Opportunity Information: Apply for 16 532
Apply for 16 532
- The NSF in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Software Infrastructure for Sustained Innovation - SSE & SSI" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 47.041, 47.049, 47.050, 47.070, 47.074, 47.075, 47.076,.
- This funding opportunity was created on Jan 20, 2016 and posted on Jan 20, 2016.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Apr 26, 2016. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
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Opportunity Summary:
The National Science Foundation (NSF) Software Infrastructure for Sustained Innovation (SI2) opportunity, focused here on the SSE and SSI tracks, is a grant program designed to strengthen the scientific software that modern research depends on. NSF frames software as a core part of national cyberinfrastructure: it is not just a supporting tool, but a primary way scientists and engineers run simulations, analyze data, connect instruments to computing resources, and turn theoretical ideas into reusable methods. The larger aim is to advance the CIF21 vision by turning promising research software into sustained, dependable resources that the wider community can trust and keep using as science evolves.
At the heart of SI2 is the idea of building a healthy software ecosystem that spans the full software stack and a wide range of computing contexts, from embedded sensor and instrument software to desktop tools to large-scale data and high-performance computing systems, including major facilities. NSF is looking for projects that treat software as infrastructure: work that emphasizes robustness, reliability, usability, and long-term sustainability, rather than one-off code written for a single paper. A major theme is the full software lifecycle, meaning projects are expected to address development practices, maintenance, community uptake, documentation, governance, and long-run stewardship, not only new features or algorithms. NSF also explicitly connects SI2 to workforce development and education, with the expectation that funded projects will help train the next generation of researchers and software creators and build habits that make advanced cyberinfrastructure part of everyday scientific practice.
This solicitation includes two award classes. Scientific Software Elements (SSE) is aimed at small teams that will create and deploy robust software components (elements) with demonstrated demand, where the resulting capability clearly enables progress in one or more science or engineering areas. In practical terms, SSE is for focused, well-defined software deliverables that can be adopted by users relatively quickly and that fill a clear gap in the research software landscape. Scientific Software Integration (SSI) is aimed at larger, interdisciplinary teams building and applying shared software infrastructure that addresses common research problems across a broader community. SSI projects are expected to produce an integrated, sustainable community framework and to cultivate a durable user and developer community that may span institutions, disciplines, and even geography. While SI2 also has a Scientific Software Innovation Institutes (S2I2) concept for long-term hubs, that institute track is not part of this specific solicitation.
NSF emphasizes that SI2 is multi-directorate and encourages proposals with broad, interdisciplinary impact. Because different NSF divisions participate at different levels and may have distinct priorities, prospective PIs are strongly encouraged to contact the relevant program officers, especially those in the divisions that typically fund the intended scientific user community, to confirm fit and budget expectations. NSF also encourages proposers to align, where appropriate, with broader national and international priorities that depend on advanced cyberinfrastructure, including initiatives such as Understanding the Brain and the National Strategic Computing Initiative (NSCI).
Within NSF, the Directorate for Computer and Information Science and Engineering (CISE), through the Division of Advanced Cyberinfrastructure (ACI), manages SI2 and highlights several cross-cutting interests. These include software cyberinfrastructure that is multidisciplinary or omni-disciplinary; work that leverages or connects to other ACI efforts (such as XD, CCDNI, CICI, and DIBBs); and projects that couple software-building with research on usability, effectiveness, adoption, and adaptability as technologies and requirements change. ACI also underscores security, trustworthiness, and reproducibility as core requirements, encouraging the use of vulnerability scanning tools during development (examples mentioned include Coverity and SWAMP). Other CISE divisions are also interested in SSE and SSI proposals that sustain progress in core computing research areas and that translate software engineering research into practical approaches for software sustainability in other disciplines.
