Opportunity Information: Apply for 08 580
Apply for 08 580
- The National Science Foundation in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Science and Technology Centers Integrative Partnerships" 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 Jul 1, 2008.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Apr 30, 2009 Preliminary Proposal Due Date(s) (required) (due by 5 p.m. proposers local time) September 30, 2008 Full Proposal Deadline(s) April 30, 2009 Full proposals are 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 $25,000,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $5,000,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 7 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 Preliminary proposals and invited full proposals may be submitted by U.S. academic institutions that have research and degree granting education programs in any area of research supported by NSF. The lead institution is expected to develop multi institutional partnerships or arrangements with other universities/colleges, national laboratories, research museums, private sector research laboratories, state and local government laboratories, and international collaborations that enable the Center to attain its strategic goals. Partner institutions invest intellectual resources in Center activities and work collaboratively with the lead institution and NSF to ensure integration of the research, education, broadening participation, and knowledge transfer activities of the Center and to attain the performance goals of the Center. The lead institution has ultimate responsibility for planning, operating, and managing all Center activities, including institutional resources provided by the partners. NSF will not provide funds to non U.S. partner institutions.
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Opportunity Summary:
The National Science Foundation (NSF) Science and Technology Centers (STC) Integrative Partnerships program is a large-center grant opportunity designed to fund ambitious, long-term research and education efforts that are too complex or wide-ranging for a typical single-investigator or small-team award. The core idea is to build world-class centers that can tackle major scientific and engineering questions by working across disciplines, pushing into new research directions, and creating sustained collaborations that last long enough to produce genuinely transformative results. These centers are expected to sit at the intersections of fields (or bring fresh approaches within a field), where major breakthroughs often happen but where coordination, infrastructure, and steady investment are critical.
A defining feature of the STC program is its emphasis on integrated partnerships. Centers are expected to be anchored by a U.S. academic institution with strong research and degree-granting programs in NSF-supported areas, but they should not operate in isolation. Instead, the lead institution is expected to assemble multi-institution and multi-sector collaborations that can include other universities and colleges, national laboratories, research museums, private-sector research labs, and state or local government labs. International collaborations can also be part of the strategy when they add clear value, although NSF funding cannot be provided to non-U.S. partner institutions. The lead institution carries ultimate responsibility for governance, planning, operations, and management, and it must ensure that the partners are meaningfully integrated into the center rather than being superficial add-ons.
Beyond research excellence, STCs are meant to be immersive environments where education and discovery reinforce each other. NSF expects these centers to tightly integrate research and education so that training, mentoring, and learning are built into the day-to-day research enterprise. The goal is not only to produce results at the research frontier, but also to develop future scientists, engineers, and educators in settings that encourage creativity and appropriate risk-taking. In practice, that often means creating structured pathways for undergraduate research, graduate and postdoctoral training, professional development, curriculum innovation, and broader educational outreach that is directly connected to the center's research themes.
Broadening participation is an explicit expectation. NSF expects STCs to show leadership in including groups traditionally underrepresented in science and engineering at every level of the center, from faculty and senior personnel to students participating in center activities. The program strongly encourages substantive, long-term partnerships with minority-serving institutions, women's colleges, and institutions serving students with disabilities, with the intent of creating formal and durable connections to institutions that educate large numbers of underrepresented students who are interested in STEM. The emphasis is on meaningful involvement and measurable progress, not simply statements of support.
Knowledge transfer is another central component. STCs are expected to plan and carry out activities that support the mutual exchange of scientific and technical information among center partners and with outside audiences, with the goal of disseminating and enabling the use of knowledge across multiple sectors. Given the program's partnership model, this can include pathways for industry engagement, translational activities, shared tools and datasets, workshops and convenings, and other dissemination strategies that help research findings move beyond the center itself.
For this specific competition (Funding Opportunity Number 08-580), NSF anticipated making about seven awards, with an estimated total funding amount of $25,000,000. Individual awards were expected to range from $1,500,000 (award floor) to $5,000,000 (award ceiling). There was no cost sharing or matching requirement listed. The opportunity was categorized as a discretionary grant under the broad umbrella of science and technology and other research and development, with applicability across many NSF directorates and offices as reflected in the CFDA numbers provided (including engineering, mathematical and physical sciences, geosciences, computer and information science, biological sciences, social and behavioral sciences, education and human resources, polar programs, international science and engineering, and cyberinfrastructure).
