Opportunity Information: Apply for PD 25 275Y
Apply for PD 25 275Y
- The U.S. National Science Foundation in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "The Research on Research Security Program (RoRS)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 47.075.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2025-04-16.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2076-09-01.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 8 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Unrestricted.
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Opportunity Summary:
The National Science Foundation (NSF) Research on Research Security Program (RoRS) is a grant opportunity aimed at building a credible, evidence-based field focused on understanding and improving research security across the U.S. research enterprise. In practical terms, NSF is looking to fund scholarly work that moves beyond general concerns or anecdotal examples and instead produces solid data, defensible analysis, and usable tools that help the research community and policymakers make better decisions about protecting the integrity, openness, and safety of research. The program frames research security as a core part of NSF's mission and treats it as an emerging discipline that needs clearer definitions, stronger methods, and a larger community of experts who can study it systematically.
RoRS is grounded in recent federal policy and legislative direction. The opportunity explicitly points to National Security Presidential Memorandum-33 (NSPM-33) and related guidance as foundational documents shaping the modern U.S. approach to research security, along with research security provisions included in the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022. NSF has also been building the conceptual base for this program through prior efforts, including a 2022 request to JASON (a scientific advisory group) to outline what a research program in research security could look like; that effort resulted in the report JSR-22-08, "Research Program on Research Security." A later NSF-funded workshop in 2024, focused on responsible collaboration and appropriate research security, surfaced major themes, open questions, and practical challenges that now feed directly into the kinds of projects RoRS wants to support.
A central goal of RoRS is community-building across roles that do not always work closely together: STEM researchers, scholars who study research security as a subject (for example through policy analysis, behavioral research, or organizational studies), and practitioners who implement research security requirements and processes at institutions. NSF emphasizes interdisciplinary teams and expects proposals to explain how different kinds of expertise, theories, and methods will be combined to produce credible, real-world insights. The program also encourages collaboration across sectors (such as academia, nonprofits, industry, or other relevant organizations) and notes that, where appropriate, projects may include international partners who share U.S. concerns about research security. The overall message is that research security problems play out in complex environments, so NSF wants projects that reflect that complexity rather than treating security as purely a compliance checklist or purely a technical control problem.
In terms of what can be proposed, RoRS highlights several NSF proposal mechanisms that are especially relevant for an emerging field. These include conferences and workshops (to convene communities, define research agendas, and share methods), planning grants (to build foundations for larger efforts, partnerships, and data strategies), and EAGER awards (Early-concept Grants for Exploratory Research), which are typically used for high-risk, high-reward ideas that are still at an early stage but could open up an important new direction. Proposers are directed to follow the NSF Proposal and Award Policies and Procedures Guide (PAPPG) for how to prepare each proposal type, which is a standard NSF requirement but especially important here because different mechanisms carry different expectations for scope, outcomes, and justification.
The topic scope is intentionally broad, reflecting the fact that "research on research security" spans multiple dimensions: threat landscapes, institutional practices, human behavior, and policy impacts. NSF lists example topics that include studying the nature and pervasiveness of research security threats; developing or evaluating methods for identifying risks and preventing or mitigating them; strengthening research security protocols and approaches; examining the relationship between human behavior and research security policies (for example, how incentives, norms, training, or workload shape compliance and effectiveness); analyzing research security policies and their implications; studying organizational and cultural change related to research security; looking at research security within specific disciplines or high-risk research areas; and exploring the international dimensions of research security, including how global collaboration intersects with protection of sensitive knowledge and research integrity. The program language leaves room for both descriptive work (mapping problems and patterns) and prescriptive work (testing interventions, designing tools, proposing governance strategies), as long as the approach is rigorous and evidence-driven.
Across all topic areas, RoRS is clear about the qualities it wants funded projects to have. First, funded work should produce outputs that matter for decision-making, such as datasets, analytic frameworks, theories that explain observed patterns, and practical tools that institutions or policymakers can use. Second, NSF stresses rigorous empirical methods, signaling that proposals should be methodologically sound and transparent about how claims will be tested and validated. Third, the program wants researchers to build on established methodologies from a wide range of disciplines, which could include fields like sociology, psychology, organizational behavior, public policy, criminology, economics, information science, security studies, and others, with the expectation that research security will mature faster if it leverages proven research approaches rather than reinventing methods from scratch. Finally, NSF explicitly encourages innovation in data: projects that find ways to leverage sources of information that have not been connected before, are hard to access, or have not traditionally been used for research security analysis. That emphasis reflects a real constraint in this area, since many relevant signals (institutional processes, incident data, compliance data, collaboration patterns, disclosure records) can be fragmented, sensitive, or inconsistently recorded.
