March 2012 Grants Office Newsletter

From Inside Higher Education
New NSF Social Science Agenda
August 16, 2010 - 3:00am
By Scott Jaschik

ATLANTA -- Seeking to move "beyond near-term funding cycles," leaders of the National Science Foundation briefed sociologists here Sunday about plans to create a strategy to support the social sciences over the next decade. Myron Gutmann, assistant director for the social, behavioral and economic sciences at the NSF, told those gathered for the annual meeting of the American Sociological Association that this is an "unparalleled time" in terms of interest across the sciences in working with social scientists on some of the top issues of the day.

And as a result, he said, it is an appropriate time to think long term for the agency and the social sciences. Gutmann said that the NSF would like to see for the social sciences something similar to a project conducted by the National Research Council every decade: a plan for astronomy and astrophysics research for the next 10 years. (The most recent plan was released on Friday.)

While the NSF is best known for its support of work in the physical and computational sciences, it has long been a significant player in the social sciences, with close ties to academe. The agency funds tens of millions of dollars of research a year and supports everything from basic research by senior scholars to dissertation fellowships. Gutmann was named to his position last year, having been a demographic historian previously at the University of Michigan. The NSF is seeking advice on shaping the agenda, but on a relatively tight time frame -- with a request for ideas having gone out late last week, with a deadline of the end of September. Gutmann said he hoped the review would be done by the time officials start shaping the 2013 budget proposal, which is a process that starts next spring. Gutmann said that the agency wants to rethink three main areas:

Identifying the "big, underlying questions" that deserve more study and support. He acknowledged the difficulty inherent in thinking too far into the future on such matters, since new questions will emerge. But he said that he thought many of these questions "are not so far in outer space that we aren't aware of them now." He cited the demography of aging and of immigration as two such examples of social science topics likely to only get more important and to gain greater relevance in the future.

Defining "capacity" issues. Given that the NSF supports everything from undergraduate education to scholarly research, he said it is time to think about which areas are most in need of which kinds of support that the agency could offer. Refining "infrastructure" support. For the NSF, social sciences infrastructure consists of numerous large, longitudinal surveys and the databases that result from those studies -- of which most of the prominent ones have received considerable agency support over the years. Gutmann said that he is "very proud" of the NSF's role in building these surveys, and that he wasn't looking to stop support for any of them. But he said that the largest of these projects were now started decades ago, and that he wondered if there were new topics that deserved such support.

He stressed, in his remarks and in answers to questions, that the NSF is strongly committed, in its current grant programs and in the new agenda, to seeking out and supporting interdisciplinary projects -- both among the social sciences and in projects linking the social sciences to other sciences. In some respects, this is going on even before the 10- year plan is developed. He said that major new funds would be available next year for environmental research -- including studies that would probably involve social scientists working on the human impact of certain environmental practices.

At the same time, he noted that there are obstacles to this approach. At the NSF, he said, there are limited funds. "If you triple the number of senior investigators, you can triple the budget," he said, and that's only rarely possible to do. Gutmann also said he believes that universities remain slow -- despite many statements they make to the contrary -- to truly supporting interdisciplinary work. He said that many graduate programs are not teaching interdisciplinary approaches in graduate programs, and that many universities "are less than perfect" when it comes to rewarding interdisciplinary work in the tenure and promotion process.

Read more: http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2010/08/16/nsf#ixzz1narHKxIL

From the Chronicle of Higher Education
February 13, 2012
National Science Foundation Steps Up Its Push for Interdisciplinary Research
By Paul Basken

For universities worried about securing federal research money at a time of tightening budgets, the National Science Foundation has a simple message: Collaborate.

In the same week President Obama is unveiling his budget recommendations for the 2013 fiscal year, the NSF is sending a top official to U.S. campuses urging even greater attention to promoting interdisciplinary practices in research. The official, Myron P. Gutmann, is a professor of history at the University of Michigan who is now serving as assistant director for the NSF's Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences Directorate. His chief message is that NSF grants will be increasingly won by those researchers who find partners in other university departments. "What we can do is encourage people to cross those boundaries," Mr. Gutmann said before setting out for campuses this weekend in Indiana and on Monday in Minnesota. "And of course we encourage people by investing money." The push for more interdisciplinary research has been a priority of the NSF's director, Subra Suresh, since his arrival at the foundation in October 2010. "Every time he talks, he talks about interdisciplinary research," said Amy Scott, associate vice president for federal relations at the Association of American Universities, which has encouraged the strategy. Mr. Gutmann's mission reflects the sense of NSF leadership that rapid advances in a variety of fields are making clear the value of applying discoveries and approaches as widely as possible. Mr. Suresh, a former dean of engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, has cited valuable examples of interdisciplinary research, including the application of atomic-scale science to health care, and the study of extreme weather events by examining both natural and social factors.

Still, efforts to promote interdisciplinary research have been slowed both by government agencies that too often solicit grant proposals in field-specific categories, and by universities that continue to align tenure and job-promotion policies along established departmental divisions, Mr. Gutmann said.

Advancing the Agenda
The current era of economic anxiety could help the NSF advance its interdisciplinary agenda by making universities and their researchers especially eager to comply with it. The NSF has a $7-billion budget in the 2012 fiscal year, up slightly from $6.8-billion in 2011. However, that was down 1 percent from the previous year and far removed from pledges by Congress earlier in the administration to double the NSF budget within about a decade. Mr. Obama is planning Monday to request a 5-percent increase in nonmilitary research spending, though Congress is likely to trim that figure.

