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NSF 11-517: Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program

Program Solicitation

Document Information

Document History


Program Solicitation NSF 11-517

NSF Logo

National Science Foundation

Directorate for Education & Human Resources
     Division of Undergraduate Education


Letter of Intent Due Date(s) (optional) (due by 5 p.m. proposer's local time):

February 23, 2011

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

March 23, 2011

Important Information And Revision Notes

A revised version of the NSF Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG), NSF 11-1, was issued on October 1, 2010 and is effective for proposals submitted, or due, on or after January 18, 2011. Please be advised that the guidelines contained in NSF 11-1 apply to proposals submitted in response to this funding opportunity.

Data Management Plan: The PAPPG contains a clarification of NSF's long standing data policy. All proposals must describe plans for data management and sharing of the products of research, or assert the absence of the need for such plans. FastLane will not permit submission of a proposal that is missing a Data Management Plan. The Data Management Plan will be reviewed as part of the intellectual merit or broader impacts of the proposal, or both, as appropriate. Links to data management requirements and plans relevant to specific Directorates, Offices, Divisions, Programs, or other NSF units are available on the NSF website at: https://www.nsf.gov/bfa/dias/policy/dmp.jsp. See
Chapter II.C.2.j of the GPG for further information about the implementation of this requirement.

Postdoctoral Researcher Mentoring Plan: As a reminder, each proposal that requests funding to support postdoctoral researchers must include, as a supplementary document, a description of the mentoring activities that will be provided for such individuals. Please be advised that if required, FastLane will not permit submission of a proposal that is missing a Postdoctoral Researcher Mentoring Plan. See Chapter II.C.2.j of the GPG for further information about the implementation of this requirement.

Revision Summary

1. Capacity Building Projects have been introduced to develop the capacity for institutions to provide innovative teacher preparation programs to enable increasing numbers of STEM majors and STEM professionals to become effective K-12 mathematics and science teachers and to develop the capacity to prepare Master Teachers of mathematics and science.

2. Applicable Indirect costs are now allowed.

3. Cost sharing requirements associated with the Teaching Fellowship/Master Teaching Fellowship track have been modified.

Summary Of Program Requirements

General Information

Program Title:

Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program

Synopsis of Program:

The Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program seeks to encourage talented science, technology, engineering, and mathematics majors and professionals to become K-12 mathematics and science teachers. The Noyce Scholarship Track provides funds to institutions of higher education to support scholarships, stipends, and academic programs for undergraduate STEM majors and post-baccalaureate students holding STEM degrees who earn a teaching credential and commit to teaching in high-need K-12 school districts. The NSF Teaching Fellowship/Master Teaching Fellowship Track supports STEM professionals who enroll as NSF Teaching Fellows in master's degree programs leading to teacher certification by providing academic courses, professional development, and salary supplements while they are fulfilling a four-year teaching commitment in a high need school district. This track also supports the development of NSF Master Teaching Fellows by providing professional development and salary supplements for exemplary mathematics and science teachers to become Master Teachers in high need school districts. Each track supports Capacity Building Projects to develop the capacity for institutions to provide innovative teacher preparation programs to enable increasing numbers of STEM majors and STEM professionals to become effective K-12 mathematics and science teachers and to develop the capacity to prepare Master science and mathematics teachers.

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.

  • Richard A. Alo, 835 N, telephone: (703) 292-4634, email: ralo@nsf.gov

  • Mary Lee S. Ledbetter, 835 N, telephone: (703) 292-4671, email: msledbet@nsf.gov

  • Kathleen B. Bergin, 835 N, telephone: (703) 292-5171, email: kbergin@nsf.gov

  • (Virginia) C. Carter, 835 N, telephone: (703) 292-4651, email: vccarter@nsf.gov

  • Terry S. Woodin, 835 N, telephone: (703) 292-4657, email: twoodin@nsf.gov

  • Lee L. Zia, 835 N, telephone: (703) 292-5140, email: lzia@nsf.gov

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

  • 47.076 --- Education and Human Resources

Award Information

Anticipated Type of Award: Standard Grant or Continuing Grant

Estimated Number of Awards: 35 to 46 awards under the Noyce Scholarship Program. Pending the availability of funding, it is anticipated that there will be 15-20 Noyce Phase I awards, 4-6 Noyce Phase II awards, 8-10 Teaching Fellowship/Master Teaching Fellowship Awards, and 8-10 Capacity Building Awards.

Anticipated Funding Amount: $53,500,000 for new Noyce awards in FY 2011 pending availability of funds.

Eligibility Information

Organization Limit:

Proposals may only be submitted by the following:
  • Universities and two- or four-year colleges (including community colleges) accredited in, and having a campus located in the United States, or consortia of such institutions, or U.S. nonprofit entities that have established consortia among such institutions of higher education.

PI Limit:

The PI, or at least one Co-PI, must be a faculty member in a mathematics, science, or engineering department.

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: Submission of Letters of Intent is optional. Please see the full text of this solicitation for further information.
  • 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: https://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: https://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=grantsgovguide)

B. Budgetary Information

  • Cost Sharing Requirements: Cost Sharing is Required. For purposes of this solicitation, and in accordance with Federal requirements, the terms "matching" and "cost sharing" are synonymous. Please see the full text of this solicitation for further information.
  • Indirect Cost (F&A) Limitations: Not Applicable
  • Other Budgetary Limitations: Other budgetary limitations apply. Please see the full text of this solicitation for further information.

C. Due Dates

  • Letter of Intent Due Date(s) (optional) (due by 5 p.m. proposer's local time):

    February 23, 2011

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

    March 23, 2011

Proposal Review Information Criteria

Merit Review Criteria: National Science Board approved criteria. Additional merit review considerations apply. Please see the full text of this solicitation for further information.

Award Administration Information

Award Conditions: Standard NSF award conditions apply.

Reporting Requirements: Additional reporting requirements apply. Please see the full text of this solicitation for further information.

  • Agency Contacts

  • Other Information
  • I. Introduction

    The Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program, first authorized under the National Science Foundation Authorization Act of 2002 (P.L. 107-368) and reauthorized in 2007 under the America COMPETES Act (P.L. 110-69) and the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2010 responds to the critical need for K-12 teachers of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) by encouraging talented STEM students and professionals to pursue teaching careers in elementary and secondary schools. The program provides funding to institutions of higher education to provide scholarships, stipends, and programmatic support to recruit and prepare STEM majors and professionals to become K-12 teachers. Scholarship and stipend recipients are required to complete two years of teaching in a high-need school district for each year of support. The program seeks to increase the number of K-12 teachers with strong STEM content knowledge who teach in high-need school districts. In addition, the program supports the recruitment and development of NSF Teaching Fellows who receive salary supplements while fulfilling a 4-year teaching requirement and supports the development of NSF Master Teaching Fellows by providing professional development and salary supplements while they are teaching for five years in a high need school district. A goal of the program is to recruit individuals with strong STEM backgrounds who might otherwise not have considered a career in K-12 teaching.

    II. Program Description

    The Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program consists of three categories of projects:

    1. The Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Track provides scholarships, internships, and programs for undergraduate STEM majors and stipends for STEM professionals seeking to become K-12 teachers. This track includes two types of proposals: Phase I proposals support new projects and Phase II proposals support the continuation and further development of activities funded under a previous award. A Phase II proposal may continue to provide scholarships and stipends or may be exclusively for continuing the evaluation of the previous award.

    2. The NSF Teaching Fellowships and Master Teaching Fellowships Track supports fellowships and programs for STEM professionals enrolling in a master's degree program leading to certification to teach a STEM discipline and fellowships for current mathematics and science teachers who participate in a program for developing Master Teachers.

    3. Capacity Building Projects provide an opportunity for institutions to establish the infrastructure and partnerships for implementing a future Noyce Teacher Scholarship or NSF Teaching Fellowship project by supporting the development of new teacher preparation programs for STEM majors and STEM professionals and new programs for developing STEM Master Teachers.

