Opportunity Information: Apply for PD 04 1260
Apply for PD 04 1260
- The National Science Foundation in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Mathematical Sciences Infrastructure Program" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 47.049 Mathematical and Physical Sciences.
- This funding opportunity was created on Feb 13, 2015 and posted on Apr 19, 2004.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Proposals accepted anytime. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- 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 Mathematical Sciences Infrastructure Program is a National Science Foundation (NSF) grant opportunity within the Division of Mathematical Sciences (DMS) designed to strengthen and sustain the overall health of the U.S. mathematical sciences research community. Rather than focusing on narrowly defined projects in a single specialty, it is aimed at efforts that benefit the broader community, especially initiatives that cut across multiple mathematical subdisciplines or connect different parts of the research ecosystem. The underlying idea is to support shared infrastructure in the community sense: activities, structures, and programs that help mathematics research thrive at scale, spread effective practices, and create durable value beyond a single institution or research group.
The program funds a range of community-oriented activities. A core category includes working research sessions such as conferences, symposia, and similar gatherings where researchers actively collaborate, exchange methods, and accelerate progress on important topics. Beyond events, the program also supports larger, more coordinated initiatives intended to enhance and develop the mathematical sciences at a national level. These larger projects might involve building partnerships among institutions, developing community resources, launching new collaborative networks, or piloting approaches that can later be adopted broadly. The emphasis is consistently on projects that can produce outsized impact relative to their scope by improving how the community collaborates, trains, and advances research.
In addition to community infrastructure and convenings, the program may support a limited number of unsolicited training projects at the undergraduate, graduate, or postdoctoral level, as long as the training includes a core mathematical sciences research component for the participants. These training efforts are expected to be research-centered, not just instructional, and should be framed as infrastructure that strengthens the pipeline and research capacity of the community. At the same time, NSF is clear that if a proposed training activity fits more naturally within other DMS training-focused programs, applicants should use those targeted solicitations instead. Examples specifically referenced include DMS Workforce Program opportunities such as Research Training Groups (RTG), Mathematical Sciences Postdoctoral Research Fellowships, Enriched Doctoral Training, and Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) Sites. In practice, this means the Infrastructure Program is not intended to be a default home for standard training proposals when a more appropriate DMS mechanism exists.
A strong proposal is expected to be explicit, concrete, and evaluable. Applicants must clearly lay out the goals of the project, describe the specific new activities that will be conducted, and explain how those activities directly advance the stated goals. NSF also expects applicants to distinguish what is new or improved: proposals should explain how the planned work differs from common practice or meaningfully enhances what is typically done in the community. The program places weight on measurable outcomes, so applicants should identify what success will look like in observable terms (for example, participation outcomes, new collaborations formed, products created, or community resources deployed). Equally important is a thoughtful evaluation plan, including specific methods to assess progress toward goals and to evaluate the success of the activities. Finally, the budget must be appropriate and well-matched to the proposed scope, with costs justified by the activity design rather than being generic or inflated.
The program is open to a broad set of applicants, described as unrestricted eligibility (subject to any additional clarifications in the full program text). It is offered as a discretionary grant program under the NSF funding activity category of science and technology and other research and development, associated with CFDA 47.049 (Mathematical and Physical Sciences). There is no cost sharing or matching requirement. A practical feature of this opportunity is that it accepts proposals year-round with no fixed submission deadlines, which can be helpful for community groups planning around conference schedules or multi-institution coordination timelines.
Administratively, this opportunity is identified as Funding Opportunity Number PD 04 1260 and is administered by the National Science Foundation. For access issues related to the announcement through Grants.gov, the listed support contact is grantsgovsupport@nsf.gov, and the opportunity references an NSF program description link for further details. Overall, the program is best understood as a mechanism to fund high-leverage, community-wide mathematical sciences efforts that advance collaboration, broaden participation, build partnerships, and generate models that others can replicate.
Mathematical Sciences Infrastructure Program (NSF DMS) FAQs
1) What is the Mathematical Sciences Infrastructure Program?
The Mathematical Sciences Infrastructure Program is a National Science Foundation (NSF) funding opportunity within the Division of Mathematical Sciences (DMS). It is designed to strengthen and sustain the overall health of the U.S. mathematical sciences research community by supporting shared, community-oriented infrastructure rather than narrowly focused research projects in a single specialty.
2) What does "infrastructure" mean in this program?
