Computing and Communication Foundations (CCF) Core Programs | Apply Online

NSF Computing and Communication Foundations (CCF) Core Programs (13-579) - FAQs

1) What is the NSF CCF Core Programs opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number 13-579)?

This NSF opportunity, titled "Computing and Communication Foundations (CCF) Core Programs" (13-579), supported research and education projects that advance foundational areas of computer and information science and engineering. It was designed to build new fundamental knowledge and strengthen the core theory and foundations that underpin computing and communication technologies.

2) Which NSF organization administered this program?

The program was administered by the National Science Foundation (NSF) within the Directorate for Computer and Information Science and Engineering (CISE), specifically through the Division of Computing and Communication Foundations (CCF).

3) What kinds of work did the program aim to fund?

The central purpose was to fund work that creates new fundamental knowledge and advances the core theoretical and foundational underpinnings of computing and communication technologies. The solicitation supported both research and education projects in these foundational areas.

4) What were the three core program areas under this solicitation?

The solicitation organized proposals into three core program areas:

• Algorithmic Foundations (AF)
• Communications and Information Foundations (CIF)
• Software and Hardware Foundations (SHF)

5) What topics fit under Algorithmic Foundations (AF)?

AF focused on the fundamental principles and theory of algorithms. This included the design and analysis of algorithms and related foundational questions that affect how computation can be performed efficiently, reliably, and at scale.

6) What topics fit under Communications and Information Foundations (CIF)?

CIF targeted foundational research in communications and information, broadly covering theoretical underpinnings relevant to transmitting, processing, and interpreting information. The solicitation referenced connections to areas such as information theory, coding, networks, and related mathematical foundations.

7) What topics fit under Software and Hardware Foundations (SHF)?

SHF supported foundational advances spanning the principles of software and hardware. This included core topics shaping how software and systems are specified, built, verified, and implemented, as well as how hardware architectures and low-level systems principles enable computation.

8) What project sizes (classes) were available?

Proposals were invited in three project classes that differed mainly by total budget and project duration: Small Projects, Medium Projects, and Large Projects.

9) What were the budget and duration limits for Small Projects?

Small Projects could request up to $500,000 in total budget for projects lasting up to three years.

10) What were the budget and duration limits for Medium Projects?

Medium Projects could request from $500,001 to $1,200,000 in total budget for projects lasting up to four years.

11) What were the budget and duration limits for Large Projects?

Large Projects could request from $1,200,001 to $3,000,000 in total budget for projects lasting up to five years.

12) Where were additional details about project classes provided?

The solicitation indicated that additional details about the Small/Medium/Large project classes were provided in the Program Description section of the full announcement (NSF publication 13-579). The notice implied that expectations for things like scope, team size, and project structure likely scaled with project class.

13) What type of grant opportunity was this?

This was a discretionary grant opportunity in the "Science and Technology and other Research and Development" category.

14) How many awards did NSF expect to make under this solicitation?

NSF anticipated making around 200 awards under this solicitation.

15) What was the estimated total funding amount?

The estimated total funding amount for the solicitation was $100,000,000.

16) What were the minimum and maximum award amounts?

The award floor was listed as $50,000 and the award ceiling was listed as $3,000,000. The maximum aligns with the Large Project upper limit.

17) Was cost sharing or matching required?

No. The solicitation stated that no cost sharing or matching was required.

18) Who was eligible to apply?

Eligibility was described as unrestricted, meaning it was broadly open to many entity types, subject to any clarifications in the official solicitation text.

19) What CFDA number was associated with this program?

The associated CFDA number was 47.070, labeled "Computer and Information Science and Engineering."

20) When was the opportunity originally posted, and what was the original deadline?

The original posting date was July 15, 2013. The original closing date was November 19, 2013.

21) What time were proposals due on the deadline date?

Submission windows and exact deadlines were tied to the solicitation, and proposals were due by 5 p.m. local time for the proposer.

22) Is this opportunity still active?

No. The opportunity is archived and is no longer active in its original form.

23) What replaced NSF 13-579?

The archived opportunity was replaced by NSF 14-598.

24) When was the opportunity archived?

The archive date was recorded as August 20, 2014.

25) Where can applicants find the full details for this solicitation?

Applicants were directed to NSF publication 13-579 for full details.

26) Who should be contacted for technical issues accessing the electronic announcement?

The contact guidance emphasized using Grants.gov support for technical access issues related to the electronic announcement. The email provided was grantsgovsupport@nsf.gov.