Theoretical and Computational Astrophysics Networks | Apply Online

Opportunity Summary:

The Theoretical and Computational Astrophysics Networks (TCAN) grant opportunity is a joint initiative led by the National Science Foundation (NSF), Division of Astronomical Sciences (AST), in coordination with NASA's Astrophysics Division (APD), created in response to a need highlighted by the Astro2010 Decadal Survey report New Worlds, New Horizons. That report argued that many of the most important problems in modern theoretical astrophysics have grown so large and complex that they can no longer be tackled effectively by isolated investigators or single institutions, yet the United States lacked a dedicated mechanism to fund sustained, multi-institution collaborations at the required scale. TCAN is intended to fill that gap by supporting organized, durable research networks that unify theory and computation as complementary drivers of discovery, with the idea that advances in one area often unlock progress in the other.

At its core, TCAN funds coordinated networks rather than stand-alone projects. The program defines a network as a set of nodes and connections. A node is a team of researchers based at an existing institution, along with the local infrastructure that enables their work, such as computing resources, educational activities, and communications capacity. Connections are the meaningful exchanges between nodes that make the collaboration real and productive, for example personnel exchanges, shared access to specialized resources, collaborative software development, and web-based training or community-facing educational efforts. To qualify, a proposed TCAN network must include at least three nodes located at distinct institutions, and it must be designed so that multiple, active connections integrate the nodes into a focused and interdependent effort rather than a loose affiliation.

The scientific emphasis is on developing new theoretical and/or computational paradigms that directly address major frontier questions in astrophysics. TCAN projects are expected to go beyond what is typical for existing single-team programs such as NSF's Astronomy and Astrophysics Research Grants (AAG) or NASA's Astrophysics Theory Program (ATP), both in ambition and in the depth and breadth of the collaborative concept. This means proposals should not only present strong science, but also justify why the problem demands a network structure and how the collaboration will produce outcomes that would not be achievable through conventional, smaller-scale awards. When projects include development of software intended for broad community use, the solicitation expects proposers to include a transition plan describing how the code will be maintained and sustained after the award, addressing the common problem of valuable research software becoming unusable when short-term funding ends.

Because TCAN is explicitly designed to support large, coordinated teams, management and execution planning are central review considerations. Proposals must lay out a clear management structure and detailed protocols for communication, planning, allocation of responsibilities, and tracking of progress across the network. In practical terms, this means describing how decisions will be made, how milestones will be monitored, how information will flow among institutions, and how the network will remain coherent and accountable over time. TCAN also strongly emphasizes workforce development, aiming to advance training for the next generation of theoretical and computational astrophysicists through the collaborative environment, shared resources, and cross-institution mentoring that networks can provide.

From an administrative standpoint, this was a discretionary grant opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number 13-512) in the Science and Technology and other Research and Development category, with an estimated total funding level of $3,000,000 and an expected number of approximately six awards. The program did not require cost sharing or matching. The posting date was November 5, 2012, with a submission window from February 1, 2013 to February 14, 2013 (due by 5 p.m. local time), and a final closing date of February 14, 2013, after which the opportunity was archived on March 14, 2013.

Eligibility was broad across the U.S. research ecosystem. Eligible applicants included U.S. universities and colleges (including community colleges), U.S. for-profit organizations (particularly those with strong scientific or engineering research or education capabilities), and U.S. non-profit, non-academic organizations such as museums, observatories, independent research laboratories, and professional societies. Other federal agencies and Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDCs) could participate, but they were encouraged to consult the program prior to submission. The solicitation included specific rules for FFRDCs and NASA centers: they could be part of multi-institution collaborative proposals, but funding eligibility depended on the lead organization and the agency. In particular, components at non-NSF-funded FFRDCs or NASA centers would be eligible for funding only by NASA, and for any portion to be eligible for NSF funding, the lead proposal had to come from an organization eligible for NSF funding. Additionally, proposals from FFRDCs had to follow NSF budget guidelines and could not request costs already covered by federal funds.

Finally, the opportunity explicitly encouraged prospective proposers to contact the relevant NSF and/or NASA program officers before preparing a full proposal to confirm that the planned project was a good fit for TCAN, reflecting the program's intent to fund only those efforts that truly require and effectively leverage a multi-node network structure to deliver transformative theoretical and computational advances in astrophysics.

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