Opportunity Information: Apply for PD 11 5342
Apply for PD 11 5342
- The National Science Foundation in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "General Age Related Disabilities Engineering (GARDE)" 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 Jun 23, 2011 and posted on Dec 3, 2010.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Replaced by pd 12 5342. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $4,600,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 38 candidate(s).
- 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 General and Age Related Disabilities Engineering (GARDE) program, run by the National Science Foundation (NSF), funds engineering-driven research aimed at improving the lives of people with disabilities through new technologies. GARDE is essentially a renamed version of the former Research to Aid Persons with Disabilities (RAPD) program; the title changed, but the substance of what the program supports stayed the same. The core focus is on research that leads to the development of novel devices, technologies, or software that help characterize, restore, or substitute for human functional abilities or cognition, or improve how a person with a disability interacts with their environment. Recent areas called out as especially relevant include disability-related neuroscience and neuroengineering, as well as rehabilitation robotics.
A major theme in the solicitation is that NSF is looking for real leaps forward rather than small tweaks. Proposals are expected to push beyond the current state of the art and contribute meaningful advances in fundamental engineering and scientific knowledge. In other words, the program is not meant to fund incremental improvements to existing assistive products; it is meant to support discovery and innovation at the frontiers of disability-related engineering research. Applicants are encouraged to speak with the NSF Program Director before submitting, which signals that fit to program goals and positioning of the novelty are important and worth clarifying early.
In addition to standard research proposals, GARDE also supports Undergraduate Engineering Design Projects. These awards are structured to give undergraduate engineering or engineering technology students a serious, hands-on design experience that directly helps a specific individual with a disability. The expected outcome is typically a prototype "custom designed" device or software solution. These undergraduate projects are meant to be practical and person-centered, but still grounded in rigorous engineering: the solicitation explicitly notes that projects should include appropriate quantitative engineering analysis, not just a build-and-test effort.
The undergraduate design track has several specific requirements that shape how proposals must be put together. The principal investigator (PI) and students are expected to collaborate with an outside institution that provides care or education to individuals with disabilities. Proposals must include a short description of ten potential design projects that are realistic for a student or small team to complete in about one year. There also needs to be a letter of support from an appropriate administrator at the partner institution, confirming that the institution and the university will work cooperatively to make the projects happen. Once funded, the PI must submit an annual report describing the design projects completed in the prior academic year, and there is an expectation that a high percentage of proposed projects will actually be implemented each year.
Across all proposal types, the solicitation emphasizes how applicants should frame the work. Proposals should clearly explain what is novel about the idea compared to prior work, why that novelty matters to engineering science, and what the likely broader impact could be on society and/or industry if the effort succeeds. NSF specifically notes that, at minimum, this novelty-and-impact discussion should appear in the Project Summary, meaning it is not optional background but a key review signal.
Funding details in the archived announcement indicate that typical unsolicited research awards run one to three years, with an average annual award size around $80,000. The program also considers small equipment proposals under $100,000, but they must be submitted during the designated submission windows; proposals sent outside those windows are returned without review. Undergraduate Engineering Design Projects typically run three to five years, with an average annual award size around $25,000, and they are also bound to the same kind of submission-window enforcement.
For early-career faculty, the solicitation references NSF CAREER awards, which run five years, with Engineering CAREER proposals generally due in July each year under the separate CAREER process and guidance. While CAREER is not unique to GARDE, the note signals that disability-related engineering topics aligned with GARDE can be pursued through the CAREER mechanism if the applicant fits the eligibility and proposal expectations.
From the opportunity metadata, this is a discretionary NSF grant program under CFDA 47.041 (Engineering Grants). It had an estimated total program funding level listed as $4.6 million and an expected 38 awards in that cycle. Eligibility is described as unrestricted (open to any type of entity, subject to any clarifications in the full announcement). The listed submission windows were February 1 to March 1 annually and August 15 to September 15 annually, with proposals due by 5 p.m. local time. The specific announcement provided is archived and was replaced by PD 12-5342, which matters mainly because applicants would need to use the current active solicitation for any real submission, but the program goals and structure described here capture the intent and requirements of GARDE as presented in this notice.
GARDE (NSF) Grant Opportunity FAQs
What is the GARDE program?
The General and Age Related Disabilities Engineering (GARDE) program is a National Science Foundation (NSF) program that funds engineering-driven research intended to improve the lives of people with disabilities through new technologies.
Is GARDE a new program or a renamed program?
GARDE is essentially a renamed version of the former Research to Aid Persons with Disabilities (RAPD) program. The title changed, but the substance of what the program supports stayed the same.
What kinds of projects does GARDE support?
GARDE supports research that leads to the development of novel devices, technologies, or software that help characterize, restore, or substitute for human functional abilities or cognition, or improve how a person with a disability interacts with their environment.
Are certain research areas emphasized as especially relevant?
Yes. The notice calls out disability-related neuroscience and neuroengineering, as well as rehabilitation robotics, as recent areas of particular relevance.
