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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the NSF Law and Social Science Program?

The National Science Foundation (NSF) Law and Social Science Program funds social science research that explains how law and law-like systems work in practice. The emphasis is on building fundamental, evidence-based knowledge about legal rules, institutions, decision-making processes, and the behavior of people and organizations operating within legal systems.

What kinds of research does this program support?

The program supports research that advances scientific understanding of law and legal processes. Projects are expected to move beyond purely descriptive or doctrinal legal analysis and instead contribute to evidence-based explanations of how legal structures shape human behavior and interactions, and how legal institutions develop and change over time.

What does NSF mean by focusing on how law works "in practice"?

Based on the program description, NSF is looking for studies that examine how legal rules and institutions operate in real-world settings, including how decisions are made by legal actors and how individuals and organizations respond to legal systems. The focus is on observable processes and outcomes rather than legal interpretation alone.

Are purely descriptive or doctrinal legal analyses appropriate for this opportunity?

No. The program description indicates projects are expected to go beyond purely descriptive or doctrinal legal analysis. Proposals should make a clear contribution to scientific understanding of law and legal processes, grounded in evidence and social science research.

How broad is the program scope?

The program describes an "open window" for a wide range of theories, research designs, data sources, and research settings. This signals broad topical and methodological flexibility, as long as the work advances fundamental knowledge about law in context.

What topics has the program recently supported?

Examples of topics noted in the description include social control, causes of crime, violence and victimization, legal and social change, discretionary decision-making by legal actors, procedural justice, compliance and deterrence, and regulatory enforcement.

Does the program support both micro-level and macro-level research questions?

Yes. The description explicitly signals interest in both micro-level questions (such as decision-making by judges, police, regulators, or citizens) and macro-level questions (such as how legal institutions evolve and what consequences follow from reforms or shifts in enforcement).

Do projects need to be international or comparative?

No. The program encourages work that recognizes increasing interdependence of legal systems worldwide and welcomes proposals examining cross-border interactions and diffusion, but it also states that research does not have to be international in design. Studies may be situated within one country, compare multiple nations, or examine interactions across legal regimes, as long as they advance fundamental understanding of law in context.

What kinds of cross-border or transnational research are encouraged?

The description highlights interest in legal interactions and diffusion across borders, including transnational regulatory processes, comparative legal institutional analysis, and research on how international and cross-border phenomena influence national and local legal systems and cultures (and vice versa).

What proposal types are accepted under this opportunity?

NSF accepts multiple proposal types under this opportunity, not only standard research proposals. The description lists full research projects, planning grants, travel support requests intended to lay groundwork for future research collaborations or data collection, and proposals aimed at improving doctoral dissertation research (often referred to as Doctoral Dissertation Improvement Grants, with program-specific guidance referenced in NSF materials).

Are graduate students or dissertation researchers included?

Yes. The description notes proposals aimed at improving doctoral dissertation research (Doctoral Dissertation Improvement Grants) and indicates the opportunity is relevant both to established research teams and to graduate researchers developing dissertation projects. Specific instructions are referenced as being in NSF materials.

How are proposals reviewed?

The review process is described as involving ad hoc expert reviewers drawn from the social science community, followed by consideration by an advisory panel that meets twice per year.

How long does the review process take?

The review timeline is described as about six months.

When are proposals due?

NSF uses target submission dates rather than a single hard deadline. The target dates described are January 15 (with a goal of funding as early as July) and August 15 (with a goal of funding in or after January). These target dates repeat annually.

Are the submission dates hard deadlines?

Not according to the description provided. It states NSF uses target submission dates rather than a single hard deadline, and it lists January 15 and August 15 as the repeating target dates.

When might funding decisions be made relative to the target dates?

The description indicates that a January 15 target date has a goal of funding as early as July, and an August 15 target date has a goal of funding in or after January. A review timeline of about six months is also noted.

Who is the sponsor for this opportunity?

The sponsor is the National Science Foundation (NSF).

What is the activity category and CFDA number listed for this opportunity?

The activity category is listed as Science and Technology and other Research and Development under CFDA 47.075 (Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences).

What is the funding instrument type?

The listed funding instrument type is a cooperative agreement.

Is cost sharing required?

No. The description states that cost sharing is not required.

Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility is described as unrestricted (open to any type of entity), subject to any additional eligibility language in the full announcement.

Is this listing current?

No. The provided record indicates the specific listing is historical. It references an original target date of August 15, 2009, notes that later target dates continued annually, and states the listing was archived on December 9, 2011 and replaced by another NSF announcement.

What should applicants do given that this record is archived?

Applicants are advised (per the description) to consult the current NSF Law and Social Science program solicitation and any related cross-directorate activity pages for up-to-date submission requirements, award information, and dissertation improvement grant instructions.