Opportunity Information: Apply for 13 539
Apply for 13 539
- The National Science Foundation in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Enhancing Access to the Radio Spectrum" 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 47.049 Mathematical and Physical Sciences 47.070 Computer and Information Science and Engineering 47.075 Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences.
- This funding opportunity was created on Feb 13, 2013 and posted on Feb 13, 2013.
- Applicants must submit their applications by May 14, 2013 Full Proposal Deadline(s) May 14, 2013. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $36,500,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 30 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 Non profit, non academic organizations Independent museums, observatories, research labs, professional societies and similar organizations in the U.S. associated with educational or research activities. Universities and Colleges Universities and two and four year colleges (including community colleges) accredited in, and having a campus located in the US, acting on behalf of their faculty members. Such organizations also are referred to as academic institutions.
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Opportunity Summary:
The Enhancing Access to the Radio Spectrum (EARS) opportunity (NSF Publication/Funding Opportunity Number 13-539) was a National Science Foundation discretionary grant program designed to push forward new, high-impact research ideas about how the United States uses the radio spectrum. The program was jointly coordinated across multiple NSF directorates, specifically Mathematical and Physical Sciences (MPS), Engineering (ENG), Computer and Information Science and Engineering (CISE), and Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences (SBE). That cross-directorate structure signals the central theme of the solicitation: EARS was meant to support research that does not stay inside one traditional discipline or one NSF program lane, but instead blends expertise across areas such as wireless engineering and networking, spectrum measurement and modeling, computing and data-driven approaches, and human or societal dimensions of technology adoption and access.
At its core, EARS aimed at two connected national challenges. First, it sought concepts that could lead to significant improvements in the efficiency of radio spectrum utilization, meaning better ways to share, coordinate, measure, allocate, or otherwise use spectrum so that wireless systems can carry more demand without simply requiring more exclusive bandwidth. Second, it emphasized improving the ability of traditionally underserved Americans to benefit from current and future wireless-enabled goods and services. In practical terms, that meant the program was not only about technical spectrum efficiency in the abstract; it was also about real-world access and inclusion, encouraging research that could help close gaps in connectivity, affordability, availability, and usability of wireless services for communities that have historically been left behind.
The solicitation specifically called for innovative, collaborative research that transcends boundaries, including projects that span disciplines covered by two or more of the participating directorates. This framing effectively invited teams to combine, for example, advanced spectrum sensing or dynamic sharing techniques with networking protocols and security approaches, while also incorporating economic models, policy analysis, behavioral research, or studies of deployment barriers in underserved areas. The expectation was that breakthroughs in spectrum access and efficiency often require a combined view of technology, incentives, regulation, and user/community needs rather than a single isolated technical improvement.
From a funding and administrative standpoint, EARS was offered as a grant program within the broader category of Science and Technology and other Research and Development. NSF anticipated making about 30 awards, with an estimated total program funding level of $36.5 million. There was no cost sharing or matching requirement, which typically lowers the barrier to participation by not requiring applicants to bring additional non-federal funds to the table.
Eligibility was open to a range of U.S.-based organizations involved in education and research. Universities and colleges were eligible, including accredited two-year and four-year institutions (including community colleges) with a U.S. campus, applying on behalf of their faculty. The opportunity also allowed proposals from certain non-profit, non-academic organizations such as independent museums, observatories, research laboratories, professional societies, and similar U.S. organizations associated with educational or research activities. The listing notes “Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification),” but the main eligible categories highlighted are academic institutions and qualifying non-profit research/education organizations.
The key dates indicate this was a time-limited, archived opportunity. It was posted and created on February 13, 2013, with a full proposal deadline of May 14, 2013, and an archive date of June 14, 2013. The CFDA numbers associated with the program reflect the participating NSF domains: 47.041 (Engineering Grants), 47.049 (Mathematical and Physical Sciences), 47.070 (Computer and Information Science and Engineering), and 47.075 (Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences). For further details, applicants were directed to NSF Publication 13-539, and NSF provided support contacts for technical issues accessing the announcement through Grants.gov (grantsgovsupport@nsf.gov).
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) - Enhancing Access to the Radio Spectrum (EARS) (NSF 13-539)
What is the Enhancing Access to the Radio Spectrum (EARS) opportunity?
EARS (NSF Publication/Funding Opportunity Number 13-539) was a National Science Foundation (NSF) discretionary grant program intended to advance new, high-impact research ideas related to how the United States uses the radio spectrum.
