programs. Support is provided for science and technology centers and for research workshops, symposia, and conferences. In addition, awards are made to improve the quality of doctoral dissertations in the behavioral and social sciences and for dissertations requiring research outside the United States; for graduate traineeships; postdoctoral fellowships; special opportunities for junior faculty for research support; and mid-career professional development opportunities. Support is also provided for undergraduate student research, and for research opportunities for women, minorities, and disabled scientists and engineers.
Possible uses and use restrictions...
International cooperative scientific activities provide funds for U.S. scientists and engineers to carry out studies abroad, to conduct research, to engage in joint research projects with foreign counterpart organizations, and to support international workshops focused on well-defined scientific opportunities in the U.S. and abroad; travel must be on U.S. flag carriers. Other programs in social, behavioral and economic sciences and in science resources studies provide funds which may be used for paying costs necessary to conduct research or studies, such as salaries and wages, equipment and supplies, travel, publication costs, and other direct and indirect costs. Primary responsibility for general supervision of all grant activities rests with the grantee institution; the project director or principal investigator is responsible for the execution of the research activities. Grants are made on a competitive basis. For all programs, funds may not be used for purposes other than those specified in the proposal.
Who is eligible to apply...
Public and private colleges and universities, nonprofit, nonacademic research institutions, private for profit organizations and unaffiliated scientists under special circumstances. For international cooperative scientific activities, government scientific organizations are also eligible.
Credentials/Documentation
Proposals must be signed electronically by an official authorized to commit the institution or organization in business and financial affairs and who can commit the organization to certain proposal certifications. A copy of foreign counterpart proposals should accompany U.S. proposals for international bilateral research projects. Costs will be determined in accordance with OMB Circular Nos. A-21 for colleges and universities and A-122 for nonprofit organizations. This program is excluded from coverage under OMB Circular No. A-87.
Note:This is a brief description of the credentials or documentation required prior to, or along with, an application for assistance.
About this section:
This section indicates who can apply to the Federal government for assistance and the criteria the potential applicant must satisfy.
For example, individuals may be eligible for research grants, and the criteria to be satisfied may be that they have a professional or scientific degree,
3 years of research experience, and be a citizen of the United States. Universities, medical schools, hospitals, or State and local governments may also be eligible.
Where State governments are eligible, the type of State agency will be indicated (State welfare agency or State agency on aging) and the criteria that they
must satisfy.
Certain federal programs (e.g., the Pell Grant program which provides grants to students) involve intermediate levels of application processing, i.e., applications
are transmitted through colleges or universities that are neither the direct applicant nor the ultimate beneficiary. For these programs,
the criteria that the intermediaries must satisfy are also indicated, along with intermediaries who are not eligible.
How to apply...
Application Procedure:
For project support, submission of a formal proposal, signed electronically by an official authorized to commit the institution or organization in financial affairs, fully documenting the planned activity and proposed amount of award. Guidelines are contained in publications, "Grant Proposal Guide," NSF 04-2, and "Guide to Programs Fiscal Year 2004," NSF 04-009, and "International Opportunities for Scientists and Engineers," NSF 03-559. This program is subject to the provisions of OMB Circular No. A-110.
Note: Each program will indicate whether applications are to be submitted to the Federal headquarters, regional or local office, or to a State or local government office.
Award Procedure:
NSF staff members review and evaluate all proposals. To assist them, they usually obtain the advice of scientists and engineers who are specialists in the field covered by the proposal. Proposals are supported on the basis of merit to the extent permitted by available funds.
Note: Grant payments may be made by a letter of credit, advance by Treasury check, or reimbursement by Treasury check.
Awards may be made by the headquarters office directly to the applicant, an agency field office, a regional office,
or by an authorized county office. The assistance may pass through the initial applicant for further distribution by
intermediate level applicants to groups or individuals in the private sector.
Deadlines and process...
Deadlines
Deadlines and target dates are published in the NSF bulletin.
Note:
When available, this section indicates the deadlines for applications to the funding agency which will
be stated in terms of the date(s) or between what dates the application should be received.
When not available, applicants should contact the funding agency for deadline information.
Range of Approval/Disapproval Time
The normal duration is from 5 to 9 months.
Preapplication Coordination
For some international bilateral research programs, proposals may be developed between the two scientists for submission to the implementing agencies in both countries at the same time. Proposals must be cooperative in nature and be approved by implementing agencies in both countries. For other programs a preapplication may be required. If applicable, the program solicitation will provide specific information. For all programs it is suggested that an initial inquiry be made before a proposal is submitted to determine whether a potential project qualifies for NSF support. This program is excluded from coverage under OMB Circular No. A-102. This program is excluded from coverage under E.O. 12372.
