Mentoring Through Critical Transition Points in the Mathematical Sciences | Apply Online

Opportunity Summary:

The National Science Foundation (NSF), through its Division of Mathematical Sciences (DMS), offered the grant opportunity titled "Mentoring Through Critical Transition Points in the Mathematical Sciences" (MCTP) under Funding Opportunity Number NSF 11-542. This program sat within the DMS Workforce program and focused on a long-term workforce objective: increasing the number of well-prepared U.S. citizens, nationals, and permanent residents who go on to careers in the mathematical sciences and in other fields supported by NSF. The central idea behind MCTP was that certain career stages create high-stakes "transition points" where talented people are more likely to leave the pipeline, and that structured, research-centered mentoring at those moments can improve persistence and long-term success.

MCTP specifically supported education through research involvement by funding cohorts of trainees at particular stages of professional development. Rather than supporting isolated individuals in an ad hoc way, the program emphasized cohort-based training and mentoring models, built around authentic research experiences. These cohorts were expected to receive guidance and professional development during identified critical transitions, which typically include moments like moving from undergraduate study into graduate school, progressing through graduate training toward research independence, and transitioning from the PhD stage into postdoctoral positions or early career roles. The intent was to strengthen preparation, confidence, and professional integration at points where mentoring, research exposure, and community support can make the largest difference.

The opportunity was issued as a discretionary grant program in the NSF science and technology research and development category, with CFDA number 47.049 (Mathematical and Physical Sciences). NSF anticipated making about five awards under this solicitation. The estimated total funding available was $5,000,000, with individual award sizes ranging from a floor of $500,000 up to a ceiling of $2,500,000. Cost sharing or matching was not required, which generally means proposers were not expected to commit institutional funds as a condition of eligibility or competitiveness, although strong proposals often describe institutional support in other forms.

Eligibility followed standard NSF proposal policy. The solicitation referenced the categories of proposers listed in the NSF Grant Proposal Guide as eligible to submit. A key participation rule applied to trainees supported with NSF funds: undergraduates, graduate students, and postdoctoral associates supported through the program were required to be U.S. citizens, U.S. nationals, or U.S. permanent residents (including those in U.S. territories and possessions). In contrast, there was no citizenship requirement for Principal Investigators, which is consistent with many NSF programs where the focus is on the eligibility of supported participants rather than the citizenship of faculty leadership.

In terms of timing and status, the opportunity was originally posted on April 23, 2011, with proposal deadlines that included July 20, 2011 and June 5, 2012, and a stated pattern of the first Tuesday in June annually thereafter. The record indicates the opportunity was later archived, with an archive date of April 18, 2014, meaning NSF closed this specific solicitation and it was no longer accepting submissions under that announcement number. For applicants at the time, the full details and requirements were provided in NSF Publication 11-542, which would have contained the complete programmatic expectations, review criteria emphasis, and submission instructions beyond the summary information.

For support and administrative questions, NSF directed applicants who had trouble accessing the announcement through Grants.gov to contact grants.gov support at grantsgovsupport@nsf.gov, with additional NSF contact guidance referenced for linking issues.

Browse more opportunities from the same agency: National Science Foundation

Browse more opportunities from the same category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development

Next opportunity: Mathematical Sciences Postdoctoral Research Fellowships

Previous opportunity: Continental Dynamics

USGrants.org Applicant Portal:

Are you interested in learning about about how to apply for this government funding opportunity? You can create a free applicant account and receive instant access to our applicant portal that many business owners like you have benefited from.

Apply for 11 542

 

[Watch] how do funding administrators access proposals?

Applicants also applied for:

Applicants who have applied for this opportunity (11 542) also looked into and applied for these:

 

Grant application guides and resources

It is always free to apply for government grants. However the process may be very complex depending on the funding opportunity you are applying for. Let us help you!

Apply for Grants

 

 

Premium leads for funding administrators, grant writers, and loan issuers

Thousands of people visit our website for their funding needs every day. When a user creates a grant proposal and files for submission, we pass the information on to funding administrators, grant writers, and government loan issuers.

If you manage government grant programs, provide grant writing services, or issue personal or government loans, we can help you reach your audience.

Subscribe to Leads

 

Request more information:

Would you like to learn more about this funding opportunity, similar opportunities to "11 542", eligibility, application service, and/or application tips? Submit an inquiry below:

Don't forget to subscribe to our grant alerts mailing list to receive weekly alerts on new and updated grant funding opportunities like this one in your email.