High Risk Research in Anthropology (NSF 01-153) The physical anthropology program encourages exploratory, "high-risk", innovative or pilot projects which have the potential to be expanded and lead to significant new knowledge. Projects which face severe time constraints because of transient phenomena or access to materials may also be considered. Applicants may submit brief proposals at any time and request up to a total of $25,000 including indirect costs. Proposals will be evaluated by outside experts and considered separately from regular research projects; thus, an accelerated review will be possible. Depending on timing, urgency, and topic, the proposal may be discussed at panel, though it will not be 'competing' with full proposals for funds. A project which costs $25,000 or less but is not an exploratory or pilot project as defined below should be submitted as a "regular" application. Who may submit Proposals are welcomed from US institutions, including undergraduate institutions, on behalf of all qualified researchers. Graduate students may not submit High Risk proposals (Grants for Improving Doctoral Dissertations are available for students). Definition of Exploratory, "High Risk" Projects Proposals accepted in this competition will be sent to specialists for peer review but will avoid the normal panel examination. The purpose of by-passing the normal panel review is to ensure that significant projects are not declined because of a panel's normal preference to downgrade extremely risky research. A project will be considered "risky" if the data may not be obtainable in spite of all reasonable preparation on the researcher's part. For example, a physical anthropologist may propose a theoretically significant field project to study demographic changes in a small population in Greece. The project may hinge on the exact content and accessibility of church records on a small island. The panel may downgrade a more expensive request for a full study on the grounds that the data may not be up to the task. Additional library study by the researcher can not answer this question -- a brief trip to the field site is necessary to verify that the theoretically significant data on demographic change are in fact obtainable. Proposals for extremely urgent research where access to the data may not be available in the normal review schedule, even with all reasonable preparation by the researcher, are also appropriate for this competition. Review Criteria The primary criteria for funding at the National Science Foundation are the scientific merit of the project as reflected in peer reviews which focus on the theoretical significance of the knowledge to be gained, the methodological soundness of the approach, the capacity of the researcher to complete the project, and the utility or social relevance of the new knowledge to be gained. As with all proposals, the broader impacts resulting from the proposed activity must be addressed. Chapter III of the Grant Proposal Guide (NSF 03-2) provides further discussion of the NSF merit review criteria. Proposal Preparation and Submission Proposals must be specifically discussed with the program officer before they are submitted. In many cases proposals may be better reviewed through the normal full panel review where the budget is not limited. Only proposals meeting the criteria as specified above will be accepted into this funding opportunity. Project descriptions should not exceed ten single-spaced pages. The cover page should reference Program Announcement NSF 01-153. Proposals should follow the guidelines specified in Grant Proposal Guide (GPG) except for the length specified above.  Submission Date Proposals may be submitted at any time. Decisions will be announced about four months after submission. Prospective applicants should communicate with the program director: ____________________________________ Mark L. Weiss, Program Director for Physical Anthropology 4201 Wilson Boulevard, Rm. 995 Arlington VA 22230 (703) 292-7321 Fax: (703) 292-9068 mweiss@nsf.gov ____________________________________ The National Science Foundation strongly encourages women, minorities, and persons with disabilities to compete fully in this competition. In accordance with Federal statutes and regulations and NSF policies, no person on grounds of race, color, age, sex, national origin, or disability shall be excluded from participation in, denied the benefits of, or be subject to discrimination under any program or activity receiving financial assistance from the National Science Foundation. Facilitation Awards for Scientists and Engineers with Disabilities provide funding for special assistance or equipment to enable persons with disabilities (investigators and other staff, including student research assistants) to work on a NSF project. See GPG , Ch. 5. For information, contact: Programs for Persons with Disabilities, Directorate for Education and Human Resources (703) 306-8636 NSF has TDD (Telephone Device for the Deaf) and Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) capabilities that enable individuals with hearing impairments to communicate with the Foundation. To access TDD phone (703) 306-0090; FIRS 1-800-877-8339.