Innovations in Graduate Education (IGE)

PROGRAM SOLICITATION
NSF 24-529

REPLACES DOCUMENT(S):
NSF 20-595
National Science Foundation
Directorate for STEM Education
     Division of Graduate Education

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

     April 22, 2024

     March 25, 2025

     March 25, Annually Thereafter

IMPORTANT INFORMATION AND REVISION NOTES

With this solicitation, the IGE program will support proposals in two tracks: Track 1: Career Preparation and Student Success Pilots and Track 2:
Systemic Interventions and Policies. Under Track 1, the IGE program will continue to invite proposals to pilot, test, and validate innovative
approaches to graduate education with an emphasis on career preparation and student success. Track 2 is new with a primary goal to support
research on how various systemic innovations in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) graduate education impact graduate
student outcomes (such as graduation rates, retention, employment, etc.).

Leadership teams (PI/Co-PIs) for both tracks are encouraged to include experts in education research, the learning sciences, and/or evaluation, as
appropriate, as well as in the principal science domain(s), as needed, to design and implement a robust and appropriate research plan.

Proposals for the IGE Innovation Acceleration Hub are not being accepted through this solicitation.

Any proposal submitted in response to this solicitation should be submitted in accordance with the NSF Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures
Guide (PAPPG) that is in effect for the relevant due date to which the proposal is being submitted. The NSF PAPPG is regularly revised and it is the
responsibility of the proposer to ensure that the proposal meets the requirements specified in this solicitation and the applicable version of the
PAPPG. Submitting a proposal prior to a specified deadline does not negate this requirement.

SUMMARY OF PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS

General Information
Program Title:

Innovations in Graduate Education (IGE) Program

Synopsis of Program:

The Innovations in Graduate Education (IGE) Program is designed to encourage development and implementation of bold, new,
and potentially transformative approaches to STEM graduate education training. The program seeks proposals that a) explore
ways for graduate students in STEM master's and doctoral degree programs to develop the skills, knowledge, and competencies
needed to pursue a range of STEM careers, or b) support research on the graduate education system and outcomes of systemic
interventions and policies.

IGE projects are intended to generate the knowledge required for the customization, implementation, and broader adoption of
potentially transformative approaches to graduate education. The program supports piloting, testing, and validating novel models
or activities and examining systemic innovations with high potential to enrich and extend the knowledge base on effective

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 graduate education approaches.

The program addresses both workforce development, emphasizing broad participation, and institutional capacity-building needs
in graduate education. Strategic collaborations with the private sector, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), government
agencies, national laboratories, field stations, teaching and learning centers, informal science organizations, and academic
partners are encouraged.

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.

Daniel Denecke, telephone: (703) 292-8072, email: ddenecke@nsf.gov

Karen McNeal, telephone: (703) 292-2138, email: kmcneal@nsf.gov
Elizabeth A. Webber, telephone: (703) 292-4316, email: ewebber@nsf.gov

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

47.076 --- STEM Education

Award Information
Anticipated Type of Award:Standard Grant or Continuing Grant

Estimated Number of Awards: 16 to 20

IGE Track 1 Awards (6 to 10 anticipated in FY 2024) are expected to be up to three (3) years in duration with a total budget between $300,000 and
$500,000.

IGE Track 2 Awards (6 to 12 anticipated in FY 2024) are expected to be up to five (5) years in duration with a total budget up to $1,000,000.

The estimated number of awards and the anticipated funding amounts listed above for both Track 1 and Track 2 are for FY 2024. The number of
awards and funding amounts in FY 2025 and FY 2026 are subject to the availability of funds.

Anticipated Funding Amount: $14,000,000

The anticipated funding amount of $14,000,000 is for FY 2024.

Eligibility Information
Who May Submit Proposals:

Proposals may only be submitted by the following:

Institutions of Higher Education (IHEs) - Two- and four-year IHEs (including community colleges) accredited in, and having
a campus located in the US, acting on behalf of their faculty members. Special Instructions for International Branch
Campuses of US IHEs: If the proposal includes funding to be provided to an international branch campus of a US
institution of higher education (including through use of subawards and consultant arrangements), the proposer must
explain the benefit(s) to the project of performance at the international branch campus, and justify why the project
activities cannot be performed at the US campus.
Non-profit, non-academic organizations: Independent museums, observatories, research laboratories, professional
societies and similar organizations located in the U.S. that are directly associated with educational or research activities.
Tribal Nations: An American Indian or Alaska Native tribe, band, nation, pueblo, village, or community that the Secretary of
the Interior acknowledges as a federally recognized tribe pursuant to the Federally Recognized Indian Tribe List Act of
1994, 25 U.S.C. §§ 5130-5131.

Who May Serve as PI:

There are no restrictions or limits.

Limit on Number of Proposals per Organization: 2

An eligible organization may participate in two Innovations in Graduate Education proposals per annual competition.
Participation includes serving as a lead organization on a non-collaborative proposal or as a lead organization, non-lead
organization, or subawardee on a collaborative proposal. Organizations participating solely as evaluators on projects are
excluded from this limitation. Proposals that exceed the organizational eligibility limit (beyond the first two submissions based on

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 timestamp) will be returned without review regardless of the organization's role (lead, non-lead, subawardee) in the returned
proposal.

Limit on Number of Proposals per PI or co-PI: 1

An individual may serve as Lead Principal Investigator (PI) or Co-PI on only one proposal submitted to the IGE program per annual
competition. Proposals that exceed the PI/Co-PI eligibility limit (beyond the first submission based on timestamp) will be returned
without review regardless of the individual's role (PI or Co-PI) in the returned proposal.

Proposal Preparation and Submission Instructions

A. Proposal Preparation Instructions

Letters of Intent: Not required

Preliminary Proposal Submission: Not required
Full Proposals:

Full Proposals submitted via Research.gov: NSF Proposal and Award Policies and Procedures Guide (PAPPG) guidelines apply. The
complete text of the PAPPG is available electronically on the NSF website at: https://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?
ods_key=pappg.
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: https://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=grantsgovguide).

B. Budgetary Information

Cost Sharing Requirements:

Inclusion of voluntary committed cost sharing is prohibited.

Indirect Cost (F&A) Limitations:

Not Applicable

Other Budgetary Limitations:

Not Applicable

C. Due Dates

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

     April 22, 2024

     March 25, 2025

     March 25, Annually Thereafter

Proposal Review Information Criteria

Merit Review Criteria:

National Science Board approved criteria apply.

Award Administration Information

Award Conditions:

Standard NSF award conditions apply.