    ROBERT NOYCE TEACHER SCHOLARSHIP TRACK

    The Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Track awards grants to institutions of higher education (as defined in section 101(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965) in the United States, or consortia of such institutions, or nonprofit entities that have established consortia among such institutions of higher education to provide scholarships and programs for juniors and seniors who are majoring in science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM) and stipends for STEM professionals seeking to become teachers. Support is also provided for summer internships for freshman and sophomore undergraduate students to provide early field experiences in formal and informal STEM education settings that will spark an interest in teaching. Recruitment efforts should be designed to recruit individuals with strong STEM backgrounds who might otherwise not have considered a career in K-12 teaching. Proposals may address either the scholarship or the stipend program or both programs. Scholarship and stipend recipients should be selected on the basis of academic merit, with consideration given to financial need and the diversity of participants in the program. Institutions are expected to provide the programs and support to enable scholarship and stipend recipients to obtain teacher certification or licensing and to become successful elementary or secondary teachers. This support should be based on effective, evidence-based strategies and should be available to recipients during their participation in the program and continue after their completion of the program to ease the transition into teaching and aid retention during and beyond the obligatory service period. Teacher preparation programs are expected to produce graduates with strong content knowledge and pedagogical skills that will enable them to become effective science and mathematics teachers. Program activities for scholarship and stipend recipients may include early field experiences, including internships in formal and informal STEM education and STEM research settings.

    Proposals must provide evidence that existing teacher preparation efforts are effective at preparing scholarship and stipend recipients to become successful science and mathematics teachers in elementary or secondary schools. Successful proposals also will provide evidence of functioning partnerships between institutions of higher education and school districts and an infrastructure that is supportive of new teachers.

    The project leadership team is expected to include STEM discipline faculty and education faculty working in collaboration with public school districts and master K-12 teachers. Proposals are expected to have significant participation of STEM faculty on the leadership team and in implementation of the project. A STEM disciplinary faculty member must serve as PI or Co-PI.

    Partnerships between two-year and four-year institutions are particularly encouraged.

    Scholarships for STEM Majors

    Scholarship amounts must be at least $10,000 per year; however, no individual may receive a scholarship for any year that exceeds the yearly cost of attendance at the institution (as defined in section 472 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1087ll)). Scholarship recipients must be U.S. citizens or nationals, or permanent resident aliens, must be majoring in mathematics, engineering, or a science discipline, and must be in the last 2 years of a baccalaureate degree program. It is expected that these students will graduate with a major in a STEM discipline (mathematics, a science discipline, or engineering) and will obtain teacher certification or licensing. Students enrolled in institutions requiring a fifth year or post-baccalaureate program for teacher certification may apply the scholarship to the post-baccalaureate program. A recipient may receive up to three years of scholarship support, beginning in the junior year and continuing through the postbaccalaureate study leading to certification. Part-time students may receive prorated scholarships not to exceed 6 years of support. Recipients of scholarships must commit to completion of two years of service as a mathematics or science teacher for each year the scholarship is received. Service must be completed within 8 years after graduation from the program for which the scholarship was awarded and must be performed in a high-need local educational agency as defined in section 201 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1021):

    The term "high need local educational agency" means a local educational agency that serves an elementary or secondary school located in an area in which there is:

    (A) a high percentage of individuals from families with incomes below the poverty line;

    (B) a high percentage of secondary school teachers not teaching in the content area in which the teachers were trained to teach; or

    (C) a high teacher turnover rate.

    Summer Internships

    As an additional component of proposals focusing on undergraduate scholarships, proposals may include summer internships for undergraduate freshmen and sophomores to introduce students to early experiences in STEM education and provide examples of the integration of research and education. It is expected that these internships will be well-structured to provide meaningful experiences for the students with the goal of interesting them in STEM teaching as a career, thereby increasing the pool of Noyce Scholarship applicants. Settings for internships may include formal and informal STEM education venues, such as summer science and mathematics camps, summer school, science museums, nature centers, or science research laboratories. Stipends are limited to $450 per week.

    Stipends for STEM Professionals

    Stipends of at least $10,000, but not greater than the yearly cost of attendance, are available for a maximum of one year for science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM) professionals, including retirees, who hold a baccalaureate, masters, or doctoral degree in science, mathematics, or engineering and enroll in a teacher certification program. Stipend recipients must be U.S. citizens or nationals, or permanent resident aliens. Recipients of stipends must commit to serving two years as a mathematics or science teacher in a high-need local educational agency, as defined above, within 4 years after graduation or completion of the program for which the stipend was awarded. Current K-12 teachers seeking new certification or re-certification are not eligible to receive Noyce scholarships or stipends under this track.

    Evaluation

    All projects are expected to include an evaluation plan for measuring the impact of the project and effectiveness of proposed strategies in attracting, preparing, and retaining STEM majors and professionals in teaching careers as well as the effectiveness of the Noyce scholarship/stipend recipients as teachers. The evaluation plan should include a mechanism for tracking the scholarship/stipend recipients as they fulfill their teaching obligation and a method for collecting demographic data on these individuals. Research studies that address questions related to the reasons why a strategy for attracting, preparing, and retaining teachers might have a particular result or impact are encouraged but are not required components of the evaluation plan. In addition to the project-specific evaluation, all projects will be expected to cooperate with an NSF third-party monitoring and evaluation of program impact that will require annual data collection. It is expected that individual project evaluation, as well as the overall program evaluation, will contribute to the knowledge base of strategies for attracting and retaining effective teachers with strong STEM content knowledge.

    Programmatic Support

    Proposals may also include expenditures for program development and enhancement to enable undergraduate STEM majors to complete a STEM degree while also completing teacher certification requirements within 5 years or to enable STEM professionals to earn a teaching credential. Institutions are encouraged to develop innovative programs that will enable undergraduate STEM majors and STEM professionals to become effective elementary or secondary teachers in high need school districts. Program components designed to attract students and STEM professionals into teaching, to provide high quality preparation for their success as teachers, and to retain them in the teaching workforce may include early field experiences, internships, research experiences, academic courses in content and pedagogy, as well as activities and support for new teachers during the induction period.

    Up to 20% of the proposed budget may be allocated for activities that contribute to the effectiveness of the program, including program development and enhancement, activities associated with recruiting and preparing the teachers, marketing the program, conducting monitoring and evaluation activities and applicable indirect costs.

    Categories of Proposals

    The Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Track provides funding for two categories of proposals:

    • Phase I proposals are invited from institutions that have not previously been funded under the Robert Noyce Scholarship Program or are requesting funding to support Noyce Scholars from a department or academic unit that has not participated in a previous Noyce award. For example, a current or previous awardee that administered a scholarship program exclusively for mathematics majors under the Robert Noyce Scholarship Program may submit a new proposal focusing on science majors.
    • Phase II proposals are invited from institutions that have previously been funded under the Robert Noyce Scholarship program and whose award expiration date occurs on or before December 31, 2011.
    • Capacity Building Projects are appropriate for institutions that do not currently have a preservice program or partnership in place that fits the requirements of the Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program.

    Phase I

    Phase I projects provide scholarships and internships for juniors and seniors who are majoring in a science discipline, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM) discipline and stipends for STEM professionals seeking to become teachers. In addition, Phase I proposals may offer paid summer internships in formal or informal STEM educational settings, including internships in industry, university or federal laboratories as a strategy for interesting students in teaching. Proposals may address the undergraduate scholarship component or the post-baccalaureate stipend component or both.

    Phase II

    Within Phase II, two options are available: Scholarship and Stipend (S&S) Projects and Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) projects. Phase II S&S Awards provide funds for prior awardees to expand and extend the evaluation and research efforts initiated under the original award and to support additional cohorts of scholarship and stipend recipients. Phase II M&E Awards provide funding to measure project outcomes through longitudinal evaluation studies and the continued monitoring of Noyce recipients to ensure they have completed their teaching requirement. Phase II M&E Awards do not include funding for additional cohorts of scholarship or stipend recipients. All Phase II proposals are expected to show evidence of the success of, and what was learned from, the previous award that warrants additional funding. These proposals must include plans for conducting longitudinal evaluation studies of students supported under the previous Noyce award as well as monitoring and evaluation of new cohorts of students. Proposals must include plans for evaluating the impact of the program on recruitment and retention of teachers, the impact on the institution, and the effectiveness of the Noyce recipients as K-12 teachers.

