The National Science Foundation (NSF) awards funding to researchers affiliated with institutions of higher education, non-profit and for-profit organizations, and state and local governments to conduct research relevant to engineering, natural, and social sciences. These grants allow researchers to undertake significant data-gathering projects and to conduct field research in settings away from their campus that would not otherwise be possible. Proposals are judged based on their scientific merit, including the theoretical importance of the research question and the appropriateness of the proposed data and methodology to be used in addressing the question.
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- NSF accepts applications from scientists, engineers, and educators that are officially submitted by their employing organization.
- Applicants do not need to have an advanced degree. Nevertheless, they must be affiliated with an accredited institution that can officially submit their application.
- Graduate students typically do not submit research proposals through the general program but can arrange to serve as research assistants to faculty members. Graduate students who wish to fund their research should explore NSF Doctoral Dissertation Research Improvement Grants and Awards.
What will NSF fund?
- Up to two months of regular salary compensation for senior faculty. Any additional compensation for personnel must be included and justified in the proposal’s budget and specifically approved in the NSF award notice budget.
- Equipment, which is defined as tangible personal property having a useful life of more than a year. Please review the Proposal and Award Policies and Procedures Guide for information about equipment costs.
- Travel related to research in the application. Applicants may request travel funds for fieldwork, attendance at meetings and conferences, and other travel associated with proposed work.
- Cost of documenting, preparing, publishing, or otherwise making results of the proposed research available to members of the public.
- Professional consulting services that provide services that help further the research project.
- Incentive payments to human subjects or incentives to promote the completion of a survey.
- Computer services, including computer-based retrieval of scientific, technical, and educational information.
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NSF offers funding through several ongoing and special programs. See See NSF General Program and Due Dates for a running list of annual programs and explore NSF's funding search for special programs.
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- You and your co-writers will need NSF IDs in order to access the FastLane system (see Registering for an NSF ID).
Proposal Development Steps
1. Review the program solicitation from the applicable NSF program. Talk with your colleagues and collaborators to determine which program is a good fit for your research interests.
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