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The programs and activities described in this section
are as follows:
1. Grant Opportunities for Academic
Liaison with Industry
2. Partnerships for Innovation
3. Innovation and Organizational
Change
4. Global Change Research Programs
5. Partnership for a New Generation
of Vehicles
6. International Programs
7. Small Business Innovation Research
Program and Small Business Technology
Transfer Program
8. Small Grants for Exploratory
Research
9. Science and Technology Centers:
Integrative Partnerships
10. Major Research Instrumentation
11. Collaboratives to Integrate
Research and Education
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1. Grant Opportunities for
Academic Liaison with Industry (GOALI)
The Grant Opportunities for Academic Liaison with Industry
(GOALI) Program aims to synergize university/industry
partnerships by making funds available to support these
linkages. The program supports (a) faculty, postdoctoral
fellows, and students to conduct research and gain experience
in an industrial setting; (b) industry scientists and
engineers to bring industrial perspective and integrative
skills to academe; and (c) interdisciplinary university/industry
teams to conduct long-term projects. The program targets
high-risk and high-gain research, with focus on fundamental
topics that would not otherwise have been undertaken
by industry; the development of innovative, collaborative
university/industry educational programs; and the direct
exchange of new knowledge between academe and industry.
GOALI provides (a) funding for individuals such as faculty,
postdoctoral fellows, and students to develop creative
modes of collaborative interaction with industry through
individual or small-group research projects; and (b)
industry-based fellowships for graduate students and
postdoctoral fellows. All NSF Directorates participate
in the GOALI Program at this time.
2. Partnerships for Innovation
(PFI)
The PFI Program seeks to stimulate innovation by supporting
partnerships among colleges and universities, State
and local governments, the private sector, and other
relevant organizations, thus emphasizing the productive
connections between new knowledge created in the discovery
process and learning and innovation.
For the purpose of this program, innovation explicitly
extends to training and developing people and tools
and creating organizational conditions necessary to
foster the transformation of knowledge into products,
processes, systems, and services that will fuel economic
development, create wealth, and generate improvement
in the national standard of living. Key factors in the
innovation enterprise include creating and accessing
new knowledge, a scientifically and technologically
literate workforce, and infrastructure that will enable
innovation. Concurrently, the PFI Program addresses
NSF's strategic intention to broaden participation of
people and institutions in NSF activities.
The goals of the PFI Program are
- to
catalyze partnerships for innovation that will enable
the transformation of knowledge created by the national
research and education enterprise into innovations
that create new wealth, build strong local, regional,
and national economies; and improve the national well-being;
- to
broaden the participation of all types of academic
institutions and of citizens in NSF activities to
better meet the broad workforce needs of the national
innovation enterprise; and
- to
create enabling infrastructure necessary to foster
and sustain innovation for the long term.
Examples of proposals that might be submitted to the
PFI Program are those that include planning and/or implementation
of new models for innovation; education and training
activities that explicitly address the workforce needs
of the innovation enterprise; and development and deployment
of new tools or mechanisms that support the innovation
infrastructure. They may seek to create an activity
focusing on a critical level of innovation in a technological
area in an industrial sector or in a geographical region.
The outcomes for proposed activities should foster economic
and/or societal well-being that can be self-sustaining
in the long-term. The lead organization must be a degree-granting
academic institution of higher learning. At a minimum,
proposed partnerships must include private-sector organizations
or State/local government entities.
3. Innovation and Organizational
Change (IOC)
The IOC Program seeks to improve the performance of
industrial, educational, service, health care, government,
and other organizations and institutions through the
support of research on theories, concepts, and methodologies
of innovation and organizational change. To foster innovation
and manage change, we need to understand effective approaches
to organizational learning and redesign; strategic and
cultural change; quality and process improvement; innovation;
new product and service development; and the development
and integration of new technologies. The program supports
research using theory combined with empirical validation
to clarify effective approaches to organizational learning
and redesign; strategic and cultural change; quality
and process improvement; innovation; new product and
service development; and the development and integration
of new technologies.
IOC is jointly sponsored by the Directorates for Social,
Behavioral, and Economic Sciences; Engineering; and
Education and Human Resources.
4. Global Change Research
Programs (GCRP's)
NSF GCRP's support research and related activities that
advance fundamental understanding of dynamic physical,
biological, and socioeconomic systems as well as interactions
among those systems. In addition to research on Earth
system processes and the consequences of changes in
those systems, NSF programs facilitate data acquisition
and data management activities necessary for basic research
on global change, promote the enhancement of modeling
designed to improve representation of Earth system interactions,
and develop advanced analytic methods to facilitate
fundamental research. NSF also supports fundamental
research on processes to identify and evaluate responses
to changing global environmental conditions.
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For
More Information |
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A list of NSF-sponsored global change research programs
and further information about each is available
on the GCRP web site at http://www.nsf.gov/geo/egch/. |
5.
