Opportunity Information: Apply for PD 15 7643
Apply for PD 15 7643
- The National Science Foundation in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Environmental Sustainability" 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 Jul 30, 2015 and posted on Jul 24, 2015.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Oct 20, 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 $7,066,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- 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) Environmental Sustainability program (Funding Opportunity Number PD 15 7643) supports engineering-driven research aimed at creating and improving sustainable engineered systems that enhance human well-being while remaining compatible with long-term functioning of natural environmental systems. The program is framed around the idea that healthy ecosystems provide essential services that humans depend on, so engineering solutions should be designed with long time horizons in mind and, when appropriate, informed by social sciences and ethics. At its core, the program looks for research that meaningfully balances ecological protection with the realities of maintaining stable economic conditions, with clear engineering principles and an explicit sustainability context throughout the proposal.
The opportunity highlights four main research areas. First is Industrial Ecology, which emphasizes systems-level modeling and measurement approaches such as life cycle assessment, materials flow analysis, input-output economic models, and development of new metrics for evaluating sustainability. Work in this area is meant to improve how sustainability is quantified and optimized across products, processes, and supply chains, and the program explicitly encourages methodological innovation. Second is Green Engineering, with an emphasis on advancing sustainability in manufacturing processes, green buildings, and infrastructure. NSF notes that many environmentally benign process ideas may fit elsewhere within the Engineering Directorate, so this program is especially interested in green engineering research that cuts across multiple processes or takes a broader systems or holistic view, for example at the level of infrastructure networks or building systems. Within this theme, the program calls out research on distribution and collection systems that support smart growth and reduce negative impacts of growth, along with innovations in stormwater management, recycling and reuse of drinking water, and related sustainability-focused engineering techniques. A key boundary condition is also stated clearly: proposals primarily focused on water treatment must be submitted to the CBET Environmental Engineering program (program 1440), not to Environmental Sustainability (program 7643). Third is Ecological Engineering, focused on the engineering aspects of restoring ecological function in natural systems, including engineering research that enhances natural capital to support sustainable development. Fourth is Earth Systems Engineering, which covers large-scale engineering research tied to global concerns such as greenhouse gas mitigation, climate change adaptation, and other planetary-scale sustainability challenges.
From a proposal design standpoint, NSF stresses that submissions should be grounded in engineering science and clearly articulate novelty and/or potentially transformative aspects compared to prior work in the field. Proposers are expected to explain why the work matters scientifically for engineering and to project broader impacts on society and/or industry if successful; at minimum, the novelty or transformative potential should be stated in the Project Summary. The program also expects workforce development to be integrated into the research plan, including participation by at least one graduate student as well as undergraduates. Interdisciplinary integration is welcome, particularly incorporation of social, behavioral, and economic sciences, and the solicitation notes that proposals outside the four core areas may be considered, but recommends contacting the Program Director before submission to reduce the risk of the proposal being returned without review.
The funding profile described for typical unsolicited awards is generally one to three years, with a typical award size around $100,000 per year. Proposals requesting substantially more than that may be returned without review if the investigator has not consulted with the Program Director in advance, so budget planning and early communication are emphasized. The program also points to a pathway for sustainability proposals involving chemistry: proposals that include chemistry (including biochemistry or physical chemistry) integrated with engineering sustainability aspects may be submitted to this program under the SusChEM designation by using a proposal title format beginning with "SusChEM: Title of Your Proposal," aligning with NSF guidance for Sustainable Chemistry, Engineering, and Materials.
Beyond standard research proposals, the announcement indicates interest in several NSF mechanisms when appropriate, including CAREER proposals (encouraged, five-year duration, with an engineering CAREER deadline typically in July), conference and workshop proposals and supplements (with a strong suggestion to discuss with the Program Director before submission), and special proposal types such as RAPID and EAGER (which require prior discussion with the Program Director). GOALI proposals that connect fundamental research with translational outcomes and include industry collaboration are also encouraged, with the note that GOALI submissions must be made during the annual unsolicited proposal window for the relevant program. As with most NSF opportunities, compliance is non-negotiable: proposals that do not follow the NSF Proposal and Award Policies and Procedures Guide (PAPPG) or that are submitted outside the announced proposal window will be returned without review.
Administratively, the opportunity is categorized as a discretionary grant within the NSF Engineering Grants CFDA listing (47.041), with no stated cost sharing requirement and broadly unrestricted eligibility (open to any type of entity, subject to any clarifications in the full text). The posted date for the announcement was July 24, 2015, with an original and current closing date of October 20, 2015, and an archive date of November 19, 2016. The estimated total funding shown in the source information is $7,066,000, and the listed award floor is $300,000, though the narrative guidance also emphasizes a typical annual award level near $100,000, reinforcing that actual budgets should be aligned with program norms and discussed in advance if they are substantially larger.
NSF Environmental Sustainability (PD 15 7643) Grant FAQs
1. What is the NSF Environmental Sustainability program (PD 15 7643)?
It is an NSF Engineering Directorate program that supports engineering-driven research to create and improve sustainable engineered systems that enhance human well-being while staying compatible with the long-term functioning of natural environmental systems.
2. What kinds of outcomes is this program trying to achieve?
The program is looking for engineering research that meaningfully balances ecological protection with the practical need to maintain stable economic conditions. Proposals should maintain an explicit sustainability context throughout and use clear engineering principles.
3. What is the underlying sustainability perspective emphasized by the program?
The program is framed around the idea that healthy ecosystems provide essential services humans depend on. Because of that, engineering solutions should be designed with long time horizons in mind and may be informed by social sciences and ethics when appropriate.