Reporting Requirements:

Standard NSF reporting requirements apply.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

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 Summary of Program Requirements

I. Introduction
II. Program Description
III. Award Information
IV. Eligibility Information
V. Proposal Preparation and Submission Instructions
A. Proposal Preparation Instructions
B. Budgetary Information
C. Due Dates
D. Research.gov/Grants.gov Requirements
VI. NSF Proposal Processing and Review Procedures
A. Merit Review Principles and Criteria
B. Review and Selection Process
VII. Award Administration Information
A. Notification of the Award
B. Award Conditions
C. Reporting Requirements
VIII. Agency Contacts
IX. Other Information

I. INTRODUCTION
Innovation in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) graduate education is vital to meet the needs of science and society in
the 21st century. There are multiple drivers for change including: (i) recent major national reports on the state of STEM graduate education, (ii) the
accelerating pace of science and engineering discoveries and technological innovations, (iii) national STEM workforce trends, (iv) the growing
globalization of science and engineering, and (v) calls to align graduate education practices and models with the needs of students and enhanced
understanding of how people learn.1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9

More recent drivers for innovation in STEM graduate education include heightened attention to (vi) graduate admissions policies, (vii) student
mental health and wellness, and (viii) the potential uses of emerging technologies such as generative artificial intelligence (AI) and large language
models10,11,12,13. There is increasing recognition, also, that addressing the grand challenges in science and engineering requires interdisciplinary
and broad professional training, which is atypical for most graduate programs. Additionally, there is a growing body of evidence that diversity and
inclusivity accelerate scientific innovation, hence there is a national need to identify and adopt practices that are effective in broadening
participation in STEM graduate programs.14

To address this wide range of issues, innovation is needed at multiple levels and scales ranging from the interpersonal level of student-advisor
and mentor-mentee relationships through the level of the graduate program to the broad systemic environment of policies and procedures.
Improved understanding through research is particularly needed at this latter level about how large-scale interventions impact graduate student
outcomes and that cut across programs, institutions, and disciplines. To identify effective innovations at all scales, the IGE program calls for new
approaches to a) pilot, test, and validate innovative and effective STEM graduate education models and programming, and b) examine the
systemic impact of new and recent innovations in graduate education policies, procedures, and interventions.

II. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The IGE program is dedicated to (a) piloting, testing, and validating innovative approaches to graduate education, and (b) supporting research on
the graduate education system and rigorous examination of outcomes associated with systemic graduate education interventions and policies.
The IGE program seeks to generate the knowledge required for the customization and implementation of the most successful, transformative
approaches.

The goals of the IGE Program are to:

Generate the knowledge base needed to inform the development of bold, new, and potentially transformative approaches to graduate
education as well as their customization, implementation, and broader adoption.
Catalyze rapid advances in STEM graduate education broadly as well in particular disciplinary and interdisciplinary STEM fields.

The IGE Program calls for proposals in two tracks to:

Design, pilot, and test new, innovative and transformative approaches for inclusive STEM graduate education (Track 1);
Examine the impact of innovative systemic policies, procedures, and interventions on graduate education outcomes (Track 2);
Examine the potential to extend a successful approach developed in one discipline or context to other disciplines or contexts (Tracks 1

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 and 2);
Develop approaches that are informed by learning science and the existing body of knowledge about STEM graduate education (Tracks 1
and 2).

The primary beneficiaries for all IGE research projects (Track 1 and Track 2) must be master's and/or doctoral students in STEM-designated degree
programs. Eligible degree programs include research-based STEM master's and doctoral degree programs, Professional Science Master's
programs and MEng programs with research training but do not include programs that only award certificates or professional degrees [such as
Doctor of Audiology (AuD), Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS), Doctor of Education (DEd), Doctor of Naprapathy (DN), Doctor of Nursing Practice
(DNP), Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO), Doctor of Podiatric Medicine (DPM), Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT), Doctor of Science in Physical
Therapy (DScPT), Juris Doctor (JD), Master of Liberal Arts (MLA), Doctor of Medicine (MD), Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine (ND), Doctor of
Optometry (OD), Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD), Doctor of Pharmacy, (PharmD), Doctor of Psychology (PsyD), Doctor of Speech-Language
Pathology (SLPD)].

IGE RESEARCH PROJECTS

With this solicitation, NSF invites proposals for two types of projects (described below):

Track 1: Career Preparation and Student Success Pilots: IGE supports projects that generate knowledge about new, potentially transformative
improvements in graduate education and workforce development that prepare the next generation of scientists and engineers for the full range
of possible STEM career paths to advance the nation's STEM enterprise.

Track 1 proposals focus on novel, pilot interventions in a single STEM program or at a single institution benefiting STEM students across multiple
graduate programs. Track 1 will also support proposals examining the potential to extend a successful approach developed in one discipline or
context to other disciplines or contexts. Examples of topics that Track 1 projects may address include, but are not limited to: student professional
skill development; career preparation and vocational counseling; faculty training and faculty professional development; entrepreneurship;
experiential and project-based learning; outreach and community engagement; international experiences; virtual networks; pedagogical
innovations related to generative AI and large language models; personalized learning; STEM identity and belonging; and mentoring. Projects
should address how the proposed approach would serve a broad population of students from diverse backgrounds.

Track 1 proposals may request a total budget (up to three years in duration) between $300,000 and $500,000.

Track 2: Systemic Interventions and Policies: IGE Track 2 awards support research projects that are expected to generate knowledge about the
graduate education system and outcomes of systemic intervention and policies. IGE Track 2 projects may be implemented at different scales:
within a field of study across multiple institutions and programs; across multiple fields of study within a single institution; or across multiple
institutions and fields of study. Specifically encouraged are proposals that address one of the following six areas:

1. Funding models and funding mechanisms with a priority emphasis on studies on the effects of traineeships, fellowships, internships, and
teaching and research assistantships on graduate student outcomes addressing differences by sex, race, ethnicity, and citizenship and student
debt load.

2. Graduate student mental health and wellbeing with a priority emphasis on projects that include research, data collection, and assessment
of the state of graduate student mental health and wellbeing, factors contributing to and consequences of poor graduate student mental health,
and the development, adaptation, and assessment of evidence-based strategies and policies to support emotional wellbeing and mental health.

3. Mentoring policies, procedures, and models with a priority emphasis on studies of effects of graduate education and mentoring policies and
procedures on degree completion, including differences by (i) sex, race and ethnicity, and citizenship; and (ii) student debt load.

