Opportunity Information: Apply for 14 534
Apply for 14 534
- The National Science Foundation in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Sustainability Research Networks Competition" 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 47.079 Office of International Science and Engineering 47.081 Office of Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research.
- This funding opportunity was created on Jan 29, 2014 and posted on Jan 29, 2014.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Apr 29, 2014 Full Proposal Deadline(s) April 29, 2014. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $36,000,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 4 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
- Who May Submit Proposals Proposals may only be submitted by the following Universities and Colleges Universities and two and four year colleges (including community colleges) accredited in, and having a campus located in, the US acting on behalf of their faculty members. Such organizations also are referred to as academic institutions.
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Opportunity Summary:
The Sustainability Research Networks (SRN) Competition (NSF 14-534) is a National Science Foundation funding opportunity designed to build large, collaborative research networks that tackle major sustainability problems through coordinated, multidisciplinary work. The core purpose is to bring together researchers and educators alongside practitioners such as managers, policymakers, and other stakeholders, so that the research agenda is not only scientifically ambitious but also informed by real decision-making contexts. For the 2014 competition cycle, NSF set a specific topical emphasis on urban sustainability, meaning proposals are expected to concentrate on sustainability challenges and opportunities that arise in cities and metropolitan regions.
A competitive proposal under this opportunity is expected to do three main things well. First, it should identify an ambitious and nationally important theme in urban sustainability, framed as a fundamental challenge rather than a narrow or purely local issue. Second, it should lay out a creative, innovative research agenda that clearly builds on existing knowledge while pushing beyond the current state of the art, whether through new theories, new data and measurement approaches, new models, or new integrative frameworks. Third, it must explain how the project will function as a true network: a supported, structured, and sustained collaboration that integrates multiple disciplines, sectors, and perspectives to generate new insights and produce significant advances in understanding. In other words, NSF is not just funding individual projects that happen to involve multiple people; it is funding coordinated networks designed to create synthesis, shared infrastructure or platforms, and durable cross-cutting collaboration.
The SRN Competition sits within NSF's broader Science, Engineering and Education for Sustainability (SEES) portfolio. Through SEES, NSF emphasizes fundamental science and engineering research and education aimed at understanding and overcoming barriers to long-term human and environmental wellbeing. The program description makes clear that NSF is looking for work that advances conceptual, empirical, and computational frontiers and that ultimately informs decisions related to environmental, energy, social, and cultural sustainability. While SRN awards are fundamentally research-driven, the framing strongly encourages outputs that can strengthen the evidence base for policy and practice, especially in complex urban systems where infrastructure, ecosystems, social dynamics, technology, and governance intersect.
Administratively, this opportunity is a discretionary grant program using a Cooperative Agreement as the funding instrument, which typically indicates a higher level of NSF involvement than a standard grant and is often used for large, complex, multi-institution or network-style efforts. NSF anticipated making about 4 awards, with an estimated total funding level of $36,000,000 and an award floor of $12,000,000, signaling that these are large-scale network investments rather than small research grants. There is no cost sharing or matching requirement listed.
Eligibility is limited to accredited US universities and colleges (including two-year and four-year institutions and community colleges) that have a campus located in the United States and submit proposals on behalf of their faculty. The opportunity spans a wide range of NSF disciplinary areas, as reflected in the CFDA numbers covering engineering, mathematical and physical sciences, geosciences, computer and information science, biological sciences, social, behavioral and economic sciences, education, international science and engineering, and EPSCoR, reinforcing the expectation that funded networks will cross traditional disciplinary boundaries.
Key dates for the 2014 cycle include a posted date of January 29, 2014, and a full proposal deadline of April 29, 2014, with an archive date of May 29, 2014. Applicants seeking the complete requirements and guidance are directed to NSF Publication 14-534 and the SEES portfolio information at www.nsf.gov/sees/. For technical issues accessing the announcement, NSF points applicants to grants.gov support at grantsgovsupport@nsf.gov.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) - NSF Sustainability Research Networks (SRN) Competition (NSF 14-534)
What is the Sustainability Research Networks (SRN) Competition (NSF 14-534)?
The Sustainability Research Networks (SRN) Competition (NSF 14-534) is a National Science Foundation funding opportunity intended to build large, collaborative research networks that address major sustainability problems through coordinated, multidisciplinary work.
What is the main goal of SRN awards?
The core goal is to create supported, structured, and sustained research networks that bring together researchers and educators with practitioners (such as managers, policymakers, and other stakeholders) so the research agenda is both scientifically ambitious and informed by real decision-making contexts.
What topical emphasis did NSF set for the 2014 SRN competition cycle?
