Opportunity Information: Apply for PD 08 1698
Apply for PD 08 1698
- The National Science Foundation in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Developmental and Learning Sciences" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 47.075 Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences.
- This funding opportunity was created on Feb 18, 2015 and posted on Mar 23, 2009.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jul 15, 2015. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $6,000,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 28 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Unrestricted (i.e., open to any type of entity above), subject to any clarification in text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility.
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Opportunity Summary:
The National Science Foundation (NSF) Developmental and Learning Sciences (DLS) program (Funding Opportunity Number PD 08-1698; CFDA 47.075) funds fundamental, theory-building research aimed at improving our understanding of how development shapes learning and how learning, in turn, supports social functioning and successful participation in society. The focus is basic research rather than program evaluation or short-term applied outcomes, with an emphasis on generating core knowledge about the cognitive, linguistic, social, cultural, and biological processes that underlie childrens and adolescents development and learning.
DLS supports studies across major developmental domains, including cognitive, social, emotional, and motor development. Applicants can use a wide range of populations when those populations are appropriate for the scientific question, including infants, children, adolescents, adults, and non-human animals. In addition to examining developmental processes themselves, the program is interested in research on what drives developmental change over time. This includes influences from families and peers, schooling and community contexts, culture and media environments, and physical, genetic, and epigenetic factors. In practical terms, DLS is looking for projects that can clarify mechanisms of change, explain variability across individuals and contexts, and advance developmental science in ways that improve our general understanding of learning and development.
A notable feature of the program is its encouragement of ambitious, integrative approaches. DLS highlights priorities such as multidisciplinary and multi-method work; microgenetic and longitudinal designs that capture development as it unfolds; and efforts that create or refine methods, models, measurement tools, and theories for studying learning and development. The program also values research that includes participants from diverse ethnicities, socioeconomic backgrounds, and cultural settings, and it encourages projects that connect processes (for example, learning, memory, and emotion), levels of analysis (behavioral, social, neural), and time scales (spanning periods like infancy through adolescence). Overall, the program is signaling that strong proposals are likely to go beyond a single narrow lens and instead offer a clearer, more connected picture of development and learning.
Funding is provided through grants, with no cost sharing or matching requirement. Project budgets and durations can vary, and NSF explicitly advises investigators to design an innovative, potentially transformative research plan first and then build a budget that realistically supports that plan, rather than tailoring the science to hit a predetermined dollar figure. That said, the program describes a typical DLS research award as running about three years, with total costs (direct plus indirect) commonly in the range of about $100,000 to $200,000 per year. DLS also accepts proposals for workshops and small conferences, which are typically supported at around $35,000 total costs, including both direct and indirect costs.
In terms of competitiveness and fit, NSF encourages prospective applicants to look through the NSF awards database to see what DLS has funded previously, since past awards can clarify the programs scope, common methods, and the kinds of questions that reviewers have viewed as impactful. Applicants are also encouraged to email a brief, no-more-than-one-page project summary to the Program Officer before preparing a full proposal, as informal feedback can help determine whether the idea aligns well with DLS priorities. New investigators are specifically encouraged to seek mentorship and proposal-development support, including consultation with senior scholars, pre-submission reviews from colleagues, and participation in conference events aimed at researchers pursuing federal funding.
Administratively, this opportunity is categorized as a discretionary NSF grant program within the Science and Technology and other Research and Development activity area. The historical posting information lists annual target dates (commonly January 15 and July 15 in the source text), and the archived record indicates an estimated total funding level of about $6,000,000 with an expected 28 awards in the referenced cycle. Eligibility is listed as unrestricted, meaning it is generally open to a wide range of applicant organization types, subject to any specific clarifications in the full NSF program materials. For access or submission issues tied to Grants.gov, the listing points applicants to NSF Grants.gov support (grantsgovsupport@nsf.gov).
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) - NSF Developmental and Learning Sciences (DLS)
What is the NSF Developmental and Learning Sciences (DLS) program?
The National Science Foundation (NSF) Developmental and Learning Sciences (DLS) program funds fundamental, theory-building research that improves understanding of how development shapes learning and how learning supports social functioning and successful participation in society. The emphasis is on generating core scientific knowledge about development and learning rather than producing short-term applied outcomes.
What is the Funding Opportunity Number and CFDA number for this program?
The Funding Opportunity Number is PD 08-1698, and the CFDA number is 47.075.
What kinds of research does DLS prioritize?
