Opportunity Information: Apply for 12 507
Apply for 12 507
- The National Science Foundation in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Law Social Sciences" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 47.075 Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences.
- This funding opportunity was created on Dec 17, 2014 and posted on Oct 27, 2011.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Opportunity has been archived.. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $5,000,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 75 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 Organization limit varies by the mode of support Standard Research Grants and Grants for Collaborative Research No limitations (see the GPG for categories of proposers eligible to submit proposals to NSF). Interdisciplinary Postdoctoral Fellowships US Academic Institutions. Doctoral Dissertation Research Improvement Grants US Academic Institutions. Conference and Workshop Support No limitations (see the GPG for categories of proposers eligible to submit proposals to NSF). See Section II. Program Description for detailed information about each mode of support. PI Limit PI eligibility limit varies by the mode of support. See Section II. Program Description for detailed information about each mode of support.
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Opportunity Summary:
The National Science Foundation (NSF) Law and Social Sciences (LSS) Program is a discretionary research funding opportunity focused on social scientific studies of law and law-like rule systems. It supports research that treats law not simply as written doctrine, but as a living social institution that is created, interpreted, and enforced across multiple settings by many different actors. The program is explicitly interdisciplinary and multi-method, and it looks for projects that use rigorous social science approaches to explain how legal processes shape human behavior and, in turn, how people and institutions shape legal outcomes. Competitive proposals are expected to advance scientific theory and strengthen evidence-based understanding of the relationship between law, legal decision-making, and broader social life.
LSS has a broad topical reach and welcomes proposals grounded in many disciplines across the social sciences. Examples of research areas mentioned in the solicitation include crime, violence, and punishment; economic issues linked to legal rules and enforcement; governance and institutional design; legal decision-making by judges, juries, regulators, or other authorities; legal mobilization and public conceptions of justice; and the roles of litigation and the legal profession. In practice, this can include studies of how laws are applied on the ground, how individuals and groups respond to legal incentives or constraints, how disputes arise and are resolved, and how legitimacy, compliance, and perceptions of fairness develop within communities. The program also recognizes that legal systems operate in multiple arenas, so research can examine formal institutions like courts and legislatures as well as informal or quasi-legal systems of rules and norms.
The opportunity provides several different modes of support, allowing applicants to match the funding mechanism to the stage and structure of the work. These include standard research grants and collaborative research grants for single-investigator or multi-team projects; Doctoral Dissertation Research Improvement Grants (DDRIGs) to strengthen dissertation research through added data collection or research expenses; interdisciplinary postdoctoral fellowships hosted by US academic institutions; and support for workshops and conferences that can help build fields, coordinate research agendas, or disseminate emerging findings. The funding instrument listed is a cooperative agreement, and the activity category is science and technology and other research and development under CFDA 47.075 (Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences). The estimated total funding for the solicitation was $5,000,000, with an expected 75 awards, and there is no cost-sharing or matching requirement noted.
Eligibility depends on the specific mode of support. Standard and collaborative research proposals, as well as conference and workshop proposals, have no special organizational limits beyond the general NSF eligibility rules described in the NSF Grant Proposal Guide (GPG). By contrast, interdisciplinary postdoctoral fellowships and dissertation improvement grants must be submitted by US academic institutions. The solicitation also notes that PI eligibility limits vary by support type, and applicants are directed to the program description section for the details that govern each track.
As an administrative matter, this particular solicitation (NSF Publication 12-507; Funding Opportunity Number 12-507) was originally posted on October 27, 2011, had multiple target dates starting January 24, 2012 (with later target dates listed in subsequent cycles), and was later archived on December 17, 2014. While it is no longer open in this archived form, the summary reflects the core purpose and structure of the LSS program as described in the announcement. For access issues related to the full announcement, the notice directs applicants to NSF grants.gov support at grantsgovsupport@nsf.gov.
FAQs: NSF Law and Social Sciences (LSS) Program (Archived Solicitation 12-507)
1) What is the NSF Law and Social Sciences (LSS) Program?
The NSF Law and Social Sciences (LSS) Program is a discretionary research funding opportunity that supports social scientific studies of law and law-like rule systems. It funds research that treats law as a living social institution that is created, interpreted, and enforced across multiple settings by many different actors.
2) What kinds of questions or research themes does LSS support?
LSS supports projects that use rigorous social science approaches to explain how legal processes shape human behavior and how people and institutions shape legal outcomes. Competitive proposals are expected to advance scientific theory and strengthen evidence-based understanding of the relationship between law, legal decision-making, and broader social life.
3) Does the program focus only on written legal doctrine?
