Opportunity Information: Apply for 11 500
Apply for 11 500
- The National Science Foundation in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Plant Genome Research Program" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 47.074 Biological Sciences.
- This funding opportunity was created on Oct 1, 2010 and posted on Oct 1, 2010.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jan 28, 2011 Full Proposal Target Date(s) January 28, 2011. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $20,000,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $10,000,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 25 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 Proposals may only be submitted by U.S. academic institutions accredited in, and having a campus located in the U.S., U.S. non profit research organizations including museums, research laboratories, professional societies and similar organizations in the U.S. that are directly associated with educational or research activities, and consortia of only the eligible organizations listed here. When a consortium of eligible organizations submits a proposal, it must be submitted as a single proposal with one organization serving as the lead and all other organizations as subawardees. Separately submitted collaborative proposals will not be accepted and will be returned without review. Organizations ineligible to submit to this program solicitation may not receive subawards.
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Opportunity Summary:
The National Science Foundation (NSF) Plant Genome Research Program (PGRP) is a long-running federal research funding program that started in FY 1998 under the National Plant Genome Initiative (NPGI). This specific opportunity (NSF Publication/Funding Opportunity Number 11-500) continues that effort in line with the NPGI five-year plan released in January 2009. At its core, the program is meant to deepen fundamental understanding of how plant genomes are built and how they function, and then use that knowledge to better explain and improve traits and processes in plants that matter economically. The broader rationale is practical as well as scientific: connecting genome-level discoveries to real-world plant performance should speed up innovation in agriculture and support better stewardship of natural resources and environmental systems.
A major theme of the solicitation is that plant genomics has reached a point where the available resources are no longer the limiting factor for many questions. Since the program began, the field has accumulated extensive genomic and functional tools across important crop species and model organisms, such as expressed sequence collections, genome survey data, mutant libraries, gene expression profiling platforms, and in situ expression tools. In addition, high-quality whole genome sequences now exist for several key crops and model plants, along with downstream datasets and platforms that make genome-scale analyses feasible. Because of this, the program emphasizes using these resources to tackle plant biology questions that were previously difficult or impossible to address with traditional genetics or physiology approaches, and it also pushes researchers to translate insights from model systems into crops and other plants with direct economic relevance.
At the same time, NSF signals that the job is not finished on methods and infrastructure. The opportunity explicitly calls out an ongoing need for creative, next-generation technologies and analytical approaches, including new experimental techniques and better ways to interpret and integrate large genomic datasets. Proposals that are conceptually new, unconventional, or substantially different from past PGRP work are encouraged, with a specific invitation to investigators and institutions that have not previously participated in PGRP. Another emphasized feature is workforce development: proposals that embed strong, innovative training components directly into the research plan, especially training that crosses disciplinary boundaries (for example, combining plant biology with statistics, computer science, engineering, or data science), are viewed as particularly responsive.
For FY 2011, the solicitation describes four supported project/activity tracks. First, Genome Enabled Plant Research (GEPR) awards focus on addressing major unanswered questions in plant biology using genome-wide approaches, meaning the genome is not just a supporting tool but central to the research strategy. Second, Transferring Research from Model Systems (TRMS) awards are designed to move discoveries made in model organisms into studies of plants of economic importance, translating foundational biology into contexts that matter for crop improvement or plant-based industries. Third, Tools and Resources for Plant Genome Research (TRPGR) awards support creation of new technologies, computational methods, and analysis tools that expand what the community can measure or infer from plant genomic data. Fourth, Improving Plant Genome Annotation (IPGA) targets the improvement of genome annotation, either by enhancing existing tools or developing new ones, with the goal of producing more accurate and useful gene models and functional assignments for economically important plant genomes.
In terms of project size and structure, NSF welcomes proposals across the full range, from single-investigator studies to large, multi-investigator and multi-institution efforts, as long as the scale matches the ambition and workload of the proposed research. However, the collaboration rules are specific: collaborative efforts must be submitted as a single proposal with one lead organization and the other organizations participating through subawards. Separately submitted collaborative proposals are not accepted and will be returned without review, and organizations that are not eligible to submit proposals to this program also may not receive subawards.
The award mechanism listed is a Cooperative Agreement, and the program anticipates making around 25 awards with an estimated total funding level of about $20 million. Individual award sizes range from a floor of $100,000 to a ceiling of $10,000,000, and there is no cost-sharing or matching requirement. The funding activity category is science and technology and other research and development, and the CFDA number associated with the program is 47.074 (Biological Sciences). The full proposal target date and closing date for this cycle is January 28, 2011 (the opportunity was posted October 1, 2010).
Eligibility is limited to specific U.S.-based organizations: accredited U.S. academic institutions with a campus located in the United States; U.S. nonprofit research organizations such as museums, research labs, and professional societies that are directly tied to education or research activities; and consortia composed only of those eligible organization types. The solicitation also highlights interest in supporting early career investigators and notes that PGRP will consider proposals submitted through NSF CAREER pathways. Early career applicants are strongly encouraged to contact a PGRP Program Director for guidance, which is a practical hint that program staff engagement can help align a proposal with the program's goals and the most suitable track (GEPR, TRMS, TRPGR, or IPGA).
NSF Plant Genome Research Program (PGRP) - FAQs (NSF 11-500)
What is the NSF Plant Genome Research Program (PGRP)?
The Plant Genome Research Program (PGRP) is a National Science Foundation (NSF) research funding program that began in FY 1998 under the National Plant Genome Initiative (NPGI). This solicitation (NSF Publication/Funding Opportunity Number 11-500) continues that effort in alignment with the NPGI five-year plan released in January 2009.