Pushing for more interdisciplinary cooperation makes both financial and scientific sense, said Mark C. Taylor, a professor of religion at Columbia University who has been critical of "hyper-specialization" at universities. The unsustainable nature of department-based hierarchies is increasingly reflected in the worried faces of graduate students who are finding themselves too specialized to land jobs, Mr. Taylor said.

But critics of the push toward interdisciplinary research, including Jerry A. Jacobs, a professor of sociology at the University of Pennsylvania, contend that most researchers already rely heavily on their colleagues in other departments and that the process should be allowed to keep developing naturally. The world now has more than 28,000 peerreviewed journals, with 750 to 1,000 being added each year, Mr. Jacobs said. "The reason there's so much knowledge is because the disciplines really work," he said.

The NSF recognizes the strength of traditional disciplines and merely wants to adjust the balance, Mr. Gutmann said. In his division, about a third of research grants are designed as interdisciplinary projects. "It doesn't need to be 100 percent," he said. "But it might want to be 60 percent."

President Outlines Details of $180M STEM Proposals

Coinciding with the Second Annual White House Science Fair, President Obama offers details on upcoming proposals in his FY 2013 budget proposal that will focus on science, technology, education and mathematics (STEM) programs. Funding proposals include: $100 for the Nat'l Science Foundation (NSF) to improve undergraduate STEM education practices; and $80 million to help prepare effective STEM teachers. A new K-16 education initiative jointly administered by Department of Education and the National Science Foundation would improve math education In addition to the federal funding, the White House has received $22 million in committed investment from the private sector, Google, DonorsChoose.org and Teach for America.

Google will design a high-profile recognition program for the top 5% of STEM teachers nationwide. Teach for America will recruit 11,000 STEM Corps members by 2015 and connect other qualified applicants to additional STEM teaching opportunities. DonorsChoose.org will inspire 50,000 citizens to sponsor projects in math and science classrooms over the next two years, delivering $15M in critical classroom resources and helping 600,000 students nationwide.

Info: For more on the White House's STEM plans, please visit http://tinyurl.com/88vxqy2.

Colleges, Universities Vie for $8.3M Professional Fellows Funding

Agency: State Dept. (Bureau of Educational & Cultural Affairs, ECA);
Program: Professional Fellows Program (CFDA Number: 19.415) (Funding Opportunity Number: ECA-PE-C-12-01);
Eligibility: Public and private colleges and universities and 501(c)(3) nonprofits;
Funding: $8.3 million for 20 awards;
Deadline: March 27.

Purpose: Grantees will run foreign exchange programs for mid-level professionals from Africa, East Asia, Europe, the Near East/North Africa, South Central Asia (SCA) and the Western Hemisphere (WHA). The fellows will work with U.S. counterparts to strengthen their leadership capacity and professional skills in three areas: (1) Economic Empowerment; 2) Media; and 3) Legislative Process and Governance.

Info: For grant guidance, please visit http://tinyurl.com/85fgd9a.

FY12 Region 04 Wetland Program Development Grants

Deadline: March 19, 2012.

Eligibility: States, tribes, local government agencies, interstate agencies and intertribal consortia in the Environmental Protection Agency's Region 4, which includes Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North and South Carolina and Tennessee.

Fund uses: To conduct and promote the coordination and acceleration of research, investigations, experiments, training, demonstrations, surveys and studies relating to the causes, effects, extent, prevention, reduction and elimination of water pollution.

More information: http://www.epa.gov/region4/water/wetlands/documents/fy12_wpdg_rep.pdf.

Myth #1: Grants and gifts are the same.
Fact: Gifts are made, usually from one person or entity to another, with no strings attached. Grants are made, usually from one institution to another, with sets of performance and reporting requirements.

FY 13 Budget Request Highlights

The White House submitted its FY 13 budget request on February 13, 2012. The $3.8 trillion proposal advances a $350 billion stimulus package focused on job growth and $140 billion for research and development funding, including $2.2 billion for advanced manufacturing research and development and $30.6 billion for basic research. The National Institutes of Health would receive level funding, and the National Science Foundation (NSF) would receive $7.37 billion, a 4.8 percent increase. The One NSF initiative — which includes funding for Cyber-enabled Materials, Manufacturing, and Smart Systems; Cyberinfrastructure Framework for 21st Century Science and Engineering; Expeditions in Education; Innovation Corps; Integrated NSF Support Promoting Interdisciplinary Research and Education; Secure and Trustworthy Cyberspace; and Science, Engineering, and Education for Sustainability — would be funded at $807 million. Funding for CAREER and Graduate Research Fellowships awards would increase slightly, and STEM education would retain significant support through these initiatives:

• NSF and the U.S. Department of Education would provide $30 million each for an evidence-based program to improve K-16 mathematics education and knowledge building. This new opportunity will support researchers and educators who have the greatest potential to transform mathematics learning. At NSF, the Discovery Research K-12 and Transforming Undergraduate Education in STEM programs would be the vehicles.
• The Widening Implementation and Demonstration of Evidence-based Reforms (WIDER) program would receive $20 million for research and demonstration projects exploring how to achieve widespread sustainable implementation of evidence-based undergraduate instructional practices to improve student outcomes.
• The Widening Implementation and Demonstration of Evidence-based Reforms (WIDER) program would receive $20 million for research and demonstration projects exploring how to achieve widespread sustainable implementation of evidence-based undergraduate instructional practices to improve student outcomes.

