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NSF CreativeIT (Funding Opportunity Number 09-572) FAQs

What is the NSF CreativeIT program (09-572)?

The National Science Foundation (NSF) CreativeIT program (Funding Opportunity Number 09-572) is a discretionary grant opportunity intended to support cross-disciplinary research at the intersection of creativity and computer science/information technology. It focuses on research where computing and creativity inform and strengthen each other, rather than technology being used only as an add-on to creative work.

What is the main goal of CreativeIT?

The program aims to catalyze research and resulting technologies that extend, shape, or amplify human creative thinking and complex problem solving. It prioritizes projects that advance both (1) understanding of creativity and (2) new computational approaches that can support creative work.

What kinds of projects does CreativeIT prioritize?

CreativeIT prioritizes synergistic collaborations that go beyond simply applying existing tools to the arts or building standalone tools in isolation. The emphasis is on research that jointly advances creativity research and computing/IT research through integrated, cross-disciplinary work.

Which disciplines are relevant to CreativeIT proposals?

The solicitation describes a cross-disciplinary scope that can draw from fields such as computer and information science, cognitive science, engineering, education, and other areas of science and technology. The program’s CFDA associations also reflect bridging technical and human-centered perspectives.

What are examples of creativity-focused research topics under this program?

On the creativity side, the opportunity description mentions topics such as developing new models of how creativity works, how ideas are generated and evaluated, and how creative expertise develops over time.

What are examples of computing-focused research topics under this program?

On the computing side, projects may explore creative computational processes and systems that support ideation, design exploration, improvisation, discovery, or novel forms of human-computer collaboration.

Does CreativeIT support work related to education?

Yes. NSF highlights the potential for CreativeIT research to influence education by producing innovative teaching and learning approaches that explicitly foster creativity, especially where computational tools, environments, or curricula help students and researchers think more inventively and collaborate across disciplines.

Does the program allow creative professionals to be part of the research team?

Yes. A distinctive feature of CreativeIT is openness to research modes that include creative professionals as active contributors, not only as end users. The description explicitly notes that proposals may involve artists, designers, writers, musicians, architects, or other creative practitioners as members of the research team.

What is meant by creativity and computing as "mutually reinforcing" domains?

In this program, proposals are encouraged to treat creativity research and computing research as intertwined: insights about creativity can guide the development of new computational methods, and advances in computing can enable new ways to study, support, and expand creative thinking and practice.

What kinds of outputs or technologies might result from CreativeIT-funded research?

The opportunity description points to outcomes such as software systems, interactive platforms, intelligent tools, novel interfaces, or computational methods that enable new forms of expression, exploration, invention, and human-computer collaboration in creative work.

How many awards were anticipated and what was the total estimated funding?

The program anticipated approximately 20 awards, with an estimated total program funding level of about $7,000,000.

What was the minimum and maximum award size?

Individual awards ranged from an award floor of $1 to an award ceiling of $800,000.

Was cost sharing or matching required?

No. The opportunity states that there was no cost-sharing or matching requirement.

What type of NSF funding mechanism is this?

CreativeIT was offered as a grant under the NSF funding activity category of Science and Technology and other Research and Development.

What CFDA numbers were associated with this solicitation?

The solicitation was associated with CFDA 47.070 (Computer and Information Science and Engineering) and 47.075 (Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences), reflecting the program’s intent to connect technical innovation with human-centered and behavioral perspectives relevant to creativity.

Who was eligible to apply?

Eligibility was listed as unrestricted, meaning it was broadly open to applicants of many types, subject to any additional clarifications that may have been included in the full solicitation text (NSF Publication 09-572).

What were the key dates for this opportunity?

The opportunity was posted on July 13, 2009. The full proposal deadline was October 13, 2009, which was also shown as the original and current closing date.

Where can applicants find the full solicitation details?

The opportunity references NSF Publication 09-572 as the full solicitation text and includes an additional information link to that publication for complete requirements and instructions.

Who should be contacted for technical issues related to the electronic announcement?

For access or technical issues related to the electronic announcement, the listed support contact was NSF grants.gov support at grantsgovsupport@nsf.gov.

Does the program focus only on the arts?

No. While creative practice and creative professionals can be central to a project, the program description emphasizes cross-disciplinary science and technology research that advances understanding of creativity and develops new computational approaches, rather than focusing solely on artistic application of technology.

Are proposals expected to build tools only, or is research required?

The description signals that CreativeIT seeks more than building tools in isolation. It emphasizes research that advances both creativity-related understanding and computing/IT methods, typically through integrated, collaborative investigation.