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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): NSF Cultural Anthropology Program

1) What does the NSF Cultural Anthropology Program fund?

The program funds basic scientific research in cultural anthropology that explains the causes, consequences, and real-world complexity of human social and cultural variation. Projects are expected to be empirically grounded (based on solid data and observation), theoretically engaged (connected to broader explanatory ideas), and methodologically sophisticated (using credible and well-justified research designs and analytic approaches).

2) What kinds of approaches and methods are welcomed?

The program is intentionally broad and welcomes proposals across all subfields and research traditions within cultural anthropology, including qualitative and quantitative approaches. It also explicitly welcomes formal modeling and analytic approaches such as social network analysis, agent-based models, and integrated modeling with geographic information systems (GIS), as well as empirically grounded ethnographic research that documents and explains human variation.

3) Is this program for basic research or applied projects?

This opportunity is for basic research. Research may be relevant to policy or health, but the core purpose must be to build fundamental knowledge and theory about sociocultural processes, rather than primarily developing policy, improving clinical practice, implementing interventions, delivering services, or evaluating a specific program for operational decision-making.

4) Can a project be about health, policy, or community needs and still be eligible?

Yes, a project can touch on policy or health topics, but the proposal needs to make clear that the central goal is scientific understanding of sociocultural processes (basic research). The project should not be framed primarily as an intervention, service delivery effort, or program evaluation designed mainly for operational decisions.

5) What makes a proposal competitive according to this description?

Strong proposals are described as interesting, clear, explicit, tightly integrated, and confidence-inspiring. The solicitation emphasizes proposal fundamentals: clearly defined research questions; a clear explanation of why the research is needed; a detailed and justified research design; specific information about what data will be collected and how; a well-linked analysis plan that connects data to the research questions; and a convincing case that the investigators are well positioned to carry out the work successfully.

6) Does the program expect findings to be generalizable beyond a single case?

Yes. While proposals may focus on specific communities, sites, or cases, they are expected to advance generalizable scientific understanding and contribute to broader debates in anthropology and related social sciences, rather than remaining purely descriptive or narrowly case-specific.

7) What research topics and priorities does the program highlight?

The program highlights research priorities including: sociocultural drivers of major human-caused environmental and social processes (deforestation, desertification, land cover change, urbanization, poverty); resilience and robustness of sociocultural systems; dynamics of conflict, cooperation, and altruism; relationships among economy, culture, migration, and globalization; changes in kinship and family norms; cultural and social contexts of health and disease; social regulation, governmentality, and violence; origins of complexity in sociocultural systems; and language-culture connections (orality, literacy, sociolinguistics, cognition).

8) Who can apply for funding through this program?

The program supports both graduate student dissertation research and senior scholar research. Doctoral dissertation funding is aimed at anthropology PhD students enrolled at U.S. institutions. Senior proposals can be submitted by individual investigators, teams, or collaborative groups with appropriate credentials (typically a PhD or equivalent).

9) What is a Doctoral Dissertation Research Improvement Grant (DDRIG) in this program?

A DDRIG supports dissertation fieldwork and related research expenses for anthropology PhD students enrolled at U.S. institutions. The intent is to cover the extraordinary costs of conducting dissertation research (for example, travel, specialized equipment, access to data, research assistance, and other fieldwork costs), rather than routine living expenses or the normal costs of graduate education.

10) When are DDRIG proposals accepted?

DDRIG proposals are accepted at two annual target dates: January 15 and August 15.

11) What does the program say DDRIG funds should and should not cover?

DDRIG awards are meant to cover extraordinary research costs tied to dissertation research (such as travel, specialized equipment, data access, or research assistance). They are not intended to cover routine living expenses or the normal costs of graduate education.

12) When are senior research proposals accepted?

Senior proposals are accepted at the same two annual target dates: January 15 and August 15.

13) Is there a page limit for senior proposals?

Yes. Senior project descriptions may be up to 15 single-spaced pages.

14) Is there a budget cap for senior awards?

The posting indicates there is no formal budget cap. However, it notes that typical awards rarely exceed about $100,000 per year including indirect costs.

15) How do applicants submit proposals?

NSF expects proposals to be submitted through FastLane (following the NSF Grant Proposal Guide) or through Grants.gov.

16) What NSF review criteria must proposals address?

Every proposal must clearly address both NSF review criteria: Intellectual Merit and Broader Impacts.

17) What is required in the Project Summary?

The Project Summary is especially important and must explicitly cover both Intellectual Merit and Broader Impacts within a one-page limit.

18) What proposal elements does the solicitation emphasize (beyond the summary)?

It stresses that investigators should: define research questions; explain why the research is needed; describe the research design; specify exactly what data will be collected (and how and why); present an analysis plan linking data to the questions; and explain why the team is well positioned to complete the project successfully.

19) What is the Faculty Scholars Program and what does it support?

The Faculty Scholars Program supports methodological training for cultural anthropologists who need new techniques to advance an ongoing research agenda. Examples listed include cross-cultural methods, demography, remote sensing and GIS, ecological field survey, linguistics, and modeling.

20) How long can a Faculty Scholars award last, and what is the funding cap?

Awards can last up to 12 months and are capped at $50,000. Target dates are typically around January 16 and August 16.

21) What are RAPID and EAGER mechanisms in relation to this program?

RAPID supports time-sensitive or urgent research needs, including quick-response data collection or access needs around disasters or unexpected events. EAGER supports early-stage, high-risk/high-reward ideas that may be transformative. These mechanisms have no fixed deadlines.

22) What is the funding limit mentioned for RAPID/EAGER under this program?

For this program, RAPID and EAGER are limited to $25,000 including direct costs.

23) What are REU and REG supplements, and who can request them?

Senior PIs with existing NSF awards can request Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) or Research Experience for Graduate Students (REG) supplements to support mentored independent research projects by students.

24) What are the typical limits for REU and REG supplements, and when are they encouraged?

Typical limits are $4,000 for REU supplements and $5,000 for REG supplements. Submission timing is encouraged around March 1 each year.

25) Does the program support workshops or training programs?

Yes. The program supports workshops, and in some cases training programs such as short courses or fieldwork training, generally through the regular proposal cycle.

26) Does the program participate in NSF CAREER?

Yes. The program participates in NSF's CAREER program for early-career faculty seeking integrated research and education support.

27) Is cost sharing required?

No. The posting indicates there is no cost sharing requirement.

28) What directorate and CFDA number are associated with this opportunity?

The posting identifies this as an NSF discretionary grant opportunity within the Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences directorate, CFDA 47.075.

29) Are the target dates and administrative details guaranteed to be current?

No. The posting notes that the target dates and details may have evolved over time (it references historical target dates and an archive date). Applicants are expected to cross-check the current NSF program page and the most recent NSF Grant Proposal Guide for up-to-date rules and timing.

30) If my project is interdisciplinary or collaborative, is that allowed?

Yes. Senior proposals can be submitted by individual investigators, teams, or collaborative groups, as long as the investigators have appropriate credentials (typically a PhD or equivalent) and the work aligns with the program's focus on basic research in cultural anthropology.