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NSF Civil Infrastructure Systems (CIS) Program - FAQs

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

The NSF Civil Infrastructure Systems (CIS) program is a research grant opportunity focused on improving how civil infrastructure is engineered, managed, and operated. It emphasizes resilience and sustainability while still considering other performance goals. A central idea is treating infrastructure as a system made up of networks and interconnected components whose performance depends on physical assets as well as information flows, decision-making, and human behavior.

What types of infrastructure systems are a good fit for CIS?

Systems that fit naturally include transportation systems, construction and project delivery systems, and broader infrastructure management approaches that cut across multiple assets and agencies. In general, CIS aligns with proposals that address network- or system-level performance rather than isolated components.

What does NSF mean by a "systems" view of infrastructure?

In CIS, infrastructure is viewed as a network of interconnected elements where outcomes depend on more than physical condition alone. The program explicitly recognizes that performance is shaped by (1) physical assets and technology, (2) information and control systems (data, monitoring, decision support), and (3) behavioral and organizational factors (how people and institutions make choices under constraints).

What is "interdependence" and why is it important in CIS?

Interdependence is a defining theme of CIS. NSF highlights interest in both:

• Intra-dependencies: connections within a single infrastructure sector or network (for example, dependencies among components within a transportation network).
• Inter-dependencies: interactions across sectors (for example, transportation relying on power and communications, or emergency response depending on transportation and information systems).

Research that studies these dependencies can support better design, operations, and investment decisions at the system level.

What kinds of couplings does CIS encourage proposals to study?

CIS encourages proposals that explore physical, informational, and behavioral couplings. That means research can examine how physical networks interact with data systems and how both are affected by human behavior, organizational decisions, incentives, and governance.

What life cycle stages of infrastructure are emphasized?

The program places special emphasis on the full life cycle of infrastructure networks, including design, construction, operation, and improvement. Proposals that connect decisions across multiple life cycle stages (for example, how design choices influence long-term operations and maintenance) align well with this emphasis.

What tools and perspectives are commonly associated with strong CIS proposals?

Strong proposals often use systems engineering and systems design perspectives. Tools and approaches mentioned as relevant include performance management, risk analysis, life cycle analysis, and modeling and simulation. The program also leaves room for other approaches, especially when methods are integrated to address complex infrastructure problems.

Are behavioral and social science elements appropriate for CIS proposals?

Yes. NSF explicitly signals that behavioral and social considerations are welcome. Examples include research on incentives, governance, organizational decision-making, and user behavior, especially when those factors influence system-level outcomes.

What types of outcomes and performance goals does CIS care about?

While resilience and sustainability are emphasized, CIS also considers other performance goals. The description highlights outcomes such as reliability, equity, safety, efficiency, and long-term sustainability, particularly as they relate to system-level decisions and tradeoffs.

What kinds of research are discouraged or considered outside the CIS scope?

NSF draws clear boundaries around what CIS is not intended to fund. The following are described as outside scope or discouraged when they are the primary focus:

• Primarily structural engineering, materials, or sensors (especially when sensor work mainly supports structural design).
• Extreme event modeling as the main thrust of the project.
• Hydrological engineering as the main focus.
• Climate modeling or atmospheric/climate process modeling as the main focus.

If my work is mostly structural engineering, materials, or sensors, where does NSF suggest I look instead?

The CIS guidance points researchers toward other NSF programs within the Civil, Mechanical and Manufacturing Innovation (CMMI) division that may be better aligned, including:

• Infrastructure Management and Extreme Events (IMEE)
• Geotechnical Engineering (GTE)
• Hazard Mitigation and Structural Engineering (HSME)
• Structural Materials and Mechanics (SMM)
• Sensors and Sensing Systems (SSS)

If my work is primarily hydrology, atmospheric science, or climate modeling, where does NSF suggest I look instead?

For hydrology and atmospheric or climate-focused work, NSF suggests other programs outside CMMI, including:

• Hydrologic Sciences program in the Earth Sciences Division (EAR)
• Physical and Dynamic Meteorology (PDM) program in the Atmospheric and Geospace Sciences (AGS) division

What is the administrative category of this funding opportunity?

This opportunity was offered as a discretionary research grant under NSF's Engineering Grants CFDA number 47.041.

Who was eligible to apply?

Eligibility was described as broadly unrestricted (open to any type of applicant entity), subject to any additional eligibility clarifications contained in the full program text.

Was cost sharing required?

No. The listing indicated there was no cost sharing requirement.

What were the proposal submission windows and deadlines?

The submission windows were listed as recurring annual cycles, with due dates in mid-January to mid-February and again in early September to early October. Deadlines were stated as due by 5 p.m. local time for proposers.

Is this specific solicitation still active?

No. The listing indicates this particular funding opportunity has been archived, with an archive date of January 15, 2015. That means it is no longer an active solicitation in this exact form, even if NSF maintains similar program areas or updated solicitations elsewhere.

How should I decide whether my idea fits CIS versus another NSF program?

Based on the description provided, CIS is a better fit when the core contribution is at the network or system level and integrates engineering with management, risk, life cycle thinking, modeling and simulation, and/or human and organizational factors. If the core contribution is mainly about individual components (structures, materials, sensing hardware) or about geophysical/climate process modeling, the guidance suggests looking to other NSF programs named in the opportunity description.