Opportunity Information: Apply for 12 566
Apply for 12 566
- The National Science Foundation in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Focused Research Groups in the Mathematical Sciences" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 47.049 Mathematical and Physical Sciences.
- This funding opportunity was created on Feb 18, 2015 and posted on Jun 8, 2012.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Sep 18, 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 $10,000,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $1,500,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 10 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
- Who May Submit Proposals Proposals may only be submitted by the following The categories of proposers identified in the NSF Grant Proposal Guide (GPG) are eligible to submit proposals under this program solicitation. Proposals involving investigators from more than one institution are allowed and should be submitted as separately submitted collaborative proposals. See GPG a hrefhttp://www.nsf.gov/pubs/policydocs/pappguide/nsf11001/gpg2.jsp#IID4bChapter II.D.4.b/a for guidance on the simultaneous submission of proposals from different organizations.
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Opportunity Summary:
The National Science Foundation (NSF) grant opportunity titled "Focused Research Groups in the Mathematical Sciences" (FRG), Funding Opportunity Number 12-566, is a discretionary research grant program designed to support tightly coordinated, collaborative teams working on clearly defined, high-impact problems in the mathematical sciences. The central idea behind FRG is to fund research situations where a collective, organized group effort is genuinely necessary to achieve the scientific objectives, rather than projects that could be accomplished by isolated individual investigators working independently. The program is aimed at enabling research groups to respond to pressing scientific needs, capitalize on timely opportunities, or lay groundwork for anticipated major advances in mathematics and related areas.
A key feature of the FRG program is its emphasis on focus and delineation. Proposed projects are expected to be scientifically concentrated, with a well articulated research agenda and goals that are specific enough to demonstrate coherence, feasibility, and a clear path toward meaningful outcomes. The solicitation makes it explicit that the program is not meant to provide broad, ongoing support for general infrastructure. In other words, FRG is oriented toward substantive research progress driven by collaboration, not the creation or maintenance of general-purpose centers, long-term organizational structures, or open-ended capacity building.
The FRG activity encourages interdisciplinary participation when it strengthens the research plan. While the program is anchored in the mathematical sciences, research groups may include mathematicians and statisticians alongside researchers from other science and engineering disciplines, as long as those participants are appropriate to the proposed work and help the team meet the scientific goals. This reflects the program's recognition that many modern mathematical research directions intersect with, and are motivated by, problems in areas such as computer science, physics, biology, engineering, and data-driven fields.
Awards under this program are intended to be both time-limited and substantial. Projects are expected to be timely and limited in duration to up to three years, while still being ambitious enough to produce significant impact in the mathematical sciences. The funding profile in the opportunity indicates an estimated total program funding of $10,000,000 and an expectation of about 10 awards. Individual awards have a stated floor of $450,000 and a ceiling of $1,500,000, signaling that the program is designed to support projects of meaningful scale, consistent with the demands of coordinated group research.
In terms of eligibility and submission structure, proposals may be submitted by the categories of proposers identified in the NSF Grant Proposal Guide (GPG). The solicitation explicitly allows proposals involving investigators from more than one institution, and it notes that such multi-institution efforts should be submitted as separately submitted collaborative proposals, following NSF GPG guidance for simultaneous submissions from different organizations. The program falls under CFDA number 47.049 (Mathematical and Physical Sciences) and does not require cost sharing or matching.
Regarding timing, the opportunity was originally posted June 8, 2012, with an original full proposal deadline of September 21, 2012. The solicitation indicates a recurring deadline pattern of the third Friday in September annually thereafter, with an example current closing date listed as September 18, 2015, and an archive date of October 15, 2023. The funding instrument type is a grant, and the activity category is Science and Technology and other Research and Development.
For practical support, the announcement provides a pathway for assistance with access and submission issues, directing applicants with electronic access difficulties to NSF grants.gov support at grantsgovsupport@nsf.gov. Overall, the FRG program is best understood as NSF support for carefully scoped, collaborative mathematical sciences research efforts that are time-bounded, strategically chosen for impact and opportunity, and structured around the idea that meaningful progress requires coordinated contributions from a focused group rather than loosely affiliated individual projects.
Focused Research Groups in the Mathematical Sciences (FRG) - FAQs
1) What is the NSF Focused Research Groups in the Mathematical Sciences (FRG) program?
FRG is an NSF discretionary research grant program that supports tightly coordinated, collaborative research teams working on clearly defined, high-impact problems in the mathematical sciences. The program is designed for projects where organized group effort is genuinely necessary to meet the scientific objectives.
2) What is the Funding Opportunity Number for this FRG solicitation?
The Funding Opportunity Number is 12-566.