Pass It on to Investigators: Free Assessment Training
The U.S. Department of Justice Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) has planned two webinars on the effective use of logic models in project evaluation. These webinars are part of OJJDP's series on "Assessing Project Performance: Building Blocks of Evaluation and Performance Measurement." The goal is to help practitioners apply the best available evidence to their field of expertise.

On February 22, 2012, an "Introduction to Program Logic" will define the elements of a logic model and provide advice on logic model construction. On February 23, 2012, "Advanced Program Logic" will teach participants who are familiar with logic models how to address common challenges associated with their development and how logic models can be used to improve program performance.

Although these events are targeted at practitioners who work with delinquent and at-risk youth, the principles of assessment and evaluation are transferrable across fields and disciplines. Additional information is available online.

Myth #2: Grantseekers must think outside the box.
Fact: Grantmakers want your request to fit their specifications, which usually include issue, geographic preferences, other preferences, and application procedures.

NSF Seeks SBE and EHR Capacity Building Teams

The National Science Foundation (NSF) has announced a new opportunity for Building Community and Capacity for Data-Intensive Research in the Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences and in Education and Human Resources. This initiative, part of NSF's Cyberinfrastructure Framework for 21st Century Science and Engineering, is jointly sponsored by the Directorate for Education and Human Resources (EHR); Directorate for Social, Behavioral, and Economic (SBE) Sciences; and Office of Cyberinfrastructure.

Approximately $5 million is available to support between 25 and 60 awards for investigator-initiated research, workshops, and Research Coordination Networks. The goal is to build capacity and communities to enable the creation of new data resources and analytic techniques for multidisciplinary research in the SBE and EHR sciences. Applicants should consider infrastructure, data acquisition, deployment, governance, and sustainability implications as they propose to answer these types of questions:

• What broad, important, fundamental research questions are to be addressed? What research communities would be interested in exploring these questions?
• What kinds of data are to be involved, including the metadata and the broader infrastructure in which the data are embedded? The data involved may be newly gathered, newly aggregated, and newly created.
• How will the databases or assets be constructed? What new analytic or statistical approaches are needed to analyze the data?
• What infrastructure is required to ensure access to and long-term maintenance of these large-scale data?

Some of the data infrastructure visions proposed in response to this solicitation may lead to future EHR and SBE competitions, so GRC advises members to assess their capacity and particular strengths and to identify interested multidisciplinary teams for the short- and long-term. The solicitation explicitly encourages the inclusion of scholars at different stages of careers across a broad range of disciplines. Proposals should also build dissemination plans describing ways the broader research community will be able to contribute to and benefit from the proposed effort.

All prospective applicants should contact the relevant NSF program director prior to submission.

WENNER-GREN FOUNDATION FOR ANTHROPOLOGICAL RESEARCH
INTERNATIONAL COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH GRANTS

DUE: JUN 1 DEC 1
WEB: http://www.wennergren.org/programs/international-collaborative-research-grants

The International Collaborative Research Grant (ICRG) supports international research collaborations between two or more qualified scholars, where the principal investigators bring different and complementary perspectives, knowledge, and/or skills to the project. Supplemental funds are also available to provide essential training for academic research participants in ICRG-funded projects (co-applicants, students, as well as other professional colleagues). By encouraging international collaborations, the grant contributes to the development of an international anthropology that values and incorporates different national perspectives and resources. By providing training funds, the grant helps to build capacity in countries were anthropology may be under-resourced.

ELIGIBILITY: Proposals must involve collaboration between two or more researchers of different nationalities who are working in different countries. Each researcher must hold a doctorate or equivalent qualification in anthropology or a related discipline. Scholars are eligible without regard to institutional or departmental affiliation.

FUNDING: The grants are for a maximum of $30,000 for the research project. Proposals which include the optional training element can have an increased funding request up to a maximum of $35,000, of which no more than $10,000 can be for essential training purposes. Under special circumstances grants can be renewed to support longer-term research projects.

Fellowships National Endowment for the Humanities
Due: May 1, 2012
http://www.neh.gov/grants/guidelines/fellowships.html

Fellowships support individuals pursuing advanced research that is of value to humanities scholars, general audiences, or both. Recipients usually produce articles, monographs, books, digital materials, archaeological site reports, translations, editions, or other scholarly resources in the humanities. Projects may be at any stage of development. NEH encourages submission of Fellowships applications from faculty at Hispanic-Serving Institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities, and Tribal Colleges and Universities.

Fellowships for Advanced Social Science Research on Japan
National Endowment for the Humanities

Due: May 1, 2012
http://www.neh.gov/grants/guidelines/fellowships-japan.html

The Fellowship Program for Advanced Social Science Research on Japan is a joint activity of the Japan-U.S. Friendship Commission (JUSFC) and the National Endowment for the Humanities. Awards support research on modern Japanese society and political economy, Japan's international relations, and U.S.-Japan relations. The program encourages innovative research that puts these subjects in wider regional and global contexts and is comparative and contemporary in nature. Research should contribute to scholarly knowledge or to the general public's understanding of issues of concern to Japan and the United States. Appropriate disciplines for the research include anthropology, economics, geography, history, international relations, linguistics, political science, psychology, public administration, and sociology. The fellowships are designed for researchers with advanced language skills whose research will require use of data, sources, and documents in their original languages or whose research requires interviews onsite in direct one-on-one contact. Fellows may undertake their projects in Japan, the United States, or both, and may include work in other countries for comparative purposes. Projects may be at any stage of development. Awards usually result in articles, monographs, books, digital materials, archaeological site reports, translations, editions, or other scholarly resources. NEH encourages submission of Fellowships for Advanced Social Science Research on Japan applications from faculty at Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Institutions with High Hispanic Enrollment, and Tribal Colleges and Universities.