4. Graduate research environments and teams with a priority emphasis on proposals to study differences in graduate research environments
(e.g., academic, industry, government, hybrid; place-based; team vs. independent; formal and informal social supports) and associated outcomes
or develop and assess new or adapted interventions, including approaches that improve mentoring relationships, develop conflict management
skills, and promote healthy research teams;

5. Inclusive recruitment, admissions, retention, and completion strategies including, but not limited to, studies of the impact of previously
implemented and/or new innovations in policies or other interventions designed to broaden participation in STEM graduate education of students
who are members of groups underrepresented in the STEM workforce; and

6. Credentialing and degree milestones including, but not limited to, studies assessing the impact of systemic innovations in graduate degree
milestones, micro-credentials, stackable credentials, and competency-based approaches on graduate education outcomes such as student
recruitment, retention, completion, skills development, and employment readiness.

Track 2 proposals may request a total budget (up to five years in duration) up to $1,000,000.

Leadership teams (PI/Co-PIs) for both tracks are encouraged to include experts in education research, the learning sciences and/or evaluation, as
appropriate, as well as in the principal science domain(s) as needed to design and implement a robust and appropriate research plan.

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IGE welcomes proposals from early-career investigators and complements the Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Program's mission and
focus. For information about the CAREER program, please refer to the Dear Colleague Letter: https://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?
ods_key=nsf22099. However, researchers at all stages of their careers including mid-career faculty and investigators from non-academic
organizations are welcome to apply.

IGE especially welcomes proposals that reflect collaborations between IGE proposals and existing NSF Eddie Bernice Johnson Inclusion across the
Nation of Communities of Learners of Underrepresented Discoverers in Engineering and Science (INCLUDES) Initiative projects, provided the
collaboration will strengthen both projects. Researchers at minority serving institutions and emerging research institutions are strongly
encouraged to submit proposals.

III. AWARD INFORMATION

Anticipated Type of Award: Standard Grant or Continuing Grant

Estimated Number of Awards: 16 to 20

IGE Track 1 Awards (6 to 10 anticipated in FY 2024) are expected to be up to three (3) years in duration with a total budget between $300,000 and
$500,000.

IGE Track 2 Awards (6 to 12 anticipated in FY 2024) are expected to be up to five (5) years in duration with a total budget up to $1,000,000.

The estimated number of awards and the anticipated funding amounts listed above for both Track 1 and Track 2 are for FY 2024. The number of
awards and funding amounts in FY 2025 and FY 2026 are subject to the availability of funds.

Anticipated Funding Amount: The anticipated funding amount of $14,000,000 is for FY 2024.

IV. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

Who May Submit Proposals:

Proposals may only be submitted by the following:

Institutions of Higher Education (IHEs) - Two- and four-year IHEs (including community colleges) accredited in, and having
a campus located in the US, acting on behalf of their faculty members. Special Instructions for International Branch
Campuses of US IHEs: If the proposal includes funding to be provided to an international branch campus of a US
institution of higher education (including through use of subawards and consultant arrangements), the proposer must
explain the benefit(s) to the project of performance at the international branch campus, and justify why the project
activities cannot be performed at the US campus.
Non-profit, non-academic organizations: Independent museums, observatories, research laboratories, professional
societies and similar organizations located in the U.S. that are directly associated with educational or research activities.
Tribal Nations: An American Indian or Alaska Native tribe, band, nation, pueblo, village, or community that the Secretary of
the Interior acknowledges as a federally recognized tribe pursuant to the Federally Recognized Indian Tribe List Act of
1994, 25 U.S.C. §§ 5130-5131.

Who May Serve as PI:

There are no restrictions or limits.

Limit on Number of Proposals per Organization: 2

An eligible organization may participate in two Innovations in Graduate Education proposals per annual competition.
Participation includes serving as a lead organization on a non-collaborative proposal or as a lead organization, non-lead
organization, or subawardee on a collaborative proposal. Organizations participating solely as evaluators on projects are
excluded from this limitation. Proposals that exceed the organizational eligibility limit (beyond the first two submissions based on
timestamp) will be returned without review regardless of the organization's role (lead, non-lead, subawardee) in the returned
proposal.

Limit on Number of Proposals per PI or co-PI: 1

An individual may serve as Lead Principal Investigator (PI) or Co-PI on only one proposal submitted to the IGE program per annual
competition. Proposals that exceed the PI/Co-PI eligibility limit (beyond the first submission based on timestamp) will be returned
without review regardless of the individual's role (PI or Co-PI) in the returned proposal.

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V. PROPOSAL PREPARATION AND SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS
A. Proposal Preparation Instructions
Full Proposal Preparation Instructions: Proposers may opt to submit proposals in response to this Program Solicitation via Research.gov or
Grants.gov.

Full Proposals submitted via Research.gov: Proposals submitted in response to this program solicitation should be prepared and
submitted in accordance with the general guidelines contained in the NSF Proposal and Award Policies and Procedures Guide (PAPPG). The
complete text of the PAPPG is available electronically on the NSF website at: https://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?
ods_key=pappg. Paper copies of the PAPPG may be obtained from the NSF Publications Clearinghouse, telephone (703) 292-8134 or by e-
mail from nsfpubs@nsf.gov. The Prepare New Proposal setup will prompt you for the program solicitation number.
Full proposals submitted via Grants.gov: Proposals submitted in response to this program solicitation via Grants.gov should be prepared
and submitted in accordance with the NSF Grants.gov Application Guide: A Guide for the Preparation and Submission of NSF Applications via
Grants.gov. The complete text of the NSF Grants.gov Application Guide is available on the Grants.gov website and on the NSF website at:
(https://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=grantsgovguide). To obtain copies of the Application Guide and Application
Forms Package, click on the Apply tab on the Grants.gov site, then click on the Apply Step 1: Download a Grant Application Package and
Application Instructions link and enter the funding opportunity number, (the program solicitation number without the NSF prefix) and
press the Download Package button. Paper copies of the Grants.gov Application Guide also may be obtained from the NSF Publications
Clearinghouse, telephone (703) 292-8134 or by e-mail from nsfpubs@nsf.gov.

In determining which method to utilize in the electronic preparation and submission of the proposal, please note the following:

Collaborative Proposals. All collaborative proposals submitted as separate submissions from multiple organizations must be submitted via
Research.gov. PAPPG Chapter II.E.3 provides additional information on collaborative proposals.

See PAPPG Chapter II.D.2 for guidance on the required sections of a full research proposal submitted to NSF. Please note that the proposal
preparation instructions provided in this program solicitation may deviate from the PAPPG instructions.

Title of Proposed Project: The title of the proposed project should begin with the term: "IGE: [add project Track 1 or Track 2]: [add project title]".

Cover Sheet: If international activities are proposed, whether or not they will be funded via the IGE award, the international cooperative activities
box should be checked and the individual countries listed. For planning purposes, use October 1 as the award start date for proposals submitted
to the FY 2024-FY 2026 competitions.