The application process used a two-stage structure. A preliminary proposal was required and was due September 30, 2008 (by 5 p.m. local time). Full proposals were due April 30, 2009, but full submissions were by invitation only, meaning NSF used the preliminary proposal stage to decide which teams were invited to submit full proposals. The announcement was initially posted July 1, 2008, with key record dates indicating creation and posting updates in 2009, and it referenced NSF Publication 08-580 for the complete solicitation details.
Eligibility was focused on U.S. academic institutions with research and degree-granting education programs in NSF-supported areas. While only U.S. institutions could submit as the lead, the model assumes a networked center in which partner organizations contribute significant intellectual engagement and collaborate with the lead institution and NSF to integrate research, education, broadening participation, and knowledge transfer into one coherent center strategy. NSF made clear that it would not directly fund non-U.S. partner institutions, even if international collaborations are part of the center's broader plan.
Historically, the STC program has been run through periodic competitions to establish a limited number of centers. Earlier competitions in the late 1980s and early 1990s established 25 centers that are no longer funded as NSF centers, followed by competitions in 1999 (five new centers), 2002 (six new centers), and FY 2005 (six new centers). This context signals that STC awards are intended to be prestigious, selective, and impactful, with the expectation that centers will demonstrate strong leadership, coherent management, and a compelling vision that justifies long-term, large-scale NSF investment.
NSF Science and Technology Centers (STC) Integrative Partnerships (NSF 08-580) - FAQs
What is the NSF Science and Technology Centers (STC) Integrative Partnerships program?
The STC Integrative Partnerships program is a large-center NSF grant opportunity intended to support ambitious, long-term research and education efforts that are too complex or wide-ranging for typical single-investigator or small-team awards. The program aims to create world-class centers capable of tackling major scientific and engineering questions through sustained, integrated collaboration across disciplines and organizations.
What is the main purpose of an STC award?
The purpose is to build a center with the scale, coordination, infrastructure, and continuity needed to pursue genuinely transformative research and education outcomes. STCs are designed to operate at the intersections of fields (or bring fresh approaches within a field), where major breakthroughs often require long-term, coordinated investment and collaboration.
What makes STCs different from standard NSF research awards?
STCs are designed as large, long-term centers rather than small projects. They emphasize integrated partnerships, cross-disciplinary research, and the tight integration of research and education. They also carry explicit expectations around broadening participation and knowledge transfer beyond what is typical in smaller awards.
Who is expected to lead an STC?
Centers are expected to be anchored by a U.S. academic institution with strong research and degree-granting programs in NSF-supported areas. The lead institution is responsible for governance, planning, operations, and management of the center.
What kinds of organizations can participate as partners in an STC?
STCs are expected to include multi-institution and multi-sector collaborations. Partners can include other universities and colleges, national laboratories, research museums, private-sector research labs, and state or local government labs. The expectation is that partners are meaningfully integrated into the center rather than added superficially.
Are international collaborations allowed?
International collaborations can be part of an STC strategy when they add clear value. However, NSF funding cannot be provided to non-U.S. partner institutions, even if they are involved in the collaboration.
Can non-U.S. institutions receive NSF funding through this program?
No. NSF made clear that it would not directly fund non-U.S. partner institutions under this opportunity.
What does NSF mean by "integrated partnerships" in the STC model?
Integrated partnerships means the center should be built around genuine, sustained collaboration across multiple organizations and sectors. The lead institution is expected to integrate partners into the center's research, education, broadening participation, and knowledge transfer activities in a way that is substantive and durable, not symbolic.
What are the major required components of an STC?
Based on the opportunity description, STCs are expected to include: research excellence; integrated research and education; broadening participation; and knowledge transfer (mutual exchange and dissemination of scientific and technical information among partners and beyond).
How are research and education expected to be integrated?
NSF expects research and education to be tightly integrated so that training, mentoring, and learning are embedded into the daily research enterprise. Examples mentioned include structured pathways for undergraduate research, graduate and postdoctoral training, professional development, curriculum innovation, and broader educational outreach that connects directly to the center's research themes.
