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Important information about NSF’s implementation of the revised 2 CFR

NSF Financial Assistance awards (grants and cooperative agreements) made on or after October 1, 2024, will be subject to the applicable set of award conditions, dated October 1, 2024, available on the NSF website. These terms and conditions are consistent with the revised guidance specified in the OMB Guidance for Federal Financial Assistance published in the Federal Register on April 22, 2024.

Important information for proposers

All proposals must be submitted in accordance with the requirements specified in this funding opportunity and in the NSF Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG) that is in effect for the relevant due date to which the proposal is being submitted. It is the responsibility of the proposer to ensure that the proposal meets these requirements. Submitting a proposal prior to a specified deadline does not negate this requirement.

Implementation of standard 15% indirect cost rate

NSF is updating its policy regarding the reimbursement of indirect costs in federally funded financial assistance.

Read the policy.

Archived document

This document has been archived.
Dear Colleague Letter

Implementation of Changes to National Science Foundation Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures

Dear Colleagues:

The National Science Foundation (NSF) has published a new NSF Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (NSF 07-140), which contains documents relating to the FoundationВ’s proposal and award process. Part I is comprised of NSFВ’s proposal preparation & submission guidelines, including the NSF Grant Proposal Guide, and Part II is comprised of the documents used to guide, manage, and monitor the award and administration of grants and cooperative agreements, including the new NSF Award & Administration Guide (previously known as the Grant Policy Manual.)

The new publication supersedes all prior versions of the NSF Grant Proposal Guide and Grant Policy Manual, and can be accessed at: http://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=nsf07140. The NSF Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (Guide) applies to proposals submitted on or after June 1, 2007.

Some of the important changes in the new guidelines as well as other existing requirements that warrant particular attention include:

  • Coverage on exceptions to NSFВ’s deadline date policy;
  • Revised proposal format coverage, including mandated use of specific fonts, pagination, page limits, current and pending support content, biographical sketch requirements, and attachment authorization;
  • Increased coverage on the Grants.gov apply function;
  • Further guidance on the elimination of program-specific cost sharing and removal of the statutory (1%) cost sharing requirement;
  • Incorporation of two additional proposal certifications, one regarding Nondiscrimination and another regarding Flood Hazard Insurance;
  • Incorporation of language regarding use of the Facilities and Administrative (F&A) rate at the time of the award; and
  • New guidelines for proposals involving human and vertebrate animal data, consistent with Grants.gov.

To reduce the possibility of a proposal being returned without review, and to ensure that all proposals are handled equitably, please be mindful of the importance of complying with these policies. Specifically, please see Grant Proposal Guide Chapter IV.B. http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/policydocs/papp/gpg_4.jsp#IVB.

For more detailed information regarding all of the recent revisions to the new Guide, you may refer to either of the NSF links provided above. If you have any questions, please contact the Policy Office on x8243, or by e-mail to policy@nsf.gov.

Best Regards,
Richard O. Buckius
Assistant Director
Directorate for Engineering

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