Administratively, the opportunity is issued by NSF as a discretionary grant program in the science and technology research and development category, with CFDA listing 47.075. Eligibility is listed as unrestricted, which generally implies a wide pool of potential applicants subject to NSF-wide rules. NSF anticipates making about 8 awards, though the award ceiling is not specified in the provided text, meaning prospective applicants would need to consult the full solicitation and/or discuss likely award sizes with NSF program staff. The opportunity strongly encourages prospective principal investigators to review NSF research security resources and to contact the RoRS program director(s) before submitting, which is a common NSF signal that early conversation can help align proposals with program goals, clarify fit, and reduce avoidable compliance or scope issues.
Key identifying details include the funding opportunity title, "The Research on Research Security Program (RoRS)," and the funding opportunity number PD 25 275Y. The closing date shown in the source data is 2076-09-01, which reads like a placeholder or system-generated date rather than a typical NSF deadline; in real planning terms, applicants should verify the actual submission windows and deadlines in the official NSF posting and solicitation documents. Overall, RoRS is positioned as a field-building program: it is less about funding operational security upgrades directly and more about funding the research that can explain what works, what fails, what tradeoffs exist, and how the U.S. research ecosystem can protect itself while still supporting the openness and collaboration that drive scientific progress.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): NSF Research on Research Security Program (RoRS)
1) What is the NSF Research on Research Security Program (RoRS)?
RoRS is a National Science Foundation (NSF) grant opportunity focused on building a credible, evidence-based field of study around research security. The program funds scholarly work that produces solid data, defensible analysis, and usable tools to help the research community and policymakers make better decisions about protecting the integrity, openness, and safety of research across the U.S. research enterprise.
2) What does NSF mean by "research on research security" in this program?
In this context, NSF is treating research security as an emerging discipline that needs clearer definitions, stronger methods, and a larger community of experts who can study it systematically. The emphasis is on rigorous, evidence-driven research rather than general concerns, narratives, or anecdotal examples.
3) What is the main goal of RoRS?
The program aims to build a credible field that can explain how research security works in practice, what succeeds or fails, what tradeoffs exist, and what interventions or governance strategies can improve outcomes while preserving the openness and collaboration that support scientific progress.
4) How is this opportunity connected to federal policy and legislation?
RoRS is grounded in recent federal policy direction, explicitly referencing National Security Presidential Memorandum-33 (NSPM-33) and related guidance as foundational to the modern U.S. approach to research security. It also points to research security provisions in the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022.
5) What prior NSF efforts helped shape RoRS?
NSF references a 2022 request to JASON (a scientific advisory group) that resulted in the report JSR-22-08, "Research Program on Research Security," outlining what a research program in this area could look like. NSF also cites a 2024 NSF-funded workshop on responsible collaboration and appropriate research security, which surfaced themes, open questions, and practical challenges that inform the program.
6) Who is RoRS trying to bring together?
A central goal is community-building across roles that do not always work closely together, including STEM researchers, scholars who study research security as a subject (such as through policy analysis, behavioral research, or organizational studies), and practitioners who implement research security requirements and processes within institutions.
7) Does NSF expect interdisciplinary proposals?
Yes. NSF emphasizes interdisciplinary teams and expects proposals to explain how different kinds of expertise, theories, and methods will be combined to produce credible, real-world insights into research security.
8) Are collaborations outside academia encouraged?
Yes. The program encourages collaboration across sectors, such as academia, nonprofits, industry, and other relevant organizations, when appropriate for the proposed work.
9) Can projects include international partners?
RoRS notes that, where appropriate, projects may include international partners who share U.S. concerns about research security, reflecting the international dimensions of modern research collaboration.
10) What types of proposal mechanisms are highlighted for RoRS?
RoRS highlights several NSF mechanisms that are especially relevant for an emerging field: conferences and workshops, planning grants, and EAGER awards (Early-concept Grants for Exploratory Research). Applicants are directed to follow the NSF Proposal and Award Policies and Procedures Guide (PAPPG) for preparation requirements for each proposal type.
11) What are conferences and workshops expected to accomplish under RoRS?
