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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the NSF Behavioral Systems Cluster funding opportunity?

The Behavioral Systems Cluster (Funding Opportunity Number PD 07 7472) is a discretionary grant program within the National Science Foundation (NSF), in the Biological Sciences directorate. It supports science and technology research focused on animal behavior, with an emphasis on explaining behavior as a biological phenotype shaped by interacting processes across multiple levels of biological organization.

Which NSF directorate and CFDA number are associated with this program?

This opportunity sits within NSF's Biological Sciences directorate. The CFDA number referenced for this program area is 47.074.

What kinds of research does the program prioritize?

The program prioritizes research that connects what animals do in real-world settings to the underlying mechanisms that enable those behaviors, along with the evolutionary and developmental context that shaped them. The goal is an integrative understanding of how behavior is generated, regulated, and modified over different time scales.

What does "vertically integrated" research mean in this solicitation?

"Vertically integrated" research, as described here, means bridging levels of biological organization that are often studied separately. Examples include linking observed behavior to neural circuits, endocrine signaling, physiology, development, and evolutionary history, and treating these components as parts of a coordinated system rather than studying a single mechanism in isolation.

Does the program require projects to study behavior in nature?

The program emphasizes natural systems and behavioral expression in ecological contexts. Projects are expected to connect behavior to how it functions in nature and how it matters in ecological and evolutionary settings.

Are laboratory studies or captive animal studies allowed?

Yes. Laboratory work and research on animals in captivity are supported when they are clearly justified as tools for understanding behavior as it functions in nature. Controlled or captive approaches are welcomed when they tie back to naturalistic questions.

What are examples of acceptable ways to connect lab work to natural behavior?

Examples described in the opportunity include using mechanistic or controlled studies to explain behavioral variation in the wild, examining how developmental conditions shape adult behavioral phenotypes, or investigating how physiological constraints and tradeoffs influence behavioral strategies in natural contexts.

Is the program focused on a single mechanism (like hormones or neural circuits) or combinations of systems?

The cluster explicitly encourages studies that treat neural, hormonal, physiological, and developmental components as parts of a coordinated system. A defining theme is understanding how combinations of mechanisms work together synergistically to produce behavior rather than treating any one mechanism in isolation.

What time scales of behavioral change are relevant for this program?

The opportunity emphasizes understanding behavior across time scales, from immediate responses to longer-term life-history patterns and evolutionary change.

What is the funding instrument for this opportunity?

The funding instrument is a standard NSF grant.

Is cost sharing or matching required?

No. The program states there is no cost-sharing or matching requirement.

How competitive is this program, based on the information provided?

The announcement provides an FY 2010 snapshot indicating that the Division of Integrative Organismal Systems funded 17 proposals that year, with a mean annual award of $216,556. It also projected an estimated total funding amount of $7,681,340 and anticipated about 43 awards, suggesting capacity to fund multiple projects while still reflecting typical NSF selectivity.

What is the estimated total funding amount and anticipated number of awards?

The opportunity projected an estimated total funding amount of $7,681,340 and anticipated about 43 awards.

What was the mean annual award amount mentioned in the announcement?

The mean annual award reported in the FY 2010 snapshot was $216,556.

Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility is listed as unrestricted (open to any type of entity), subject to any additional eligibility clarifications in the full text of the solicitation.

When are proposals due?

The posted timeline information reflects recurring annual target dates and deadlines. Full proposal due dates have historically fallen on January 12 and July 12 each year (with the original cycle listing July 12, 2009 and January 12, 2010, and annual repetitions thereafter).

Is this a one-time program or does it have recurring deadlines?

The solicitation information indicates recurring annual target dates and deadlines, with proposal due dates repeating each year around January 12 and July 12.

Which NSF program directors are listed for the animal behavior area?

The program leadership identified for the animal behavior area includes Program Directors Michelle Elekonich and Stephen H. Vessey.

Who should applicants contact for questions about program fit or guidance?

For fit questions and program guidance, the listing points to the program leadership for the animal behavior area: Program Directors Michelle Elekonich and Stephen H. Vessey.

Who should be contacted for grants.gov access or technical support issues?

For access issues, the listing directs applicants to NSF grants.gov support at grantsgovsupport@nsf.gov.

What kinds of applicants or projects are considered a strong match for this opportunity?

This opportunity is best suited for researchers proposing integrative behavioral biology that combines mechanistic explanations with functional and evolutionary perspectives, ideally showing how multiple biological systems jointly produce behavior and how those behaviors matter in natural ecological and evolutionary settings.

Does the opportunity specify a particular research domain?

Yes. The focus is animal behavior, with a priority on understanding behavior as a biological phenotype emerging from interacting processes across multiple levels of organization.

What is the agency offering this grant?

The agency is the National Science Foundation (NSF).

What is the Funding Opportunity Number for this program?

The Funding Opportunity Number listed is PD 07 7472.