Campus Cyberinfrastructure Network Infrastructure and Engineering Program | Apply Online

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): NSF Campus Cyberinfrastructure - Network Infrastructure and Engineering (CC-NIE)

What is the CC-NIE program?

The Campus Cyberinfrastructure - Network Infrastructure and Engineering (CC-NIE) Program is a National Science Foundation (NSF) grant opportunity focused on strengthening and modernizing campus-level networking so universities and colleges can better support data-intensive research.

What is the main goal of CC-NIE funding?

The central goal is to fund improvements and re-engineering efforts that help institutions take advantage of dynamic, high-performance network services, especially for moving large scientific datasets efficiently and reliably in support of research.

What types of research needs does CC-NIE networking support?

The program targets campus network engineering and operational capabilities that researchers rely on for distributed collaboration, remote instruments, high-performance computing, and data transfers across regional, national, or international research networks.

Is the program only about basic internet connectivity?

No. CC-NIE emphasizes higher levels of network performance, reliability, and predictability for science applications. It goes beyond basic connectivity by supporting work that integrates and tunes campus networks for real research use cases, including end-to-end data transfer performance.

What does NSF mean by improving "end-to-end" data transfer performance?

Based on the description provided, this refers to improving the performance of data transfers across the full path used by research workflows (not just a single network segment), aiming for efficient and reliable movement of large scientific datasets under real research workloads.

What are "Network Integration" activities in CC-NIE?

"Network Integration" activities are projects that connect campus infrastructure more effectively to broader research cyberinfrastructure ecosystems and adopt practices or technologies that measurably improve research networking outcomes.

How many funding tracks are available under this opportunity?

The opportunity offers two award tracks, each with its own scope and funding level: (1) Data Driven Networking and Infrastructure for the Campus and Researcher, and (2) Network Integration and Applied Innovation.

What is the "Data Driven Networking and Infrastructure for the Campus and Researcher" track?

This track supports projects that align with campus and researcher-focused upgrades and engineering that directly improve data movement capabilities and related infrastructure needed to support science workflows.

What is the maximum award size and project duration for the Data Driven Networking and Infrastructure track?

Projects in this track may request up to $500,000 in total costs, with durations of up to two years.

What is the "Network Integration and Applied Innovation" track?

This track supports larger efforts reflecting broader integration and applied innovation, such as more substantial engineering changes, campus-wide integration strategies, or advanced approaches to improving end-to-end research network performance.

What is the maximum award size and project duration for the Network Integration and Applied Innovation track?

Projects in this track may request up to $1,000,000 in total costs, with durations of up to two years.

What is the minimum and maximum award amount for the overall opportunity?

The listed award floor was $50,000 and the award ceiling was $1,000,000, consistent with the two-track structure described.

How many awards were expected to be made?

The opportunity anticipated making about 20 awards.

What was the estimated total funding available for the program?

The estimated total program funding level was $15,000,000.

Does CC-NIE require cost sharing or matching funds?

No. The program did not require cost sharing or matching funds, which lowers the barrier for institutions that may not have internal resources to contribute financially.

Who administers this NSF program?

It is administered through the NSF Office of Cyberinfrastructure.

What type of grant program is CC-NIE?

Administratively, it is a discretionary grant program under NSF's Science and Technology and other Research and Development activity category.

Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility is limited to U.S.-based academic institutions: accredited two-year and four-year colleges and universities (including community colleges) with a campus located in the United States, applying on behalf of their faculty members.

Can an individual faculty member apply directly?

No. The description states that proposals are institution-submitted rather than submitted by individuals, meaning the institution is the applicant and applies on behalf of faculty members.

Does the project need to benefit the campus research community?

Yes. The expectation described is that the work benefits the campus research community.

What was the funding opportunity number and solicitation reference?

The funding opportunity is identified as NSF 12-541, and NSF Publication 12-541 is referenced as the formal solicitation document containing the complete requirements, evaluation criteria, and proposal preparation instructions.

When was this opportunity posted, and what were the key dates?

The opportunity was posted March 1, 2012. The full proposal deadline was May 30, 2012, and the archive date was June 30, 2012.

Where could applicants get help accessing the announcement?

The notice referenced contacting Grants.gov support via grantsgovsupport@nsf.gov for assistance accessing the announcement.

What kinds of outcomes does CC-NIE emphasize for campus networks?

The program emphasizes network outcomes that support science applications, including higher performance, greater reliability, and more predictable network behavior, particularly under real research workloads and for large-scale data movement.

What kinds of campus activities does CC-NIE support in practical terms?

Based on the description provided, supported activities include campus network upgrades, re-engineering, operational and engineering improvements, integration work connecting campus infrastructure to broader research cyberinfrastructure, and efforts that measurably improve end-to-end research network performance.