Project Summary: (1-page limit): Summarize, for Track 1 proposals: the graduate education innovation that will be piloted, the existing pilot that
will be adopted or expanded, OR for Track 2 proposals: the systemic policies, procedures, or interventions and graduate student outcomes that
will be examined) as part of the IGE project. Describe the disciplinary field(s) involved, the knowledge that will be generated to inform
implementation and adaptability of transformative approaches to STEM graduate education, and how the project is responsive to a need and/or
opportunity. Each NSF merit review criterion (Intellectual Merit and Broader Impacts) must be addressed in a separate statement (see the PAPPG
for additional instructions). The summary should be written in a manner that will be informative to STEM professionals working in the same or
related fields, and understandable to a scientifically literate lay reader.

Project Description (15-page limit): The Project Description cannot exceed 15 pages, including tables and illustrations. The Project Description
must contain only the sections described below with the suggested headings and in the order listed.

For proposals submitted to TRACK 1 - Career Preparation Pilots:

Rationale and Goals

Describe the rationale for the proposed improvements and the overarching project goals of the IGE project with a focus on piloting and testing
potentially transformative improvements in graduate education. The rationale for introducing the proposed innovation(s) should address the
graduate education context or setting in which it will be introduced. All innovations should be grounded in the appropriate literature. Specify the
approaches or models to be piloted and tested as well as the targeted graduate student population and the justification for their inclusion.
Identify the potential of the IGE project to provide added value to the current degree programs at the institution(s) or in the discipline(s). Discuss
the potential for extending the approaches and activities nationally and how they could advance the modernization of graduate education across
STEM disciplines.

Research Plan and Methods

IGE supports qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches to examine the impact of the proposed improvements in STEM graduate
education to enhance career development and workforce development. This section should begin with a clear identification of the research
questions and hypotheses and briefly describe the associated theoretical framework. Proposals should include how rigor will be ensured,

7
including justification of the study design including why the proposed research strategies will be used to address the questions or
hypotheses15,16.

Proposals should address problem formulation, data collection, data evaluation and analysis as well as statistical methods and/or qualitative
analytical methods that will be used to analyze the data to ensure valid, reliable, and trustworthy results. Studies should be described in sufficient
detail so that other researchers can replicate the research17. If the project builds upon an early-stage or exploratory study, proposals should
include a clear rationale for how this project is anticipated to generate new knowledge and discuss how research methods will differ to account
for differences in scope, scale and/or target population. Proposals should describe the theory of change that informs the project's approach to
innovation18,19,20. Proposals should also state the theoretical framework that informs the research and, for qualitative studies, discuss how
people involved in the research process are situated with respect to student participants (e.g., professional or potential power relationships,
demographic or anticipated cultural similarities or dissimilarities). If previously validated instruments or newly developed ones will be used,
proposals should describe the method of verifying validity and reliability in the proposed study.

For proposals submitted to TRACK 2 – Research on Systemic Interventions, Policies, Procedures and Outcomes:

Rationale

Describe the rationale for focus on the selected aspect of the graduate education system or systemic innovation. The research focus should be
grounded in the appropriate literature addressing prior studies, where relevant. Specify the interventions, policies, or procedures to be studied,
the targeted graduate student population(s) and the justification for their inclusion, as well as the time-period of the innovation of focus. Identify
the potential of the IGE project to provide appreciable and meaningful added value to the current degree programs at the institution(s) or in the
discipline(s) as well as anticipated limitations. Discuss the potential for extending the approaches and activities nationally and how they could
advance the modernization of graduate education across STEM disciplines.

Research Plan and Methods

IGE supports qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches to examine the impact of systemic innovations in graduate education,
interventions, and policies. This section should begin with a clear identification of the research questions or hypotheses and briefly describe the
associated theoretical framework. Proposals should include justification of the study design including why the proposed research strategies will be
used to address the questions or hypotheses15,16.

Proposals should address problem formulation, data collection, data evaluation and analysis as well as statistical methods that will be used to
analyze the data to ensure valid, reliable, and trustworthy results. Studies should be described in sufficient detail so that other researchers can
replicate the research. [17] If the study proposed is a meta-analytical, this section should address how differences in methodological procedures
within the studies included such as sampling, treatment parameters, and observation methods will be addressed. If a new systemic intervention is
proposed, proposals should describe the theory of change that informs the project approach to innovation18,19,20. For qualitative studies, authors
should also state the theoretical framework that guided the research and discuss how people involved in the research process are situated with
respect to student participants (e.g., professional or potential power relationships, demographic or anticipated cultural similarities or
dissimilarities).

Examination of impact of interventions and policies across multiple institutions of similar and dissimilar types is encouraged. Research may involve
the collection of original data on near-term impact of the implementation of new policies and procedural interventions as well as secondary
analyses using extant datasets or meta-analyses/meta-syntheses on previously implemented policy and procedural innovations. The duration of
the intervention and the justification for the hypothesized correlation to the studies impact(s) should be clearly explained. Proposals are welcome
from higher educational institutions, non-profit organizations, and consortia of institutions.

The following sections are required in the Project Description for both Track 1 and Track 2 proposals:

Organization and Management

This section should include a clear identification of members of the project team and a description of their assigned roles and responsibilities; a
project management plan, including a timeline, that outlines major steps to be taken during the proposed project. If a collaborative proposal is
proposed, describe the role of the non-lead institution(s) and the participating personnel roles, and the mechanisms for project communication. A
collaborative proposal should be submitted only if the partner institution(s) has (have) a significant role and will substantially enhance the
education model or components tested. If a graduate student is participating in the research, clearly discuss the roles of the graduate student and
the research mentors who will guide their educational research. See Graduate Student Support, below.

Broader Impacts

The Project Description must contain, as a separate section within the narrative, a discussion of the broader impacts of the education model and
activities. This section must be clearly labeled "Broader Impacts." For further information see the PAPPG.

Performance Assessment

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Projects (Track 1 or Track 2) that include a novel intervention are strongly encouraged to include plans to assess project implementation and
performance. Assessments should be both formative and summative, and the plan should describe how and when both formative and summative
assessments would be shared with the project participants and institutional administration. Projects are not required to have an external
evaluator. However, teams are encouraged to include evaluation expertise needed to ensure robust data collection and analysis methods
appropriate to assess process and performance. Multiple iterations of data collection and analysis over the duration of the award are strongly
encouraged, when appropriate. Performance assessment is not required for Track 2 Research projects that do not include implementation of
novel interventions21.