Conferences and workshops are positioned as ways to convene communities, define research agendas, and share methods, helping to build a coherent field around research security.
12) What are planning grants intended to support?
Planning grants are described as tools to build foundations for larger efforts, including partnerships and data strategies, which can be particularly important in an area where relevant information may be fragmented or hard to access.
13) What kinds of ideas fit an EAGER award in this program?
EAGER awards are typically used for high-risk, high-reward ideas at an early stage that could open an important new research direction. RoRS identifies EAGER as a relevant mechanism for exploratory work in this emerging discipline.
14) What topic areas does RoRS cover?
The scope is intentionally broad and spans multiple dimensions including threat landscapes, institutional practices, human behavior, and policy impacts. NSF’s examples range from descriptive mapping of threats and patterns to prescriptive work that tests interventions or designs tools, as long as the approach is rigorous and evidence-driven.
15) What are examples of research topics NSF explicitly mentions?
Examples include: studying the nature and pervasiveness of research security threats; developing or evaluating methods for identifying risks and preventing or mitigating them; strengthening research security protocols and approaches; examining how human behavior relates to research security policies (including incentives, norms, training, and workload); analyzing research security policies and their implications; studying organizational and cultural change related to research security; examining research security within specific disciplines or high-risk research areas; and exploring international dimensions of research security and global collaboration.
16) Does RoRS fund descriptive research, prescriptive research, or both?
Both are within scope. The program language supports descriptive work (such as mapping problems and patterns) and prescriptive work (such as testing interventions, designing tools, or proposing governance strategies), as long as the work is rigorous and evidence-driven.
17) What kinds of outputs does NSF want from RoRS projects?
NSF emphasizes outputs that matter for decision-making, including datasets, analytic frameworks, theories that explain observed patterns, and practical tools that institutions or policymakers can use.
18) How important are empirical methods in RoRS proposals?
NSF stresses rigorous empirical methods. Proposals should be methodologically sound and transparent about how claims will be tested and validated.
19) What disciplines and methods are considered relevant?
RoRS encourages building on established methodologies from a wide range of disciplines. Examples mentioned include sociology, psychology, organizational behavior, public policy, criminology, economics, information science, and security studies, among others.
20) Why does RoRS emphasize innovation in data?
NSF explicitly encourages innovation in data sources and data use, including leveraging information that has not been connected before or that is hard to access or not traditionally used for research security analysis. The program notes real constraints in the field because relevant signals can be fragmented, sensitive, or inconsistently recorded (for example, institutional processes, incident data, compliance data, collaboration patterns, and disclosure records).
21) Is this program meant to fund operational security upgrades?
RoRS is positioned primarily as a field-building research program rather than a program to fund operational security upgrades directly. The emphasis is on funding research that can identify what works and why, what fails, and how the ecosystem can improve research security while maintaining scientific openness.
22) What is the CFDA listing for this opportunity?
The opportunity is listed under CFDA 47.075.
23) What is the funding opportunity number and title?
The title is "The Research on Research Security Program (RoRS)," and the funding opportunity number is PD 25 275Y.
24) Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is listed as unrestricted, which generally implies a wide pool of potential applicants subject to NSF-wide rules.
25) About how many awards does NSF expect to make?
NSF anticipates making about 8 awards under this opportunity.
26) Is there an award ceiling listed?
No award ceiling is specified in the provided information. Prospective applicants would need to consult the full solicitation and/or discuss likely award sizes with NSF program staff.
27) Does NSF recommend contacting program staff before submitting?
Yes. The opportunity strongly encourages prospective principal investigators to review NSF research security resources and contact the RoRS program director(s) before submitting to help align proposals with program goals and clarify fit.
28) What deadline information is provided, and should applicants rely on it?
The closing date shown is 2076-09-01, which reads like a placeholder or system-generated date rather than a typical NSF deadline. Applicants should verify actual submission windows and deadlines in the official NSF posting and solicitation documents.
29) What guidance must applicants follow when preparing proposals?
Applicants are directed to follow the NSF Proposal and Award Policies and Procedures Guide (PAPPG). This is especially important because different proposal mechanisms (such as workshops, planning grants, and EAGER) have different expectations for scope, outcomes, and justification.
30) What is NSF ultimately trying to improve through RoRS-funded research?
NSF is trying to improve decision-making and real-world practice around protecting research integrity, openness, and safety by developing evidence, frameworks, and tools that match the complexity of research environments rather than treating research security only as compliance or only as technical controls.
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