Partnership for a New Generation of Vehicles (PNGV)
PNGV is a historic public/private partnership between
the Federal Government (including 7 agencies and 19
Federal laboratories) and DaimlerChrysler, Ford, and
General Motors Corporations that aims to strengthen
America's competitiveness by developing technologies
for a new generation of vehicles.
PNGV's long-term goals are (1) to develop an environmentally
friendly car with up to triple the fuel efficiency of
today's midsize cars; (2) to significantly improve national
competitiveness in automotive manufacturing; and (3)
to apply commercially viable innovation to conventional
vehicles. PNGV's success is important to the country
for a number of reasons, primarily jobs and global competitiveness
(one out of every seven jobs in the United States is
automotive related); reduction of U.S. dependence on
foreign oil (the United States currently imports 50
percent of the oil it consumes); and environmental factors
(automobiles are a major contributor to atmospheric
carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas).
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For
More Information |
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Write to the PNGV Secretariat, U.S. Department of
Commerce, Herbert Hoover Building, Room 4845, 14th
Street & Constitution Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20230;
or contact by telephone, 202-482-6260, or by fax,
202-482-6275. To inquire via e-mail, send messages
to pngv-info@ta.doc.gov
with "PNGV Question" as the subject line. |
6. International Programs
Support of international activities is an integral part
of NSF's mission to promote the progress of U.S. science
and engineering. In particular, NSF recognizes the importance
of (1) enabling U.S. researchers and educators to advance
their work through international collaboration and (2)
helping ensure that future generations of U.S. scientists
and engineers gain professional experience overseas
early in their careers. Consistent with the international
character of science and engineering, disciplinary programs
throughout NSF offer support to U.S. scientists and
engineers for the international aspects of their research
when those aspects are judged to be important to the
specific objectives of those activities.
The Division of International Programs (INT) in the
Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences Directorate
expands and facilitates the international dimensions
of NSF's mission by promoting new partnerships between
U.S. scientists and engineers and their foreign colleagues.
Most INT programs are organized on a regional or country
basis. Prospective applicants should also consider international
opportunities supported by other parts of NSF and elsewhere.
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For
More Information |
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Information and guidelines on proposal preparation
for international programs and activities are available
in program announcement NSF 00-138; or visit the
INT web site at http://www.nsf.gov/sbe/int.
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7. Small Business Innovation
Research Program and Small Business Technology Transfer
Program
- Small
Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program-NSF
encourages small businesses to submit high-quality
proposals that focus on important science, engineering,
and science/engineering education problems and opportunities
and that will lead to significant commercial and public
benefit. The SBIR Program is a Government-wide program
intended to stimulate technological innovation, use
small-business concerns to meet Federal research and
development (R&D;) needs, foster and encourage the
participation of minority and disadvantaged persons
in technological innovation, and increase the commercialization
by the private sector of innovations resulting from
Federal R&D.;
SBIR uses a uniform three-phase process. Phase I is
a 6-month effort designed to evaluate the feasibility
of an idea based on its scientific and technical merit.
Phase II builds on the feasibility study and leads
to the development of a model or prototype. Phase
III is the commercialization phase. Development of
a partnership with another funding source is strongly
encouraged and is one of the measures used in the
evaluation of Phase II proposals. SBIR funds are not
used for Phase III efforts.
SBIR is highly competitive and supports the Nation's
small high-tech businesses, universities, and research
institutions that are able to convert basic ideas
and research into commercial products that will enhance
the Nation's productivity and help maintain its competitive
leadership in the international marketplace.
The small business can partner with other businesses
or nonprofit institutions such as academic or Government
laboratories. In Phase I, the partner's participation
can be 33 and a third percent, and in Phase II, up
to 50 percent. Members of academic institutions can
participate either through a subcontract to the institution
or as consultants.
- Small
Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Program-Also
a Government-wide program, STTR differs from SBIR
in that it requires the small business to engage in
cooperative research with nonprofit research institutions.
STTR is also a three-phase process. Phase I is a 12-month
effort that determines scientific, technical, and
commercial merit and establishes concept feasibility
and eligibility for Phase II. Phase II further develops
the proposed idea while taking into consideration
scientific, technical, and commercial merit; Phase
I results; and other relevant information. Phase III
involves the commercial application of the research
funded in Phases I and II. STTR funds are not used
for Phase III efforts.
STTR is highly competitive and supports the Nation's
small high-tech businesses, universities, and research
institutions that are able to convert basic ideas
and research into commercial products that will enhance
the Nation's productivity and help maintain its competitive
leadership in the international marketplace.
The small business must partner with a federally funded
research and development center, university, or nonprofit
institution. In both Phase I and Phase II, the participation
must amount to a minimum of 40 percent of the effort
for the small-business concern and 30 percent of the
effort for the research institution. Members of the
academic or research institution participate through
a subcontract to the institution. Before starting
Phase I, the partners make an agreement that covers
rights to the technology involved in the proposal.