Dissemination

The proposal should describe how successful approaches, practices, and models will be shared across the institution[s] or field[s] and nationally
and include institutional plans to implement or scale innovations. Proposals should include plans for communicating project results to other
stakeholders, both within the IGE community via participation in activities and resources of the IGE Innovation Acceleration Hub (IGEHub,
http://www.igehub.org/) and more broadly through publications, professional meetings, and electronic communications platforms.

Budget and Budget Justification:

Track 1: Provide an annual budget for up to three years total duration. The system will automatically generate a cumulative budget. The total
proposed budget can range between $300,000-$500,000 and should be consistent with the costs to develop, implement, and evaluate the pilot.

Track 2: Provide an annual budget for between three years and five years total duration. The system will automatically generate a cumulative
budget. The total proposed budget can be up to $1,000,000 and should be consistent with the costs to implement the proposed interventions
and/or conduct the proposed study.

Track 2 proposal budgets and budget justifications should align with the proposed scale of the intervention and/or research activities including:
the number of participating programs, institutions, and/or STEM disciplines; participant or sample size; partnerships and collaborations; and
duration of the study. Budgets should support participation across multiple institutions as appropriate in addition to reflecting the scale of the
proposed research.

Budgets for both Track 1 and Track 2 should include funds for the PI and a Co-PI or evaluator to attend biennial IGE meetings in Washington, DC.
For further information on allowable costs, see the PAPPG.

Graduate Student Support: IGE projects will only support stipends or cost of education, including tuition and fees for graduate students
engaged in an educational research component that aligns with their thesis research (e.g., College of Education, Discipline-based Educational
Research units, and similar). See Organization and Management, above.

Supplementary Documentation:

Letters of Collaboration: Letters of collaboration using the standard NSF format (see PAPPG for guidance) may be provided from partner
organizations, including international organizations, that play a significant collaborative role in the project. Track 2 projects must include one
Letter of Collaboration from an appropriate senior administrator from each of the participating institution(s). See PAPPG for guidance.

No other items or appendices are to be included. Full proposals containing items other than those required above or by the PAPPG will be
returned without review.

REFERENCES

1 Graduate Education for the 21st Century, National Academies, 2018

2STEM Education for the Future: A Visioning Report, Subcommittee of the Advisory Committee of the Education and Human Resources Directorate,
2020

3 Grand Challenges for Engineering, National Academies for Engineering, 2017

4 The Path Forward: The Future of Graduate Education, Commission on the Future of Graduate Education in the United States, 2010

5 Advancing Graduate Education in the Chemical Sciences, American Chemical Society, 2012

6 Biomedical Research Workforce Working Group Report, National Institutes of Health, 2012

7 Understanding PhD Career Pathways for Program Improvement, Council of Graduate Schools, 2014

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 The STEM Labor Force Today: Scientists, Engineers, and the Skilled Technical Workforce, National Science Board, 2021

9 Professional Development: Shaping Effective Programs for STEM Graduate Students, Council of Graduate Schools, 2017

10 Holistic Review in Graduate Admissions, Council of Graduate Schools, 2016

11 Supporting Graduate Student Mental Health and Well-being, Council of Graduate Schools and the Jed Foundation, 2021

12 NSF RAPID: Graduate Student Experiences of Support and Stress During the COVID-19 Pandemic, University of Montana, 2020

13 CU Committee Report: Generative Artificial Intelligence for Education and Pedagogy, Cornell University, 2023

14Hofstra, B., Kulkarni, VV., Galvez, SM-N., He, B., Jurafsky, D., & McFarland, DA. (2020, April). The Diversity – Innovation Paradox in Science.
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 117(17), 9284-9291.

15 Tracy, SJ. (2010). "Qualitative Quality: Eight "Big-Tent" Criteria for Excellent Qualitative Research," Qualitative Inquiry, 16:10, pp.837-851.

16 Creswell & Creswell. Research Design Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mixed Methods Approaches, 2017

17Common Guidelines for Education Research and Development. A Report from the Institute of Education Sciences US Department of Education,
and the National Science Foundation, 2013

18Reinholz, D.L. & Andrews, TC. (2020). "Change theory and theory of change: what's the difference anyway?" International Journal of STEM
Education, 7:2

19Reinholz, D.L., White, I. & Andrews, T. (2021). "Change Theory in STEM higher education: a systematic review," International Journal of STEM
Education, 8:37

20 Connolly, MR., & Seymour, E., Why theories of change matter (WCER Working Paper No. 2015-2), 2015

21The 2010 User-Friendly Handbook for Project Evaluation. Directorate for Education and Human Resources and the Division of Research and
Learning in Formal and Informal Settings National Science Foundation, 2010.

B. Budgetary Information
Cost Sharing:

Inclusion of voluntary committed cost sharing is prohibited.

C. Due Dates
Full Proposal Deadline(s) (due by 5 p.m. submitter's local time):

     April 22, 2024

     March 25, 2025

     March 25, Annually Thereafter

Due by 5pm submitter's local time

D. Research.gov/Grants.gov Requirements
For Proposals Submitted Via Research.gov:

To prepare and submit a proposal via Research.gov, see detailed technical instructions available at: https://www.research.gov/research-
portal/appmanager/base/desktop?
_nfpb=true&_pageLabel=research_node_display&_nodePath=/researchGov/Service/Desktop/ProposalPreparationandSubmission.html. For
Research.gov user support, call the Research.gov Help Desk at 1-800-381-1532 or e-mail rgov@nsf.gov. The Research.gov Help Desk answers
general technical questions related to the use of the Research.gov system. Specific questions related to this program solicitation should be
referred to the NSF program staff contact(s) listed in Section VIII of this funding opportunity.

For Proposals Submitted Via Grants.gov:

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 Before using Grants.gov for the first time, each organization must register to create an institutional profile. Once registered, the
applicant's organization can then apply for any federal grant on the Grants.gov website. Comprehensive information about using
Grants.gov is available on the Grants.gov Applicant Resources webpage: https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants.html. In
addition, the NSF Grants.gov Application Guide (see link in Section V.A) provides instructions regarding the technical preparation
of proposals via Grants.gov. For Grants.gov user support, contact the Grants.gov Contact Center at 1-800-518-4726 or by email:
support@grants.gov. The Grants.gov Contact Center answers general technical questions related to the use of Grants.gov.
Specific questions related to this program solicitation should be referred to the NSF program staff contact(s) listed in Section VIII
of this solicitation.

Submitting the Proposal: Once all documents have been completed, the Authorized Organizational Representative (AOR) must
submit the application to Grants.gov and verify the desired funding opportunity and agency to which the application is submitted.
The AOR must then sign and submit the application to Grants.gov. The completed application will be transferred to Research.gov
for further processing.