    Capacity Building Projects

    In an effort to expand the capacity for producing science and mathematics teachers, the Noyce Scholarship program offers grants to institutions to develop new programs that prepare STEM majors and STEM professionals to become K12 science and mathematics teachers. Capacity Building Projects provide an opportunity for institutions to develop innovative models and strategies for recruiting, preparing, and supporting new teachers and to establish the infrastructure for implementing a future Noyce Scholarship project. Expected outcomes of capacity building projects include innovative teacher preparation programs that enable undergraduates to complete a major in mathematics, engineering, computer science, or a science discipline while also receiving teacher certification in a STEM field and new programs that prepare individuals who already hold a STEM degree to become certified to teach in K-12 schools. Capacity Building Projects are expected to expand the capacity of institutions to address defined teacher shortages in STEM areas.

    Projects may include, but are not limited to, the development of: new or revised courses, new degree requirements, early field experiences, programs to support new teachers, strengthened collaborations between STEM departments and Education departments, collaborations between two-year and four-year institutions, and new partnerships with school districts, informal science education institutions, and industry. Programs developed under Capacity Building grants should be consistent with the goals of the Noyce Scholarship program and should address the preparation of teachers to teach in high need school districts and the potential for expanding and diversifying the pool of teacher candidates. Program development should be research-based and should include clear measures of effectiveness. Collaborations between currently funded successful Noyce projects and institutions seeking to develop capacity for recruiting and preparing STEM teachers are encouraged.

    Budget Limitations

    The maximum total budget for Phase I proposals is $1,200,000 with a project duration of up to 5 years. Proposals requesting lower levels of funding are also appropriate.

    The maximum total budget for Phase II S&S proposals is $750,000 with a project duration of up to 5 years.

    The maximum total budget for proposals in the Phase II M&E category is $150,000 with a project duration of up to 3 years.

    The maximum total budget for Capacity Building Projects is $300,000 with a project duration of up to 2 years.

    At least 80% of the budget must be for support directly received by the participants, including stipends and salary supplements. This portion of the budget may also support other activities that directly benefit the participants, such as stipends for mentors, conference travel, professional development costs, and other activities that will enhance the development of Noyce Scholars during their preservice and induction years.

    Up to 20% of the proposed Phase I or Phase II S&S budget may be allocated for activities that contribute to the effectiveness of the program, including activities associated with recruiting and preparing the teachers, marketing the program, developing academic components of the program, conducting monitoring and evaluation activities, and applicable indirect costs. This restriction does not apply to Phase II M&E proposals or Capacity Building Projects.

    In order to encourage collaboration between four-year colleges and universities and two-year colleges, Phase I projects involving such collaboration may request an additional $250,000 over five years, resulting in a total budget of $1,450,000. Budgets for Capacity Building Projects may include an additional $50,000 over 2 years for collaborations between two-year and four-year institutions. In such partnerships, the distribution of effort and funds between the four-year institution and the two-year college and the participation of faculty from all partnering institutions should reflect a genuine collaboration.

    Specific requirements for Phase I and Phase II proposals are described in Section V. Proposal Preparation and Submission Instructions.

    Institutional Responsibilities for Phase I and Phase II Scholarship Projects

    The institution shall require that each recipient of a scholarship or stipend accepts the terms of the scholarship or stipend and agrees to provide the institution with annual certification of employment and up-to-date contact information and to participate in surveys provided by the institution of higher education and program evaluators as part of project-level and program evaluation efforts. Monitoring the compliance of scholarship and stipend recipients with respect to their service requirements will be the responsibility of the institution of higher education receiving the award. It is expected that failure to satisfy the academic requirements of the program or to complete the service requirement will result in forfeiture of the scholarship or stipend award, which will revert to a loan with repayments pro-rated accordingly to reflect partial service completed. The institution is responsible for collecting the repayment amounts, including interest, consistent with the provisions of part B or D of Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965. All forfeited scholarship or stipend funds, less grantee costs associated with collection of the repayment not to exceed 5% of the forfeited amount, will be returned to the United States Treasury. Funds collected as repayments may not be used by the awardee. The institution is expected to establish procedures that ensure compliance with the service requirement, with allowances for extreme hardship or other circumstances for which it is not in the best interests of the school district or not feasible for the scholarship/stipend recipient to fulfill the service obligation. The institution may establish procedures for waiving or suspending repayment of scholarships or stipends in cases of extreme hardship or other circumstances that would preclude the fulfillment of the service obligation.

    NSF TEACHING FELLOWSHIPS AND MASTER TEACHING FELLOWSHIPS (TF/MTF) TRACK

    The NSF Teaching Fellowships and Master Teaching Fellowships track of the Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program offers awards to institutions to administer fellowships and programmatic support to STEM professionals, referred to as NSF Teaching Fellows, who enroll in a master's degree program leading to teacher certification or licensing and fellowships to mathematics and science teachers, referred to as NSF Master Teaching Fellows, who have a master's degree and participate in a program for developing Master Teachers. All eligible institutions, including institutions with current Noyce Phase I or Phase II awards, may submit proposals to the NSF Teaching Fellowship and Master Teaching Fellowship track.

    NSF Teaching Fellowship and Master Teaching Fellowship proposals require partnerships that include:

    1) a department within an institution of higher education (IHE) that provides an advanced program of study in mathematics and science;

    2) a department or entity within an IHE that provides a teacher preparation program or a 2-year institution that offers a teacher preparation program, a dual enrollment program, or an articulation agreement with an IHE that credentials teachers;

    3) at least one high-need school district (as defined above) and public school(s) within this district; and

    4) at least one nonprofit organization with the capacity and expertise to support the goals of the project.

    Proposals may focus on Teaching Fellows or on Master Teaching Fellows or may support both groups; however, proposals focusing on Master Teaching Fellows are expected to involve the Master Teaching Fellows in the institution's preservice teacher education program.

    Projects should provide academic courses, activities, and clinical teaching experiences leading to a master's degree and teacher certification or licensing for the NSF Teaching Fellows. Institutions are expected to provide the programs and support, including evidence-based strategies, to enable the Teaching Fellows to complete a Master's degree and obtain teacher certification or licensing within one year and to become successful elementary or secondary teachers. Projects should provide mentoring and professional development while the teachers are fulfilling their teaching requirement. This support should be based on effective, evidence-based strategies and should be available to recipients during their participation in the program and continue after their completion of the program to ease the transition into teaching and aid retention during and beyond the obligatory service period.

    Proposals supporting the development of Master Teachers should offer the academic courses, professional development and leadership training to prepare participants to become Master Teachers in elementary and secondary schools. Master Teaching Fellows are required to have a Master's degree to be eligible to participate in the Fellowship program. Strategies should be research-based and designed to contribute to the knowledge base of Master Teacher development.

    Teaching Fellows and Master Teaching Fellows should be selected on the basis of professional achievement and academic merit, including demonstration of advanced content knowledge in science, technology, engineering or mathematics through performance on a nationally recognized assessment. In addition to these criteria, Master Teaching Fellows should have demonstrated success in improving student achievement in the STEM areas in which they teach. Consideration should also be given to promoting the participation of underrepresented populations. Fellowship recipients must be U.S. citizens or nationals, or permanent resident aliens.

    It is expected that Teaching Fellows and Master Teaching Fellows will be prepared to assume leadership roles within their schools or within the high-need school districts in which they are teaching. Activities may include serving as mentors, participating in curriculum development projects, participating in preservice teacher education, and assisting in the development and implementation of professional development for other teachers. Projects supporting both NSF Teaching Fellows and Master Teaching Fellows will be expected to integrate and coordinate efforts, leading to a community of preservice and inservice Teaching Fellows.

    NSF Teaching Fellows are required to serve as mathematics or science teachers in elementary or secondary schools in high-need school districts for 4 years. The teaching obligation must be completed within 6 years of completing the Master's degree program. NSF Master Teaching Fellows are required to teach for 5 years in a high-need school district and must complete this requirement within 7 years of the start of participation in the program.

    Proposals must provide evidence of exemplary current or proposed teacher preparation and professional development efforts to ensure that the NSF Teaching Fellows become successful science and mathematics teachers in elementary or secondary schools and to ensure NSF Master Teaching Fellows become effective Master Teachers. Successful proposals will provide evidence of functioning partnerships between institutions of higher education and school districts and an infrastructure that is supportive of new teachers and that enables Master Teachers to serve in leadership roles.