8. Small Grants for Exploratory
Research (SGER)
Proposals for small-scale, exploratory, and high-risk
research in the fields of science, engineering, and
education normally supported by NSF may be submitted
to individual programs. Such research is characterized
as preliminary work on untested and novel ideas; ventures
into emerging research ideas; the application of new
expertise or new approaches to "established" research
topics; having extreme urgency with regard to availability
of or access to data, facilities, or specialized equipment,
including quick-response research on natural disasters
and similar unanticipated events; and efforts of similar
character likely to catalyze rapid and innovative advances.
NSF strongly encourages investigators to contact the
NSF program officer(s) most germane to the proposal
topic before submitting an SGER proposal. This will
make it easier to determine whether the proposed work
meets the SGER guidelines described here and the availability
for funding, or whether it would be more suitable for
submission as a fully reviewed proposal.
The project description must be two to five pages long.
It should include a clear statement that explains why
the proposed research should be considered particularly
exploratory and high risk and the nature and significance
of its potential impact on the field. In addition, an
explanation should be included as to why an SGER grant
would be the best means of supporting the work.
Brief biographical information is required for the principal
investigator (PI) and co-PI(s) only, and should include
a list of no more than five significant publications
or other research products. The box for "Small Grant
for Exploratory Research" must be checked on the cover
sheet.
These proposals will be subject to internal NSF merit
review only. Renewed funding of SGER awards may be requested
only through submission of a non-SGER proposal that
will be subject to full merit review. The maximum SGER
award amount will not exceed $100,000. Although the
maximum award amount is $100,000, the award amount usually
will be substantially less than a given program's average
award amount. The project's duration will normally be
1 year, but may be up to 2 years.
For participating directorates and at the discretion
of the program officer with the concurrence of the division
director, a small fraction of especially promising SGER
awards may be extended for up to 6 additional months
and supplemented with up to $50,000 in additional funding.
These award extensions will be possible for awards with
an initial duration of 2 years or less. Requests for
extensions must be submitted 1 to 2 months before the
expiration date of the initial award. A project report
and an outline of the proposed research (not to exceed
five pages) must be included.
9. Science and Technology
Centers: Integrative Partnerships (STC)
The STC Program was established in 1987 to fund important
basic research and education activities and to encourage
technology transfer and innovative approaches to interdisciplinary
activities. Since its inception, 30 comprehensive STC's
have been established.
The STC's explore new areas and build bridges among
disciplines, institutions, and other sectors. They offer
the research community an effective mechanism to embark
upon long-term scientific and technological research
activities, explore better and more effective ways to
educate students, and develop mechanisms to ensure the
timely transition of research and education advances
made into service in society.
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For
More Information |
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Write to the Office of Integrative Activities (OIA),
National Science Foundation, 4201 Wilson Boulevard,
Room 1270, Arlington, VA 22230; or contact by telephone,
703-292-8040, or by e-mail, nsf_oia@nsf.gov;
or visit the OIA home page at http://www.nsf.gov/od/oia/start.htm. |
10. Major Research Instrumentation
(MRI)
The MRI Program is designed to improve the condition
of scientific and engineering (S&E;) equipment used for
research and research training in our Nation's academic
institutions. The program works to improve the quality
and expand the scope of research and research training
in S&E; and foster the integration of research and education
by providing instrumentation for research-intensive
learning environments.
The MRI Program assists in the acquisition or development
by U.S. institutions of major research instrumentation
that is generally too costly to support through other
NSF programs. Maintenance and technical support associated
with these instruments is also supported. Proposals
may be for a single instrument, a large system of instruments,
or multiple instruments that share a common research
focus. Computer systems, clusters of advanced workstations,
networks, and other information infrastructure components
necessary for research are supported.
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For
More Information |
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Write to the Office of Integrative Activities (OIA),
National Science Foundation, 4201 Wilson Boulevard,
Room 1270, Arlington, VA 22230; or contact by telephone,
703-292-8040, or by e-mail, nsf_oia@nsf.gov;
or visit the OIA home page, http://www.nsf.gov/od/oia/start.htm. |
11. Collaboratives to Integrate
Research and Education (CIRE)
The CIRE activity was created to establish long-term
research and education relationships between minority-serving
institutions and NSF-supported facilities and centers.
CIRE's long-term goal is to formally establish these
developing relationships by negotiating formal institution-to-institution
agreements for their continuation and support. Examples
of the types of activities supported by CIRE are (1)
the development of collaborative and mutually beneficial
research and education projects that may include infrastructure
enhancement at the minority-serving institution, if
needed, to support the proposed collaborative activity;
and (2) exchanges of faculty and students. It should
be noted however, that CIRE is not a general infrastructure
program for minority-serving institutions. Funds to
support CIRE-like activities come from the cognizant
research directorate. Therefore, communication should
be made with the Office of the Assistant Director of
the cognizant directorate.
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For
More Information |
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Write to the Office of Integrative Activities (OIA),
National Science Foundation, 4201 Wilson Boulevard,
Room 1270, Arlington, VA 22230; or contact by telephone,
703-292-8040, or by e-mail, nsf_oia@nsf.gov;
or visit the OIA home page, http://www.nsf.gov/od/oia/start.htm.
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