What were the main goals of the EARS program?
EARS focused on two connected national challenges: (1) improving the efficiency of radio spectrum utilization (such as better ways to share, coordinate, measure, allocate, or otherwise use spectrum), and (2) improving the ability of traditionally underserved Americans to benefit from current and future wireless-enabled goods and services.
What does "improving spectrum efficiency" mean in this program context?
In the context of EARS, improving spectrum efficiency meant developing concepts and approaches that help wireless systems handle more demand without relying solely on additional exclusive bandwidth. The solicitation emphasized ideas that could improve how spectrum is shared, coordinated, measured, modeled, allocated, or used.
How did EARS define or emphasize underserved communities and access?
EARS explicitly emphasized real-world access and inclusion. It encouraged research that could help close gaps in connectivity, affordability, availability, and usability of wireless services for communities that have historically been left behind.
Was EARS intended to be interdisciplinary?
Yes. A central theme of the solicitation was to support research that does not stay within a single traditional discipline or a single NSF program area. The program called for innovative, collaborative research that transcends boundaries, including projects spanning disciplines covered by two or more participating NSF directorates.
Which NSF directorates jointly coordinated EARS?
EARS was jointly coordinated across multiple NSF directorates: Mathematical and Physical Sciences (MPS), Engineering (ENG), Computer and Information Science and Engineering (CISE), and Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences (SBE).
What types of research themes or combinations did EARS encourage?
Based on the solicitation description, EARS encouraged blending expertise across areas such as wireless engineering and networking, spectrum measurement and modeling, computing and data-driven approaches, and human or societal dimensions of technology adoption and access. It also invited work that combines technical approaches (like sensing or dynamic sharing) with networking, security, economic models, policy analysis, behavioral research, or studies of deployment barriers in underserved areas.
Did EARS require collaboration across multiple fields or directorates?
The opportunity specifically called for collaborative research that transcends boundaries, including projects spanning disciplines covered by two or more of the participating directorates. The framing strongly signaled that cross-disciplinary teams and integrated perspectives were expected and encouraged.
What broader funding category did this opportunity fall under?
EARS was offered as a grant program within the broader category of Science and Technology and other Research and Development.
How many awards did NSF expect to make under EARS?
NSF anticipated making about 30 awards under this program.
What was the estimated total funding level for EARS?
The estimated total program funding level was $36.5 million.
Was cost sharing or matching required?
No. The opportunity stated there was no cost sharing or matching requirement.
Who was eligible to apply?
Eligibility was open to a range of U.S.-based organizations involved in education and research. Eligible applicants included universities and colleges (accredited two-year and four-year institutions, including community colleges) with a U.S. campus applying on behalf of their faculty. Certain non-profit, non-academic organizations were also eligible, such as independent museums, observatories, research laboratories, professional societies, and similar U.S. organizations associated with educational or research activities.
Were non-academic organizations eligible?
Yes. The solicitation allowed proposals from certain non-profit, non-academic organizations, including independent museums, observatories, research laboratories, professional societies, and similar U.S. organizations associated with educational or research activities.
Does the listing mention any additional eligibility categories?
Yes. The listing notes "Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification)," while highlighting the main eligible categories as academic institutions and qualifying non-profit research/education organizations.
What were the key dates for the EARS opportunity?
The opportunity was posted and created on February 13, 2013. The full proposal deadline was May 14, 2013. The archive date was June 14, 2013.
Is this opportunity still open?
No. Based on the provided dates, it was a time-limited opportunity that has been archived (archive date: June 14, 2013).
What does it mean that the opportunity is archived?
Based on the information provided, "archived" indicates the solicitation is no longer active for new submissions under the original timeline, as it had a 2013 proposal deadline and a stated archive date.
What is the NSF publication/solicitation number for EARS?
The program is identified as NSF Publication/Funding Opportunity Number 13-539.
Which CFDA numbers were associated with EARS?
The CFDA numbers listed for EARS were 47.041 (Engineering Grants), 47.049 (Mathematical and Physical Sciences), 47.070 (Computer and Information Science and Engineering), and 47.075 (Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences).
Where were applicants directed for additional details?
Applicants were directed to NSF Publication 13-539 for further details.
Who should applicants contact for technical issues related to accessing the announcement through Grants.gov?
For technical issues accessing the announcement through Grants.gov, NSF provided the contact email grantsgovsupport@nsf.gov.
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