    Evaluation

    All projects are expected to include an evaluation plan for measuring the impact of the project and effectiveness of proposed strategies in attracting, preparing, and retaining STEM professionals in teaching careers as well as the effectiveness of the NSF Teaching Fellows as science or math teachers and the effectiveness of Master Teaching Fellows as teacher leaders. The evaluation plan should include a mechanism for tracking the Fellowship recipients as they fulfill their teaching obligation and a method for collecting demographic data on these individuals. In addition to the project-specific evaluation, all projects will be expected to cooperate with an NSF third party monitoring and evaluation of program impact that will require annual data collection. It is expected that individual project evaluation, as well as the overall program evaluation, will contribute to the knowledge base of strategies for attracting and retaining effective teachers with strong STEM content knowledge.

    Stipends and Salary Supplements

    NSF Teaching Fellows will receive a one-year stipend of at least $10,000, not to exceed the cost of attendance, while the Fellow is enrolled in the Master's degree program. Fellows enrolled part-time may receive a prorated stipend.

    A key aspect of the NSF Teaching Fellowship and Master Teaching Fellowship Track is the provision of salary supplements to the Teaching Fellows as they are fulfilling their teaching obligation. Following completion of the Master's degree program, Teaching Fellows receive an annual salary supplement for 4 years while continuing to teach in a high-need school district. Master Teaching Fellows receive the salary supplement for 5 years while they are participating in the program and teaching in a high-need school district. The salary supplement must be at least $10,000 per year. The school district must agree not to reduce the base salary of the Fellow while the salary supplement is being received.

    TF/MTF Capacity Building Projects

    Capacity Building Projects under the TF/MTF track provide an opportunity for institutions to establish the infrastructure for implementing a future NSF Teaching Fellowship or Master Teaching Fellowship project by developing innovative models for recruiting and preparing new STEM teachers and Master Teachers. Expected outcomes of capacity building projects include new and innovative teacher preparation programs that enable individuals holding a STEM degree, including career changers, retired STEM professionals, and recent graduates to receive teacher certification through a one-year Master's degree program. Projects may also develop new programs for preparing Master Teachers. Projects may include, but are not limited to, the development of: new courses, new degree requirements, field experiences, programs to support new teachers, programs that involve Master Teachers in preservice education, strengthened collaborations between STEM departments and Education departments, collaborations between two-year and four-year institutions and new partnerships with school districts, informal science education institutions, and industry. Activities may also include the identification of matching funds, securing agreements with school districts regarding salary supplements, developing evaluation protocols, and conducting a needs assessment to determine areas of teacher shortages and interest among STEM professionals. Programs developed under Capacity Building grants should be consistent with the goals of the Noyce Scholarship program and should address the preparation of teachers to teach in high need school districts and the potential for expanding and diversifying the pool of teacher candidates. Programs should be research-based with clear measures of effectiveness.

    Budget Limitations

    NSF Teaching Fellowship/Master Teaching Fellowship Proposals

    The maximum total budget for NSF Teaching Fellowship/Master Teaching Fellowship proposals is $3,000,000 with a duration of up to 5 years (for proposals supporting one cohort of Fellows) or 6 years (for proposals supporting two cohorts of Fellows). Proposals requiring a lower level of funding may also be appropriate based on the scope of the project. Since Teaching Fellows and Master Teaching Fellows are expected to participate in a five-year Fellowship program, proposals supporting two cohorts may submit a budget for 6 years to enable full support of both cohorts.

    In order to encourage collaborations between four-year colleges and universities and two-year colleges, projects involving such collaboration may request an additional $250,000, resulting in a total budget of $3,250,000. In such partnerships, the distribution of effort and funds between the four-year institution and the two-year college and the participation of faculty from all partnering institutions should reflect a genuine collaboration.

    At least 80% of the budget must be for support directly received by the participants, including stipends and salary supplements. This portion of the budget may also support other activities that directly benefit the participants, such as stipends for mentors, conference travel for Fellows, professional development costs, and other activities that will enhance the development of Teaching Fellows and support Master Teacher Fellows in their leadership roles.

    Up to 20% of the proposed budget may be allocated for activities that contribute to the effectiveness of the program including program development and enhancement, recruiting and preparing the teachers, marketing the program, conducting monitoring and evaluation activities and applicable indirect costs.

    Capacity Building Proposals

    The maximum total budget for Capacity Building Proposals is $300,000 with a project duration of up to 2 years.

    Capacity Building Proposal budgets may include an additional $50,000 over 2 years for collaborations between two-year and four-year institutions. In such partnerships, the distribution of effort and funds between the four-year institution and the two-year college and the participation of faculty from all partnering institutions should reflect a genuine collaboration.

    Matching Requirement

    As required by the America COMPETES Act, an institution submitting a proposal under the TF/MTF Track must provide matching funds from non-Federal sources to support the activities of the project. For proposals requesting less than $1.5 million, cost sharing of at least 30 percent of the amount of the grant request is required, at least half of which must be in cash as defined by 2 CFR § 215.2. Proposals requesting $1.5 million or more must provide matching funds of at least 50% of the amount of the request and at least half of the match must be cash. For example, a proposal requesting NSF funds in the amount of $1.0 million must provide at least $300,000 in cost share. At least 50% of the match ($150,000 in this case) must be provided in cash; the remainder may be provided as in-kind support. The proposed cost sharing must be shown on line M on the proposal budget. Documentation of the availability of cost sharing must be included in the proposal. The budget narrative should explicitly identify the cash and in-kind portions of the match. Any additional funds (up to $250,000) requested to support the involvement of community colleges are exempt from the matching requirement. Cost sharing is not required for Capacity Building Projects or Noyce Scholarship Track proposals.

    Only items which would be allowable under the applicable cost principles, if charged to the project, may be included in the awardee's contribution to cost sharing. Contributions may be made from any non-Federal source, including non-Federal grants or contracts, and may be cash or in-kind (2 CFR § 215.23). It should be noted that contributions counted as cost sharing toward projects of another Federal agency may not be counted towards meeting the specific cost sharing requirements of the NSF award.

    All cost sharing amounts are subject to audit. Failure to provide the level of cost sharing reflected in the approved award budget may result in termination of the NSF award, disallowance of award costs and/or refund of award funds to NSF.

    Institutional Responsibilities for TF/MTF Projects

    The institution shall require that each Fellow accepts the terms of the Fellowship and agrees to provide the institution with annual certification of employment and up-to-date contact information and to participate in surveys provided by the institution of higher education and program evaluators as part of project-level and program evaluation efforts. Monitoring the compliance of scholarship and stipend recipients with respect to their service requirements will be the responsibility of the institution of higher education receiving the award. It is expected that failure to satisfy the academic requirements of the Master's degree program, in the case of Teaching Fellows, or to complete the service requirement will result in repayment of the stipend, which will revert to a loan with repayments pro-rated accordingly to reflect partial service completed. The institution is responsible for collecting the repayment amounts, including interest, consistent with the provisions of part B or D of Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965. All forfeited stipend funds, less grantee costs associated with collection of the repayment not to exceed 5% of the forfeited amount, will be returned to the United States Treasury. Funds collected as repayments may not be used by the awardee. The institution is expected to establish procedures that ensure compliance with the service requirement with allowances for extreme hardship or other circumstances for which it is not in the best interests of the school district or not feasible for the Fellow to fulfill the service obligation. The institution may establish procedures for waiving or suspending repayment of scholarships or stipends in cases of extreme hardship or other circumstances that would preclude the fulfillment of the service obligation.

    If the Fellow decides not to fulfill the teaching requirement after having served for one year, the Fellow shall return the full amount of the Fellowship awarded during enrollment in the Master's degree program, reduced by one-fourth for each year of service completed, plus one half of the total salary supplements received. If a Master Teaching Fellow decides not to fulfill the teaching requirement after one year of service, the Fellow shall return half of the total amount of salary supplements received.

    Information about current awards funded under the Robert Noyce Scholarship Program can be found at the Division of Undergraduate Education website: https://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=5733&org=DUE&from=home

    III. Award Information

    NSF expects to make an estimated 35-46 Noyce Scholarship Program awards under this solicitation, including 15-20 Noyce Phase I awards, 4-6 Noyce Phase II awards, 8-10 NSF Teaching Fellow/Master Teaching Fellow Awards, and 8-10 Capacity Building Awards, pending availability of funds. The anticipated funding amount is approximately $53.5 million for new Noyce awards in FY 2011, pending the availability of funding.

