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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) - NSF Civil Infrastructure Systems (CIS) Program

What is the NSF Civil Infrastructure Systems (CIS) program?

The National Science Foundation (NSF) Civil Infrastructure Systems (CIS) program is a discretionary grant opportunity (CFDA 47.041, Engineering Grants) that supports fundamental, forward-looking research to improve how civil infrastructure is designed, built, managed, maintained, operated, and protected.

What is the main focus of CIS-funded research?

The core emphasis is on civil infrastructure as an interconnected system rather than a collection of isolated parts. Proposals are expected to treat infrastructure as a network of spatially distributed components with interdependencies across physical systems, information flows, and human and organizational behavior.

What kinds of outcomes is CIS trying to enable?

CIS seeks research that helps create infrastructure that is more efficient, resilient to disruption, and sustainable over the long term, while explicitly recognizing that infrastructure performance is shaped by societal use patterns, decision-making, and institutional structures.

What research areas are specifically of interest to the CIS program?

Research areas of particular interest include transportation systems, construction engineering, infrastructure systems, and infrastructure management.

Does CIS support research on disrupted or degraded infrastructure conditions?

Yes. CIS welcomes studies that address both everyday operating conditions and disrupted environments, such as degraded performance, cascading failures, or recovery situations, as long as the research remains focused on systems-level behavior and interconnections.

What methodological approaches does CIS encourage?

The program encourages strong analytical and computational contributions that advance the theory and practice of infrastructure systems research. Examples mentioned include systems engineering and design, network analysis and optimization, performance management, vulnerability and risk analysis, mathematical and simulation modeling, control theory, statistical forecasting, dynamic and stochastic systems methods, exact and approximate algorithm development, and multi-attribute decision analysis.

Does CIS encourage behavioral, social, or organizational considerations in proposals?

Yes. A notable feature of CIS is the explicit encouragement to incorporate behavioral and social considerations, including how human and organizational behavior affects system performance and decisions.

Can proposals use modern data sources like social media?

Yes. CIS encourages leveraging modern data sources and technological advances, including emerging information streams such as social media, when they meaningfully improve system understanding, prediction, or decision support.

What is a key review consideration for CIS proposals?

A key review lens is whether the work can produce durable, broadly useful contributions that other researchers can build on, such as new theory, rigorous computational methods, generalizable models, or scalable algorithms with the potential for cascading impact across the research community.

What types of projects are considered out of scope for CIS?

CIS draws a clear boundary around what it will not fund. Projects whose primary contribution is at the component or materials level (for example, individual infrastructure elements, materials research, or sensor technology) are considered out of scope. Projects that center mainly on extreme event modeling, climate modeling, human factors, structural engineering, geotechnical engineering, environmental sciences, or hydrologic engineering are also considered out of scope for CIS.

If my work is primarily in structural, geotechnical, materials, or extreme events, where should I look instead?

Investigators working primarily in those areas are directed to other NSF programs such as Infrastructure Management and Extreme Events (IMEE), Geotechnical Engineering and Materials (GEM), Structural and Architectural Engineering and Materials (SAEM), or (within NSF Geosciences) programs like Hydrologic Sciences (EAR) or Physical and Dynamic Meteorology (AGS).

Is this opportunity a grant or another funding instrument?

The funding instrument is a grant administered by NSF.

Is cost sharing or matching required?

No. The opportunity does not require cost sharing or matching.

Who is eligible to apply?

The opportunity is open to unrestricted eligible applicants, subject to any specific eligibility text in the full announcement.

What were the proposal submission windows listed for this opportunity?

The solicitation history listed full proposal windows of February 1 to February 17, 2015 and September 1 to September 15, 2015.

What is the closing date shown for the opportunity?

A current closing date is shown as September 15, 2015.

What is the archive date for this opportunity?

The archive date is listed as October 15, 2028.

What does it mean that CIS research should be systems-level?

In this context, systems-level means the proposal should emphasize how infrastructure components interact as a network, including interdependencies between physical assets, information flows, and human or organizational decision-making, rather than focusing on a single isolated element or material.

Does CIS support knowledge dissemination or technology transfer?

Yes. Beyond research results, CIS encourages knowledge dissemination and technology transfer activities that help move proven concepts into practice, supporting broader societal benefits through improved civil infrastructure provision and management.