The NSF Grants.gov Proposal Processing in Research.gov informational page provides submission guidance to applicants and links
to helpful resources including the NSF Grants.gov Application Guide, Grants.gov Proposal Processing in Research.gov how-to
guide, and Grants.gov Submitted Proposals Frequently Asked Questions. Grants.gov proposals must pass all NSF pre-check and
post-check validations in order to be accepted by Research.gov at NSF.

When submitting via Grants.gov, NSF strongly recommends applicants initiate proposal submission at least five business days in
advance of a deadline to allow adequate time to address NSF compliance errors and resubmissions by 5:00 p.m. submitting
organization's local time on the deadline. Please note that some errors cannot be corrected in Grants.gov. Once a proposal
passes pre-checks but fails any post-check, an applicant can only correct and submit the in-progress proposal in Research.gov.

Proposers that submitted via Research.gov may use Research.gov to verify the status of their submission to NSF. For proposers that submitted via
Grants.gov, until an application has been received and validated by NSF, the Authorized Organizational Representative may check the status of an
application on Grants.gov. After proposers have received an e-mail notification from NSF, Research.gov should be used to check the status of an
application.

VI. NSF PROPOSAL PROCESSING AND REVIEW PROCEDURES

Proposals received by NSF are assigned to the appropriate NSF program for acknowledgement and, if they meet NSF requirements, for review. All
proposals are carefully reviewed by a scientist, engineer, or educator serving as an NSF Program Officer, and usually by three to ten other persons
outside NSF either as ad hoc reviewers, panelists, or both, who are experts in the particular fields represented by the proposal. These reviewers
are selected by Program Officers charged with oversight of the review process. Proposers are invited to suggest names of persons they believe
are especially well qualified to review the proposal and/or persons they would prefer not review the proposal. These suggestions may serve as
one source in the reviewer selection process at the Program Officer's discretion. Submission of such names, however, is optional. Care is taken to
ensure that reviewers have no conflicts of interest with the proposal. In addition, Program Officers may obtain comments from site visits before
recommending final action on proposals. Senior NSF staff further review recommendations for awards. A flowchart that depicts the entire NSF
proposal and award process (and associated timeline) is included in PAPPG Exhibit III-1.

A comprehensive description of the Foundation's merit review process is available on the NSF website at:
https://www.nsf.gov/bfa/dias/policy/merit_review/.

Proposers should also be aware of core strategies that are essential to the fulfillment of NSF's mission, as articulated in Leading the World in
Discovery and Innovation, STEM Talent Development and the Delivery of Benefits from Research - NSF Strategic Plan for Fiscal Years (FY) 2022 - 2026.
These strategies are integrated in the program planning and implementation process, of which proposal review is one part. NSF's mission is
particularly well-implemented through the integration of research and education and broadening participation in NSF programs, projects, and
activities.

One of the strategic objectives in support of NSF's mission is to foster integration of research and education through the programs, projects, and
activities it supports at academic and research institutions. These institutions must recruit, train, and prepare a diverse STEM workforce to
advance the frontiers of science and participate in the U.S. technology-based economy. NSF's contribution to the national innovation ecosystem is
to provide cutting-edge research under the guidance of the Nation's most creative scientists and engineers. NSF also supports development of a
strong science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) workforce by investing in building the knowledge that informs improvements in
STEM teaching and learning.

NSF's mission calls for the broadening of opportunities and expanding participation of groups, institutions, and geographic regions that are
underrepresented in STEM disciplines, which is essential to the health and vitality of science and engineering. NSF is committed to this principle of
diversity and deems it central to the programs, projects, and activities it considers and supports.

A. Merit Review Principles and Criteria

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The National Science Foundation strives to invest in a robust and diverse portfolio of projects that creates new knowledge and enables
breakthroughs in understanding across all areas of science and engineering research and education. To identify which projects to support, NSF
relies on a merit review process that incorporates consideration of both the technical aspects of a proposed project and its potential to contribute
more broadly to advancing NSF's mission "to promote the progress of science; to advance the national health, prosperity, and welfare; to secure
the national defense; and for other purposes." NSF makes every effort to conduct a fair, competitive, transparent merit review process for the
selection of projects.

1. Merit Review Principles

These principles are to be given due diligence by PIs and organizations when preparing proposals and managing projects, by reviewers when
reading and evaluating proposals, and by NSF program staff when determining whether or not to recommend proposals for funding and while
overseeing awards. Given that NSF is the primary federal agency charged with nurturing and supporting excellence in basic research and
education, the following three principles apply:

All NSF projects should be of the highest quality and have the potential to advance, if not transform, the frontiers of knowledge.
NSF projects, in the aggregate, should contribute more broadly to achieving societal goals. These "Broader Impacts" may be accomplished
through the research itself, through activities that are directly related to specific research projects, or through activities that are supported
by, but are complementary to, the project. The project activities may be based on previously established and/or innovative methods and
approaches, but in either case must be well justified.
Meaningful assessment and evaluation of NSF funded projects should be based on appropriate metrics, keeping in mind the likely
correlation between the effect of broader impacts and the resources provided to implement projects. If the size of the activity is limited,
evaluation of that activity in isolation is not likely to be meaningful. Thus, assessing the effectiveness of these activities may best be done
at a higher, more aggregated, level than the individual project.

With respect to the third principle, even if assessment of Broader Impacts outcomes for particular projects is done at an aggregated level, PIs are
expected to be accountable for carrying out the activities described in the funded project. Thus, individual projects should include clearly stated
goals, specific descriptions of the activities that the PI intends to do, and a plan in place to document the outputs of those activities.

These three merit review principles provide the basis for the merit review criteria, as well as a context within which the users of the criteria can
better understand their intent.

2. Merit Review Criteria

All NSF proposals are evaluated through use of the two National Science Board approved merit review criteria. In some instances, however, NSF
will employ additional criteria as required to highlight the specific objectives of certain programs and activities.

The two merit review criteria are listed below. Both criteria are to be given full consideration during the review and decision-making processes;
each criterion is necessary but neither, by itself, is sufficient. Therefore, proposers must fully address both criteria. (PAPPG Chapter II.D.2.d(i).
contains additional information for use by proposers in development of the Project Description section of the proposal). Reviewers are strongly
encouraged to review the criteria, including PAPPG Chapter II.D.2.d(i), prior to the review of a proposal.

When evaluating NSF proposals, reviewers will be asked to consider what the proposers want to do, why they want to do it, how they plan to do it,
how they will know if they succeed, and what benefits could accrue if the project is successful. These issues apply both to the technical aspects of
the proposal and the way in which the project may make broader contributions. To that end, reviewers will be asked to evaluate all proposals
against two criteria:

Intellectual Merit: The Intellectual Merit criterion encompasses the potential to advance knowledge; and
Broader Impacts: The Broader Impacts criterion encompasses the potential to benefit society and contribute to the achievement of
specific, desired societal outcomes.