    Noyce Scholarship Track

    Phase I Awards

    Depending on the quality of submissions and the availability of funds, NSF expects to fund approximately 15-20 Noyce Phase I awards of up to $1,200,000 (or $1,450,000 in the case of partnerships with two-year colleges) for a total award amount and duration of up to 5 years. Up to 20% of the proposed budget may be allocated for activities associated with program development and enhancement, recruitment and preparation of teachers, and monitoring and evaluation, as detailed in Section II "Program Description" above.

    Phase II Awards

    Depending on the quality of submissions and the availability of funds, NSF expects to fund approximately 4-6 Noyce Phase II awards. Phase II S&S proposals may request up to $750,000 for a total award amount and duration of up to 5 years. Up to 20% of the proposed budget may be allocated for activities associated with program development and enhancement, recruitment and preparation of teachers, marketing, and monitoring and evaluation as detailed in Section II "Program Description" above. Phase II M&E Proposals may request up to $150,000 in total budget for duration of up to 3 years.

    NSF Teaching Fellowship and Master Teaching Fellowship (TF/MTF) Track

    TF/MTF Awards

    Depending on the quality of submissions and the availability of funds, NSF expects to fund approximately 8-10 TF/MTF awards of up to $3,000,000 (or $3,250,000 in the case of partnerships with two-year colleges) for a total award amount and duration of up to 5 or 6 years. Up to 20% of the proposed budget may be allocated for activities associated with program development and enhancement, recruitment and preparation of teachers, marketing, and monitoring and evaluation, as detailed in Section II "Program Description" above. Cost sharing is required in the amount of at least 30% of the total funds requested if the total amount of NSF funding requested is below $1.5 million and at least 50% of total funds if the request is $1.5 million or more. At least 50% of the match must be in cash; the remainder may be in-kind support.

    Capacity Building Awards

    Depending on the quality of submissions and the availability of funds, NSF expects to fund approximately 8-10 Capacity Building Awards of up to $300,000 (or $350,000 in the case of partnerships with two-year colleges) and duration of two years.

    IV. Eligibility Information

    Organization Limit:

    Proposals may only be submitted by the following:
    • Universities and two- or four-year colleges (including community colleges) accredited in, and having a campus located in the United States, or consortia of such institutions, or U.S. nonprofit entities that have established consortia among such institutions of higher education.

    PI Limit:

    The PI, or at least one Co-PI, must be a faculty member in a mathematics, science, or engineering department.

    Limit on Number of Proposals per Organization:

    None Specified

    Limit on Number of Proposals per PI:

    None Specified

    V. Proposal Preparation And Submission Instructions

    A. Proposal Preparation Instructions

    Letters of Intent(optional):

    Letters of Intent for Noyce Scholarship Proposals:

    A Letter of Intent is optional, but encouraged, before submitting a full proposal. The Letter of Intent is not a preliminary proposal and no feedback will be provided. It is intended to enhance the efficiency of the review process. Letters of Intent should be electronically submitted through FastLane by February 23, 2011. The Letter of Intent should indicate the category of proposal (Phase I, Phase II S&S, Phase II M&E, Teaching Fellow/Master Teaching Fellow (TF/MTF), or Capacity Building Project). It should include a brief synopsis of the project, indicating the grade level (elementary, middle, or high school) and disciplinary focus of the project. Additional institutions, organizations, and school districts should be listed in the Participating Organizations section of the FastLane Letter of Intent.

    Letter of Intent Preparation Instructions:

    When submitting a Letter of Intent through FastLane in response to this Program Solicitation please note the conditions outlined below:

    • Sponsored Projects Office (SPO) Submission is not required when submitting Letters of Intent
    • A Minimum of 0 and Maximum of 25 Other Participating Organizations are allowed
    • Category of Proposal is required when submitting Letters of Intent
    • Submission of multiple Letters of Intent is allowed

    Full Proposal Preparation Instructions: Proposers may opt to submit proposals in response to this Program Solicitation via Grants.gov or via the NSF FastLane system.

    • Full proposals submitted via FastLane: Proposals submitted in response to this program solicitation should be prepared and submitted in accordance with the general guidelines contained in the NSF Grant Proposal Guide (GPG). The complete text of the GPG is available electronically on the NSF website at: https://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=gpg. Paper copies of the GPG may be obtained from the NSF Publications Clearinghouse, telephone (703) 292-7827 or by e-mail from nsfpubs@nsf.gov. Proposers are reminded to identify this program solicitation number in the program solicitation block on the NSF Cover Sheet For Proposal to the National Science Foundation. Compliance with this requirement is critical to determining the relevant proposal processing guidelines. Failure to submit this information may delay processing.
    • 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) 292-7827 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 the NSF FastLane system. Chapter II, Section D.4 of the Grant Proposal Guide provides additional information on collaborative proposals.

    The following instructions supplement the guidelines in the GPG and NSF Grants.gov Application Guide.

    Proposals submitted to the NSF Teaching Fellowship/Master Teaching Fellowship (TF/MTF) track, excluding Capacity Building proposals, must be submitted via the NSF FastLane system.

    Cover Sheet

    While filling out the cover sheet in FastLane, it is important to choose the Robert Noyce Scholarship program solicitation number indicated on the cover of this document. Select Noyce Scholarship Project from the list of programs in the "NSF Unit Consideration" section. This choice must be specified in order to have access to the DUE Project Data Form, which is required for Noyce proposals. If using Grants.gov, the program solicitation number will be prepopulated by Grants.gov on the NSF Grant Application Cover Page.

    Human Subjects

    • Mark HUMAN SUBJECTS box as pending, approved, or exempted (with exemption subsection indicated). This box should not be left blank.
    • HUMAN SUBJECTS box should be marked as pending if an IRB is either (1) reviewing the project plan and has not yet determined a ruling of "approved" or "exempt", or (2) the project plan has not yet been submitted to an IRB for review.

    Projects involving research with human subjects, or the reporting of information gathered from human subjects, must ensure that subjects are protected in conformance with the relevant federal policy known as the Common Rule (Federal Policy for the Protection of Human Subjects, 45 CFR 690). All projects involving human subjects must either (1) have approval from the organization's Institutional Review Board (IRB) before issuance of an NSF award or, (2) must affirm that the IRB or an appropriate knowledgeable authority previously designated by the organization (not the Principal Investigator) has declared the research exempt from IRB review, in accordance with the applicable subsection, as established in section 101(b) of the Common Rule. If the box for "Human Subjects" is checked on the Cover Sheet along with either (1) the IRB approval date, or (2) the exemption subsection from the Common Rule identified, then no additional certification is required. In the event the proposal is recommended for funding and IRB review is pending, certification of IRB approval or exemption should be submitted to NSF in electronic form as soon as it is available. Delays in obtaining IRB certification may result in NSF being unable to make an award. For more information regarding the protection of human subjects, consult: https://www.nsf.gov/bfa/dias/policy/human.jsp

    Project Summary

    For Noyce proposals, the one-page Project Summary should indicate the specific category of proposal (Phase I, Phase II S&S, Phase II M&E, or TF/MTF), indicate if it is a Capacity Building Project, and name all institutions, including school districts and non-profit organizations, that are involved in the proposal. Proposers are reminded that the Project Summary must explicitly address, in separately labeled statements, both NSB-approved merit review criteria: Intellectual Merit and Broader Impacts. Proposals failing to explicitly address Intellectual Merit and Broader Impacts in the Project Summary will be returned without review.