GLADYS KRIEBLE DELMAS FOUNDATION
HUMANITIES PROGRAM

DUE: anytime, letter of inquiry

WEB: http://www.delmas.org/programs/humanities.html

The Foundation intends to further the humanities along a broad front, supporting projects which address the concerns of the historical studia humanitatis: a humanistic education rooted in the great traditions of the past; the formation of human beings according to cultural, moral, and aesthetic ideals derived from that past; and the ongoing debate over how these ideals may best be conceived and realized. Programs in the following areas are eligible: history; archaeology; literature; languages, both classical and modern; philosophy, ethics; comparative religion; the history, criticism, and theory of the arts; and those aspects of the social sciences which share the content and methods of humanistic disciplines. The Foundation welcomes projects that cross the boundaries between humanistic disciplines and explore the connection between the humanities and other areas of scholarship.

ELIGIBILITY: The Humanities Program is primarily directed to institutions of higher education and humanistic enterprises such as learned societies, museums, and major editorial projects. The program may also consider, on a selective basis, projects that increase the exposure of those outside these institutions to the humanistic experience or that strengthen preparation for the humanistic disciplines in secondary education. The prime criterion remains that of Gladys and Jean Paul Delmas: a commitment to excellence, whether proven or promised.

FUNDING: In 2008, grants were made ranging from about $5,000 to $135,000.

Political Science
National Science Foundation

Due: August 15, 2012

More information: http://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=5418

The Political Science Program supports scientific research that advances knowledge and understanding of citizenship, government, and politics. Research proposals are expected to be theoretically motivated, conceptually precise, methodologically rigorous, and empirically oriented. Substantive areas include, but are not limited to, American government and politics, comparative government and politics, international relations, political behavior, political economy, and political institutions.

In recent years, program awards have supported research projects on bargaining processes; campaigns and elections, electoral choice, and electoral systems; citizen support in emerging and established democracies; democratization, political change, and regime transitions; domestic and international conflict; international political economy; party activism; political psychology and political tolerance. The Program also has supported research experiences for undergraduate students and infrastructural activities, including methodological innovations, in the discipline.

Social Psychology
National Science Foundation

Due: July 15, 2012

More Information: http://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=5712

The Social Psychology Program at NSF supports basic research on human social behavior, including cultural differences and development over the life span.

Among the many research topics supported are: attitude formation and change, social cognition, personality processes, interpersonal relations and group processes, the self, emotion, social comparison and social influence, and the psychophysiological and neurophysiological bases of social behavior.

The scientific merit of a proposal depends on four important factors: (1) The problems investigated must be theoretically grounded. (2) The research should be based on empirical observation or be subject to empirical validation. (3) The research design must be appropriate to the questions asked. (4) The proposed research must advance basic understanding of social behavior.

Sociology
National Science Foundation

Due: August 15, 2012

More Information: http://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=5369

The Sociology Program supports basic research on all forms of human social organization -- societies, institutions, groups and demography -- and processes of individual and institutional change. The Program encourages theoretically focused empirical investigations aimed at improving the explanation of fundamental social processes. Included is research on organizations and organizational behavior, population dynamics, social movements, social groups, labor force participation, stratification and mobility, family, social networks, socialization, gender roles, and the sociology of science and technology. The Program supports both original data collections and secondary data analysis that use the full range of quantitative and qualitative methodological tools. Theoretically grounded projects that offer methodological innovations and improvements for data collection and analysis are also welcomed. The Sociology Program also funds doctoral dissertation research to defray direct costs associated with conducting research, for example, dataset acquisition, additional statistical or methodological training, meeting with scholars associated with original datasets, and fieldwork away from the student's home campus.

Economics
National Science Foundation

Due: August 18, 2012

More Information: http://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=5437

The Economics program supports research designed to improve the understanding of the processes and institutions of the U.S. economy and of the world system of which it is a part. This program also strengthens both empirical and theoretical economic analysis as well as the methods for rigorous research on economic behavior. It supports research in almost every area of economics, including econometrics, economic history, environmental economics, finance, industrial organization, international economics, labor economics, macroeconomics, mathematical economics, and public finance.

The Economics program welcomes proposals for individual or multi-investigator research projects, doctoral dissertation improvement awards, conferences, workshops, symposia, experimental research, data collection and dissemination, computer equipment and other instrumentation, and research experience for undergraduates. The program places a high priority on interdisciplinary research. Investigators are encouraged to submit proposals of joint interest to the Economics Program and other NSF programs and NSF initiative areas. The program places a high priority on broadening participation and encourages proposals from junior faculty, women, other underrepresented minorities, Research Undergraduate Institutions, and EPSCoR states.