Other directorates describe specific emphases. Biological Sciences (BIO) is primarily interested in SSI projects that serve BIO researchers and also connect meaningfully to other directorates; BIO-directed SSE proposals may be better suited to the Advances in Biological Informatics program. Engineering (ENG) prioritizes computational tools that enable discovery across its divisions (CBET, CMMI, ECCS), and notes that SSE projects designed to become part of larger SSI-style integrated systems, with growing community involvement, may receive priority. Geosciences (GEO) seeks software that directly serves geoscience researchers (atmosphere, ocean, earth, polar), with strong end-user ties, and places value on integration with NSF/GEO cyberinfrastructure investments, EarthCube participation, and genuine collaboration between geoscientists and computing experts. Mathematics and Physical Sciences (MPS) encourages software that advances domain research, including materials-focused work aligned with the Materials Genome Initiative and related NSF activities (for example DMREF and SusChEM), along with chemistry, physics, astronomy, and mathematical sciences tools with broad relevance. MPS also notes interest in community-building and education components like visitor support, postdoctoral opportunities, and short training courses that increase interaction between domain scientists and software/cyberinfrastructure specialists. Social, Behavioral and Economic Sciences (SBE) looks for software infrastructure aligned with SBE research priorities (including SBE 2020) and explicitly prefers projects that also advance at least one other participating directorate. Education and Human Resources (EHR) is interested in software infrastructure supporting STEM learning, workforce development, and broadening participation, including research on how software tools improve learning in science and engineering.
Key administrative details from the posting include: the agency is NSF; the funding instrument is a discretionary grant; the opportunity number is 16-532; and the posted and created dates were January 20, 2016, with a closing date of April 26, 2016. Multiple NSF CFDA numbers are associated with the program, reflecting its cross-directorate nature. The award ceiling was not specified in the provided listing, and eligibility is labeled broadly with additional clarification referenced in the full solicitation.
NSF SI2 (SSE and SSI) Grant Opportunity FAQs
1) What is the NSF SI2 program?
The National Science Foundation (NSF) Software Infrastructure for Sustained Innovation (SI2) program is a discretionary grant program intended to strengthen the scientific software that modern research depends on. NSF frames research software as a core part of national cyberinfrastructure, meaning it is treated as foundational infrastructure that enables simulations, data analysis, instrument-to-compute connections, and the reuse of methods as science evolves.
2) What is the main goal of SI2?
The main goal is to advance the CIF21 vision by turning promising research software into sustained, dependable resources that a wider community can trust and continue using over time. The program emphasizes long-term value, not just short-term research code written for a single publication.
3) What does NSF mean by treating software as "infrastructure"?
In this solicitation, software as infrastructure means the work should emphasize robustness, reliability, usability, and sustainability. Projects are expected to focus on software that can be adopted and maintained by a community, rather than one-off code built for a single project or paper.
4) What kinds of software does SI2 consider part of the scientific software ecosystem?
SI2 describes a broad ecosystem that spans the full software stack and many computing contexts. Examples include embedded sensor and instrument software, desktop tools, large-scale data systems, high-performance computing (HPC) environments, and software that supports or connects to major facilities.
5) What is meant by addressing the "full software lifecycle"?
Projects are expected to address more than adding features or implementing new algorithms. The full lifecycle includes development practices, maintenance planning, documentation, community uptake, governance, and long-run stewardship so that the software remains usable and dependable as requirements and technologies change.
6) What are the two award classes included in this solicitation?
This solicitation includes two award classes: Scientific Software Elements (SSE) and Scientific Software Integration (SSI).
7) What is the SSE (Scientific Software Elements) track?
SSE is aimed at small teams that will create and deploy robust software components (elements) with demonstrated demand. SSE projects are intended to produce focused, well-defined software deliverables that fill a clear gap and can be adopted by users relatively quickly, enabling progress in one or more science or engineering areas.
8) What is the SSI (Scientific Software Integration) track?
SSI is aimed at larger, interdisciplinary teams building and applying shared software infrastructure that addresses common research problems across a broader community. SSI projects are expected to produce an integrated, sustainable community framework and cultivate a durable user and developer community that may span institutions, disciplines, and geography.
9) Is the S2I2 (Scientific Software Innovation Institutes) track included here?
No. While SI2 mentions the Scientific Software Innovation Institutes (S2I2) concept for long-term hubs, that institute track is not part of this specific solicitation.
10) Does SI2 require community building and adoption planning?
Yes. A recurring theme is sustained use by a wider community. Proposals are expected to address how the software will be adopted, documented, maintained, governed, and stewarded over the long run, including cultivating a user and developer community (especially for SSI).
11) Does NSF expect projects to include education or workforce development components?