    Project Description

    Noyce Phase I Proposals should include and clearly identify the following elements in the Project Description section:

    • Results from Prior NSF Support: Address prior support relevant to the proposed project;
    • A description of the proposed scholarship or stipend program, including the number and size of scholarships, internships, and stipends; the rationale for the number and size of scholarships and/or stipends; and projected cumulative number of new teachers to be produced over the duration of the program, including a comparison to number of teachers currently produced by the proposing institution(s);
    • A description of the teacher preparation program in which the Noyce scholarship or stipend recipients will be enrolled, including a description of the academic requirements and other components of the program and description of any modifications or course revisions that will be developed and implemented. The proposal must include evidence of exemplary teacher preparation efforts to ensure that scholarship and stipend recipients become successful science and mathematics teachers in elementary and secondary schools. For proposals involving more than one institution, the proposal should describe the teacher preparation program at each participating institution and the role and responsibility of each institution in the project;
    • A description of recruitment activities and specific marketing strategies designed to attract a large and diverse pool of applicants;
    • A description of the selection process that will ensure the most qualified applicants are selected based on academic merit, with consideration given to financial need and increasing participation of minorities, persons with disabilities, and underrepresented genders relative to specific teaching areas;
    • A description of the management and administrative structure and the capability for administering the scholarship or stipend program;
    • Evidence of an infrastructure that is supportive of new teachers. Include a description of the activities and support mechanisms that will be available to recipients to ensure they are able and willing to fulfill their commitment to teaching in high-need schools;
    • Evidence of collaboration between STEM faculty and education faculty;
    • Evidence of functioning partnerships between institutions of higher education and school districts;
    • A description of plans to monitor and enforce compliance with the required teaching commitment;
    • Evidence that the institution is committed to making the program a central institutional focus;
    • Plans for disseminating the results of the project; and
    • An evaluation plan that will provide information on the effectiveness of the project in attracting, preparing, and retaining STEM individuals in teaching careers and should include methodologies for measuring the effectiveness of the Noyce scholarship/stipend recipients as teachers. Measures of teaching effectiveness may include data related to teaching practice and student learning. The evaluation plan should include a mechanism for tracking the scholarship/stipend recipients during the period in which they are fulfilling their service obligation and a plan for collecting demographic data and statistics on scholarship and stipend recipients. The proposal should identify an evaluator with expertise to conduct an objective evaluation.

    Noyce Phase II Scholarship and Stipend (S&S) Proposals should include the following elements in the Project Description section:

    • Results from Prior NSF Support: Describe the outcomes of prior support under the previous Robert Noyce Scholarship grant to include the number of students supported through scholarships and/or stipends with major field of study and level of teaching, and the number who have begun teaching in a high-need school district. The success of the project in increasing the number of STEM majors or STEM professionals who enter the teaching workforce should be a particular focus of this discussion. The proposal should explain how the results of the prior work and evaluation findings have informed the proposed work.
    • A description of the proposed scholarship or stipend program, including the number and size of scholarships and stipends, the rationale for the number and size of scholarships and/or stipends, and projected cumulative number of new teachers to be produced over the duration of the program, including a comparison to number of teachers currently produced by the proposing institution(s);
    • A description of the teacher preparation program in which the Noyce scholarship or stipend recipients will be enrolled, including a description of the academic requirements and other components of the program. The proposal must include evidence of exemplary teacher preparation efforts to ensure that scholarship and stipend recipients become successful science and mathematics teachers in elementary and secondary schools;
    • A description of recruitment activities designed to attract a large and diverse pool of applicants;
    • A description of the selection process that will ensure the most qualified applicants are selected based on academic merit, with consideration given to financial need and increasing participation of minorities, persons with disabilities, and underrepresented genders relative to specific teaching areas;
    • A description of the management and administrative structure and capability for administering the scholarship or stipend program;
    • Evidence of an infrastructure that is supportive of new teachers. Include a description of the activities and support mechanisms that will be available to recipients to ensure they are able and willing to fulfill their commitment to teaching;
    • Evidence of collaboration between STEM faculty and education faculty;
    • Evidence of functioning partnerships between institutions of higher education and school districts;
    • A description of plans to monitor and enforce compliance with the required teaching commitment;
    • Discussion of how the proposed project builds on and expands activities established under the prior support, beyond simply continuing the work;
    • Discussion of plans to sustain activities and impact of the project beyond Phase II support;
    • Evidence that the institution has made the program a central institutional focus;
    • Evidence of the impact of the Noyce Scholarship project on STEM and Education departments;
    • Plans for disseminating the results of the project; and
    • Details of a plan to expand and extend the evaluation and research activities initiated under the original award. Evaluation studies should include longitudinal studies to measure the impact of the project on individuals supported under the first award in terms of their performance as teachers, their completion of the teaching requirement, and their retention in the teaching profession. In addition, plans for monitoring and evaluating the impact of the project on new cohorts should be included. The evaluation plan should address recruitment, preparation, and retention of the Noyce Scholars and should lead to results that will inform the community of what works and why. This study should go beyond the required tracking of recipients to include indicators of the effectiveness of the program in attracting STEM majors into teaching, the impact of the program on departments and the institution, and the effectiveness of the Noyce Scholars as measured by their performance in the classroom and their impact on student learning. The proposal should include plans to disseminate the findings of this study through peer-reviewed publications and national conferences.

    Noyce Phase II Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) Proposals should include the following elements in the Project Description section:

    • Results from Prior NSF Support: Describe the outcomes of prior support under the previous Robert Noyce Scholarship grant, including the number of students supported through scholarships and/or stipends with major field of study and level of teaching, and the number who have begun teaching in a high need school district. The success of the project in increasing the number of STEM majors or STEM professionals who enter the teaching workforce should be a particular focus of this discussion. The proposal should provide results of the evaluation activities.
    • Details of a plan to expand and extend the evaluation and research activities initiated under the original award. Evaluation studies should include longitudinal studies to measure the impact of the project on individuals supported under the first award in terms of their performance as teachers, their completion of the teaching requirement, and their retention in the teaching profession. The evaluation plan should address recruitment, preparation, and retention of the Noyce Scholars and should lead to results that will inform the community of what works and why. This study should go beyond the required tracking of recipients to include indicators of the effectiveness of the program in attracting STEM majors into teaching, the impact of the program on departments and the institution, and the effectiveness of the Noyce Scholars as measured by their performance in the classroom and their impact on student learning. The proposal should include plans to disseminate the findings of this study through peer-reviewed publications and national conferences.

    NSF Teaching Fellowship/Master Teaching Fellowship proposals should include the following elements in the Project Description section:

    • Results from Prior NSF Support: Address prior support relevant to the proposed project;
    • A description of the proposed program, including: the number and size of fellowships; the rationale for the number and size of fellowships; the number and amount of salary supplements that will be provided; and, for proposals supporting NSF Teaching Fellows, the projected cumulative number of new teachers to be produced over the duration of the program, including a comparison to number of teachers currently produced by the proposing institution(s);
    • A description of the Master's degree program in which the Teaching Fellows will be enrolled, including a description of the academic requirements and other components of the program and description of any modifications or course revisions that will be developed and implemented. The proposal must include evidence of exemplary teacher preparation efforts to ensure that the Teaching Fellows become successful science and mathematics teachers in elementary and secondary schools. For proposals involving more than one institution, the proposal should describe the teacher preparation program at each participating institution and the role and responsibility of each institution in the project; and/or
    • A description of the professional development program offered to the Master Teaching Fellows that will enable them to become Master Teachers.
    • A description of recruitment activities and specific marketing strategies designed to attract a large and diverse pool of applicants;
    • A description of the selection process that will ensure the most qualified applicants are selected, including a description of the nationally recognized content knowledge assessment that will be used;
    • A description of the management and administrative structure and the capability for administering all aspects of the fellowship program, including the disbursement of salary supplements;
    • In the case of Teaching Fellows: Evidence of an infrastructure that is supportive of new teachers. Include a description of the activities and support mechanisms that will be available to recipients to ensure they are able and willing to fulfill their commitment to teaching;
    • In the case of Master Teaching Fellows: Evidence of an infrastructure that will support and facilitate their work as master teachers;
    • Evidence of collaboration between STEM faculty and education faculty;
    • Evidence of functioning partnerships between institutions of higher education, school districts, and non-profit organizations;
    • A description of cost sharing, including source and amount;
    • A description of plans to monitor and enforce compliance with the required teaching commitment;
    • Evidence that the institution is committed to making the program a central institutional focus;
    • Plans for sustaining the activities beyond the NSF funding period;
    • An evaluation plan that will provide information, as applicable, on the effectiveness of the project in attracting, preparing, and retaining STEM professionals in teaching careers and the effectiveness of the project in developing Master Teachers. The evaluation plan should include methodologies for measuring the effectiveness of the Fellows as teachers or as Master Teachers and should collect information on the activities that define the role of the Master Teacher. The evaluation plan should include a mechanism for tracking the Fellows during the period in which they are fulfilling their service obligation and a plan for collecting demographic data and statistics on the Fellows. The proposal should identify an independent evaluator with expertise to conduct an objective evaluation.