The program also funds conferences and interdisciplinary research that strengthens links among economics and the other social and behavioral sciences as well as mathematics and statistics

Decision, Risk and Management Sciences (DRMS)
National Science Foundation

Due: August 18, 2012

More Information: http://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=5423

The Decision, Risk and Management Sciences program supports scientific research directed at increasing the understanding and effectiveness of decision making by individuals, groups, organizations, and society. Disciplinary and interdisciplinary research, doctoral dissertation research, and workshops are funded in the areas of judgment and decision making; decision analysis and decision aids; risk analysis, perception, and communication; societal and public policy decision making; management science and organizational design. The program also supports small grants that are time -critical (Rapid Response Research - RAPID)and small grants that are high-risk and of a potentially transformative nature (EArly-Concept Grants for Exploratory Research - EAGER). For detailed information concerning these two types of grants, please review Chapter II.D of the NSF Grant Proposal Guide.

Funded research must be grounded in theory and generalizable. Purely algorithmic management science proposals should be submitted to the Operations Research Program rather than to DRMS.

Linguistics
National Science Foundation
Due: July 15, 2012

More Information: http://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=5408

The Linguistics Program supports all types of scientific research that focuses on human language as an object of investigation. The program supports research on the syntactic, semantic, morphological, phonetic, and phonological properties of individual languages and of language in general. It also encourages investigation of linguistic questions that are interdisciplinary in nature: the psychological processes involved in the production, perception, and comprehension of language; the development of linguistic capacities in children; social and cultural factors in language use, variation, and change; the acoustics and physiology of speech; computational approaches to the study of language; and the biological bases of language in the brain.

Developmental and Learning Sciences
National Science Foundation

Due: July 15, 2012

More Information: http://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=8671

DLS supports fundamental research that increases our understanding of cognitive, linguistic, social, cultural, and biological processes related to children's and adolescents' development and learning. Research supported by this program will add to our basic knowledge of how people learn and the underlying developmental processes that support learning, with the objective of leading to better educated children and adolescents who grow up to take productive roles as workers and as citizens.

Among the many research topics supported by DLS are: developmental cognitive neuroscience; development of higher-order cognitive processes; transfer of knowledge from one domain or situation to another; use of molecular genetics to study continuities and discontinuities in development; development of peer relations and family interactions; multiple influences on development, including the impact of family, school, community, social institutions, and the media; adolescents’ preparation for entry into the workforce; cross-cultural research on development and learning; and the role of cultural influences and demographic characteristics on development. Additional priorities include research that: incorporates multidisciplinary, multi-method, microgenetic, and longitudinal approaches; develops new methods, models, and theories for studying learning and development; and integrates different processes (e.g., learning, memory, emotion), levels of analysis (e.g., behavioral, social, neural), and time scales (e.g. infancy, middle childhood, adolescence).

This program supports Integrative Research Activities for Developmental Science (IRADS). The program currently is at its capacity for supporting such large-scale awards, and is therefore not considering new IRADS proposals at this point in time. The program is accepting proposals for individual investigator projects (average total budget of approximately $100,000 per year) and workshops/ small conferences (average total one-time budget of approximately $15,000).

Perception, Action & Cognition
National Science Foundation

Due: August 1, 2012

More Information: http://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=5686

Supports research on perception, action and cognition including the development of these capacities. Emphasis is on research strongly grounded in theory. Research topics include vision, audition, haptics, attention, memory, reasoning, written and spoken discourse, motor control, and developmental issues in all topic areas. The program encompasses a wide range of theoretical perspectives, such as symbolic computation, connectionism, ecological, nonlinear dynamics, and complex systems, and a variety of methodologies including both experimental studies and modeling. Research involving acquired or developmental deficits is appropriate if the results speak to basic issues of perception, action, and cognition.

Myth #3: Proposal writers can get grants for absolutely anything.
Fact: Grants do not emerge, like rabbits from a magician's hat, after the proposal writer says the magic words. To receive grants, organizations must demonstrate a credible track record, a clearly defined need, a program to meet the need that has measurable objectives and outcomes, a budget that supports implementation of the program, and a good fit with the grantmaker.

Cognitive Neuroscience
National Science Foundation
Due: August 27, 2012

More Information: http://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=nsf09563

The Cognitive Neuroscience Program seeks highly innovative and interdisciplinary proposals aimed at advancing a rigorous understanding of how the human brain supports thought, perception, affect, action, social processes, and other aspects of cognition and behavior, including how such processes develop and change in the brain and through time.

Transforming Undergraduate Education in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (TUES) National Science Foundation
Due: May 28, 2012
More Information: http://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=nsf10544

The Transforming Undergraduate Education in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (TUES) program seeks to improve the quality of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education for all undergraduate students. This solicitation especially encourages projects that have the potential to transform undergraduate STEM education, for example, by bringing about widespread adoption of classroom practices that embody understanding of how students learn most effectively. Thus transferability and dissemination are critical aspects for projects developing instructional materials and methods and should be considered throughout the project's lifetime. More advanced projects should involve efforts to facilitate adaptation at other sites.

The program supports efforts to create, adapt, and disseminate new learning materials and teaching strategies to reflect advances both in STEM disciplines and in what is known about teaching and learning. It funds projects that develop faculty expertise, implement educational innovations, assess learning and evaluate innovations, prepare K- 12 teachers, or conduct research on STEM teaching and learning. It also supports projects that further the work of the program itself, for example, synthesis and dissemination of findings across the program. The program supports projects representing different stages of development, ranging from small, exploratory investigations to large, comprehensive projects.

