Opportunity Information: Apply for 10 563
Apply for 10 563
- The National Science Foundation in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Instrument Development for Biological Research" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 47.074 Biological Sciences.
- This funding opportunity was created on Nov 5, 2012 and posted on May 10, 2010.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jul 26, 2013 Full Proposal Deadline(s) Last Friday in July, Annually. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $3,000,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 12 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
- Organization Limit Proposals may only be submitted by the following Non profit, non academic organizations Independent museums, observatories, research labs, professional societies and similar organizations in the U.S. associated with educational or research activities. Universities and Colleges Universities and two and four year colleges (including community colleges) accredited in, and having a campus located in the US, acting on behalf of their faculty members. Such organizations also are referred to as academic institutions. Consortia of only the eligible organizations listed here. Separately submitted collaborative proposals from the eligible organizations will also be accepted. Organizations ineligible to submit to this program solicitation may not receive subawards. PI LimitNone specified
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Opportunity Summary:
The National Science Foundation (NSF) Instrument Development for Biological Research (IDBR) program is a discretionary grant opportunity in the Biological Sciences (CFDA 47.074) that funds the creation and maturation of research instrumentation needed by the biology community. Its central purpose is to support the development of tools that enable biologists to ask questions they cannot currently address, either because the necessary measurements cannot be made at all or because existing technologies are too limited in performance, cost, usability, or accessibility. The program is tied to areas supported by NSF Biology programs and is focused on instrumentation as a driver of new biological discovery, not simply on purchasing equipment for a single lab.
IDBR accepts two proposal tracks. The first track, Innovation Proposals, targets truly new or transformative instruments. Proposals in this category should either enable fundamentally new kinds of biological measurements or demonstrate a major leap over existing approaches, typically described as at least an order-of-magnitude improvement in core capabilities. Examples of the kinds of improvements NSF is looking for include big gains in accuracy, precision, resolution, throughput, flexibility, breadth of application, lower construction or operating cost, and improved user friendliness. In practice, this track is meant for high-risk, high-reward engineering and design work that can reset what is technically possible for biological research.
The second track, Bridging Proposals, is aimed at moving advanced, often "one-of-a-kind" prototypes or specialized high-end instruments toward broad availability. The focus here is not inventing from scratch, but transforming an already-demonstrated capability into a device that many researchers can realistically use without sacrificing performance. Bridging proposals are expected to include a credible plan for dissemination, because the outcome should be a system that benefits a large user community through wide distribution. NSF notes that investigators may need to pursue SBIR, STTR, or similar mechanisms after an IDBR award if the next step is commercialization or scaling up manufacturing and distribution.
The program draws clear boundaries around what it will not fund. IDBR does not support proposals that primarily request access to an instrument housed in a user facility or proposals centered on obtaining data collected by such an instrument; those belong in other NSF programs or other agencies. It also does not fund projects whose main goal is to enhance research capabilities for a single laboratory, institution, center, or consortium, because IDBR is intended to produce instrumentation with broad, community-level impact. Likewise, proposals focused only on methods, assays, or software are not eligible unless those components are directly part of the instrument development and testing itself (for example, software embedded in the device that is necessary to operate it or validate its performance).
Collaboration is a major theme in the solicitation. Interdisciplinary teams are strongly encouraged, reflecting the reality that impactful instrument development typically requires biology expertise alongside engineering, physics, computation, or other technical fields. Partnerships with U.S. industry are also encouraged, particularly when they strengthen knowledge transfer, improve manufacturability, support commercialization pathways, and ultimately help the resulting technology reach and serve a broad research community.
All proposals are reviewed using NSF's standard merit review criteria, but IDBR adds program-specific considerations depending on proposal type. For Innovation Proposals, reviewers look closely at the demonstrated need in biological research, the potential impact on the field, the novelty of the device (or a clear case for order-of-magnitude improvement over what is already available), and whether the technical plan is feasible. For Bridging Proposals, reviewers emphasize the size and importance of the potential user community, the strength of evidence that the broader community needs the instrument, the soundness of the technical plan for making the instrument broadly usable, and the quality and realism of the dissemination plan.
From an administrative standpoint, this opportunity is offered as a grant, with no cost-sharing or matching requirement listed. The solicitation indicates an estimated total funding level of about $3,000,000 and an expectation of roughly 12 awards. Full proposals are due annually on the last Friday in July (with historical dates shown in the notice, including an original closing date of August 27, 2010 and subsequent annual deadlines). Eligible applicants include U.S. accredited universities and colleges (including community colleges), certain U.S. non-profit and non-academic organizations associated with education or research (such as independent museums, observatories, research labs, and professional societies), and consortia made up only of these eligible organization types. The solicitation also states that organizations ineligible to submit may not receive subawards, and it does not specify a limit on the number of principal investigators.
Overall, IDBR is designed for teams that can show a well-documented biological research need, propose an instrument that either breaks new ground or dramatically improves performance, and, especially for bridging efforts, demonstrate a believable pathway to making the resulting technology broadly accessible to the research community rather than concentrated in one location or one group.
NSF Instrument Development for Biological Research (IDBR) Program FAQs
What is the NSF Instrument Development for Biological Research (IDBR) program?
IDBR is a discretionary grant opportunity within the National Science Foundation (NSF) Biological Sciences directorate (CFDA 47.074). It supports the creation and maturation of research instrumentation needed by the biology community, with an emphasis on tools that can enable new biological measurements or significantly improve existing measurement capabilities.
What is the central goal of IDBR funding?
The central purpose is to develop instruments that let biologists ask questions they cannot currently address, either because required measurements cannot be made at all or because current technologies are too limited in performance, cost, usability, or accessibility.
