NSF EPSCoR RII Track 3: Building Diverse Communities Solicitation

Wednesday, July 10, 2013 - 5:00pm

Program Solicitation
NSF 13-553

National Science Foundation

Office of Integrative Activities
Office of Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research

Full Proposal Deadline(s) (due by 5 p.m. proposer's local time):

July 10, 2013

IMPORTANT INFORMATION AND REVISION NOTES

A revised version of the NSF Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG), NSF 13-1, was issued on October 4, 2012 and is effective for proposals submitted, or due, on or after January 14, 2013. Please be advised that the guidelines contained in NSF 13-1 apply to proposals submitted in response to this funding opportunity. Proposers who opt to submit prior to January 14, 2013, must also follow the guidelines contained in NSF 13-1.

Please be aware that significant changes have been made to the PAPPG to implement revised merit review criteria based on the National Science Board (NSB) report, National Science Foundation's Merit Review Criteria: Review and Revisions. While the two merit review criteria remain unchanged (Intellectual Merit and Broader Impacts), guidance has been provided to clarify and improve the function of the criteria. Changes will affect the project summary and project description sections of proposals. Annual and final reports also will be affected.

A by-chapter summary of this and other significant changes is provided at the beginning of both the Grant Proposal Guide and the Award & Administration Guide.

Please note that this program solicitation may contain supplemental proposal preparation guidance and/or guidance that deviates from the guidelines established in the Grant Proposal Guide.

SUMMARY OF PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS

General Information

Program Title:

EPSCoR Research Infrastructure Improvement Program Track-3: Building Diverse Communities (RII Track-3)

Synopsis of Program:

The National Science Foundation (NSF) Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) provides significant investment in 28 states (Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Delaware, Hawaii, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, West Virginia, Wyoming), the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and the Territories of US Virgin Islands and Guam. Building on that investment, EPSCoR seeks to catalyze novel and innovative mechanisms to promote scientific progress nationwide. Key to the improved academic research competitiveness in each EPSCoR jurisdiction has been the increased attention to both innovation and broadening participation. Continued progress can be catalyzed by connecting the multiple sectors of society that influence and/or benefit from the engagement of diverse communities in scientific discovery and economic development.

Research Infrastructure Improvement Track-3: (RII Track-3) awards provide up to $750,000 per award for up to 5 years to support the strategic goal of broadening participation to improve future R&D competitiveness of EPSCoR jurisdictions. RII Track-3 seeks to broaden the participation of underrepresented groups in STEM fields supported by NSF - underrepresented minorities, women, persons with disabilities and those in underserved rural regions of the country.

Cognizant Program Officer(s):

Please note that the following information is current at the time of publishing. See program website for any updates to the points of contact.

Kelvin Chu, Program Director, 940, telephone: (703) 292-7860, email: [email protected]

Sean C. Kennan, Program Director, 940, telephone: (703) 292-7575, email: [email protected]

Sian Mooney, Program Director, 940, telephone: (703) 292-2257, email: [email protected]

Jeanne R. Small, Program Director, 940, telephone: (703) 292-7378, email: [email protected]

Uma D. Venkateswaran, Program Director, 940, telephone: (703) 292-7732, email: [email protected]

Applicable Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number(s):

47.081 --- Office of Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research

Award Information

Anticipated Type of Award: Standard Grant

Estimated Number of Awards: 5

Anticipated Funding Amount: $750,000 maximum per award with an award duration of up to five years is anticipated to be supported pending availability of funds.

Eligibility Information

Organization Limit:

Proposals may only be submitted by the following:

Academic institutions or organizations in jurisdictions that meet the EPSCoR eligibility criteria for RII may submit proposals to the Research Infrastructure Improvement Program Track-3: Building Diverse Communities (RII Track-3) competition.

PI Limit:

In all cases, Principal Investigators of proposed projects must be affiliated with research universities, agencies, or organizations within the participant jurisdiction.

Limit on Number of Proposals per Organization:

None Specified

Limit on Number of Proposals per PI:

None Specified

Proposal Preparation and Submission Instructions

A. Proposal Preparation Instructions

Letters of Intent: Not Applicable

Preliminary Proposal Submission: Not Applicable

Full Proposals:
- Full Proposals submitted via FastLane: NSF Proposal and Award Policies and Procedures Guide, Part I: Grant Proposal Guide (GPG) Guidelines apply. The complete text of the GPG is available electronically on the NSF website at: http://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=gpg.
- Full Proposals submitted via Grants.gov: NSF Grants.gov Application Guide: A Guide for the Preparation and Submission of NSF Applications via Grants.gov Guidelines apply (Note: The NSF Grants.gov Application Guide is available on the Grants.gov website and on the NSF website at: http://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=grantsgovguide)

B. Budgetary Information