Note:
This section indicates whether any prior coordination or approval is required with governmental or nongovernmental units
prior to the submission of a formal application to the federal funding agency.
Appeals
The project director or principal investigator may request, in writing, that the Foundation reconsider its action in declining any proposal application, renewal application, or continuing application.
Note:
In some cases, there are no provisions for appeal. Where applicable, this section discusses appeal procedures or allowable rework time for resubmission
of applications to be processed by the funding agency. Appeal procedures vary with individual programs and are either listed in this section or
applicants are referred to appeal procedures documented in the relevant Code of Federal Regulations (CFR).
Renewals
Proposals for renewal of awards, containing the same type of information as the original proposal, should be submitted 6 to 9 months before the expiration of the original award. Renewals are treated in competition with pending proposals.
Note:
In some instances, renewal procedures may be the same as for the application procedure, e.g., for projects of a non-continuing nature renewals will be treated as new, competing applications; for projects of an ongoing nature, renewals may be given annually.
Who can benefit...
Public and private colleges and universities, nonprofit, nonacademic research institutions, private for profit organizations, and unaffiliated scientists under special circumstances. For international cooperative scientific activities, government scientific organizations are also eligible.
Beneficiaries
About this section:
This section lists the ultimate beneficiaries of a program, the criteria they must satisfy and who specifically is not eligible. The applicant and beneficiary will generally be the same for programs that provide assistance directly from a Federal agency. However, financial assistance that passes through State or local governments will have different applicants and beneficiaries since the assistance is transmitted to private sector beneficiaries who are not obligated to request or apply for the assistance.
What types of assistance...
Project Grants
The funding, for fixed or known periods, of specific projects. Project grants can include fellowships, scholarships, research grants, training grants, traineeships, experimental and demonstration grants, evaluation grants, planning grants, technical assistance grants, survey grants, and construction grants.
How much financial aid...
Range and Average of Financial Assistance
$1,655 to $4,085,000; $67,125.
Note:
This section lists the representative range (smallest to largest) of the amount of financial assistance available. These figures are based upon funds awarded in the past fiscal year and the current fiscal year to date. Also indicated is an approximate average amount of awards which were made in the past and current fiscal years.
Obligations
(Grants) FY 03 $198,610,000; FY 04 est $203,790,000; and FY 05 est $224,710,000.
Note:
The dollar amounts listed in this section represent obligations for the past fiscal year (PY), estimates for the current fiscal year (CY), and estimates for the budget fiscal year (BY) as reported by the Federal agencies. Obligations for non-financial assistance programs indicate the administrative expenses involved in the operation of a program.
Account Identification
49-0100-0-1-251.
Note:
Note: This 11-digit budget account identification code represents the account which funds a particular program.
This code should be consistent with the code given for the program area as specified in Appendix III of the Budget of the United States Government.
Examples of funded projects...
"Indicators for the Information Society;" "Indicators of Technology-Based Competitiveness: Incorporating Recent Changes in the Concept 'High Technology' and in Data Availability;" "Information Technology Measures and Benchmarks: New Approaches for International Measurements and Public Policy;" "Privately Provided Public Goods: Theoretical, Econometric and Experimental Studies of Cooperation;" "U.S.-South Africa Workshop: Bacterial Wilt Disease, White River, South Africa, February 2002."
About this section
This section indicates the different types of projects which have been funded in the past. Only projects funded under Project Grants or Direct Payments for Specified Use should be listed here. The examples give potential applicants an idea of the types of projects that may be accepted for funding. The agency should list at least five examples of the most recently funded projects.
Program accomplishments...
In fiscal year 2003, 4,161 competitive proposals were received and 1,267 awards were made. In fiscal year 2004, approximately 4,250 competitive proposals will be received and about 1,265 awards will be made, and in fiscal year 2005 approximately 4,379 competitive proposals will be received and about 1,276 awards will be made.
Criteria for selecting proposals...
