PDF Version
Dear Colleague Letter
About the National Science Foundation
Foreword

1. Introduction

   1. Overview
   2. NSF Programs and Funding Opportunities
   3. Categories of Funding Opportunities
      1. Dear Colleague Letter
      2. Program Description
      3. Program Announcement
      4. Program Solicitation
   4. Types of Submissions
      1. Letter of Intent
      2. Preliminary Proposal
         1. Invite/Not Invite
         2. Encourage/Discourage
      3. Full Proposal
      4. Proprietary or Privileged Information
   5. Who May Submit Proposals
      Categories of Proposers
   6. When to Submit Proposals
   7. How to Submit Proposals
      1. Electronic Requirements
         Special Instructions for Proposals That Contain High Resolution Graphics or Other Graphics Where Exact Color Representations are Required for Proper Interpretation by the Reviewer
      2. Submission Instructions
      3. Proposal Receipt
   8. Proposal Processing

2. Proposal Preparation Instructions
   1. Conformance with Instructions for Proposal Preparation
   2. Format of the Proposal
      1. Proposal Pagination Instructions
      2. Proposal Margin and Spacing Requirements
   3. Proposal Contents
      1. Single Copy Documents
         1. Information About Principal Investigators/Project Directors and co-Principal Investigators/co-Project Directors
         2. Deviation Authorization
         3. List of Suggested Reviewers or Reviewers Not to Include
         4. Proprietary or Privileged Information
         5. Proposal Certifications
            • Certification for Authorized Organizational Representative or Individual Applicant
            • Certification Regarding Conflict of Interest
            • Drug-Free Workplace
            • Debarment and Suspension
            • Certification Regarding Lobbying
      2. Sections of the Proposal
         1. Cover Sheet
         2. Project Summary
         3. Table of Contents
         4. Project Description (Including Results from Prior NSF Support)
            1. Content
            2. Page Limitations and Inclusion of Universal Resource Locators (URLs) within the Project Description
            3. Results from Prior NSF Support
            4. Unfunded Collaborations
            5. Group Proposals
            6. Proposals for Renewed Support
         5. References Cited
         6. Biographical Sketch(es)
            1. Senior Personnel

               (a) Professional Preparation
               (b) Appointments
               (c) Publications
               (d) Synergistic Activities
               (e) Collaborators & Other Affiliations

               • Collaborators and Co-Editors
               • Graduate and Postdoctoral Advisors
               • Thesis Advisor and Postgraduate-Scholar Sponsor

            2. Other Personnel
            3. Equipment Proposals
         7. Budget
            1. Salaries and Wages

               (a) Policies
               (b) Procedures
               (c) Confidential Budgetary Information

            2. Fringe Benefits
            3. Equipment
            4. Travel

               (a) General
               (b) Domestic Travel
               (c) Foreign Travel

            5. Participant Support
            6. Other Direct Costs

               (a) Materials and Supplies
               (b) Publication/Documentation/ Dissemination
               (c) Consultant Services
               (d) Computer Services
               (e) Subawards
               (f) Other

            7. Total Direct Costs
            8. Indirect Costs (also known as Facilities and Administrative Costs (F&A) for Colleges and Universities)
            9. Total Direct and Indirect Costs (F&A)
            10. Residual Funds
            11. Amount of This Request
            12. Cost Sharing

                (a) Statutory Cost Sharing Requirement
                (b) Cost Sharing Requirements Under NSF Program Solicitations

            13. Unallowable Costs

                (a) Entertainment
                (b) Meals and Coffee Breaks
                (c) Alcoholic Beverages

         8. Current and Pending Support
         9. Facilities, Equipment and Other Resources
         10. Special Information and Supplementary Documentation
         11. Appendices
   4. Special Guidelines
      1. Small Grants for Exploratory Research (SGER) Proposals
      2. Facilitation Awards for Scientists and Engineers with Disabilities (FASED)
         1. Requests as part of a competitive proposal submission
         2. Supplemental Funding Requests to existing NSF grants
      3. Collaborative Proposals
         1. Submission of a single proposal
         2. Simultaneous submission of proposals from different organizations
      4. Proposals for Equipment
      5. Proposals Involving Vertebrate Animals
      6. Proposals Involving Human Subjects
      7. Proposals for Conferences, Symposia and Workshops
      8. Proposals to Support International Travel
      9. Proposals for Doctoral Dissertation Research
3. NSF Proposal Processing and Review
   1. Review Criteria
      What is the intellectual merit of the proposed activity?
      What are the broader impacts of the proposed activity?
   2. Proposal File Updates
   3. Revisions to Proposals Made During the Review Process
   4. Award Recommendation
   5. Copies of Reviews

4. Withdrawals, Returns and Declinations
   1. Withdrawals
   2. Return Without Review
   3. Declinations
   4. Reconsideration
   5. Resubmission

5. The Award and Continued Support
   1. Types of NSF Grants
      Effective/Expiration Dates and Preaward Costs
   2. Additional Support
      1. Incremental Funding
      2. Renewal Proposals
         • Traditional Renewal
         • Accomplishment-Based Renewal
      3. Two-Year Extensions for Special Creativity
      4. Supplemental Funding
   3. No-Cost Extensions
      1. Grantee-Authorized Extension
      2. NSF-Approved Extension

6. Grant Administration Highlights
   1. General Requirements
   2. Grantee Responsibilities and Federal Requirements
   3. Prior Approval Requirements
   4. Transfer of PI
   5. Equipment
   6. Excess Government Property
   7. Suspension or Termination of Grants
   8. Grant Reports
      1. Annual and Final Project Reports
      2. Quarterly and Final Expenditure Reports
   9. Sharing of Findings, Data and Other Research Products
   10. Acknowledgement of Support and Disclaimer
   11. Release of Grantee Proposal Information
   12. Legal Rights to Intellectual Property

Appendix A: Proposal Preparation Checklist

Appendix B: Potentially Disqualifying Conflicts of Interest

Appendix C: Drug-Free Workplace Certification

Appendix D: Debarment and Suspension Certification

Appendix E: Lobbying Certification

Appendix F: Definitions of Categories of Personnel

Privacy Act and Public Burden Statements