3) What types of projects is FRG intended to support?
FRG supports scientifically concentrated projects with a well articulated research agenda and specific goals that demonstrate coherence, feasibility, and a clear path to meaningful outcomes. The program targets situations where collaboration is essential, such as responding to pressing scientific needs, capitalizing on timely opportunities, or laying groundwork for anticipated major advances.
4) What is the central idea behind the FRG program?
The central idea is to fund research situations where collective, organized group effort is truly required, rather than projects that could be accomplished by isolated individual investigators working independently.
5) Does FRG fund general infrastructure, centers, or ongoing organizational support?
No. The solicitation explicitly states the program is not meant to provide broad, ongoing support for general infrastructure. FRG is oriented toward substantive research progress driven by focused collaboration, not the creation or maintenance of general-purpose centers, long-term organizational structures, or open-ended capacity building.
6) How focused does an FRG project need to be?
Projects are expected to be clearly delineated and scientifically concentrated, with goals specific enough to show the work is coherent, feasible within the project period, and likely to produce meaningful outcomes.
7) Is interdisciplinary participation allowed?
Yes. Interdisciplinary participation is encouraged when it strengthens the research plan. While anchored in the mathematical sciences, groups may include mathematicians and statisticians alongside researchers from other science and engineering disciplines when those participants are appropriate to the proposed work and help achieve the scientific goals.
8) What disciplines might participate alongside mathematics and statistics?
The opportunity notes that modern mathematical research often intersects with areas such as computer science, physics, biology, engineering, and data-driven fields. Participants from other disciplines may be included if they are relevant to the proposed work.
9) What is the expected duration of an FRG award?
FRG projects are intended to be time-limited and are expected to be limited in duration to up to three years.
10) How many awards does NSF expect to make under this program?
The funding profile indicates NSF expects about 10 awards.
11) What is the estimated total program funding for this FRG opportunity?
The estimated total program funding listed is $10,000,000.
12) What are the typical award sizes for FRG?
Individual awards have a stated minimum (floor) of $450,000 and a stated maximum (ceiling) of $1,500,000.
13) Is FRG designed for small, single-investigator projects?
The program is designed to support coordinated group research of meaningful scale. It emphasizes projects where a focused group effort is necessary, rather than projects that could be completed by individual investigators working independently.
14) Who is eligible to submit an FRG proposal?
Proposals may be submitted by the categories of proposers identified in the NSF Grant Proposal Guide (GPG).
15) Can investigators from multiple institutions participate?
Yes. The solicitation explicitly allows proposals involving investigators from more than one institution.
16) How should multi-institution FRG proposals be submitted?
Multi-institution efforts should be submitted as separately submitted collaborative proposals, following NSF GPG guidance for simultaneous submissions from different organizations.
17) Is cost sharing or matching required?
No. The opportunity states that cost sharing is not required.
18) What is the CFDA number associated with this program?
The program is listed under CFDA 47.049 (Mathematical and Physical Sciences).
19) What is the funding instrument type for FRG awards?
The funding instrument type is a grant.
20) What is the activity category for this opportunity?
The activity category is Science and Technology and other Research and Development.
21) When was this opportunity originally posted?
The solicitation was originally posted on June 8, 2012.
22) What was the original full proposal deadline listed for this opportunity?
The original full proposal deadline was September 21, 2012.
23) Does this FRG opportunity have recurring deadlines?
Yes. The solicitation indicates a recurring deadline pattern of the third Friday in September annually thereafter.
24) What example of a later closing date is provided in the opportunity description?
An example current closing date listed is September 18, 2015.
25) What archive date is associated with this solicitation?
The archive date listed is October 15, 2023.
26) Where can applicants get help if they have electronic access or submission issues?
Applicants with electronic access difficulties are directed to NSF grants.gov support at grantsgovsupport@nsf.gov.
27) What makes a project a good conceptual fit for FRG based on the solicitation summary?
A good fit is a carefully scoped, time-bounded research effort in the mathematical sciences that is strategically chosen for impact and opportunity, and where meaningful progress depends on coordinated contributions from a focused group rather than loosely affiliated individual projects.
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| Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit, Great Basin CESU Apply for G12AS20055 Funding Number: G12AS20055 Agency: Geological Survey Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
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| Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit, Rocky Mountain CESU Apply for G12AS20057 Funding Number: G12AS20057 Agency: Geological Survey Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit, Rocky Mountain CESU Apply for G12AS20058 Funding Number: G12AS20058 Agency: Geological Survey Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
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| Geography and Spatial Sciences Program Apply for 12 570 Funding Number: 12 570 Agency: National Science Foundation Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $400,000 |
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