Opportunity Information: Apply for 08 599
Apply for 08 599
- The National Science Foundation in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Emerging Frontiers in Research and Innovation" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 47.041 Engineering Grants.
- This funding opportunity was created on Mar 5, 2010 and posted on Sep 2, 2008.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Apr 30, 2009 Letter of Intent Due Date (required) October 14, 2008 Preliminary Proposal Due Dates (required) December 02, 2008 Full Proposal Deadline April 30, 2009. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $29,000,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $2,000,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 11 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
- Organization Limit Proposals may only be submitted by the following EFRI proposals may be submitted by a single organization or a group of organizations consisting of a lead organization in partnership with one or more partner organizations. Only U.S. academic institutions with significant research and degree granting education programs in disciplines normally supported by NSF are eligible to be the lead organization. Principal investigators are encouraged to form synergistic collaborations among researchers and with private and public sector organizations, government laboratories, and scientists and engineers at foreign organizations where appropriate, though no NSF funds will be provided to those organizations. PI LimitPrincipal Investigators (PI) must be at the faculty level and the lead PI must have a primary appointment in an engineering department. In addition, a minimum of two Co PIs must participate.
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Opportunity Summary:
The National Science Foundation (NSF) Directorate for Engineering created the Office of Emerging Frontiers in Research and Innovation (EFRI) to move quickly on high-potential, newly forming areas of engineering research. This grant opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number 08-599, titled "Emerging Frontiers in Research and Innovation") is designed to support interdisciplinary research teams pursuing fundamental engineering advances that could meaningfully reshape what the field knows and can do. The program emphasis is not incremental progress; EFRI is explicitly looking for transformative ideas that could trigger a significant shift in foundational engineering knowledge and, over time, contribute to major national needs or help address a grand challenge.
For this particular solicitation, NSF identified two topic areas where it wanted to catalyze rapid progress. The first is BioSensing and BioActuation Interface of Living and Engineered Systems (BSBA). In broad terms, this area focuses on the boundary where biological systems and engineered systems meet, with an emphasis on sensing biological signals and actively interfacing with, influencing, or controlling biological function through engineered devices, materials, or systems. Projects in this space typically require deep integration across engineering disciplines and the life sciences, since the core challenge is not only measuring complex biological phenomena but doing so in a way that enables reliable interaction, feedback, and actuation at the interface between living and engineered components.
The second topic area is Hydrocarbons from Biomass (HyBi). This area targets fundamental engineering research that enables the production of hydrocarbon fuels or hydrocarbon-like chemical feedstocks from biomass. The underlying national interest is clear: developing routes that could eventually support scalable, economically viable, and sustainable alternatives to petroleum-derived hydrocarbons. Work in this area often involves interdisciplinary efforts spanning chemical engineering, catalysis, bioengineering, separations, process design, and systems-level analysis, with EFRI funding meant to push the fundamental science and engineering forward rather than simply optimize established approaches.
The solicitation is structured to fund a relatively small number of larger awards to teams, reflecting the expectation of ambitious, integrated efforts. NSF anticipated making about 11 awards, with an estimated total program funding level of $29,000,000. Individual awards were expected to fall between $1,000,000 (award floor) and $2,000,000 (award ceiling). The funding instrument is a grant, the opportunity category is discretionary, and it falls under CFDA 47.041 (Engineering Grants). There is no cost sharing or matching requirement, which means proposers are not required to commit institutional or third-party matching funds as a condition of the award.
Eligibility is centered on U.S. academic institutions. Proposals could be submitted by a single organization or by a partnership led by one organization with additional partner organizations. However, only U.S. academic institutions with significant research and degree-granting education programs in NSF-supported disciplines are eligible to serve as the lead organization. The program encourages collaboration broadly, including with private sector and public sector organizations, government laboratories, and even researchers at foreign organizations when appropriate, but with a key limitation: NSF funds will not be provided to those non-eligible (including foreign) organizations. In other words, such entities can participate as collaborators, but not as recipients of NSF funds under this solicitation.
Team composition rules are also clearly defined and intentionally push applicants toward true multi-investigator, interdisciplinary projects. The Principal Investigator must be at the faculty level, the lead PI must have a primary appointment in an engineering department, and the proposal must include at least two Co-PIs. This minimum team size requirement signals that EFRI expects tightly coupled expertise spanning multiple fields, rather than single-lab efforts.
The application process included multiple required steps and deadlines. A Letter of Intent was required and due on October 14, 2008. A preliminary proposal was also required and due on December 2, 2008. Full proposals were due by April 30, 2009, which is listed as both the original and current closing date for the competition. The opportunity was posted on September 2, 2008, and later archived on March 5, 2010.
NSF also planned outreach to help potential applicants understand the goals and requirements. An information workshop/webcast was scheduled for September 10, 2008, with details to be posted on the EFRI website (www.nsf.gov/eng/efri). For access issues with the announcement on Grants.gov, NSF directed applicants to contact grants.gov support via grantsgovsupport@nsf.gov. Overall, the opportunity is best understood as NSF Engineering's mechanism for quickly mobilizing substantial resources around a small set of emerging topics, funding interdisciplinary teams that can credibly argue their work will open new frontiers in fundamental engineering and set the stage for long-term, high-impact outcomes.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is this NSF funding opportunity?