    Capacity Building Proposals should include the following elements in the Project Description section:

    • Results from Prior NSF Support: Address prior support relevant to the proposed project;
    • A description of the activities planned, timeline, and outcomes expected to result from the proposal.
    • Plans for evaluating progress and outcomes of the project.

    Additional Requirements for Proposals

    The PI and Co-PI leadership must include at least one faculty member in a mathematics, science, or engineering department. Letters of support from the Dean of Arts & Sciences, Dean of Education, department chairs, and school district Superintendent(s) or comparable administrators should be submitted as evidence of institutional support for the proposal. School district letters submitted in support of a TF/MTF proposal should indicate the district will support the award of salary supplements and will not lower the base salary of Fellows receiving the supplements. Letters should be uploaded into the Supplementary Documentation section in FastLane. For Grants.gov users, supplementary documents should be attached in Field 11 of the R&R Other Project Information Form.

    A Project Data Form must be submitted as part of all proposals. The information on this form is used to direct proposals to appropriate reviewers and to determine the characteristics of projects supported by the Division of Undergraduate Education. In FastLane, this form will show up in the list of forms for your proposal only after you have (1) selected the "Noyce" program solicitation number on the Cover Sheet and (2) saved the Cover Sheet. Grants.gov users should refer to Section VI.6. of the NSF Grants.gov Application Guide for specific instructions on how to submit the DUE Project Data Form.

    The Facilities, Equipment & Other Resources section must be completed.

    Include a Current and Pending Support form for each individual named as senior personnel.

    Supplementary Documents

    In addition to Letters of Support, the following documents should be included in the Supplementary Documents section of the proposal:

    1. Postdoctoral Mentoring Plan (maximum 1 page): The NSF Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG) includes guidelines implementing the mentoring provisions of the America COMPETES Act (ACA) (Pub. L. No. 110-69, Aug. 9, 2007.) As specified in the ACA, each proposal that requests funding to support postdoctoral researchers must include a description of the mentoring activities that will be provided for such individuals. This plan should be added to the Supplementary Documents Section and identified by subheading "Postdoctoral Mentoring Plan".

    2. Data Management Plan. Provide a description of the project's data management plan, as a maximum 2-page supplementary document. This information should be clearly identified by the subheading "Data Management Plan" and should be placed in the Supplementary Documents section of the proposal. It should describe how the proposal will conform to NSF policy on the dissemination and sharing of research results (see AAG Chapter VI.D.4), and may include:

    1. the types of data, samples, physical collections, software, curriculum materials, and other materials to be produced in the course of the project;

    2. the standards to be used for data and metadata format and content (where existing standards are absent or deemed inadequate, this should be documented along with any proposed solutions or remedies);

    3. policies for access and sharing including provisions for appropriate protection of privacy, confidentiality, security, intellectual property, or other rights or requirements;

    4. policies and provisions for re-use, re-distribution, and the production of derivatives; and

    5. plans for archiving data, samples, and other research products, and for preservation of access to them

    Data-sharing policies for awards that involve human subjects should recognize and address human-subjects protocols and the need to protect privacy and confidentiality.

    If no data will be generated during the conduct of a project, this should be stated under the Data Management Plan subheading.

    B. Budgetary Information

    Cost Sharing: Cost sharing is required.

    For purposes of this solicitation, and in accordance with Federal requirements, the terms "matching" and "cost sharing" are synonymous.

    Cost sharing is only required for proposals submitted to NSF Teaching Fellowships and Master Teaching Fellowships (TF/MTF) track. There is no cost sharing requirement for Scholarship Track and Capacity Building Track proposals.

    The proposed cost sharing must be shown on Line M on the proposal budget. Documentation of the availability of cost sharing must be included in the proposal. The budget narrative should identify the cash and in-kind portions of the match and source(s). Only items which would be allowable under the applicable cost principles, if charged to the project, may be included as the awardee's contribution to cost sharing. Contributions may be made from any non-Federal source, including non-Federal grants or contracts, and may be cash or in-kind (2 CFR § 215.23); however at least 50% of the cost share must be cash. It should be noted that contributions counted as cost-sharing toward projects of another Federal agency may not be counted towards meeting the specific cost-sharing requirements of the NSF award. All cost-sharing amounts are subject to audit. Failure to provide the level of cost-sharing required by the NSF solicitation and reflected in the approved award budget may result in termination of the NSF award, disallowance of award costs and/or refund of award funds to NSF.

    Administrative requirements related to cost sharing may be found in 2 CFR § 215.23, "Cost Sharing or Matching." For additional information on cost principles consult: 2 CFR Part 220, Cost Principles for Educational Institutions (OMB Circular A-21); or 2 CFR Part 230, Cost Principles for Nonprofit Organizations (OMB Circular A-122), as applicable.

    Other Budgetary Limitations:

    Noyce Phase I, Noyce Phase II S&S, and NSF TF/MTF proposals: At least 80% of the proposed budget must for direct support of the participants, including scholarships and stipends. Up to 20% of the proposed budget may be allocated for activities associated with program development and enhancement, recruiting and preparing the teachers, marketing the program, conducting monitoring and evaluation, and applicable indirect costs as detailed under Program Support in Section II "Program Description" above. This limitation does not apply to Noyce Phase II M&E or Capacity Building Projects.

    Budget Preparation Instructions:

    Scholarships, internships, stipends and other support for students and Fellows should be indicated in Section F.1 Participant Support - "Stipends" of the FastLane budget (or Section E.2. on the Grants.gov R&R Budget Form). Enter the number of participants supported in each budget year in section F of the budget form. Funds should be included for the PI or another member of the leadership team and one current or former Noyce Scholar or Teaching Fellow or Master Teaching Fellow to attend the annual meeting of Noyce Program grantees convened by NSF in Washington, DC.

    A budget narrative should be provided for the main budget as well as any subaward budgets. It should explain the expenditures under each budget category and provide a table or statement identifying the expenditures that provide direct support of the participants (at least 80% of the total budget). The budget narrative for TF/MTF proposals should clearly identify the source and nature of matching funds equal to 50% of the total amount of requested funds.

    C. Due Dates

    • Letter of Intent Due Date(s) (optional) (due by 5 p.m. proposer's local time):

      February 23, 2011

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

      March 23, 2011

    D. FastLane/Grants.gov Requirements

    • For Proposals Submitted Via FastLane:

      Detailed technical instructions regarding the technical aspects of preparation and submission via FastLane are available at: https://www.fastlane.nsf.gov/a1/newstan.htm. For FastLane user support, call the FastLane Help Desk at 1-800-673-6188 or e-mail fastlane@nsf.gov. The FastLane Help Desk answers general technical questions related to the use of the FastLane 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.

      Submission of Electronically Signed Cover Sheets. The Authorized Organizational Representative (AOR) must electronically sign the proposal Cover Sheet to submit the required proposal certifications (see Chapter II, Section C of the Grant Proposal Guide for a listing of the certifications). The AOR must provide the required electronic certifications within five working days following the electronic submission of the proposal. Further instructions regarding this process are available on the FastLane Website at: https://www.fastlane.nsf.gov/fastlane.jsp.

    • For Proposals Submitted Via Grants.gov:

      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: http://www07.grants.gov/applicants/app_help_reso.jsp. In addition, the NSF Grants.gov Application Guide provides additional technical guidance regarding 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 the NSF FastLane system for further processing.

    VI. NSF Proposal Processing And Review Procedures

    Proposals received by NSF are assigned to the appropriate NSF program where they will be reviewed if they meet NSF proposal preparation requirements. 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 who are experts in the particular fields represented by the proposal. These reviewers are selected by Program Officers charged with the 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.

    A. NSF Merit Review Criteria

    All NSF proposals are evaluated through use of the two National Science Board (NSB)-approved merit review criteria: intellectual merit and the broader impacts of the proposed effort. In some instances, however, NSF will employ additional criteria as required to highlight the specific objectives of certain programs and activities.

