EPA/NSF Networks for Sustainable Molecular Design and Synthesis | Apply Online

Opportunity Summary:

The EPA/NSF Networks for Sustainable Molecular Design and Synthesis (NSMDS) grant opportunity (NSF Publication 13-523; Funding Opportunity Number 13-523) was a jointly sponsored solicitation from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the National Science Foundation (NSF), specifically involving NSF's Divisions of Chemistry and Chemical, Bioengineering, Environmental, and Transport Systems (CBET). Its main purpose was to push collaborative, cross-disciplinary research that connects chemistry and materials research with geosciences, engineering, biomedical fields, and public health. While the solicitation was issued jointly, the two agencies planned to make their own awards separately under a shared program vision, with the aim of creating research networks that can tackle sustainability challenges in chemical design and chemical synthesis in a coordinated way.

At the core of the program was the idea of building "networks" rather than single-investigator projects. An NSMDS network had to involve two or more investigators working across disciplines, with proposals expected to reflect the combined research interests of multiple researchers. The networks were intended to accelerate progress toward chemicals and synthetic processes that are safer and more sustainable across their entire life cycle. The solicitation used the term "chemicals" in a very broad sense, covering essentially any material or chemical entity, including inorganic and organic compounds, individual substances or mixtures, and classes such as endocrine disruptors, chlorofluorocarbons, transition-metal catalysts, macromolecules, and nanomaterials. This broad scope signaled that the program was open to many areas of chemistry and materials science as long as the work clearly advanced sustainability and safety goals.

The research focus emphasized moving beyond incremental improvements and instead enabling advances that would reduce environmental and human health hazards from multiple angles: chemical structure, intended use, and the full chain of activities around a chemical, including synthesis, production, consumption, reuse, and end-of-life disposal. A major expectation was that funded networks would help replace rare, toxic, or expensive substances with alternatives that are earth-abundant, benign, and renewable. In practical terms, the program sought new design rules and synthetic pathways, including catalytic approaches, that use less fresh water, require less energy, and generate less waste than standard practices. The intended outcome was not only greener molecules, but greener ways of making and managing them, so that sustainability is built in from the start rather than addressed after deployment.

NSMDS also placed heavy weight on education, workforce development, and the real-world translation of research. Networks were expected to include strong mentoring and training plans for undergraduate students, graduate students, and postdoctoral researchers, and to incorporate broadening participation elements. Beyond formal training, the solicitation encouraged additional educational and outreach activities such as informal science communication and efforts aimed at K-12 students or the general public. On the innovation and commercialization side, applicants were encouraged, when appropriate, to think about intellectual property protection and to create proactive plans for engaging industry to support technology transfer, with the broader goal of converting basic research results into social and economic benefits.

Another defining feature was coordination with a related EPA/NSF program, the Networks for Characterizing Chemical Life Cycle (NCCLC). NSMDS teams were expected to communicate and coordinate with the NCCLC-funded networks, with the idea that the two groups would pursue complementary research and learn from each other. This coordination was expected to happen through interactions such as annual EPA All Investigators Meetings (progress reviews), reinforcing that the program was built around a community-of-networks model rather than isolated projects.

In terms of funding mechanics and eligibility, this was a discretionary grant program categorized under Science and Technology and other Research and Development. The solicitation anticipated about six awards, supported by an estimated total funding amount of $20,000,000, and listed an award ceiling of $5,000,000. There was no cost-sharing or matching requirement. Eligible applicants included U.S.-based universities and colleges (including two- and four-year institutions and community colleges), certain non-profit non-academic organizations tied to education or research (such as independent museums, observatories, research labs, and professional societies), and state and local governments as well as federally recognized tribal governments. A notable participation limit applied to investigators: any individual could participate as PI, Co-PI, or senior personnel on only one proposal submitted to this competition, and investigators needed to be affiliated with an eligible organization.

Finally, the administrative timeline shows that this was a time-limited opportunity that has since closed. It was posted on December 19, 2012, with a full proposal deadline of March 18, 2013, and it was later archived on August 5, 2014. The solicitation pointed applicants to NSF Publication 13-523 for full details, and it provided standard support contact information for applicants who had trouble accessing the announcement or linking to it electronically.

Browse more opportunities from the same agency: National Science Foundation

Browse more opportunities from the same category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development

Next opportunity: Grants to States to Support Oral Health Workforce Activities

Previous opportunity: EPA/NSF Networks for Characterizing Chemical Life Cycle

USGrants.org Applicant Portal:

Are you interested in learning about about how to apply for this government funding opportunity? You can create a free applicant account and receive instant access to our applicant portal that many business owners like you have benefited from.

Apply for 13 523

 

[Watch] how do funding administrators access proposals?

Applicants also applied for:

Applicants who have applied for this opportunity (13 523) also looked into and applied for these:

 

Grant application guides and resources

It is always free to apply for government grants. However the process may be very complex depending on the funding opportunity you are applying for. Let us help you!

Apply for Grants

 

 

Premium leads for funding administrators, grant writers, and loan issuers

Thousands of people visit our website for their funding needs every day. When a user creates a grant proposal and files for submission, we pass the information on to funding administrators, grant writers, and government loan issuers.

If you manage government grant programs, provide grant writing services, or issue personal or government loans, we can help you reach your audience.

Subscribe to Leads

 

Request more information:

Would you like to learn more about this funding opportunity, similar opportunities to "13 523", eligibility, application service, and/or application tips? Submit an inquiry below:

Don't forget to subscribe to our grant alerts mailing list to receive weekly alerts on new and updated grant funding opportunities like this one in your email.