No. The program explicitly emphasizes research that does not treat law only as written doctrine. Instead, it supports studies that examine law in action as a social institution, including how it is applied, interpreted, and enforced in real-world contexts.
4) Is the LSS Program interdisciplinary?
Yes. The program is explicitly interdisciplinary and multi-method. It welcomes proposals grounded in many disciplines across the social sciences and supports a wide range of methodological approaches, as long as they are rigorous and aligned with the program's goals.
5) What are examples of topics mentioned in the solicitation?
Examples of research areas mentioned include:
- Crime, violence, and punishment
- Economic issues linked to legal rules and enforcement
- Governance and institutional design
- Legal decision-making by judges, juries, regulators, or other authorities
- Legal mobilization and public conceptions of justice
- The roles of litigation and the legal profession
6) Can LSS projects examine how laws work on the ground?
Yes. The program description explicitly includes research on how laws are applied in practice, how disputes arise and are resolved, and how individuals and groups respond to legal incentives or constraints.
7) Can projects address perceptions of fairness, legitimacy, and compliance?
Yes. The program notes that studies may examine how legitimacy, compliance, and perceptions of fairness develop within communities.
8) Does the program allow research on informal or quasi-legal systems?
Yes. The program recognizes that legal systems operate in multiple arenas, and it allows research that examines formal institutions (like courts and legislatures) as well as informal or quasi-legal systems of rules and norms.
9) What types of funding mechanisms or support modes are offered?
The solicitation describes several support modes, including:
- Standard research grants (single-investigator or team-based)
- Collaborative research grants (multi-team projects)
- Doctoral Dissertation Research Improvement Grants (DDRIGs)
- Interdisciplinary postdoctoral fellowships hosted by U.S. academic institutions
- Support for workshops and conferences
10) What are standard and collaborative research grants intended for?
Standard and collaborative research grants support research projects that advance scientific theory and evidence-based understanding of law and legal processes. Collaborative grants are positioned for projects involving multiple teams.
11) What is a Doctoral Dissertation Research Improvement Grant (DDRIG) in this program?
In this solicitation, DDRIGs are described as grants intended to strengthen dissertation research through added data collection or research expenses.
12) What are the interdisciplinary postdoctoral fellowships?
The solicitation includes interdisciplinary postdoctoral fellowships that are hosted by U.S. academic institutions, supporting postdoctoral research aligned with the program's interdisciplinary and multi-method focus.
13) Does LSS fund workshops or conferences?
Yes. The program includes support for workshops and conferences that can help build fields, coordinate research agendas, or disseminate emerging findings.
14) What is the listed funding instrument for this opportunity?
The funding instrument listed in the solicitation is a cooperative agreement.
15) What is the CFDA number and activity category associated with this solicitation?
The activity category is Science and Technology and other Research and Development under CFDA 47.075 (Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences).
16) How much funding was estimated for the solicitation, and how many awards were expected?
The solicitation estimated total funding of $5,000,000 and anticipated approximately 75 awards.
17) Is cost sharing or matching required?
No. The solicitation notes no cost-sharing or matching requirement.
18) Who is eligible to apply for standard and collaborative research grants and for conference/workshop proposals?
According to the solicitation summary, standard and collaborative research proposals and conference/workshop proposals have no special organizational limits beyond the general NSF eligibility rules described in the NSF Grant Proposal Guide (GPG).
19) Are there special eligibility requirements for DDRIGs and interdisciplinary postdoctoral fellowships?
Yes. The solicitation states that interdisciplinary postdoctoral fellowships and dissertation improvement grants must be submitted by U.S. academic institutions.
20) Do PI eligibility rules differ depending on the support type?
Yes. The solicitation indicates that PI eligibility limits vary by support type and directs applicants to the program description section for the specific rules governing each track.
21) What is the Funding Opportunity Number and NSF publication number for this announcement?
This announcement is identified as NSF Publication 12-507 and Funding Opportunity Number 12-507.
22) When was this solicitation posted, and what were the target dates?
The solicitation was originally posted on October 27, 2011. It had multiple target dates starting January 24, 2012, with later target dates listed in subsequent cycles.
23) Is this solicitation currently open for applications?
No. The solicitation was later archived on December 17, 2014, and is described as no longer open in this archived form.
24) If the solicitation is archived, why is it still useful?
The summary indicates that, although the archived version is no longer open, it reflects the core purpose and structure of the LSS program as described in the announcement.
25) Where can applicants get help if they have trouble accessing the full announcement?
For access issues related to the full announcement, the notice directs applicants to NSF grants.gov support at grantsgovsupport@nsf.gov.
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