Geophysics
National Science Foundation

Due: June 5, 2012
More Information: http://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=nsf09539

The Geophysics Program supports basic research in the physics of the solid earth to explore its composition, structure, and processes. Laboratory, field, theoretical, and computational studies are supported. Topics include seismicity, seismic wave propagation, and the nature and occurrence of earthquakes; the earth's magnetic, gravity, and electrical fields; the earth's thermal structure; and geodynamics. Supported research also includes geophysical studies of active deformation, including geodesy, and studies of the properties and behavior of earth materials in support of geophysical observation and theory.

Law & Social Sciences
National Science Foundation

Due: July 16, 2012 More Information: http://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=nsf12507

The Law & Social Sciences Program considers proposals that address social scientific studies of law and law-like systems of rules. The program is inherently interdisciplinary and multi-methodological. Successful proposals describe research that advances scientific theory and understanding of the connections between law or legal processes and human behavior. Social scientific studies of law often approach law as dynamic, made in multiple arenas, with the participation of multiple actors. Fields of study include many disciplines, and often address problems including though not limited to:

1. Crime, Violence and Punishment
2. Economic Issues
3. Governance
4. Legal Decision Making
5. Legal Mobilization and Conceptions of Justice
6. Litigation and the Legal Profession

LSS provides the following modes of support:
1. Standard Research Grants and Grants for Collaborative Research
2. Doctoral Dissertation Research Improvement Grants
3. Interdisciplinary Postdoctoral Fellowships
4. Workshop and Conference Proposals

Methodology, Measurement, and Statistics
National Science Foundation

Due: August 16, 2012

More Information: http://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=nsf12510

The Methodology, Measurement, and Statistics (MMS) Program is an interdisciplinary program in the Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences that supports the development of innovative analytical and statistical methods and models for those sciences. MMS seeks proposals that are methodologically innovative, grounded in theory, and have potential utility for multiple fields within the social and behavioral sciences. As part of its larger portfolio, the MMS Program partners with a consortium of federal statistical agencies to support research proposals that further the development of new and innovative approaches to surveys and to the analysis of survey data.

The MMS Program supports a variety of different types of awards, including:
1) Regular Research Awards
2) Mid-Career Research Fellowships
3) Doctoral Dissertation Research Improvement Grants
4) Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) Supplements

Research in Disabilities Education (RDE)
National Science Foundation

Due: June 12, 2012

http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2012/nsf12542/nsf12542.htm?WT.mc_id=USNSF_25&WT.mc_ev=click

The Research in Disabilities Education (RDE) program continues to advance the goal of broadening the participation of postsecondary students with disabilities in STEM. In this solicitation RDE will support two types of projects: Model Building and Broadening Participation Research in STEM Education.

Science, Technology and Society National Science Foundation
Due: August 1, 2012

More Information: http://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=nsf12509

STS considers proposals for scientific research into the interface between science (including engineering) or technology, and society. STS researchers use diverse methods including social science, historical, and philosophical methods. Successful proposals will be transferrable (i.e., generate results that provide insights for other scientific contexts that are suitably similar). They will produce outcomes that address pertinent problems and issues at the interface of science, technology and society, such as those having to do with practices and assumptions, ethics, values, governance, and policy. The STS review process is approximately six months. It includes appraisal of proposals by ad hoc reviewers selected for their expertise and by an advisory panel that meets twice a year. The deadlines for the submission of proposals are February 1st for proposals to be funded as early as July, and August 1st for proposals to be funded in or after January. Further information about proposal preparation and related matters can be found in the STS FAQs document. For program-specific guidelines on the Doctoral Dissertation Improvement Grants, please read the Doctoral Dissertation Preparation Checklist. The Program encourages potential investigators with questions as to whether their proposal fits the goals of the program to contact one of the program officers.

Source Reduction Assistance Grant Program
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Regional Pollution Prevention Program Offices

Due: Tuesday, April 10, 2012

More Information: http://www.epa.gov/p2/pubs/grants/srap/srap12.pdf

SRA awards are issued annually by the Regions, subject to Congressional appropriation and the quality of proposals received. The purpose of the program is to support environmental projects that reduce or eliminate pollution at the source. Collectively, the Regions are interested in funding proposals that support the P2 program's strategic goals - reduce greenhouse gases (GHGs), reduce toxic and hazardous materials, increase resource conservation, promote efficient business practices and support P2 integration. However, independently, each Region has developed a set of P2 related priorities that address specific areas of interest applicable to the Region. (See Region 4 Info below) Applicants are strongly encouraged to submit proposals that demonstrate new, innovative techniques, surveys, or studies that use research, investigations, experiments, and/or training to promote P2/source reduction efforts. Proposals that principally support recycling, clean-up, treatment, disposal and/or energy recovery activities will not be considered for funding.

Region 4 (AL, FL, GA, KY, MS, NC, SC, TN)

• Promote P2 using lean and green (refer to http://www.epa.gov/lean ) initiatives by encouraging industries, utilities, municipalities and other institutions to reduce pounds of pollution, conserve water and/or energy, reduce greenhouse gases, and save money. Provide technical assistance and P2 expertise to Economy, Energy and Environment (E3) projects to enable businesses to lean and green their operations.
• Implement P2 projects focusing on the hospitality sector (e.g., green lodging, green venues).
• Implement P2 projects for green building and/or construction sectors focusing on reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, energy efficiency and water conservation. Projects that will not be considered under this topic area include those that seek to use funds for equipment and supplies that will be used to retrofit buildings (e.g., changing out lighting, windows etc.) or building systems upgrades.

