Opportunity Information: Apply for 09 505

  • The National Science Foundation in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Partnerships for International Research and Education (PIRE)" and is now available to receive applicants.
  • Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 47.041 Engineering Grants 47.049 Mathematical and Physical Sciences 47.050 Geosciences 47.070 Computer and Information Science and Engineering 47.074 Biological Sciences 47.075 Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences 47.076 Education and Human Resources 47.078 Polar Programs 47.079 Office of International Science and Engineering 47.080 Office of Cyberinfrastructure.
  • This funding opportunity was created on Mar 3, 2009 and posted on Nov 12, 2008.
  • Applicants must submit their applications by Aug 4, 2009 Preliminary Proposal Due Date(s) (required) (due by 5 p.m. proposers local time) February 26, 2009 Preliminary Proposal Deadline Full Proposal Deadline(s) August 04, 2009 BY INVITATION ONLY. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
  • The funding agency has allocated a total of $40,000,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
  • The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 20 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 Universities that granted one (1) or more Ph. D. in a science or engineering field since January 1, 2006, accredited in, and having a campus located in the U.S. Data on science and engineering Ph. D. production is available from a hrefhttp://www.nsf.gov/od/oise/pire 2006 se docs by inst.xlsThe Survey of Earned Doctorates for 2006/a. Institutions that are not on this list but that have granted one (1) or more Ph. D. in a science or engineering field since 2006 should contact PIRE Program staff regarding eligibility. PI Limit None specified.
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Opportunity Summary:

The Partnerships for International Research and Education (PIRE) program is a National Science Foundation grant opportunity designed to push U.S. science and engineering toward deeper, more effective international collaboration. The core idea is that many of the most important research problems now depend on teams that span countries, disciplines, and cultures, and the U.S. research community needs stronger structures and experiences to work successfully in that environment. PIRE therefore funds ambitious, forward-looking research projects that are explicitly built around international partnerships, where both U.S. and non-U.S. collaborators bring distinct, necessary strengths to the work. Alongside the research goals, the program places real emphasis on education and workforce development, especially preparing students to participate in cross-border research and to thrive in globally distributed teams.

From a research standpoint, PIRE is meant to support projects that advance knowledge at the frontiers of science and engineering and that would be difficult to achieve without the international dimension. The program is not simply encouraging international participation as an add-on; it is looking for collaborations where the partnership itself is integral to success. That can include access to unique facilities, data, field sites, instrumentation, regional expertise, complementary methods, or specialized talent that exists across the partner institutions. NSF frames this as a way to keep U.S. researchers competitive and to ensure that U.S.-based teams can operate effectively in the increasingly international ecosystem where major discoveries are often produced.

Education and training are central to the program as well. PIRE is intended to increase student preparation for international research collaboration and expand participation in international research experiences. In practical terms, the program supports projects that build pathways for students and early-career researchers to engage with overseas partners, learn how to conduct research in multinational settings, and develop the professional skills needed to collaborate across different research cultures and institutional systems. A key stated outcome is helping develop a diverse, globally engaged U.S. scientific and engineering workforce, meaning PIRE is aligned with broader goals of expanding opportunity and building talent pipelines that reflect the full range of the U.S. population.

PIRE also aims to strengthen institutional and network capacity for sustained international engagement. Rather than focusing only on a single lab-to-lab relationship, the program encourages partnerships that can scale across departments, multiple institutions, consortia, or broader research networks. The emphasis on capacity building suggests that NSF is interested in collaborations that can persist beyond the life of one award by creating durable ties, shared research and training infrastructure, and models for international research and education that others can adopt.

Administratively, this opportunity was issued by the National Science Foundation as a discretionary grant program in the science and technology research and development category. The funding opportunity number is 09-505, and NSF anticipated making about 20 awards with an estimated total funding level of $40,000,000. The program is relevant across a wide range of NSF-supported fields, reflected in the CFDA listings that span engineering; mathematical and physical sciences; geosciences; computer and information science and engineering; biological sciences; social, behavioral, and economic sciences; education and human resources; polar programs; international science and engineering; and cyberinfrastructure.

Eligibility was limited at the organizational level. Proposals could be submitted by U.S.-accredited universities with a U.S. campus that had granted at least one Ph.D. in a science or engineering field since January 1, 2006. NSF referenced the Survey of Earned Doctorates as a data source for verifying Ph.D. production, and institutions not appearing on NSF’s list but meeting the criterion were advised to contact PIRE program staff to confirm eligibility. No PI limit was specified in the notice, and there was no cost sharing or matching requirement.