    The two NSB-approved merit review criteria are listed below. 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 the reviewer 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, original, or potentially transformative 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?

    Examples illustrating activities likely to demonstrate broader impacts are available electronically on the NSF website at: https://www.nsf.gov/pubs/gpg/broaderimpacts.pdf.

    Mentoring activities provided to postdoctoral researchers supported on the project, as described in a one-page supplementary document, will be evaluated under the Broader Impacts criterion.

    Additional Solicitation Specific Review Criteria

    In considering the above criteria, reviewers will be asked to comment on the following:

    Noyce Phase I Proposals:

    • Capacity and ability of the institution to effectively conduct the program
    • Number and quality of students that will be served by the program
    • Justification for number of students served and amount of stipend and scholarship support
    • Ability of the program to recruit STEM majors who would not otherwise pursue a career in teaching
    • Quality and feasibility of recruitment and marketing strategies
    • Quality of the preservice educational program
    • Extent to which STEM faculty and education faculty are collaborating in developing and implementing the program
    • Quality of the preservice student-support and new teacher-support infrastructure
    • Extent to which the proposed strategies reflect effective practices based on research
    • Degree to which the proposed programming will enable scholarship or stipend recipients to become successful mathematics and science teachers
    • Feasibility and completeness of an evaluation plan that will measure the effectiveness of the proposed strategies and add to knowledge base about STEM teacher preparation
    • Institutional support for the program and the extent to which the institution is committed to making the program a central organizational focus

    Noyce Phase II S&S Proposals:

    • Evidence that the previously funded project was consistent with the criteria listed above
    • Evidence of institution and school district support for continuing the project
    • Demonstrated success of the previously funded project in terms of recruitment of STEM majors and/or STEM professionals into K12 teaching and preparation to become effective teachers
    • Evidence that the project has recruited STEM majors who would not otherwise pursue a career in teaching
    • Evidence that a high-quality support structure for new teachers is in place
    • Plans for advancing the work beyond the original project
    • Plans for conducting a longitudinal evaluation study of previous cohorts of Noyce Scholarship and/or stipend recipients as well as evaluation and monitoring of new cohorts to address teacher and student outcomes
    • Evaluation plans that build on and strengthen the previous evaluation effort
    • Plans for disseminating results of the evaluation studies
    • Plans for sustainability

    Noyce Phase II M&E Proposals:

    • Evidence that the previously funded project was consistent with the criteria listed above for Phase I proposals
    • Plans for conducting a longitudinal evaluation study of previous cohorts of Noyce Scholarship and/or stipend recipients focusing on their effectiveness as teachers, their completion of the teaching requirement, and their retention in the teaching profession.
    • Evaluation plans that build on and strengthen the previous evaluation effort
    • Plans for disseminating results of the evaluation studies

    TF/MTF Proposals:

    • Capacity and ability of the institution to effectively conduct the program
    • Number and quality of Fellows that will be served by the program
    • Justification for number of Fellows served and amount of stipend and salary supplements
    • For NSF Teaching Fellows: Ability of the program to recruit individuals who would not otherwise pursue a career in teaching and to recruit underrepresented groups
    • Quality and feasibility of recruitment and marketing strategies
    • Quality of the Master's degree program leading to teacher certification for NSF Teaching Fellows
    • For NSF Teaching Fellows: Quality of the preservice student support and new teacher support infrastructure
    • For NSF Master Teaching Fellows: Quality of the professional development that will be provided
    • Extent to which the proposed strategies reflect effective practices based on research
    • Extent to which STEM faculty and education faculty are collaborating in developing and implementing a program with curriculum based on the specialized pedagogy needed to enable teachers to effectively teach math and science and to assume leadership roles in their schools.
    • Degree to which the proposed programming will enable the participants to become successful mathematics and science teachers or Master Teachers.
    • Feasibility and completeness of an objective evaluation plan that will measure the effectiveness of the proposed strategies
    • Institutional support for the program and the extent to which the institution is committed to making the program a central organizational focus
    • Evidence of cost sharing commitments
    • Plans for sustainability beyond the period of NSF funding

    Capacity Building Projects:

    • Clarity of proposed plans and activities that will lead to a well-designed program consistent with the requirements of the Noyce Scholarship Program.
    • Clear statement of objectives to be completed and expected outcomes of the project.
    • Evaluation plans that will measure stated objectives and outcomes.

    NSF staff also 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 with the excitement of discovery and enrich research through the diversity of learning perspectives.

    Integrating Diversity into NSF Programs, Projects, and Activities
    Broadening opportunities and enabling the participation of all citizens -- women and men, underrepresented minorities, and persons with disabilities -- 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.

    B. Review and Selection Process

    Proposals submitted in response to this program solicitation will be reviewed by Panel Review.

    Reviewers will be asked to formulate a recommendation to either support or decline each proposal. 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 is striving to be able to tell applicants whether their proposals have been declined or recommended for funding within six months. The time interval begins on the deadline or target date, or receipt date, whichever is later. The interval ends when the Division Director accepts the Program Officer's recommendation.

    A summary rating and accompanying narrative will be completed and submitted by each reviewer. In all cases, reviews are treated as confidential documents. Verbatim copies of reviews, excluding the names of the reviewers, 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.

    In all cases, after programmatic approval has been obtained, the proposals recommended for funding will be forwarded to the Division of Grants and Agreements for review of business, financial, and policy implications and 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.

    VII. Award Administration Information

    A. Notification of the Award

    Notification of the award is made to the submitting organization by a Grants Officer in the Division of Grants and Agreements. 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 letter, 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 letter; (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 letter. 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) 292-7827 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 Award & Administration Guide (AAG) Chapter II, available electronically on the NSF Website at https://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=aag.

    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 at least 90 days before the end of the current budget period. (Some programs or awards require more frequent project reports). Within 90 days after 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 that PI. 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 FastLane, for preparation and submission of annual and final project reports. Such reports provide information on activities and findings, project participants (individual and organizational), publications, and other specific products and contributions. PIs will not be required to re-enter information previously provided, either with a proposal or in earlier updates using the electronic system. Submission of the report via FastLane constitutes certification by the PI that the contents of the report are accurate and complete. The project outcomes report 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.

    All projects will be required to participate in program monitoring and evaluation activities conducted by a third party as part of the Directorate for Education and Resources' program evaluation efforts that will require annual data collection.

    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:

    • Richard A. Alo, 835 N, telephone: (703) 292-4634, email: ralo@nsf.gov

    • Mary Lee S. Ledbetter, 835 N, telephone: (703) 292-4671, email: msledbet@nsf.gov

    • Kathleen B. Bergin, 835 N, telephone: (703) 292-5171, email: kbergin@nsf.gov

    • (Virginia) C. Carter, 835 N, telephone: (703) 292-4651, email: vccarter@nsf.gov

    • Terry S. Woodin, 835 N, telephone: (703) 292-4657, email: twoodin@nsf.gov

    • Lee L. Zia, 835 N, telephone: (703) 292-5140, email: lzia@nsf.gov

    For questions related to the use of FastLane, contact:

    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, National Science Foundation Update is a free e-mail subscription service 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 Regional Grants Conferences. Subscribers are informed through e-mail when new publications are issued that match their identified interests. Users can subscribe to this service by clicking the "Get NSF Updates by Email" link on the NSF web site.

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

    Related Programs:

    Math and Science Partnership Program

    Discovery Research K-12

    Research Experiences for Teachers (RET) in Engineering

    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 40,000 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 provide funding for special assistance or equipment to enable persons with disabilities to work on NSF-supported projects. See Grant Proposal Guide Chapter II, Section D.2 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:

    4201 Wilson Blvd. Arlington, VA 22230

    • For General Information
      (NSF Information Center):

    (703) 292-5111

    • TDD (for the hearing-impaired):

    (703) 292-5090

    • To Order Publications or Forms:
     

    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 awardees 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 applicants 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 Systems of Records, NSF-50, "Principal Investigator/Proposal File and Associated Records," 69 Federal Register 26410 (May 12, 2004), and NSF-51, "Reviewer/Proposal File and Associated Records," 69 Federal Register 26410 (May 12, 2004). 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
    Division of Administrative Services
    National Science Foundation
    Arlington, VA 22230



     

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