Chemical Synthesis
National Science Foundation

Due: October 1, 2012

http://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=503419

The Chemical Synthesis program focuses on the development of new, efficient synthetic methodologies and on the synthesis of complex molecules and molecular ensembles. Typical synthetic targets involve novel structures, structures displaying unique properties, or structures providing pathways to discover and elucidate new phenomena. Examples of supported research areas include the development of innovative reagents, catalysts for synthetic transformations, discovery of new synthetic methods, target-oriented synthesis, green synthesis, and synthesis of novel organic, organometallic, and inorganic structures. Research in this program will generate fundamental knowledge of chemical synthesis that enables the development of new avenues of basic chemical research and transformative technologies. The Chemical Synthesis program does not support projects whose main objective is on the property of the systems even though it may involve a large synthetic component.

Computer and Network Systems (CNS): Core Programs
National Science Foundation

Due: September 30, 2012

http://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=nsf11555

The Division of Computer and Network Systems (CNS) supports research and education activities that invent new computing and networking technologies and that explore new ways to make use of existing technologies. The Division seeks to develop a better understanding of the fundamental properties of computer and network systems and to create better abstractions and tools for designing, building, analyzing, and measuring future systems.

Science of Organizations
National Science Foundation

Due: September 3, 2012

http://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=504696

Organizations -- private and public, established and entrepreneurial, designed and emergent, formal and informal, profit and nonprofit -- are critical to the well-being of nations and their citizens. They are of crucial importance for producing goods and services, creating value, providing jobs, and achieving social goals. The Science of Organizations (SoO) program funds basic research that yields a scientific evidence base for improving the design and emergence, development and deployment, and management and ultimate effectiveness of organizations of all kinds. SoO funds research that advances our fundamental understanding of how organizations develop, form and operate. Successful SoO research proposals use scientific methods to develop and refine theories, to empirically test theories and frameworks, and to develop new measures and methods. Funded research is aimed at yielding generalizable insights that are of value to the business practitioner, policy-maker and research communities. SoO welcomes any and all rigorous, scientific approaches that illuminate aspects of organizations as systems of coordination, management and governance. In considering whether a particular project might be a candidate for consideration by SoO, please note: Intellectual perspectives may involve (but are not limited to) organizational theory, behavior, sociology or economics, business policy and strategy, communication sciences, entrepreneurship, human resource management, information sciences, managerial and organizational cognition, operations management, public administration, social or industrial psychology, and technology and innovation management. Phenomena studied may include (but are not limited to) structures, routines, effectiveness, competitiveness, innovation, dynamics, change and evolution. Levels of analysis may include (but are not limited to) organizational, cross-organizational collaborations or relationships, and institutional and can address individuals, groups or teams. Research methods may be qualitative and quantitative and may include (but are not limited to) archival analyses, surveys, simulation studies, experiments, comparative case studies, and network analyses.

CAMILLE AND HENRY DREYFUS FOUNDATION
SPECIAL GRANT PROGRAM IN THE CHEMICAL SCIENCES

DUE: JUN 4, initial inquiry
AUG 27, full proposal

WEB: http://www.dreyfus.org/awards/special_grant_program_chemical.shtml

The Special Grant Program in the Chemical Sciences supports innovative projects in any area consistent with the Foundation's broad objective to advance the chemical sciences.

ELIGIBILITY: The Special Grant Program in the Chemical Sciences is open to institutions in the States, Districts, and Territories of the United States of America that have a focus in the chemical sciences. Institutions include schools, colleges and universities, as well as other not-for-profit organizations, such as scientific societies and science museums. Awards are not made directly to individuals, or, in general, to private foundations.

FUNDING: The amount of support requested is determined by the applicant. Recent awards have ranged from about $11,000 to $100,000.

HAGLEY MUSEUM AND LIBRARY
EXPLORATORY RESEARCH GRANTS

DUE: JUN 30 OCT 31 MAR 31

WEB: http://www.hagley.org/library/center/grantsinaid.html

These grants support one-week visits by scholars who believe that their project will benefit from Hagley research collections, but need the opportunity to explore them on-site to determine if a Henry Belin du Pont research grant application is warranted. Priority will be given to junior scholars with innovative projects that seek to expand on existing scholarship. Proposals must demonstrate which Hagley collections might be pertinent to the project.

FUNDING: Applicants should reside more than 50 miles from Hagley, and the stipend is $400. Low-cost accommodations on Hagley's grounds are available on first-come, first serve basis. Researchers who use this housing are strongly encouraged to have a car available for transportation during their residency.

GRANT TRAINING COMING ON APRIL 25 AND 26!
Schedule on page 1

The Twelve Keys to Successful Grant Writing
Designed for the grant writer with limited experience, this workshop starts from the premise that nothing succeeds like a good idea. But there are other important ingredients of success, from assembling a winning team to achieving a strong match between the idea and a potential sponsor. In all, this workshop presents twelve key concepts related to success in grant writing. It stresses the importance of planning and presents the sponsor as a potential ally, not an adversary.

The Ins and Outs of Federal Funding
This workshop compares and contrasts funding program at several important federal agencies: NIH, NSF, DOE and DoD. It looks at the mission statements and strategic planning goals of each agency, explores their structures and funding mechanisms, identifies unique attributes of their various funding programs, examines sample solicitations, and discusses their methods of merit review.

Foundation Grant Funding
Foundations are quite different from federal agencies. While a good idea is important, foundations look for ideas that produce impact. This workshop shows how to identify promising foundations and how to learn about their interests, their leadership and their operations. It introduces electronic tools, shows how to read a foundation tax return, and stresses the importance of networking. It explains the role of the university development office in foundation grant seeking. Additional topics include preparing a letter of inquiry, the importance of personal meetings with board members or staff, and tips for building budgets.