This is the National Science Foundation (NSF) Directorate for Engineering funding opportunity for the Office of Emerging Frontiers in Research and Innovation (EFRI), Funding Opportunity Number 08-599, titled "Emerging Frontiers in Research and Innovation." It is designed to support interdisciplinary research teams pursuing fundamental engineering advances in newly forming, high-potential areas.
What is EFRI and what is its purpose?
EFRI (Emerging Frontiers in Research and Innovation) is an office created by NSF's Directorate for Engineering to move quickly on high-potential emerging areas of engineering research. The goal is to catalyze transformative, frontier-opening work rather than incremental progress.
What kind of research is NSF looking for under this solicitation?
The solicitation emphasizes transformative ideas that could trigger a significant shift in foundational engineering knowledge and, over time, contribute to major national needs or help address a grand challenge. The focus is on fundamental engineering advances, not incremental improvements or routine optimization.
What topic areas are included in this EFRI solicitation?
NSF identified two topic areas for this particular solicitation: (1) BioSensing and BioActuation Interface of Living and Engineered Systems (BSBA) and (2) Hydrocarbons from Biomass (HyBi).
What is the BSBA topic area about?
BioSensing and BioActuation Interface of Living and Engineered Systems (BSBA) focuses on the boundary where biological systems and engineered systems meet. The emphasis is on sensing biological signals and actively interfacing with, influencing, or controlling biological function through engineered devices, materials, or systems. Projects typically require deep integration across engineering disciplines and the life sciences.
What types of challenges are central to BSBA projects?
Based on the solicitation description, the central challenges include measuring complex biological phenomena and doing so in a way that enables reliable interaction, feedback, and actuation at the interface between living and engineered components.
What is the HyBi topic area about?
Hydrocarbons from Biomass (HyBi) targets fundamental engineering research that enables the production of hydrocarbon fuels or hydrocarbon-like chemical feedstocks from biomass. The national interest described in the solicitation is to develop routes that could eventually support scalable, economically viable, and sustainable alternatives to petroleum-derived hydrocarbons.
What disciplines or research components commonly appear in HyBi work?
The solicitation notes that HyBi efforts often span chemical engineering, catalysis, bioengineering, separations, process design, and systems-level analysis. EFRI funding is intended to push fundamental science and engineering forward rather than simply optimize established approaches.
How many awards did NSF anticipate making, and what was the total program funding?
NSF anticipated making about 11 awards, with an estimated total program funding level of $29,000,000.
What is the expected award size range?
Individual awards were expected to be between $1,000,000 (award floor) and $2,000,000 (award ceiling).
What type of funding instrument is used?
The funding instrument is a grant.
What is the opportunity category?
The opportunity category is discretionary.
What CFDA number is associated with this opportunity?
This opportunity falls under CFDA 47.041 (Engineering Grants).
Is cost sharing or matching required?
No. The solicitation states there is no cost sharing or matching requirement, meaning proposers are not required to commit institutional or third-party matching funds as a condition of the award.
Who is eligible to be the lead organization?
Only U.S. academic institutions with significant research and degree-granting education programs in NSF-supported disciplines are eligible to serve as the lead organization.
Can a proposal be submitted by a single organization, or must it be a partnership?
Proposals could be submitted by a single organization or by a partnership led by one organization with additional partner organizations.
Are collaborations with industry, government labs, public sector organizations, or foreign organizations allowed?
Yes. The solicitation encourages collaboration broadly, including with private sector and public sector organizations, government laboratories, and researchers at foreign organizations when appropriate.
Can NSF funds be provided to industry partners, government labs, or foreign organizations participating as collaborators?
No. A key limitation stated in the solicitation is that NSF funds will not be provided to non-eligible organizations, including foreign organizations. These entities may participate as collaborators, but not as recipients of NSF funds under this solicitation.
What are the minimum team composition requirements?
The proposal must be a multi-investigator team. The solicitation requires that the proposal include a Principal Investigator (PI) and at least two Co-Principal Investigators (Co-PIs).
Are there specific requirements for the PI's role and appointment?
Yes. The PI must be at the faculty level. The lead PI must have a primary appointment in an engineering department.
Why does the solicitation require at least two Co-PIs?
The solicitation frames this requirement as a way to drive true interdisciplinary, tightly coupled projects spanning multiple fields, rather than single-lab efforts.
Was a Letter of Intent (LOI) required?
Yes. A Letter of Intent was required and was due on October 14, 2008.
Was a preliminary proposal required?
Yes. A preliminary proposal was required and was due on December 2, 2008.
When were full proposals due?
Full proposals were due by April 30, 2009, which is listed as both the original and current closing date for the competition.
When was the opportunity posted and when was it archived?
The opportunity was posted on September 2, 2008, and later archived on March 5, 2010.
Was there an information session for potential applicants?
Yes. An information workshop/webcast was scheduled for September 10, 2008, with details to be posted on the EFRI website at www.nsf.gov/eng/efri.
Where could applicants find more information about the workshop and EFRI?
The solicitation points applicants to the EFRI website: www.nsf.gov/eng/efri.
Who should applicants contact if they have problems accessing the announcement on Grants.gov?
For access issues with the announcement on Grants.gov, NSF directed applicants to contact Grants.gov support via grantsgovsupport@nsf.gov.
What is the overarching intent of this opportunity within NSF Engineering?
Based on the solicitation description, this opportunity is NSF Engineering's mechanism for quickly mobilizing substantial resources around a small set of emerging topics, funding interdisciplinary teams that can credibly argue their work will open new frontiers in fundamental engineering and set the stage for long-term, high-impact outcomes.
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