Safe and Harassment-free Fieldwork (SAHF) Plans

SAHF plans are project-specific, two-page documents that apply only to proposals with off-campus or off-site research. Only certain notices of funding opportunities will include a requirement to submit the SAHF plan to NSF. Proposers should follow the solicitation guidance on if/when a copy of the SAHF plan must be submitted to NSF.

The SAHF plan must include:

• A brief description of the field setting and unique challenges for the team.
• The steps the proposing organization will take to nurture a harassment-free off-campus or off-site working environment, including processes to establish shared team definitions of roles, responsibilities and culture, e.g., codes of conduct, trainings, mentor/mentee mechanisms and field support that might include regular check-ins, and/or developmental events.
• Communication processes within the off-site team and to the organization(s) that minimize singular points within the communication pathway (e.g., there should not be a single person overseeing access to a single satellite phone).
• The mechanisms the team will use during field excursions to respond to issues of harassment if they arise, including those involving individuals who are not affiliated with the primary institution (e.g., beyond oversight from your institution's Title IX Office).
   

1. Must the box on the cover sheet entitled "Off-Campus or Off-Site Research" be checked off if there is any off-campus or off-site research involved in the proposal?
   
   Yes. All proposals that meet the definition of off-campus or off-site research must check that box on the cover sheet.
    
2. Does the SAHF plan differ from the plan required by the organization as explained in the Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG), Chapter II.E.9?
   
   *All* proposals submitted to the NSF with off-campus or off-site research must certify that the organization has a project-specific plan in place for safe and inclusive working environments. The organizational plan that is certified by the AOR is not identical in content to that requested in an SAHF plan, so institutional templates are not recommended for SAHF plans. The submission of an SAHF plan to NSF is required only as described in specific notices of funding opportunities.
    
3. How is off-campus or off-site research defined?
   
   Off-campus or off-site research is defined as data/information/samples being collected off-campus or off-site, such as fieldwork and research activities on vessels and aircraft. Each organization must determine whether the proposed work is considered off-campus or off-site. Please contact your organization's Sponsored Projects Office (or equivalent) for assistance in this determination.
    
4. If we submit a collaborative proposal to a solicitation that requires the SAHF plan to be submitted to NSF, and a nonlead PI is the only one conducting any off-campus or off-site research, who submits the plan?
   
   One SAHF plan that covers all off-campus or off-site research for the project must be submitted following the solicitation's instructions. Additionally, the SAHF plan requirements apply to any vendor, contractor or subawardee that is engaged in off-campus or off-site research in the project as proposed.
    

The PAPPG details additional information on NSF's policies regarding fostering safe and harassment-free environments.

• Chapter II.E.9 – Safe and Inclusive Working Environments for Off-Campus or Off-Site Research.
• Chapter VII.B.6 – Postaward Additions of Off-Site or Off-Campus Research.
• Chapter XI.A.1.g – NSF Policy on Sexual Harassment, Other Forms of Harassment, or Sexual Assault.