The following elements should be considered in the review for both criteria:

1. What is the potential for the proposed activity to

a. Advance knowledge and understanding within its own field or across different fields (Intellectual Merit); and
b. Benefit society or advance desired societal outcomes (Broader Impacts)?
2. To what extent do the proposed activities suggest and explore creative, original, or potentially transformative concepts?
3. Is the plan for carrying out the proposed activities well-reasoned, well-organized, and based on a sound rationale? Does the plan
incorporate a mechanism to assess success?
4. How well qualified is the individual, team, or organization to conduct the proposed activities?
5. Are there adequate resources available to the PI (either at the home organization or through collaborations) to carry out the proposed
activities?

Broader impacts may be accomplished through the research itself, through the activities that are directly related to specific research projects, or
through activities that are supported by, but are complementary to, the project. NSF values the advancement of scientific knowledge and activities

12
that contribute to achievement of societally relevant outcomes. Such outcomes include, but are not limited to: full participation of women,
persons with disabilities, and other underrepresented groups in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM); improved STEM
education and educator development at any level; increased public scientific literacy and public engagement with science and technology;
improved well-being of individuals in society; development of a diverse, globally competitive STEM workforce; increased partnerships between
academia, industry, and others; improved national security; increased economic competitiveness of the United States; and enhanced
infrastructure for research and education.

Proposers are reminded that reviewers will also be asked to review the Data Management Plan and the Postdoctoral Researcher Mentoring Plan,
as appropriate.

B. Review and Selection Process

Proposals submitted in response to this program solicitation will be reviewed by Ad hoc Review and/or Panel Review.

Reviewers will be asked to evaluate proposals using two National Science Board approved merit review criteria and, if applicable, additional
program specific criteria. A summary rating and accompanying narrative will generally be completed and submitted by each reviewer and/or
panel. The Program Officer assigned to manage the proposal's review will consider the advice of reviewers and will formulate a recommendation.

After scientific, technical and programmatic review and consideration of appropriate factors, the NSF Program Officer recommends to the
cognizant Division Director whether the proposal should be declined or recommended for award. NSF strives to be able to tell proposers whether
their proposals have been declined or recommended for funding within six months. Large or particularly complex proposals or proposals from
new recipients may require additional review and processing time. The time interval begins on the deadline or target date, or receipt date,
whichever is later. The interval ends when the Division Director acts upon the Program Officer's recommendation.

After programmatic approval has been obtained, the proposals recommended for funding will be forwarded to the Division of Grants and
Agreements or the Division of Acquisition and Cooperative Support for review of business, financial, and policy implications. After an
administrative review has occurred, Grants and Agreements Officers perform the processing and issuance of a grant or other agreement.
Proposers are cautioned that only a Grants and Agreements Officer may make commitments, obligations or awards on behalf of NSF or authorize
the expenditure of funds. No commitment on the part of NSF should be inferred from technical or budgetary discussions with a NSF Program
Officer. A Principal Investigator or organization that makes financial or personnel commitments in the absence of a grant or cooperative
agreement signed by the NSF Grants and Agreements Officer does so at their own risk.

Once an award or declination decision has been made, Principal Investigators are provided feedback about their proposals. In all cases, reviews
are treated as confidential documents. Verbatim copies of reviews, excluding the names of the reviewers or any reviewer-identifying information,
are sent to the Principal Investigator/Project Director by the Program Officer. In addition, the proposer will receive an explanation of the decision
to award or decline funding.

VII. AWARD ADMINISTRATION INFORMATION

A. Notification of the Award
Notification of the award is made to the submitting organization by an NSF Grants and Agreements Officer. Organizations whose proposals are
declined will be advised as promptly as possible by the cognizant NSF Program administering the program. Verbatim copies of reviews, not
including the identity of the reviewer, will be provided automatically to the Principal Investigator. (See Section VI.B. for additional information on
the review process.)

B. Award Conditions
An NSF award consists of: (1) the award notice, which includes any special provisions applicable to the award and any numbered amendments
thereto; (2) the budget, which indicates the amounts, by categories of expense, on which NSF has based its support (or otherwise communicates
any specific approvals or disapprovals of proposed expenditures); (3) the proposal referenced in the award notice; (4) the applicable award
conditions, such as Grant General Conditions (GC-1)*; or Research Terms and Conditions* and (5) any announcement or other NSF issuance that
may be incorporated by reference in the award notice. Cooperative agreements also are administered in accordance with NSF Cooperative
Agreement Financial and Administrative Terms and Conditions (CA-FATC) and the applicable Programmatic Terms and Conditions. NSF awards are
electronically signed by an NSF Grants and Agreements Officer and transmitted electronically to the organization via e-mail.

*These documents may be accessed electronically on NSF's Website at https://www.nsf.gov/awards/managing/award_conditions.jsp?org=NSF.

Paper copies may be obtained from the NSF Publications Clearinghouse, telephone (703) 292-8134 or by e-mail from nsfpubs@nsf.gov.

More comprehensive information on NSF Award Conditions and other important information on the administration of NSF awards is contained in
the NSF Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG) Chapter VII, available electronically on the NSF Website at
https://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=pappg.

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Administrative and National Policy Requirements

Build America, Buy America

As expressed in Executive Order 14005, Ensuring the Future is Made in All of America by All of America's Workers (86 FR 7475), it is the policy of
the executive branch to use terms and conditions of Federal financial assistance awards to maximize, consistent with law, the use of goods,
products, and materials produced in, and services offered in, the United States.

Consistent with the requirements of the Build America, Buy America Act (Pub. L. 117-58, Division G, Title IX, Subtitle A, November 15, 2021), no
funding made available through this funding opportunity may be obligated for an award unless all iron, steel, manufactured products, and
construction materials used in the project are produced in the United States. For additional information, visit NSF's Build America, Buy America
webpage.

C. Reporting Requirements
For all multi-year grants (including both standard and continuing grants), the Principal Investigator must submit an annual project report to the
cognizant Program Officer no later than 90 days prior to the end of the current budget period. (Some programs or awards require submission of
more frequent project reports). No later than 120 days following expiration of a grant, the PI also is required to submit a final project report, and a
project outcomes report for the general public.

Failure to provide the required annual or final project reports, or the project outcomes report, will delay NSF review and processing of any future
funding increments as well as any pending proposals for all identified PIs and co-PIs on a given award. PIs should examine the formats of the
required reports in advance to assure availability of required data.