The National Science Board approved revised criteria for evaluating proposals at its meeting on March 28, 1997 (NSB 97-72). All NSF proposals are evaluated through use of the two merit review criteria. In some instances, however, NSF will employ additional criteria as required to highlight the specific objectives of certain programs and activities. On July 8, 2002, the NSF Director issued Important Notice 127, Implementation of new Grant Proposal Guide Requirements Related to the Broader Impacts Criterion. This Important Notice reinforces the importance of addressing both criteria in the preparation and review of all proposals submitted to NSF. NSF continues to strengthen its internal processes to ensure that both of the merit review criteria are addressed when making funding decisions. In an effort to increase compliance with these requirements, the January 2002 issuance of the GPG incorporated revised proposal preparation guidelines relating to the development of the Project Summary and Project Description. Chapter II of the GPG specifies that Principal Investigators (PIs) must address both merit review criteria in separate statements within the one-page Project Summary. This chapter also reiterates that broader impacts resulting from the proposed project must be addressed in the Project Description and described as an integral part of the narrative. Effective October 1, 2002, NSF will return without review proposals that do not separately address both merit review criteria within the Project Summary. It is believed that these changes to NSF proposal preparation and processing guidelines will more clearly articulate the importance of broader impacts to NSF-funded projects. The two National Science Board approved merit review criteria are listed below (see the Grant Proposal Guide Chapter III.A for further information). The criteria include considerations that help define them. These considerations are suggestions and not all will apply to any given proposal. While proposers must address both merit review criteria, reviewers will be asked to address only those considerations that are relevant to the proposal being considered and for which he/she is qualified to make judgements. What is the intellectual merit of the proposed activity? 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? (If appropriate, the reviewer will comment on the quality of the prior work.) 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? What are the broader impacts of the proposed activity? How well does the activity advance discovery and understanding while promoting teaching, training, and learning? How well does the proposed activity broaden the participation of underrepresented groups (e.g., gender, ethnicity, disability, geographic, etc.)? To what extent will it enhance the infrastructure for research and education, such as facilities, instrumentation, networks, and partnerships? Will the results be disseminated broadly to enhance scientific and technological understanding? What may be the benefits of the proposed activity to society? NSF staff will give careful consideration to the following in making funding decisions: Integration of Research and Education. One of the principal strategies in support of NSF's goals is to foster integration of research and education through the programs, projects, and activities it supports at academic and research institutions. These institutions provide abundant opportunities where individuals may concurrently assume responsibilities as researchers, educators, and students and where all can engage in joint efforts that infuse education
Assistance considerations...
Length and Time Phasing of Assistance
Up to 5 years. International programs generally up to 3 years.
Formula and Matching Requirements
For some international cooperative research projects, funds may be contributed from both countries. In these cases, each country assumes responsibility for support of its own participation in the project within its own territory. Cost-sharing does not apply to any international program. The Grant Proposal Guide (GPG)(Sec. II) and the Grant Policy Manual (Sec. 330) provide additional information on the general NSF policy on cost-sharing.
Note:
A formula may be based on population, per capita income, and other statistical factors. Applicants are informed whether there are any matching requirements to be met when participating in the cost of a project. In general, the matching share represents that portion of the project costs not borne by the Federal government. Attachment F of OMB Circular No. A-102 (Office of Management and Budget) sets forth the criteria and procedures for the evaluation of matching share requirements which may be cash or in-kind contributions made by State and local governments or other agencies, institutions, private organizations, or individuals to satisfy matching requirements of Federal grants or loans.
Cash contributions represent the grantees' cash outlay, including the outlay of money contributed to the grantee by other public agencies, institutions, private organizations, or individuals. When authorized by Federal regulation, Federal funds received from other grants may be considered as the grantees' cash contribution.
In-kind contributions represent the value of noncash contributions provided by the grantee, other public agencies and institutions, private organizations or individuals. In-kind contributions may consist of charges for real property and equipment, and value of goods and services directly benefiting and specifically identifiable to the grant program. When authorized by Federal legislation, property purchased with Federal funds may be considered as grantees' in-kind contribution.
Maintenance of effort (MOE) is a requirement contained in certain legislation, regulations, or administrative policies stating that a grantee must maintain a specified level of financial effort in a specific area in order to receive Federal grant funds, and that the Federal grant funds may be used only to supplement, not supplant, the level of grantee funds.
Post assistance requirements...
Reports
For all multi-year grants (including both standard and continuing grants), the PI must submit an annual project report to the cognizant program office at least 90 days before the end of the current budget period. Within 90 days after the expiration of a grant, the PI is required to submit a final project report. For travel grants, a travel report is required. Quarterly Federal Cash Transaction Reports are required. Other reporting requirements may be imposed via the grant instrument.
Note:
This section indicates whether program reports, expenditure reports, cash reports or performance monitoring are required by the Federal funding agency, and specifies at what time intervals (monthly, annually, etc.) this must be accomplished.