What does "broadening participation" mean in this program?
Broadening participation is an explicit expectation that STCs show leadership in including groups traditionally underrepresented in science and engineering at every level of the center, including faculty and senior personnel as well as students engaged in center activities.
Are partnerships with minority-serving institutions (MSIs) encouraged?
Yes. The program strongly encourages substantive, long-term partnerships with minority-serving institutions, women's colleges, and institutions serving students with disabilities, with the intent of building formal and durable connections that create meaningful involvement and measurable progress.
What does NSF expect regarding knowledge transfer?
STCs are expected to plan and carry out activities that support the mutual exchange of scientific and technical information among center partners and with outside audiences, with the goal of disseminating and enabling the use of knowledge across multiple sectors. This can include industry engagement pathways, translational activities, shared tools and datasets, and workshops or convenings.
What is the Funding Opportunity Number for this STC competition?
The Funding Opportunity Number provided is 08-580, and it references NSF Publication 08-580 for complete solicitation details.
How many awards did NSF anticipate making under this competition?
NSF anticipated making about seven awards for this specific competition.
What was the estimated total funding amount available?
The estimated total funding amount stated for the competition was $25,000,000.
What was the expected award size range?
Individual awards were expected to range from $1,500,000 (award floor) to $5,000,000 (award ceiling).
Was cost sharing or matching required?
No cost sharing or matching requirement was listed for this opportunity.
What type of grant was this categorized as?
The opportunity was categorized as a discretionary grant under the broad umbrella of science and technology and other research and development.
Which NSF areas or directorates could this program apply to?
The opportunity was described as applicable across many NSF directorates and offices, reflected by the CFDA numbers provided. These included engineering; mathematical and physical sciences; geosciences; computer and information science; biological sciences; social and behavioral sciences; education and human resources; polar programs; international science and engineering; and cyberinfrastructure.
What was the application process structure?
The competition used a two-stage process: a required preliminary proposal stage followed by a full proposal stage. Full proposals were by invitation only, meaning NSF used preliminary proposals to decide which teams would be invited to submit full proposals.
Were preliminary proposals required?
Yes. A preliminary proposal was required as the first stage of the application process.
What was the preliminary proposal deadline?
The preliminary proposal deadline was September 30, 2008, by 5 p.m. local time.
What was the full proposal deadline, and who could submit a full proposal?
Full proposals were due April 30, 2009, and full submissions were by invitation only.
When was the announcement initially posted?
The announcement was initially posted on July 1, 2008.
What were the eligibility requirements for a lead applicant?
Eligibility was focused on U.S. academic institutions with research and degree-granting education programs in NSF-supported areas. Only U.S. institutions could submit as the lead organization.
Do STCs operate as single-institution projects?
No. While the center is anchored at a lead U.S. academic institution, the STC model assumes a networked center where partner organizations contribute significant intellectual engagement and collaboration, integrated into a coherent center strategy.
What responsibilities does the lead institution have?
The lead institution carries ultimate responsibility for governance, planning, operations, and management, and it must ensure partner organizations are meaningfully integrated into the center.
How selective and competitive is the STC program historically?
The STC program has been run through periodic competitions to establish a limited number of centers, signaling a prestigious and selective award. The opportunity description emphasizes expectations for strong leadership, coherent management, and a compelling long-term vision that justifies large-scale NSF investment.
What is the historical context for the STC program mentioned in the opportunity?
The description notes that earlier competitions in the late 1980s and early 1990s established 25 centers that are no longer funded as NSF centers, followed by competitions in 1999 (five new centers), 2002 (six new centers), and FY 2005 (six new centers).
Why does NSF emphasize long-term duration for STCs?
The opportunity emphasizes that sustained collaborations lasting long enough are critical to producing transformative results, especially for research directions that require coordination, infrastructure, and steady investment beyond what short-term or small awards can support.
What does NSF mean by "transformative results" in the STC context?
In this context, transformative results refer to major breakthroughs and advances enabled by cross-disciplinary approaches, new research directions, and sustained, coordinated center-scale investment and collaboration.
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