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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the Big Data Regional Innovation Hubs opportunity (NSF 15-562)?

NSF 15-562 is a National Science Foundation (NSF) grant solicitation from the Directorate for Computer and Information Science and Engineering (CISE) focused on creating and organizing a coordinated nationwide network to accelerate big data innovation through regional, cross-sector partnerships. The emphasis is on building regional hubs that coordinate people, institutions, and activities rather than funding new standalone research projects.

What is the main goal of this solicitation?

The main goal is to stand up four Big Data Regional Innovation Hubs (BD Hubs) that serve as regional backbones for convening stakeholders, identifying region-specific big data challenges and opportunities, aligning priorities, coordinating efforts, and enabling collaboration within and across regions.

Is this program intended to fund new scientific research projects?

No. NSF describes this opportunity as primarily focused on organization and coordination: establishing hubs, governance, collaboration mechanisms, and sustainability. Applicants are encouraged to consider other NSF programs for research-focused proposals, because this solicitation is not positioned as a source of funding for new technical research projects.

How does this opportunity relate to national big data efforts?

This solicitation sits under the broader National Big Data Research and Development Initiative announced in March 2012, which aims to address major national research and development challenges associated with extracting knowledge and practical value from large, complex digital data.

How many hubs will be created and what regions do they cover?

The solicitation calls for four BD Hubs, one for each major U.S. geographic region: Northeast, Midwest, South, and West (as defined in the program description).

What is a BD Hub expected to look like organizationally?

A BD Hub is expected to operate as a consortium that brings together stakeholders across academia, industry, and government, with room for non-profits and other community partners as appropriate. The consortium model is intended to enable shared big data goals that would be difficult or impossible for members to achieve independently.

What kinds of activities are expected in Phase One?

Phase One is focused on standing up the hubs themselves, including establishing governance structures, defining how members coordinate, creating mechanisms for cross-hub collaboration, and planning for long-term sustainability.

What are the later phases expected to focus on?

Later phases are expected to go deeper into sector-based development within each region. Example sectors mentioned include transportation, smart cities, health, energy, public safety, and education. The long-range vision is to connect regional sector efforts into a national big data innovation ecosystem.

What is the long-term vision for the BD Hubs network?

The long-term vision is a national big data innovation ecosystem where lessons learned, tools, practices, and partnerships can move more easily across regions rather than remaining siloed, enabling stronger and more coherent big data capability nationwide.

What kinds of partnerships does NSF emphasize for this program?

NSF emphasizes regional, cross-sector partnerships that bring together academia, industry, and government, and may include non-profits and community partners. The focus is on coalition-building and coordinated action around shared big data priorities.

How is NSF supporting community-building for the hubs?

NSF supported intensive, one-day regional workshops called "charrettes" (one per region) to convene stakeholders, surface shared needs, and catalyze hub formation. NSF also pointed interested parties to an online HUBzero-based community portal (bdhub.info) to support communication and partnership-building within and across regions.

What is a "charrette" in the context of this solicitation?

In this program, a charrette is an NSF-sponsored, one-day regional workshop intended to bring stakeholders together, identify shared needs, and help jump-start the formation of a regional BD Hub consortium.

What is bdhub.info and how does it fit into the program?

bdhub.info is an online HUBzero-based community portal referenced by NSF to support communication within and across regions, share ideas, and connect potential partners as part of building and sustaining the BD Hubs network.

How much total funding is available under this competition?

Total funding for the competition was estimated at $5,000,000.

What is the expected award size?

Individual awards were expected to range from $1,000,000 (floor) to $1,250,000 (ceiling).

What type of funding instrument is used?

The funding instrument is a grant.

Is cost sharing or matching required?

No. The solicitation indicates there is no cost-sharing or matching requirement.

What is the CFDA number and program area listed for this opportunity?

The opportunity is listed under CFDA 47.070 (Computer and Information Science and Engineering) and categorized under science and technology and other research and development.

When was the solicitation posted and what were the key dates?

The solicitation was posted on March 27, 2015. The closing date was June 24, 2015, and the archive date was July 24, 2015.

Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility includes U.S.-based universities and colleges (including accredited two-year and four-year institutions and community colleges), state and local governments (including state educational offices and local school districts), and non-profit, non-academic organizations such as independent museums, observatories, research laboratories, professional societies, and similar organizations tied to educational or research activities.

Are state and local government entities eligible?

Yes. State and local governments are included, including state educational offices and local school districts.

Are non-profit organizations eligible?

Yes. Non-profit, non-academic organizations are listed as eligible, including independent museums, observatories, research laboratories, and professional societies, among other similar organizations connected to educational or research activities.

Can federal agencies or FFRDCs apply?

Other federal agencies and federally funded research and development centers (FFRDCs) may be eligible, but they are instructed to contact the appropriate NSF program before preparing a proposal.

What does NSF mean by "fit" for this solicitation?

NSF highlights that proposals should be aligned with the purpose of this solicitation: establishing and coordinating the BD Hubs network. Applicants are encouraged to review related big data solicitations and consult NSF program officers to ensure the proposal is appropriate for this program rather than a research-focused solicitation.

What proposal themes are implied as competitive for this solicitation?

Based on NSF's emphasis, competitive proposals would be expected to focus on consortium design, governance, stakeholder engagement, regional strategy, coordination mechanisms, sustainability planning, and pathways to cross-hub collaboration, rather than proposing standalone technical research aims.

How is this different from research-oriented big data solicitations?

NSF explicitly contrasts this program with other solicitations (such as BIGDATA) that are more appropriate for research-focused proposals. NSF 15-562 is designed to fund coordination and network-building for BD Hubs rather than new research projects.