Yes. NSF explicitly connects SI2 to workforce development and education. Funded projects are expected to help train the next generation of researchers and software creators and support habits that make advanced cyberinfrastructure part of everyday scientific practice.
12) Is SI2 limited to a single NSF directorate?
No. SI2 is described as multi-directorate, and NSF encourages proposals with broad, interdisciplinary impact. Multiple NSF CFDA numbers are associated with the program, reflecting its cross-directorate nature.
13) Should prospective PIs contact NSF program officers before submitting?
Yes. Because different NSF divisions participate at different levels and may have distinct priorities, prospective PIs are strongly encouraged to contact relevant program officers, especially those in divisions that typically fund the intended scientific user community, to confirm program fit and budget expectations.
14) Which NSF unit manages SI2?
Within NSF, the Directorate for Computer and Information Science and Engineering (CISE), through the Division of Advanced Cyberinfrastructure (ACI), manages SI2.
15) What cross-cutting interests does ACI highlight for SI2 proposals?
ACI highlights interests including multidisciplinary or omni-disciplinary software cyberinfrastructure; leveraging or connecting to other ACI efforts (examples mentioned include XD, CCDNI, CICI, and DIBBs); and coupling software-building with research on usability, effectiveness, adoption, and adaptability as technologies and requirements change.
16) Are security and trustworthiness emphasized in this program?
Yes. ACI underscores security, trustworthiness, and reproducibility as core requirements. The solicitation encourages use of vulnerability scanning tools during development, with examples including Coverity and SWAMP.
17) Does SI2 encourage alignment with broader national initiatives?
Yes. NSF encourages proposers to align, where appropriate, with broader national and international priorities that depend on advanced cyberinfrastructure, including initiatives such as Understanding the Brain and the National Strategic Computing Initiative (NSCI).
18) How do other CISE divisions relate to SSE and SSI proposals?
Other CISE divisions are described as interested in SSE and SSI proposals that sustain progress in core computing research areas and that translate software engineering research into practical approaches for software sustainability in other disciplines.
19) What is BIO (Biological Sciences) looking for under SI2?
Biological Sciences (BIO) is primarily interested in SSI projects that serve BIO researchers and also connect meaningfully to other directorates. BIO-directed SSE proposals may be better suited to the Advances in Biological Informatics program.
20) What is ENG (Engineering) looking for under SI2?
Engineering (ENG) prioritizes computational tools that enable discovery across its divisions (CBET, CMMI, ECCS). ENG also notes that SSE projects designed to become part of larger SSI-style integrated systems, with growing community involvement, may receive priority.
21) What is GEO (Geosciences) looking for under SI2?
Geosciences (GEO) seeks software that directly serves geoscience researchers (atmosphere, ocean, earth, polar) with strong end-user ties. GEO values integration with NSF/GEO cyberinfrastructure investments, EarthCube participation, and genuine collaboration between geoscientists and computing experts.
22) What is MPS (Mathematics and Physical Sciences) looking for under SI2?
MPS encourages software that advances domain research, including materials-focused work aligned with the Materials Genome Initiative and related NSF activities (for example DMREF and SusChEM), as well as chemistry, physics, astronomy, and mathematical sciences tools with broad relevance. MPS also notes interest in community-building and education components such as visitor support, postdoctoral opportunities, and short training courses that increase interaction between domain scientists and software/cyberinfrastructure specialists.
23) What is SBE (Social, Behavioral and Economic Sciences) looking for under SI2?
SBE looks for software infrastructure aligned with SBE research priorities (including SBE 2020) and explicitly prefers projects that also advance at least one other participating directorate.
24) What is EHR (Education and Human Resources) looking for under SI2?
EHR is interested in software infrastructure supporting STEM learning, workforce development, and broadening participation, including research on how software tools improve learning in science and engineering.
25) What is the opportunity number for this NSF posting?
The opportunity number is 16-532.
26) What is the funding instrument for this opportunity?
The funding instrument is a discretionary grant.
27) When was this opportunity posted and created?
The posted and created dates were January 20, 2016.
28) What was the closing date for this opportunity?
The closing date was April 26, 2016.
29) Is the award ceiling provided in the listing?
No. The award ceiling was not specified in the provided listing.
30) What does the listing say about eligibility?
Eligibility is labeled broadly, with additional clarification referenced in the full solicitation.
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