For the 2014 competition cycle, NSF set a specific topical emphasis on urban sustainability. Proposals are expected to focus on sustainability challenges and opportunities in cities and metropolitan regions.
Does SRN fund individual research projects or networks?
SRN is intended to fund coordinated networks rather than individual projects. NSF is looking for true networks that enable synthesis, shared infrastructure or platforms, and durable, cross-cutting collaboration across disciplines and sectors.
What are the three main expectations of a competitive SRN proposal (based on the opportunity description)?
A competitive proposal is expected to: (1) identify an ambitious and nationally important theme in urban sustainability framed as a fundamental challenge; (2) present a creative and innovative research agenda that builds on existing knowledge while pushing beyond the state of the art (for example via new theories, data/measurement approaches, models, or integrative frameworks); and (3) explain how the project will operate as a true network with sustained, structured collaboration integrating multiple disciplines, sectors, and perspectives.
What does NSF mean by an "ambitious and nationally important" urban sustainability theme?
Based on the opportunity description, NSF is looking for a theme framed as a fundamental challenge rather than something narrow or purely local. The theme should be large enough to matter at a national level while being grounded in urban sustainability.
What kinds of research contributions are encouraged under SRN?
The opportunity emphasizes advancing conceptual, empirical, and computational frontiers. It encourages innovative work that goes beyond current knowledge through new theories, new data and measurement approaches, new models, or new integrative frameworks.
How important is stakeholder involvement (such as policymakers or managers) in SRN proposals?
Stakeholder involvement is a central part of the SRN framing. The program description highlights bringing researchers and educators together with practitioners and other stakeholders so that the research agenda is informed by real decision-making contexts.
How does this competition relate to NSF's SEES portfolio?
SRN sits within NSF's broader Science, Engineering and Education for Sustainability (SEES) portfolio. SEES emphasizes fundamental science and engineering research and education focused on understanding and overcoming barriers to long-term human and environmental wellbeing.
What kinds of sustainability decisions or domains does SEES-related SRN work aim to inform?
Based on the description, SRN work under SEES is expected to advance understanding that ultimately informs decisions related to environmental, energy, social, and cultural sustainability, particularly in complex urban systems.
What types of urban systems are implied by the opportunity?
The description highlights complex urban systems where infrastructure, ecosystems, social dynamics, technology, and governance intersect. Proposals are expected to engage with the sustainability challenges and opportunities that arise from these intersections in cities and metropolitan regions.
What is the funding instrument for this opportunity?
This is a discretionary grant program using a Cooperative Agreement as the funding instrument.
What does it mean that the funding instrument is a Cooperative Agreement?
The opportunity notes that a Cooperative Agreement typically indicates a higher level of NSF involvement than a standard grant and is often used for large, complex, multi-institution or network-style efforts.
How many awards did NSF anticipate making under the 2014 SRN cycle?
NSF anticipated making about 4 awards.
What was the estimated total funding level for the 2014 SRN cycle?
The estimated total funding level was $36,000,000.
What is the minimum award size (award floor) listed for this opportunity?
The award floor listed is $12,000,000, indicating these are large-scale network investments rather than small research grants.
Is cost sharing or matching required?
No cost sharing or matching requirement is listed in the provided opportunity information.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is limited to accredited US universities and colleges, including two-year and four-year institutions and community colleges, that have a campus located in the United States and submit proposals on behalf of their faculty.
Can non-university organizations apply directly?
The provided eligibility language limits applicants to accredited US universities and colleges submitting proposals on behalf of their faculty. Other types of organizations are not identified as eligible applicants in the provided information.
Does the opportunity encourage multidisciplinary work?
Yes. The SRN competition is explicitly designed to support coordinated, multidisciplinary work and includes a wide range of NSF disciplinary areas, reinforcing the expectation that funded networks will cross traditional disciplinary boundaries.
Which NSF disciplinary areas are reflected in this opportunity?
The provided information notes CFDA coverage spanning engineering; mathematical and physical sciences; geosciences; computer and information science; biological sciences; social, behavioral and economic sciences; education; international science and engineering; and EPSCoR.
What are the key dates for the 2014 SRN cycle?
The posted date is January 29, 2014. The full proposal deadline is April 29, 2014. The archive date is May 29, 2014.
Where can applicants find the full requirements and official guidance?
Applicants are directed to NSF Publication 14-534 for complete requirements and guidance, and to the SEES portfolio information at www.nsf.gov/sees/.
Where should applicants go for technical issues accessing the announcement?
For technical issues accessing the announcement, NSF directs applicants to grants.gov support at grantsgovsupport@nsf.gov.
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