In this context, "infrastructure" refers to community-level activities, structures, and programs that help mathematics research thrive at scale. The goal is to support efforts that spread effective practices, strengthen collaboration across the field, and create durable value beyond a single institution or research group.
3) What types of projects are a good fit for this program?
Projects are a strong fit when they benefit the broader mathematical sciences community, especially initiatives that cut across multiple mathematical subdisciplines or connect different parts of the research ecosystem. The program emphasizes high-leverage efforts that improve how the community collaborates, trains, and advances research.
4) Does the program fund conferences or similar convenings?
Yes. A core category of support includes working research sessions such as conferences, symposia, and similar gatherings where researchers actively collaborate, exchange methods, and accelerate progress on important topics.
5) Beyond events, what larger initiatives can be supported?
The program supports larger, more coordinated initiatives intended to enhance and develop the mathematical sciences at a national level. Examples described include building partnerships among institutions, developing community resources, launching new collaborative networks, or piloting approaches that can later be adopted broadly.
6) Is the program focused on one subfield of mathematics at a time?
No. Rather than focusing on narrowly defined projects in a single specialty, the program is aimed at efforts that benefit the broader community, particularly those that cross subdisciplines or connect multiple parts of the research ecosystem.
7) Can training activities be funded through this program?
Yes, the program may support a limited number of unsolicited training projects at the undergraduate, graduate, or postdoctoral level, as long as the training includes a core mathematical sciences research component for participants.
8) What kind of training does NSF expect if training is proposed?
Training efforts are expected to be research-centered, not just instructional. They should be framed as infrastructure that strengthens the pipeline and research capacity of the broader mathematical sciences community.
9) When should applicants use other DMS training-focused programs instead?
NSF indicates that if a proposed training activity fits more naturally within other DMS training-focused programs, applicants should use those targeted solicitations instead of this Infrastructure Program.
10) Which other DMS training mechanisms are specifically referenced as examples?
The opportunity specifically references DMS Workforce Program opportunities such as Research Training Groups (RTG), Mathematical Sciences Postdoctoral Research Fellowships, Enriched Doctoral Training, and Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) Sites.
11) What makes a proposal "strong" for this program?
A strong proposal is explicit, concrete, and evaluable. NSF expects applicants to clearly state project goals, describe the specific new activities that will be conducted, and explain how those activities directly advance the stated goals.
12) Does NSF expect applicants to explain what is new or improved?
Yes. Proposals should distinguish what is new or improved by explaining how the planned work differs from common practice or meaningfully enhances what is typically done in the community.
13) What kinds of outcomes should applicants describe?
The program places weight on measurable outcomes. Applicants should describe what success will look like in observable terms, such as participation outcomes, new collaborations formed, products created, or community resources deployed.
14) Is an evaluation plan required?
The program emphasizes a thoughtful evaluation plan, including specific methods to assess progress toward goals and to evaluate the success of the proposed activities.
15) How should the budget be approached?
The budget is expected to be appropriate and well-matched to the proposed scope. Costs should be justified by the activity design rather than being generic or inflated.
16) Who is eligible to apply?
The opportunity is described as having unrestricted eligibility, subject to any additional clarifications in the full program text.
17) Is cost sharing or matching required?
No. The opportunity states that there is no cost sharing or matching requirement.
18) Are there fixed submission deadlines?
No. The program accepts proposals year-round with no fixed submission deadlines, which can help community groups plan around conference schedules or multi-institution coordination timelines.
19) What is the Funding Opportunity Number for this program?
The opportunity is identified as Funding Opportunity Number PD 04 1260.
20) Which agency administers this opportunity?
This opportunity is administered by the National Science Foundation (NSF).
21) What is the CFDA number associated with this opportunity?
The opportunity is associated with CFDA 47.049 (Mathematical and Physical Sciences).
22) What is the NSF funding activity category for this program?
It is offered as a discretionary grant program under the NSF funding activity category of science and technology and other research and development.
23) What is the stated overall purpose or impact goal of the program?
Overall, the program aims to fund high-leverage, community-wide mathematical sciences efforts that advance collaboration, broaden participation, build partnerships, and generate models that others can replicate.
24) Who should be contacted for Grants.gov access issues related to the announcement?
For access issues related to the announcement through Grants.gov, the listed support contact is grantsgovsupport@nsf.gov.
25) Where can applicants find additional program details?
The opportunity references an NSF program description link for further details.
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