Submission Window for Unsolicited Proposals
October 31, 2017
Starting in 2017, six of the eight DMR Topical Materials Research Programs (TMRP) (Biomaterials (BMAT), Condensed Matter Physics (CMP), Electronic and Photonic Materials (EPM), Metals and Metallic Nanostructures (MMN), Polymers (POL), and Solid-State and Materials Chemistry (SSMC)) accept proposals through a solicitation (see TMRP solicitation NSF 17-580), with a proposal submission window of October 1st to November 1st. The Ceramics (CER) and Condensed Matter and Materials Theory (CMMT) programs accept proposals under their own separate solicitations with open proposal submission windows with no deadlines (see solicitations NSF 16-597 and NSF 18-500, respectively).
The following proposals, Grants for Rapid Response Research (RAPID), EArly-concept Grants for Exploratory Research (EAGER), proposals for workshops or conferences, proposals to the DMR National Facilities Program, and supplements to existing grants are not subject to these deadlines. For proposals submitted in response to special announcements or solicitations, the deadline dates specified in the announcement or solicitation apply.
We strongly encourage Principal Investigators and Sponsored Research Offices to submit early and avoid a last-minute rush, which can cause problems in timely and correct transmission to NSF. Proposals that have formatting problems or are otherwise non-compliant with the Grant Proposal Guide, http://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=gpg , can usually be corrected and resubmitted within the same window if received early; there may be no time to do that for proposals submitted close to the deadline date.
Investigators may submit only one proposal across DMR to any of the Topical Materials Research Programs as PI or co-PI during the annual proposal acceptance window. This includes proposals under GOALI, RUI/ROA, and binational collaborative research programs. Proposals for EAGER, RAPID, RAISE, and conferences, as well as supplements to existing grants, are not subject to this limitation and may be submitted any time after consultation with and approval from the cognizant Program Officer.
Principal Investigators (PIs) should make contact with Program Directors if they are uncertain about the fit of their project to a given program. PIs should ensure that the primary program appears first in the section: for consideration by NSF ORGANIZATION UNIT(s) on the Cover Page.
All inquiries about proposals for dedicated education and diversity activities should be directed to DMR Crosscutting (XC). PIs should contact their Program Director for supplement requests for Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) and education efforts.
Tips to Writing NSF Proposals:
The U.S. National Science Foundation propels the nation forward by advancing fundamental research in all fields of science and engineering. NSF supports research and people by providing facilities, instruments and funding to support their ingenuity and sustain the U.S. as a global leader in research and innovation. With a fiscal year 2023 budget of $9.5 billion, NSF funds reach all 50 states through grants to nearly 2,000 colleges, universities and institutions. Each year, NSF receives more than 40,000 competitive proposals and makes about 11,000 new awards. Those awards include support for cooperative research with industry, Arctic and Antarctic research and operations, and U.S. participation in international scientific efforts.
Connect with us online
NSF website: nsf.gov
NSF News: nsf.gov/news
For News Media: nsf.gov/news/newsroom
Statistics: nsf.gov/statistics/
Awards database: nsf.gov/awardsearch/
Follow us on social
Twitter: twitter.com/NSF
Facebook: facebook.com/US.NSF
Instagram: instagram.com/nsfgov