PIs are required to use NSF's electronic project-reporting system, available through Research.gov, for preparation and submission of annual and
final project reports. Such reports provide information on accomplishments, project participants (individual and organizational), publications, and
other specific products and impacts of the project. Submission of the report via Research.gov constitutes certification by the PI that the contents
of the report are accurate and complete. The project outcomes report also must be prepared and submitted using Research.gov. This report
serves as a brief summary, prepared specifically for the public, of the nature and outcomes of the project. This report will be posted on the NSF
website exactly as it is submitted by the PI.

More comprehensive information on NSF Reporting Requirements and other important information on the administration of NSF awards is
contained in the NSF Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG) Chapter VII, available electronically on the NSF Website at
https://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=pappg.

VIII. AGENCY CONTACTS

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

General inquiries regarding this program should be made to:

Daniel Denecke, telephone: (703) 292-8072, email: ddenecke@nsf.gov

Karen McNeal, telephone: (703) 292-2138, email: kmcneal@nsf.gov
Elizabeth A. Webber, telephone: (703) 292-4316, email: ewebber@nsf.gov

For questions related to the use of NSF systems contact:

NSF Help Desk: 1-800-381-1532

Research.gov Help Desk e-mail: rgov@nsf.gov

For questions relating to Grants.gov contact:

Grants.gov Contact Center: If the Authorized Organizational Representatives (AOR) has not received a confirmation message from
Grants.gov within 48 hours of submission of application, please contact via telephone: 1-800-518-4726; e-mail: support@grants.gov.

IX. OTHER INFORMATION

The NSF website provides the most comprehensive source of information on NSF Directorates (including contact information), programs and
funding opportunities. Use of this website by potential proposers is strongly encouraged. In addition, "NSF Update" is an information-delivery
system designed to keep potential proposers and other interested parties apprised of new NSF funding opportunities and publications, important
changes in proposal and award policies and procedures, and upcoming NSF Grants Conferences. Subscribers are informed through e-mail or the
user's Web browser each time new publications are issued that match their identified interests. "NSF Update" also is available on NSF's website.

14
Grants.gov provides an additional electronic capability to search for Federal government-wide grant opportunities. NSF funding opportunities may
be accessed via this mechanism. Further information on Grants.gov may be obtained at https://www.grants.gov.

ABOUT THE NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION

The National Science Foundation (NSF) is an independent Federal agency created by the National Science Foundation Act of 1950, as amended
(42 USC 1861-75). The Act states the purpose of the NSF is "to promote the progress of science; [and] to advance the national health, prosperity,
and welfare by supporting research and education in all fields of science and engineering."

NSF funds research and education in most fields of science and engineering. It does this through grants and cooperative agreements to more
than 2,000 colleges, universities, K-12 school systems, businesses, informal science organizations and other research organizations throughout
the US. The Foundation accounts for about one-fourth of Federal support to academic institutions for basic research.

NSF receives approximately 55,000 proposals each year for research, education and training projects, of which approximately 11,000 are funded.
In addition, the Foundation receives several thousand applications for graduate and postdoctoral fellowships. The agency operates no
laboratories itself but does support National Research Centers, user facilities, certain oceanographic vessels and Arctic and Antarctic research
stations. The Foundation also supports cooperative research between universities and industry, US participation in international scientific and
engineering efforts, and educational activities at every academic level.

Facilitation Awards for Scientists and Engineers with Disabilities (FASED) provide funding for special assistance or equipment to enable persons with
disabilities to work on NSF-supported projects. See the NSF Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide Chapter II.F.7 for instructions regarding
preparation of these types of proposals.

The National Science Foundation has Telephonic Device for the Deaf (TDD) and Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) capabilities that enable
individuals with hearing impairments to communicate with the Foundation about NSF programs, employment or general information. TDD may be
accessed at (703) 292-5090 and (800) 281-8749, FIRS at (800) 877-8339.

The National Science Foundation Information Center may be reached at (703) 292-5111.

The National Science Foundation promotes and advances scientific progress in the United States by competitively awarding grants and
cooperative agreements for research and education in the sciences, mathematics, and engineering.

To get the latest information about program deadlines, to download copies of NSF publications, and to access abstracts of awards, visit the
NSF Website at https://www.nsf.gov

Location: 2415 Eisenhower Avenue, Alexandria, VA 22314

For General Information (703) 292-5111

(NSF Information Center):

TDD (for the hearing-impaired): (703) 292-5090

To Order Publications or Forms:

Send an e-mail to: nsfpubs@nsf.gov

or telephone: (703) 292-8134

To Locate NSF Employees: (703) 292-5111

PRIVACY ACT AND PUBLIC BURDEN STATEMENTS

The information requested on proposal forms and project reports is solicited under the authority of the National Science Foundation Act of 1950,
as amended. The information on proposal forms will be used in connection with the selection of qualified proposals; and project reports
submitted by proposers will be used for program evaluation and reporting within the Executive Branch and to Congress. The information
requested may be disclosed to qualified reviewers and staff assistants as part of the proposal review process; to proposer institutions/grantees to
provide or obtain data regarding the proposal review process, award decisions, or the administration of awards; to government contractors,
experts, volunteers and researchers and educators as necessary to complete assigned work; to other government agencies or other entities
needing information regarding proposers or nominees as part of a joint application review process, or in order to coordinate programs or policy;
and to another Federal agency, court, or party in a court or Federal administrative proceeding if the government is a party. Information about
Principal Investigators may be added to the Reviewer file and used to select potential candidates to serve as peer reviewers or advisory committee
members. See System of Record Notices, NSF-50, "Principal Investigator/Proposal File and Associated Records," and NSF-51, "Reviewer/Proposal

15
File and Associated Records." Submission of the information is voluntary. Failure to provide full and complete information, however, may reduce
the possibility of receiving an award.

An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, an information collection unless it displays a valid Office of
Management and Budget (OMB) control number. The OMB control number for this collection is 3145-0058. Public reporting burden for this
collection of information is estimated to average 120 hours per response, including the time for reviewing instructions. Send comments regarding
the burden estimate and any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to:

Suzanne H. Plimpton
Reports Clearance Officer
Policy Office, Division of Institution and Award Support
Office of Budget, Finance, and Award Management
National Science Foundation
Alexandria, VA 22314

Policies and Important Links | Privacy | FOIA | Help | Contact NSF | Contact Web Master | SiteMap

National Science Foundation, 2415 Eisenhower Avenue, Alexandria, Virginia 22314, USA Text Only
Tel: (703) 292-5111, FIRS: (800) 877-8339 | TDD: (703) 292-5090 or (800) 281-8749

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