The submission process used a two-step structure. A preliminary proposal was required, due February 26, 2009 (by 5 p.m. local time). Full proposals were due August 4, 2009, but only by invitation, meaning teams first had to submit a preliminary proposal and then be selected to submit a full proposal. The posted date for the opportunity was November 12, 2008, and the NSF publication reference was NSF 09-505. For access issues with the announcement, NSF directed applicants to Grants.gov support at grantsgovsupport@nsf.gov.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): NSF Partnerships for International Research and Education (PIRE) - NSF 09-505

1. What is the PIRE program?

The Partnerships for International Research and Education (PIRE) program is a National Science Foundation (NSF) grant opportunity that supports ambitious research projects built around deep, essential international collaboration in science and engineering.

2. What is the main purpose of PIRE?

PIRE is designed to help U.S. science and engineering operate more effectively in a global research environment by funding projects where international partnerships are integral to achieving the research goals, not simply an add-on.

3. What kinds of projects does PIRE fund?

PIRE funds forward-looking research projects at the frontiers of science and engineering that would be difficult to accomplish without the international dimension. The collaboration itself must be necessary for success.

4. What does NSF mean by the international partnership being "integral"?

PIRE looks for collaborations where U.S. and non-U.S. partners each contribute distinct, necessary strengths. Examples described in the opportunity include access to unique facilities, data, field sites, instrumentation, regional expertise, complementary methods, or specialized talent that resides across partner institutions.

5. Is PIRE only about research?

No. Alongside research goals, PIRE places strong emphasis on education, training, and workforce development, particularly preparing students for cross-border research and collaboration in globally distributed teams.

6. What education and training outcomes does PIRE emphasize?

PIRE aims to increase student preparation for international research collaboration, expand participation in international research experiences, and support pathways for students and early-career researchers to engage with overseas partners and learn how to work in multinational research settings.

7. Does PIRE focus on workforce development and diversity?

Yes. A stated program outcome is helping develop a diverse, globally engaged U.S. science and engineering workforce, aligned with broader goals of expanding opportunity and building talent pipelines that reflect the full range of the U.S. population.

8. Does PIRE support building long-term international collaboration capacity?

Yes. PIRE also aims to strengthen institutional and network capacity for sustained international engagement, encouraging partnerships that can scale beyond a single lab-to-lab relationship and persist beyond the life of one award.

9. What kinds of partnership structures does PIRE encourage?

The opportunity highlights partnerships that may scale across departments, multiple institutions, consortia, or broader research networks, with an emphasis on durable ties and models that others can adopt.

10. Which agency offers PIRE?

PIRE is offered by the National Science Foundation (NSF).

11. What is the funding opportunity number and NSF publication reference?

The funding opportunity number is 09-505, and the NSF publication reference is NSF 09-505.

12. What type of grant program is this?

NSF issued PIRE as a discretionary grant program in the science and technology research and development category.

13. How many awards did NSF expect to make and what was the estimated total funding level?

NSF anticipated making about 20 awards with an estimated total funding level of $40,000,000.

14. What fields or disciplines are covered by PIRE?

PIRE is described as relevant across a wide range of NSF-supported fields. The CFDA listings in the notice span engineering; mathematical and physical sciences; geosciences; computer and information science and engineering; biological sciences; social, behavioral, and economic sciences; education and human resources; polar programs; international science and engineering; and cyberinfrastructure.

15. Who was eligible to submit proposals?

Eligibility was limited at the organizational level. Proposals could be submitted by U.S.-accredited universities with a U.S. campus that had granted at least one Ph.D. in a science or engineering field since January 1, 2006.

16. How did NSF verify whether an institution met the Ph.D. requirement?

NSF referenced the Survey of Earned Doctorates as a data source for verifying Ph.D. production.

17. What if an institution met the criterion but did not appear on NSF's list?

Institutions not appearing on NSF's list but meeting the criterion were advised to contact PIRE program staff to confirm eligibility.

18. Was there a limit on the number of proposals a Principal Investigator (PI) could submit?

No PI limit was specified in the notice.

19. Was cost sharing or matching required?

No. The notice stated there was no cost sharing or matching requirement.

20. What was the application structure for PIRE?

The submission process used a two-step structure: a preliminary proposal was required, and full proposals could be submitted only by invitation after preliminary proposal review.

21. Was a preliminary proposal required?

Yes. A preliminary proposal was required as the first step in the process.

22. When was the preliminary proposal due?

The preliminary proposal due date was February 26, 2009, by 5 p.m. local time.

23. Were full proposals accepted from everyone?

No. Full proposals were due only by invitation, meaning teams first had to submit a preliminary proposal and then be selected to submit a full proposal.

24. When were invited full proposals due?

Full proposals were due August 4, 2009 (for those invited).

25. When was the opportunity posted?

The posted date for the opportunity was November 12, 2008.

26. Where could applicants get help if they had trouble accessing the announcement?

For access issues with the announcement, NSF directed applicants to Grants.gov support at grantsgovsupport@nsf.gov.

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