What is the main goal of this opportunity?
The program aims to deepen fundamental understanding of how plant genomes are structured and how they function, and to use that genome-level knowledge to explain and improve economically important traits and processes in plants. A key rationale is connecting genome discoveries to real-world plant performance to accelerate agricultural innovation and improve stewardship of natural resources and environmental systems.
Why does the solicitation emphasize genome-enabled approaches now?
The solicitation highlights that plant genomics has matured to the point where, for many questions, the limiting factor is no longer access to basic resources. The field now has extensive genomic and functional tools and multiple high-quality whole genome sequences for important crops and model plants, plus downstream datasets and platforms that make genome-scale analyses feasible.
What kinds of existing resources does the program expect researchers to leverage?
The opportunity describes a broad set of community resources accumulated since the program began, including expressed sequence collections, genome survey data, mutant libraries, gene expression profiling platforms, and in situ expression tools. It also notes that high-quality whole genome sequences and associated datasets/platforms exist for several key crops and model species.
Does the program support developing new methods and infrastructure?
Yes. While the solicitation stresses that many genomic resources already exist, it explicitly calls out an ongoing need for creative, next-generation technologies and analytical approaches. This includes new experimental techniques and improved ways to interpret and integrate large genomic datasets.
Are conceptually new or unconventional proposals encouraged?
Yes. Proposals that are conceptually new, unconventional, or substantially different from past PGRP work are described as encouraged. The solicitation also specifically invites investigators and institutions that have not previously participated in PGRP.
Is workforce development and training part of what NSF is looking for?
Yes. The solicitation emphasizes workforce development and indicates that proposals with strong, innovative training components embedded directly into the research plan are particularly responsive. Training that crosses disciplinary boundaries (such as combining plant biology with statistics, computer science, engineering, or data science) is highlighted as especially relevant.
What project and activity tracks are supported under this solicitation?
For FY 2011, the solicitation describes four supported tracks: Genome Enabled Plant Research (GEPR), Transferring Research from Model Systems (TRMS), Tools and Resources for Plant Genome Research (TRPGR), and Improving Plant Genome Annotation (IPGA).
What is Genome Enabled Plant Research (GEPR)?
GEPR awards support projects that address major unanswered questions in plant biology using genome-wide approaches, where the genome is central to the research strategy rather than merely a supporting tool.
What is Transferring Research from Model Systems (TRMS)?
TRMS awards are intended to move discoveries from model organisms into studies of plants of economic importance. The goal is to translate foundational biology into contexts that matter for crop improvement or plant-based industries.
What is Tools and Resources for Plant Genome Research (TRPGR)?
TRPGR awards support creation of new technologies, computational methods, and analysis tools that expand what the community can measure or infer from plant genomic data.
What is Improving Plant Genome Annotation (IPGA)?
IPGA focuses on improving genome annotation by enhancing existing tools or developing new ones, with the goal of producing more accurate and more useful gene models and functional assignments for economically important plant genomes.
What sizes and structures of projects does NSF welcome for PGRP?
NSF welcomes proposals across the full range of scales, from single-investigator projects to large multi-investigator and multi-institution efforts, as long as the project scale matches the ambition and workload of the proposed research.
How must collaborative, multi-organization proposals be submitted?
Collaborative efforts must be submitted as a single proposal with one lead organization, with other organizations participating through subawards.
Are separately submitted collaborative proposals allowed?
No. The solicitation states that separately submitted collaborative proposals are not accepted and will be returned without review.
Can an organization that is not eligible to submit a proposal participate through a subaward?
No. The solicitation specifies that organizations not eligible to submit proposals to this program also may not receive subawards.
What is the award mechanism for this opportunity?
The award mechanism listed in the solicitation is a Cooperative Agreement.
How many awards does NSF expect to make, and what is the total funding level?
The solicitation anticipates making about 25 awards, with an estimated total funding level of approximately $20 million.
What is the minimum and maximum award size?
Individual awards range from a minimum of $100,000 to a maximum of $10,000,000.
Is cost-sharing or matching required?
No. The solicitation states there is no cost-sharing or matching requirement.
What is the CFDA number associated with this program?
The CFDA number listed for this program is 47.074 (Biological Sciences).
What is the funding activity category?
The solicitation lists the funding activity category as science and technology and other research and development.
When was this opportunity posted, and what is the proposal deadline?
The opportunity was posted on October 1, 2010. The full proposal target date and closing date for this cycle is January 28, 2011.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is limited to specific U.S.-based organizations: accredited U.S. academic institutions with a campus located in the United States; U.S. nonprofit research organizations (such as museums, research labs, and professional societies) that are directly tied to education or research activities; and consortia composed only of those eligible organization types.
Can consortia apply, and are there restrictions on consortium membership?
Yes, consortia can apply, but the solicitation specifies that consortia must be composed only of eligible organization types.
Does the solicitation express interest in early career investigators?
Yes. The solicitation highlights interest in supporting early career investigators.
Can proposals be submitted through NSF CAREER pathways?
Yes. The solicitation notes that PGRP will consider proposals submitted through NSF CAREER pathways.
Should early career applicants contact NSF program staff before submitting?
Yes. Early career applicants are strongly encouraged to contact a PGRP Program Director for guidance, which the solicitation frames as a practical way to better align a proposal with program goals and identify the most suitable track (GEPR, TRMS, TRPGR, or IPGA).
What is the program trying to achieve in terms of translating research into practical impact?
A central emphasis is translating insights from model systems into crops and other plants with direct economic relevance, and linking genome-level discoveries to real-world plant performance to speed innovation in agriculture and support improved environmental and natural resource stewardship.
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