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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the NSF Human Origins competition (HOMINID)?

The NSF Human Origins competition, also referred to as Human Origins Moving In New Directions (HOMINID), is a discretionary grant opportunity intended to push research on human evolution beyond what typical single-investigator, short-term awards can support. It is designed to enable larger, longer-term, collaborative efforts.

What is the main goal of the HOMINID program?

The central aim is to deepen scientific understanding of how biological, physical, and behavioral factors interacted over time to produce Homo sapiens. The program also seeks to improve understanding of how evolutionary pathways help explain both common traits shared across humanity and the diversity observed among living human populations.

What kinds of research approaches does HOMINID emphasize?

HOMINID emphasizes integrative, cross-disciplinary research. A core premise is that major questions about human origins cannot be answered from a single discipline or one type of data; progress depends on connecting evidence across different timescales and geographic regions.

What types of projects can be funded through HOMINID?

The competition supports ambitious long-term collaborative research programs as well as infrastructure development. Infrastructure can be supported either as a standalone project or as a component embedded within a broader research proposal.

What does NSF mean by "infrastructure development" in this program?

Based on the opportunity description, infrastructure can include efforts that enable transformative discoveries such as new shared resources, coordinated field and laboratory efforts, long-duration data collection, and improved systems for managing and integrating complex datasets.

Can a proposal focus only on infrastructure, without a large research project?

Yes. The opportunity description indicates that infrastructure can be funded either as a standalone project or embedded within a broader research proposal.

How much funding can an applicant request?

Projects may request up to $500,000 per year for up to five years.

What is the maximum project duration?

The opportunity allows funding for up to five years.

How many awards did NSF expect to make each year?

NSF anticipated making about two awards each fiscal year, contingent on the availability of funds.

What was the estimated total annual funding for the program?

The estimated total annual funding noted in the opportunity materials is $1,000,000.

What kind of award is this (contract, cooperative agreement, grant, etc.)?

The funding instrument is a grant.

Is cost sharing or matching required?

No. The opportunity states there is no cost-sharing or matching requirement.

Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility is described as unrestricted, meaning proposals could come from a wide range of applicant types, subject to any specific clarifications provided in the full solicitation text.

Which NSF area administers this opportunity?

Administratively, the opportunity falls under NSF's Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences umbrella (CFDA 47.075) and is categorized as Science and Technology and other Research and Development.

What is CFDA 47.075 in the context of this opportunity?

The opportunity identifies CFDA 47.075 as the program listing associated with NSF's Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences umbrella for this grant opportunity.

Why does the program emphasize collaboration and long-term work?

The competition is structured to enable long-term, collaborative projects because transformative discoveries may require coordinated field and laboratory efforts, long-duration data collection, shared resources, and systems to integrate complex datasets. The program is explicitly designed to go beyond what typical short-term, single-investigator awards can support.

Does NSF intend the funded projects to relate to one another?

Yes. The program aims to build a balanced portfolio of awards representing multiple approaches to understanding human origins, with the expectation that projects funded in a given period will complement one another and be more informative when considered together.

When was this opportunity originally posted?

The original posting date listed is December 11, 2008.

What were the proposal deadlines listed for this opportunity?

Full proposal deadlines were listed for March 13, 2009 and February 22, 2010, and then the last Monday in February annually thereafter.

Is this opportunity still active?

The record provided indicates the opportunity is now archived, with an archive date of April 6, 2010.

Where can applicants find the full official solicitation details?

NSF referenced its solicitation document NSF Publication 09-521 for full details.

What should an applicant do if they have trouble accessing the opportunity through Grants.gov?

For access issues, applicants were directed to NSF's grants.gov support channel.