The National Science Foundation and the Department of Defense Agencies

1. The National Science Foundation and the Department of Defense Agencies Lucy Deckard Office of Proposal Development L-deckard@tamu.edu 458-4290 Office of Vice President for Research Office of Proposal Development

2. For an electronic version of this and all other presentations in this workshop, • E-mail opd@tamu.edu • Subject: presentations Office of Vice President for Research Office of Proposal Development

3. Overview • National Science Foundation • NSF’s 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 Office of Vice President for Research Office of Proposal Development

4. 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 Office of Vice President for Research Office of Proposal Development

5. 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 Office of Vice President for Research Office of Proposal Development

6. 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/ Office of Vice President for Research Office of Proposal Development

7. 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 Office of Vice President for Research Office of Proposal Development

8. 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 Office of Vice President for Research Office of Proposal Development

9. Investment Priorities:How 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?org=NSF&ord=date • Lists all regularly funded programs by due date • Or see “list of programs” page for particular directorates • http://www.nsf.gov/funding/aboutfunding.jsphttp://www.nsf.gov/funding/ • Disciplinary programs and “Cross-cutting” programs Office of Vice President for Research Office of Proposal Development

10. 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 Office of Vice President for Research Office of Proposal Development

11. RFPs: Analyzing an NSF Solicitation • Who is eligible to submit? • What is the funding level and funding period? • What is NSF’s 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/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=13621 • Example Unsolicited: http://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=13523 Office of Vice President for Research Office of Proposal Development

12. Grant Proposal Guidehttp://www.nsf.gov/pubs/gpg/nsf04_23/ • Default authority for formatting, page length, etc. • Includes info on • Biosketches • Budgets • Additional documents • Procedures • Exceptions from GPG must be detailed in solicitation Office of Vice President for Research Office of Proposal Development

13. 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. Office of Vice President for Research Office of Proposal Development

14. Performance Expectations:Review 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? Office of Vice President for Research Office of Proposal Development

15. 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” Office of Vice President for Research Office of Proposal Development

16. Tips: Project Summary • Most important part of proposal • Clearly address intellectual merit and broader impacts separately (and label them) – if you don’t, 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 reviewer’s interest • State up front the advantages of your project (technical, societal, diversity, etc.) – don’t be shy! • Summary should be clear and easy to read; spend a lot of time on this! Office of Vice President for Research Office of Proposal Development

17. 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 Office of Vice President for Research Office of Proposal Development

18. 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 Office of Vice President for Research Office of Proposal Development

19. 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) Office of Vice President for Research Office of Proposal Development

20. 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 sitehttp://www.acq.osd.mil/ddre/research/opportunities.html Office of Vice President for Research Office of Proposal Development

21. 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 Office of Vice President for Research Office of Proposal Development

22. 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 Office of Vice President for Research Office of Proposal Development

23. 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/durip.asp • Young Investigator Program (YIP) • http://www.onr.navy.mil/sci_tech/industrial/363/yip.asp • Defense Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (DEPSCoR) – for selected states • http://www.onr.navy.mil/sci_tech/industrial/363/depscor.asp • Historically Black Colleges and Universities Program • http://www.acq.osd.mil/ddre/research/opportunities.html Office of Vice President for Research Office of Proposal Development

24. 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/summfac.asp • http://www.acq.osd.mil/ddre/research/opportunities.html • Small Business Innovations Research (SBIR) • Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Office of Vice President for Research Office of Proposal Development

25. 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/main/main/default.cfm?Action=231&Page=231 • Research portfolio: http://www.arl.army.mil/main/main/default.cfm?Action=18&Page=70 • Defense Advanced Research Projects Office (DARPA) • Organization: http://www.darpa.mil/body/off_programs.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/oppts/afrfund.htm#Research • General BAA: http://www.afosr.af.mil/pdfs/BAA2005-1.pdf Office of Vice President for Research Office of Proposal Development