Does IDBR fund the purchase of equipment for a single lab?
No. IDBR is focused on instrumentation as a driver of new biological discovery and broad community impact. It is not intended simply to buy equipment for a single laboratory or primarily enhance capabilities for one lab, institution, center, or consortium.
What types of proposals does IDBR accept?
IDBR accepts two proposal tracks: Innovation Proposals and Bridging Proposals.
What is an Innovation Proposal under IDBR?
Innovation Proposals target truly new or transformative instruments. They should either enable fundamentally new kinds of biological measurements or demonstrate a major leap over existing approaches, typically described as at least an order-of-magnitude improvement in core capabilities. This track is often high-risk, high-reward engineering and design work.
What kinds of improvements qualify as "transformative" for Innovation Proposals?
Examples include major gains in accuracy, precision, resolution, throughput, flexibility, breadth of application, reduced construction or operating cost, and improved user friendliness. The program description indicates that improvements are typically framed as at least an order-of-magnitude jump in key capabilities.
What is a Bridging Proposal under IDBR?
Bridging Proposals are aimed at moving advanced, often one-of-a-kind prototypes or specialized high-end instruments toward broad availability. The emphasis is on transforming an already-demonstrated capability into a device that many researchers can realistically use without sacrificing performance.
What is the key expectation for Bridging Proposals?
A credible dissemination plan is expected. The intended outcome is a system that benefits a large user community through wide distribution, rather than remaining limited to a single specialized site or team.
Is commercialization required as part of an IDBR Bridging Proposal?
The solicitation notes that investigators may need to pursue SBIR, STTR, or similar mechanisms after an IDBR award if the next step is commercialization or scaling up manufacturing and distribution. This indicates that IDBR may support readiness toward broad use, while later-stage commercialization may rely on other programs.
What kinds of projects are explicitly not supported by IDBR?
IDBR does not support proposals that primarily request access to an instrument housed in a user facility, or proposals centered on obtaining data collected by such an instrument. It also does not support projects whose main goal is to enhance research capabilities for a single laboratory, institution, center, or consortium.
Can a proposal focus only on software, methods, or assays?
Not by itself. Proposals focused only on methods, assays, or software are not eligible unless those components are directly part of the instrument development and testing (for example, software embedded in the device that is necessary to operate it or validate its performance).
How does IDBR view collaboration and interdisciplinary teams?
Collaboration is strongly encouraged. The solicitation emphasizes that impactful instrument development typically requires biology expertise along with engineering, physics, computation, or other technical fields, so interdisciplinary teams are a major theme of the program.
Are partnerships with U.S. industry allowed or encouraged?
Yes. Partnerships with U.S. industry are encouraged, especially when they support knowledge transfer, improve manufacturability, strengthen commercialization pathways, and help the resulting technology reach and serve a broad research community.
How are IDBR proposals reviewed?
All proposals are reviewed using NSF's standard merit review criteria. In addition, IDBR applies program-specific considerations that depend on whether a proposal is submitted as an Innovation Proposal or a Bridging Proposal.
What additional factors are emphasized for Innovation Proposal reviews?
For Innovation Proposals, reviewers focus on the demonstrated biological research need, the potential impact on the field, the novelty of the device (or a clear case for order-of-magnitude improvement over current options), and the feasibility of the technical plan.
What additional factors are emphasized for Bridging Proposal reviews?
For Bridging Proposals, reviewers emphasize the size and importance of the potential user community, evidence that the broader community needs the instrument, the soundness of the plan to make the instrument broadly usable, and the quality and realism of the dissemination plan.
What type of funding mechanism is IDBR?
IDBR is offered as a grant.
Is cost-sharing or matching required?
No cost-sharing or matching requirement is listed in the solicitation summary provided.
How much total funding is expected to be available?
The solicitation indicates an estimated total funding level of about $3,000,000.
How many awards does NSF expect to make through IDBR?
The solicitation indicates an expectation of roughly 12 awards.
When are full proposals due?
Full proposals are due annually on the last Friday in July. The notice references historical dates, including an original closing date of August 27, 2010, and subsequent annual deadlines.
Which organizations are eligible to apply?
Eligible applicants include U.S. accredited universities and colleges (including community colleges), certain U.S. non-profit and non-academic organizations associated with education or research (such as independent museums, observatories, research laboratories, and professional societies), and consortia made up only of these eligible organization types.
Can ineligible organizations receive subawards under an IDBR proposal?
No. The solicitation states that organizations ineligible to submit may not receive subawards.
Is there a limit on the number of principal investigators (PIs)?
The solicitation does not specify a limit on the number of principal investigators.
How does IDBR define the intended impact of the instrument?
IDBR is designed for instrumentation with broad, community-level impact. The program emphasizes tools that expand what can be measured in biology or that dramatically improve key capabilities, and (especially for bridging efforts) a believable pathway to broad accessibility rather than concentration in one location or one group.
What kinds of biological research areas does IDBR relate to?
The program is tied to areas supported by NSF Biology programs and frames instrumentation development as a driver of new biological discovery within those areas.
Can a proposal be primarily about using a shared facility instrument to collect data?
No. Proposals that primarily request access to an instrument housed in a user facility, or that center on obtaining data collected by such an instrument, are described as belonging in other NSF programs or other agencies rather than IDBR.
What is the difference between "inventing" and "bridging" in the context of IDBR?
Innovation Proposals focus on creating truly new or transformative instruments (or achieving order-of-magnitude improvements). Bridging Proposals focus on taking an already-demonstrated, advanced capability and making it broadly usable and widely distributed, with a strong emphasis on dissemination.
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