Is GARDE intended to fund incremental improvements to existing assistive products?
No. A major theme is that NSF is looking for real leaps forward rather than small tweaks. The program is positioned to support discovery and innovation that pushes beyond the current state of the art, not incremental improvements to existing assistive products.
What does NSF mean by "novelty" in this solicitation?
Based on the notice, novelty means clearly going beyond prior work and the current state of the art in a way that advances fundamental engineering and scientific knowledge, not just improving or refining an existing product.
What should proposals say about novelty and impact, and where should that appear?
Proposals should explain what is novel compared to prior work, why that novelty matters to engineering science, and what broader impacts could result for society and/or industry if successful. NSF notes that, at minimum, this novelty-and-impact discussion should appear in the Project Summary.
Does GARDE encourage contacting NSF before submitting?
Yes. Applicants are encouraged to speak with the NSF Program Director before submitting, which signals that program fit and how the work is positioned for novelty are important to clarify early.
What proposal types are supported under GARDE?
The notice describes support for standard research proposals as well as Undergraduate Engineering Design Projects. It also notes that the program considers small equipment proposals under $100,000 (with specific submission-window rules).
What are Undergraduate Engineering Design Projects under GARDE?
These awards are structured to provide undergraduate engineering or engineering technology students with a significant hands-on design experience that directly helps a specific individual with a disability. The expected outcome is typically a prototype custom-designed device or software solution.
Are Undergraduate Engineering Design Projects expected to be rigorous engineering work?
Yes. The notice explicitly states that projects should include appropriate quantitative engineering analysis, not only a build-and-test effort.
Do Undergraduate Engineering Design Projects require a partner institution?
Yes. The principal investigator (PI) and students are expected to collaborate with an outside institution that provides care or education to individuals with disabilities.
What documentation is required from the partner institution for the undergraduate design track?
A letter of support is required from an appropriate administrator at the partner institution. The letter should confirm that the institution and the university will work cooperatively to make the projects happen.
What is the "ten potential design projects" requirement for Undergraduate Engineering Design Projects?
Undergraduate design proposals must include a short description of ten potential design projects that are realistic for a student or small team to complete in about one year.
Is there an expectation that proposed undergraduate design projects will actually be carried out?
Yes. Once funded, the PI must submit an annual report describing the design projects completed in the prior academic year, and the notice states there is an expectation that a high percentage of proposed projects will be implemented each year.
How long do typical GARDE research awards last?
The archived funding details indicate that typical unsolicited research awards run one to three years.
What is the typical funding level for GARDE research awards?
The archived announcement indicates an average annual award size of around $80,000 for typical unsolicited research awards.
Does GARDE support equipment funding?
Yes. The notice states that the program considers small equipment proposals under $100,000.
Are there special timing rules for equipment proposals?
Yes. Small equipment proposals under $100,000 must be submitted during the designated submission windows. Proposals sent outside those windows are returned without review.
How long do Undergraduate Engineering Design Project awards typically last?
The archived funding details indicate these awards typically run three to five years.
What is the typical funding level for Undergraduate Engineering Design Project awards?
The archived announcement indicates an average annual award size of around $25,000.
Are Undergraduate Engineering Design Projects also restricted to submission windows?
Yes. The notice indicates that undergraduate design proposals are bound to the same kind of submission-window enforcement described for other proposal types.
What are the submission windows listed in the opportunity metadata?
The listed submission windows were February 1 to March 1 annually and August 15 to September 15 annually.
What time are proposals due on the deadline date?
Proposals were due by 5 p.m. local time, per the metadata provided.
What happens if a proposal is submitted outside the designated windows?
The notice states that proposals submitted outside the designated submission windows are returned without review (explicitly noted for small equipment proposals under $100,000, and described as similar submission-window enforcement for other proposal types as well).
Is there a pathway for early-career faculty mentioned in the notice?
Yes. The solicitation references NSF CAREER awards as a mechanism early-career faculty can use for aligned disability-related engineering topics.
What duration and timing does the notice mention for NSF CAREER awards?
The notice states CAREER awards run five years, and that Engineering CAREER proposals are generally due in July each year under the separate CAREER process and guidance.
What CFDA number is associated with this program?
The opportunity metadata lists this as a discretionary NSF grant program under CFDA 47.041 (Engineering Grants).
What was the estimated total program funding and expected number of awards in the cited cycle?
The metadata lists an estimated total program funding level of $4.6 million and an expected 38 awards for that cycle.
Who is eligible to apply, based on the metadata provided?
Eligibility is described as unrestricted (open to any type of entity), subject to any clarifications in the full announcement.
Is the announcement described here current or archived?
The specific announcement provided is archived and was replaced by PD 12-5342.
If the announcement is archived, does that affect what applicants should submit to?
Yes. The notice indicates applicants would need to use the current active solicitation for any real submission, even though the program goals and structure described here capture the intent and requirements as presented in this notice.
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