Audits
In accordance with the provisions of OMB Circular No. A-133 (Revised, June 27, 2003), "Audits of States, Local Governments, and Non-Profit Organizations," nonfederal entities that expend financial assistance of $300,000 or more in Federal awards will have a single or a program-specific audit conducted for that year. Nonfederal entities that expend less than $300,000 a year in Federal awards are exempt from Federal audit requirements for that year, except as noted in Circular No. A-133.
Note:
This section discusses audits required by the Federal agency.
The procedures and requirements for State and local governments and nonprofit entities are set forth in OMB Circular No. A-133.
These requirements pertain to awards made within the respective State's fiscal year - not the Federal fiscal year,
as some State and local governments may use the calendar year or other variation of time span designated as the fiscal year period,
rather than that commonly known as the Federal fiscal year (from October 1st through September 30th).
Records
Grantees are expected to maintain separate records for each award to ensure that funds are used for the general purpose for which the award was made. Records are subject to inspection during the life of the award and for 3 years thereafter.
Note:
This section indicates the record retention requirements and the type of records the Federal agency may require.
Not included are the normally imposed requirements of the General Accounting Office.
For programs falling under the purview of OMB Circular No. A-102, record retention is set forth in Attachment C.
For other programs, record retention is governed by the funding agency's requirements.
Regulations...
Authorization
National Science Foundation Act of 1950, as amended, Public Law 108-199, 42 U.S.C 1861 et seq.
Note:
This section lists the legal authority upon which a program is based (acts, amendments to acts, Public Law numbers, titles, sections, Statute Codes, citations to the U.S. Code, Executive Orders, Presidential Reorganization Plans, and Memoranda from an agency head).
Regulations, Guidelines, And Literature
48 CFR Chapter 25; 45 CFR Chapter VI; "NSF Guide to Programs, 2004," NSF 04-009 (http://www.nsf.gov/cgi-bin/getpub?nsf04009); and "Grant Proposal Guide," NSF 04-2, (http://www.nsf.gov/cgi-bin/getpub?nsf042).
Contact information...
Web Sites
Regional Or Local Office
Not applicable.
Note:
This section lists the agency contact person, address and telephone number of the Federal Regional or Local Office(s)
to be contacted for detailed information regarding a program such as:
(1) current availability of funds and the likelihood of receiving assistance within a given period;
(2) pre-application and application forms required;
(3) whether a pre-application conference is recommended;
(4) assistance available in preparation of applications;
(5) whether funding decisions are made at the headquarters, regional or local level;
(6) application renewal procedures (including continuations and supplementals) or appeal procedures for rejected applications; and
(7) recently published program guidelines and material.
However, for most federal programs, this section will instruct the reader to consult the so-called
Appendix IV of the Catalog due to the large volume of Regional and Local Office Contacts for most agencies.
This information is provided in Additional Contact Information (see below).
Headquarters Office
Directorate for Social, Behavioral and Economic Sciences, National Science Foundation, 4201 Wilson Blvd., Suite 905, Arlington, VA 22230. Telephone: (703) 292-8700. Division of Science Resources Statistics, National Science Foundation, 4201 Wilson Blvd., Suite 965, Arlington, VA 22230. Telephone: (703) 292-8780. World Wide Web site URL: http://www.nsf.gov/sbe/srs. Division of Social and Economic Sciences, National Science Foundation, 4201 Wilson Blvd., Suite 995, Arlington, VA 22230. Telephone: (703) 292-8760. World Wide Web site URL: http://www.nsf.gov/sbe/ses. Division of Behavioral and Cognitive Sciences, National Science Foundation, 4201 Wilson Blvd., Suite 995, Arlington, VA 22230. Telephone: (703) 292-8740. World Wide Web site URL: http://www.nsf.gov/sbe/bcs. Office of International Science and Engineering, National Science Foundation, 4201 Wilson Blvd., Suite 935, Arlington, VA 22230. Telephone: (703) 292-8710. NSF World Wide Web site URL: http://www.nsf.gov/sbe/int/start.htm.
Note:
This section lists names and addresses of the office at the headquarters level with direct operational responsibility for managing a program. A telephone number is provided in cases where a Regional or Local Office is not normally able to answer detailed inquiries concerning a program. Also listed are the name(s) and telephone number(s) of the information contact person(s) who can provide additional program information to applicants.
Additional Contact Information (Appendix IV)
Due to the large volume of regional and local office contacts for most agencies, full contact information is also provided separately here in a PDF format:
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