DLS prioritizes basic, fundamental research aimed at building or refining theory about development and learning. The program is interested in research that clarifies mechanisms of developmental and learning change over time, explains variability across individuals and contexts, and advances developmental science with strong conceptual and methodological contributions.
Is this program focused on program evaluation or short-term applied outcomes?
No. DLS is focused on basic research rather than program evaluation or projects centered on short-term applied outcomes.
Which developmental domains are supported by DLS?
DLS supports studies across major developmental domains, including cognitive, social, emotional, and motor development.
What age groups or populations can be studied under DLS?
Applicants may propose studies involving a wide range of populations when appropriate to the scientific question, including infants, children, adolescents, adults, and non-human animals.
What types of influences on development does DLS encourage researchers to examine?
DLS is interested in what drives developmental change over time, including influences such as families and peers, schooling and community contexts, culture and media environments, and physical, genetic, and epigenetic factors.
What does DLS mean by an interest in "mechanisms of change"?
Based on the program description, DLS is looking for projects that can clarify how developmental change happens over time (the mechanisms), not just whether change occurs. This includes work that can explain why development and learning vary across individuals and settings.
Does DLS encourage multidisciplinary or multi-method research?
Yes. A notable feature of DLS is its encouragement of ambitious, integrative research approaches, including multidisciplinary and multi-method work.
Are longitudinal or microgenetic research designs encouraged?
Yes. DLS highlights priorities such as microgenetic and longitudinal designs that capture development as it unfolds over time.
Does DLS support method, model, measurement, or theory development?
Yes. DLS encourages efforts that create or refine methods, models, measurement tools, and theories for studying learning and development.
Does DLS value research involving diverse participants and contexts?
Yes. The program values research that includes participants from diverse ethnicities, socioeconomic backgrounds, and cultural settings, and it encourages studies spanning different contexts when relevant to the research question.
Does the program encourage connecting multiple levels of analysis?
Yes. DLS encourages projects that connect processes (for example, learning, memory, and emotion), levels of analysis (behavioral, social, neural), and time scales (such as development spanning infancy through adolescence).
What funding mechanism does DLS use?
Funding is provided through NSF grants.
Is cost sharing or matching required?
No. The program description states there is no cost sharing or matching requirement.
How large are typical DLS research awards?
NSF indicates a typical DLS research award runs about three years, with total costs (direct plus indirect) commonly in the range of about $100,000 to $200,000 per year.
How long are DLS projects typically funded?
The program describes a typical DLS research award as running about three years, though project budgets and durations can vary.
Does NSF expect applicants to design the budget to match a predetermined amount?
No. NSF explicitly advises investigators to design an innovative, potentially transformative research plan first, and then build a realistic budget to support that plan rather than tailoring the science to match a predetermined dollar figure.
Does DLS accept proposals for workshops or small conferences?
Yes. DLS accepts proposals for workshops and small conferences.
What is the typical funding level for DLS workshops and small conferences?
Workshops and small conferences are typically supported at around $35,000 in total costs, including both direct and indirect costs.
How can applicants check whether their idea fits DLS priorities?
NSF encourages prospective applicants to review the NSF awards database to see what DLS has funded previously. The program also encourages applicants to email a brief project summary (no more than one page) to the Program Officer before preparing a full proposal for informal feedback on fit.
How long should the pre-submission project summary be when contacting the Program Officer?
The program suggests emailing a brief project summary of no more than one page to the Program Officer.
Are new investigators encouraged to apply?
Yes. New investigators are specifically encouraged to seek mentorship and proposal-development support, including consultation with senior scholars, pre-submission reviews from colleagues, and participation in conference events aimed at researchers pursuing federal funding.
Is eligibility restricted to specific organization types?
Eligibility is listed as unrestricted, meaning it is generally open to a wide range of applicant organization types, subject to any specific clarifications in the full NSF program materials.
What are the common target dates for submission?
The historical posting information lists annual target dates commonly cited as January 15 and July 15 in the source text.
How much total funding and how many awards were estimated in the referenced cycle?
The archived record indicates an estimated total funding level of about $6,000,000 with an expected 28 awards in the referenced cycle.
How is this opportunity categorized administratively?
It is categorized as a discretionary NSF grant program within the Science and Technology and other Research and Development activity area.
Who should applicants contact for Grants.gov access or submission issues?
For access or submission issues tied to Grants.gov, the listing directs applicants to NSF Grants.gov support at grantsgovsupport@nsf.gov.
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