ROSES 2008 Land Cover/Land Use Change | Apply Online

FAQs: NASA ROSES 2008 Land Cover/Land Use Change (LCLUC)

1) What is this funding opportunity?

This opportunity is the Land Cover/Land Use Change (LCLUC) program element within NASA's Research Opportunities in Space and Earth Sciences 2008 (ROSES 2008) NASA Research Announcement. It falls under funding opportunity number NNH08ZDA001N and is released by NASA Headquarters.

2) How does LCLUC fit within ROSES 2008?

ROSES 2008 is a broad umbrella solicitation that funds research and technology development aligned with NASA's Science Mission Directorate priorities across Earth Science, Heliophysics, Planetary Science, and Astrophysics. LCLUC is one specific program element inside ROSES that focuses on understanding and measuring changes in land cover and land use, generally using Earth observation data plus modeling and analysis methods consistent with NASA Earth science goals.

3) What types of projects does ROSES 2008 support (as described in this listing)?

The listing describes a wide range of activities NASA funds through ROSES, including theory, modeling, and data analysis using NASA science datasets; Earth surface observations and field campaigns that strengthen or validate mission measurements; development of integrated Earth system models; and mission-enabling technology work such as developing experiment techniques for future missions and advancing technologies relevant to NASA missions. It also mentions aircraft, balloon, or suborbital platforms when they serve NASA science objectives, and applied information tools that translate Earth science results into societal benefit (for example, decision-support or applied data products).

4) What is the main focus of the LCLUC program element?

LCLUC focuses on research tied to understanding and measuring land cover and land use change. Proposals are expected to connect land change science to NASA Earth observation and Earth system science priorities, using relevant observation, modeling, and analysis approaches.

5) Are applied or decision-support tools within scope?

Yes. A theme described across ROSES is converting NASA science data into usable knowledge, including systems and applied information tools that translate Earth science results into societal benefit (such as decision-support or applied data products). The LCLUC element is described as being expected to connect to these kinds of priorities as well.

6) What funding amounts are available?

Funding levels are described as flexible and dependent on project scope. The announcement notes that awards can be under $100,000 per year for narrowly scoped efforts (such as focused data analysis) and can exceed $1 million per year for larger, more complex efforts (such as building science hardware or extensive activities).

7) How much total funding is available for the LCLUC element?

For each program element (including LCLUC), NASA indicates available funds may range from less than one million dollars to several million dollars total. The number of selections could range from only a few proposals to several dozen, depending on element goals and the strength and volume of submissions.

8) What is the typical period of performance?

Most awards are described as having a typical period of performance of about four years, though some program elements may allow shorter or longer timelines.

9) Who is eligible to apply?

The opportunity is described as open to essentially all types of applicants, including universities and other educational institutions, private industry, nonprofit organizations, NASA centers, the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and other government agencies. Both U.S. and non-U.S. organizations may be involved.

10) Are teaming arrangements restricted?

No. The listing states there is no restriction on teaming arrangements.

11) Can non-U.S. organizations participate?

Yes, non-U.S. organizations may be involved; however, the listing highlights NASA's policy that projects involving non-U.S. organizations must be conducted on a no-exchange-of-funds basis. This means NASA generally will not transfer funds to foreign organizations even if they collaborate scientifically.

12) Is cost sharing or matching required?

No. The administrative details in the listing indicate that cost sharing or matching is not required.

13) What award types are expected under this opportunity?

The listing anticipates awards primarily as grants and cooperative agreements. It also notes more broadly (for ROSES) that contracts and inter- or intra-agency transfers may be used depending on organizational type and program needs.

14) How do applicants submit proposals?

Proposals must be submitted electronically by an authorized organizational official using either NSPIRES (NASA's proposal system) or Grants.gov.

15) What registrations are required before submission?

Any organization intending to apply must be registered in NSPIRES. Organizations submitting through Grants.gov must be registered there as well, with authorized organizational representatives identified in those registrations. In addition, all principal investigators and named participants (such as co-investigators) must be registered in NSPIRES.

16) Who must submit the proposal in the system?

The listing specifies that proposals must be submitted electronically by an authorized organizational official.

17) Why does NASA recommend starting early on registrations and proposal entry?

NASA strongly encourages applicants to begin system registration and data entry early to avoid last-minute submission issues.

18) When did ROSES 2008 become available, and where could it be found?

The ROSES 2008 solicitation became available around February 15, 2008 through the NASA Research Opportunities homepage. Program elements were also searchable through Grants.gov using funding opportunity number NNH08ZDA001N.

19) What are the key dates shown for the LCLUC listing?

The LCLUC listing shows a posted date in June 2008, an application closing date of October 1, 2008, and an archive date of October 31, 2008.

20) Does ROSES 2008 have multiple deadlines across different program elements?

Yes. The information provided indicates that ROSES includes many elements with staggered deadlines. Proposal due dates across the full ROSES announcement began as early as May 9, 2008 and continued into March 27, 2009 for later elements.

21) Is a Notice of Intent (NOI) required?

The information provided says NASA requested Notices of Intent for many program elements, with the earliest NOI date given as March 14, 2008. It also notes that each element can have its own specific schedule and requirements, so NOI expectations may vary by element.

22) Who should applicants contact with questions?

For technical fit and element-specific guidance, the announcement points applicants to the program officers associated with each program element. For general ROSES policies and procedures, it points to Dr. Yvonne Pendleton (Senior Advisor for Research and Analysis, Science Mission Directorate), with contact information listed as sara@nasa.gov and 202-358-1182.

23) What does it mean that the opportunity is "discretionary"?

The administrative details in the listing describe the opportunity as discretionary. (No further definition is provided in the text supplied.)

24) Where can the funding opportunity number be used to find the solicitation?

The information provided states that program elements could be searched on Grants.gov using the funding opportunity number NNH08ZDA001N.