4. What are the main research areas supported?
The opportunity highlights four main research areas: Industrial Ecology, Green Engineering, Ecological Engineering, and Earth Systems Engineering.
5. What topics fit under Industrial Ecology for this opportunity?
Industrial Ecology emphasizes systems-level modeling and measurement approaches such as life cycle assessment, materials flow analysis, input-output economic models, and the development of new metrics for evaluating sustainability. The program also explicitly encourages methodological innovation in how sustainability is quantified and optimized across products, processes, and supply chains.
6. What topics fit under Green Engineering for this opportunity?
Green Engineering focuses on advancing sustainability in manufacturing processes, green buildings, and infrastructure. The program is especially interested in research that cuts across multiple processes or takes a broader systems or holistic view, such as infrastructure networks or building systems.
7. Does the program have specific interests within Green Engineering?
Yes. It calls out research on distribution and collection systems that support smart growth and reduce negative impacts of growth, as well as innovations in stormwater management, recycling and reuse of drinking water, and related sustainability-focused engineering techniques.
8. Are water treatment proposals allowed under this program?
A key boundary condition is stated: proposals that are primarily focused on water treatment must be submitted to the CBET Environmental Engineering program (program 1440), not to Environmental Sustainability (program 7643).
9. What topics fit under Ecological Engineering for this opportunity?
Ecological Engineering is focused on the engineering aspects of restoring ecological function in natural systems, including engineering research that enhances natural capital to support sustainable development.
10. What topics fit under Earth Systems Engineering for this opportunity?
Earth Systems Engineering covers large-scale engineering research tied to global concerns such as greenhouse gas mitigation, climate change adaptation, and other planetary-scale sustainability challenges.
11. Does NSF only consider proposals that fall exactly within the four highlighted areas?
The solicitation notes that proposals outside the four core areas may be considered. However, it recommends contacting the Program Director before submission to reduce the risk of the proposal being returned without review.
12. How important is engineering novelty or transformativness in the proposal?
NSF stresses that submissions should be grounded in engineering science and clearly articulate novelty and/or potentially transformative aspects compared to prior work in the field. At minimum, the novelty or transformative potential should be stated in the Project Summary.
13. What should applicants explain about the significance of their work?
Proposers are expected to explain why the work matters scientifically for engineering and to project broader impacts on society and/or industry if successful.
14. Is interdisciplinary work encouraged?
Yes. Interdisciplinary integration is welcome, particularly incorporation of social, behavioral, and economic sciences, and proposals may also be informed by ethics when appropriate.
15. Are there workforce development expectations?
Yes. The program expects workforce development to be integrated into the research plan, including participation by at least one graduate student as well as undergraduates.
16. What is the typical award duration for unsolicited awards?
The funding profile described for typical unsolicited awards is generally one to three years.
17. What is the typical award size for unsolicited awards?
The opportunity describes a typical award size around $100,000 per year for unsolicited awards.
18. What happens if the budget request is much higher than the typical level?
Proposals requesting substantially more than the typical level may be returned without review if the investigator has not consulted with the Program Director in advance. The program emphasizes budget planning and early communication.
19. How does the listed award floor relate to the typical annual award size?
The source information lists an award floor of $300,000, while the narrative guidance emphasizes a typical annual award level near $100,000. The overall message is that budgets should align with program norms, and substantially larger requests should be discussed in advance with the Program Director.
20. Is there a pathway for proposals involving chemistry?
Yes. Proposals that include chemistry (including biochemistry or physical chemistry) integrated with engineering sustainability aspects may be submitted under the SusChEM designation by using a proposal title format beginning with "SusChEM: Title of Your Proposal," aligning with NSF guidance for Sustainable Chemistry, Engineering, and Materials.
21. Are CAREER proposals supported or encouraged under this program?
Yes. CAREER proposals are encouraged. The announcement notes a five-year duration, with an engineering CAREER deadline typically in July.
22. Can conference or workshop proposals be submitted?
Yes. The program indicates interest in conference and workshop proposals and supplements when appropriate, with a strong suggestion to discuss with the Program Director before submission.
23. Are RAPID or EAGER proposals possible for this program?
Yes. The announcement references special proposal types such as RAPID and EAGER, and states they require prior discussion with the Program Director.
24. Are GOALI proposals encouraged?
Yes. GOALI proposals that connect fundamental research with translational outcomes and include industry collaboration are encouraged. The announcement notes that GOALI submissions must be made during the annual unsolicited proposal window for the relevant program.
25. When must proposals be submitted?
Proposals must be submitted within the announced proposal window. Proposals submitted outside the window will be returned without review.
26. What compliance rules apply?
Compliance is described as non-negotiable. Proposals that do not follow the NSF Proposal and Award Policies and Procedures Guide (PAPPG) will be returned without review.
27. What is the CFDA listing for this opportunity?
The opportunity is categorized within the NSF Engineering Grants CFDA listing as 47.041.
28. Is cost sharing required?
No cost sharing requirement is stated.
29. Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is described as broadly unrestricted (open to any type of entity), subject to any clarifications in the full text.
30. What are the key dates listed for this opportunity?
The posted date is July 24, 2015. The original and current closing date is October 20, 2015. The archive date is November 19, 2016.
31. How much total funding is estimated for this opportunity?
The estimated total funding shown in the source information is $7,066,000.
32. Why does the program recommend contacting the Program Director before submitting certain proposals?
The opportunity repeatedly emphasizes contacting the Program Director to reduce the risk of a proposal being returned without review, especially for proposals outside the four core areas, for substantially higher budgets than typical, and for certain mechanisms (conference/workshop proposals, RAPID, and EAGER).
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