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NSF Earth Sciences Instrumentation and Facilities (EAR/IF) Program FAQs

1) What is the NSF Earth Sciences Instrumentation and Facilities (EAR/IF) program designed to fund?

The EAR/IF program funds research infrastructure that strengthens Earth science research and education. It is intended to support the tools, systems, software, and facilities Earth scientists rely on, rather than funding a stand-alone research project.

2) Is this opportunity meant to fund a specific research project?

No. The program emphasis is on enabling better, broader, and more advanced basic research by investing in shared or enabling infrastructure (instrumentation, software, facilities) that supports Earth science research and education.

3) What kinds of activities or resources can be supported under EAR/IF?

Based on the opportunity description, the program supports four main types of requests: (1) acquisition or upgrade of research equipment used in laboratories or the field, (2) development of new instrumentation, analytical methods, or software, (3) national or regional multi-user facilities that provide broad access to sophisticated and expensive instruments or systems, and (4) an early-career-focused option that can include limited-term technical support to help get new infrastructure operating effectively.

4) What is the maximum funding for equipment acquisition or upgrades?

Requests for acquisition or upgrade of research equipment are capped at $750,000.

5) Is there a different cap for upgrades to research group computing facilities?

Yes. Upgrades specifically for research group computing facilities have a smaller cap of $75,000.

6) What is the maximum funding for developing new instrumentation, analytical methods, or software?

Development of new instrumentation, analytical methods, or software is supported with a maximum request of $750,000.

7) What does the program mean by “multi-user facilities”?

The opportunity describes national or regional multi-user facilities as those that make sophisticated and expensive instruments, or systems of instruments, broadly accessible to the wider Earth science research and student communities.

8) What is required regarding the scientific scope of the proposed infrastructure?

Proposals must clearly show that the requested instrumentation, software, or facility resources will be used for basic research on Earth processes within the scope of NSF's Division of Earth Sciences.

9) How important are training and education components in an EAR/IF proposal?

Training and education are described as central expectations, not side benefits. Proposals are expected to explain how the infrastructure will be integrated into training and workforce development, especially for students and early-career researchers.

10) What are examples of training or workforce development integration mentioned in the opportunity?

The description highlights integration such as student involvement in instrument operation, data collection, analysis workflows, maintenance practices, and method development.

11) Does the program encourage broadening participation in Earth science infrastructure and training?

Yes. The program encourages intentional efforts to broaden participation in Earth science research infrastructure use and training, especially for groups that are underrepresented in the geosciences.

12) Can outreach or broadening participation activities be included in the budget?

Yes. Proposers may include specific outreach and/or broadening participation activities, with up to $20,000 allowed in the budget for these efforts, provided they are well-justified and aligned with the program's goals.

13) What is the early-career-focused option described in the opportunity?

The program includes a special emphasis on early-career investigators by allowing proposals for equipment acquisition or upgrades to include dedicated technical support to help the new infrastructure operate effectively.

14) Can an early-career proposal include a technician position?

Yes. Under the early-career-focused option, proposals may include a new full-time technician position dedicated to managing the instrument(s).

15) How long can technical support be funded under the early-career option?

Technical support is limited to three years.

16) What is the funding schedule for early-career technical support?

The opportunity specifies a declining annual maximum funding schedule: up to $80,000 in year 1, up to $60,000 in year 2, and up to $40,000 in year 3.

17) Can projects involve multiple disciplines beyond Earth sciences?

Yes. The NSF notes that some projects may serve multiple disciplines, not only Earth sciences.

18) What happens if a proposal spans multiple NSF disciplines or programs?

When projects serve multiple disciplines, proposals may be jointly reviewed with other NSF programs. The EAR/IF program may also consider co-funding arrangements with other NSF units or even other agencies.

19) How is funding awarded under this program?

Funding is provided through investigator-initiated proposals and made via grants or cooperative agreements.

20) What are the estimated total funding and expected number of awards in the archived listing?

The archived opportunity information indicates an estimated total funding level of about $7,000,000 and an expected number of awards around 60.

21) Is cost sharing or matching required?

Yes. The archived listing indicates that cost sharing or matching is required.

22) Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility is listed as unrestricted, meaning a wide range of organizations can apply, subject to any specific eligibility clarifications in the full solicitation.

23) What is the funding opportunity number and NSF publication number for this archived opportunity?

The archived listing identifies funding opportunity number 10-561 (NSF Publication 10-561).

24) What CFDA number is associated with this opportunity?

The archived listing shows CFDA 47.050 (Geosciences).

25) What were the historical proposal target dates mentioned in the archived listing?

Historically, the full proposal target date was the third Monday in July each year. There was also a February target date (the second Wednesday in February) for all proposal categories except new equipment acquisition.

26) Is this specific solicitation still current?

No. The archived opportunity notes it has been replaced by a later solicitation (replaced by 11-544). Anyone considering applying should consult the current NSF EAR/IF program solicitation for up-to-date deadlines, requirements, and budget rules.

27) What is a key proposal expectation that applies across all proposal types?

A central expectation is that human resource development and education are core components of the project. Proposals are expected to explain how the infrastructure will be used to support training, education, and workforce development.