NATIONAL HISTORICAL PUBLICATIONS AND RECORDS COMMISSION
DIGITIZING HISTORICAL RECORDS

DUE: APR 2, optional draft applications
JUN 7, applications

WEB: http://www.archives.gov/nhprc/announcement/digitizing.html

The National Historical Publications and Records Commission seeks proposals that use cost-effective methods to digitize nationally significant historical record collections and make the digital versions freely available online. Projects must make use of existing holdings of historical repositories and consist of entire collections or series. The materials should already be available to the public at the archives and described so that projects can re-use existing information to serve as metadata for the digitized collection.

ELIGIBILITY:(1) United States nonprofit organizations or institutions with IRS 501(c)(3) tax exempt status; (2) Colleges, universities, and other academic institutions; (3) State or local government agencies; (4) Federallyacknowledged or state-recognized Native American tribes or groups.

FUNDING: A grant normally is for 1 to 3 years and up to $150,000. The Commission expects to make up to 8 grants in this category, for a total of up to $700,000.

NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH
ACADEMIC RESEARCH ENHANCEMENT AWARDS (AREA)

DUE: JUN 25 OCT 25 FEB 25

WEB: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/area.htm

The AREA program supports small-scale research projects in the biomedical and behavioral sciences conducted by faculty and students at educational institutions that have not been major recipients of NIH research grant funds.

ELIGIBILITY: There are two levels of eligibility for AREA grants: the eligibility of the institution and the eligibility of the principal investigator (PI). Institutional Eligibility: (a) Only domestic institutions of higher education are eligible. (b) The institution must offer baccalaureate or advanced degrees in the health-related sciences. (c) The institution may not receive more than $6 million per year in NIH support in each of 4 of the last 7 years. Principal Investigator Eligibility: (a) The PI must have a primary faculty appointment at an AREA-eligible institution. (b) The PI may not be the PI of an active NIH grant at the time of an AREA award. (c) The PI may not be awarded more than one AREA grant at a time.

FUNDING: Project period is limited to 3 years. Direct costs are limited to $300,000 over the entire project period.

UNITED ENGINEERING FOUNDATION GRANTS

DUE: JUN 1, concept papers
AUG 1, invited formal proposals

WEB: http://www.uefoundation.org/grants.html

The United Engineering Foundation advances the engineering arts and sciences for the welfare of humanity. It supports engineering and education by, among other means, making grants. Grants should be consistent with advancing engineering. The UEF Board of Trustees evaluates and judges proposals in view of the UEF mission, the perceived ability of the proposal and proposer(s) to further that mission, and the available funding. Proposals are accepted only from U.S. based organizations classified by the Internal Revenue Service as having 501(c)(3) status. While all proposals meeting the requirements for 1) U.S. based organizations having 501(c)(3) status, 2) established deadlines, and 3) page limitations will be considered, certain UEF preferences should be understood by proposers: (a) Broadbased, interdisciplinary proposals that further the engineering profession as a whole are preferred. (b) Multiple-year proposals are welcome, but funding is awarded for a single year only.

Proposals for subsequent years follow procedures identical to that of single-year proposals. No commitment for funding of subsequent years of a multiple-year project should be inferred from funding of a prior year. (c) Projects that are outside "business as usual" of the proposing organization are preferred. (d) Technical research proposals and proposals by individuals are seldom accepted.

FUNDING: It is anticipated that total funding available for 2013 will be in the $700,000 to $750,000 range.

Cyberlearning: Transforming Education
National Science Foundation

Due date: Various

http://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=nsf11587

Through the Cyberlearning: Transforming Education program, NSF seeks to integrate advances in technology with advances in what is known about how people learn to better understand how people learn with technology and how technology can be used productively to help people learn, through individual use and/or through collaborations mediated by technology; better use technology for collecting, analyzing, sharing, and managing data to shed light on learning, promoting learning, and designing learning environments; and design new technologies for these purposes, and advance understanding of how to use those technologies and integrate them into learning environments so that their potential is fulfilled. Of particular interest are technological advances that allow more personalized learning experiences, draw in and promote learning among those in populations not served well by current educational practices, allow access to learning resources anytime and anywhere, and provide new ways of assessing capabilities. It is expected that Cyberlearning research will shed light on how technology can enable new forms of educational practice and that broad implementation of its findings will result in a more actively-engaged and productive citizenry and workforce. Cyberlearning awards will be made in three research categories, each focusing on a different stage of research and development: Exploratory (EXP), Design and Implementation (DIP), and Integration and Deployment (INDP). The Cyberlearning program will also support small Capacity-Building Projects (CAP) and a Cyberlearning Resource Center (CRC).

NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF JUSTICE
DATA RESOURCES PROGRAM 2012: FUNDING
FOR ANALYSIS OF EXISTING DATA

DUE: MAY 17

WEB: http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/nij/funding/current.htm

The National Institute of Justice (NIJ), the Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS), and the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) have entered into a partnership to request applications under this Data Resources Program (DRP) solicitation for original research using existing data available from the National Archive of Criminal Justice Data (NACJD) and other public sources.

FUNDING:NIJ anticipates making a number of awards in cooperation with BJS and OJJDP. A total of $40,000 may become available for each award made through this solicitation for projects that are usually 12 months in duration.