The National Science Foundation (NSF) awards grants to doctoral students to improve the quality of dissertation research. These grants allow doctoral students to undertake significant data-gathering projects and to conduct field research in settings away from their campus which would not otherwise be possible. Proposals are judged on the basis of their scientific merit, including the theoretical importance of the research question and the appropriateness of the proposed data and methodology to be used in addressing the question.
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The Biological Anthropology Program supports multifaceted research that works to advance scientific knowledge of human biology and ecology, including the understanding of our evolutionary history and mechanisms that have shaped human and nonhuman primate biological diversity. Full proposals are due in January and July annually.
Cultural Anthropology
The Cultural Anthropology Program supports basic scientific research on the causes, consequences, and complexities of human social and cultural variability. Anthropological research spans a wide gamut, and contemporary cultural anthropology is an arena in which diverse research traditions and methodologies are valid. Recognizing the breadth of the field’s contributions to science, the Cultural Anthropology Program welcomes proposals for empirically grounded, theoretically engaged, and methodologically sophisticated research in all sub-fields of cultural anthropology. DDRIG proposals are due in January and August annually.
Decision, Risk, and Management Sciences
The Decision, Risk and Management Sciences Program supports scientific research directed at increasing the understanding and effectiveness of decision making by individuals, groups, organizations, and society. Disciplinary and interdisciplinary research, doctoral dissertation research improvement grants (DDRIGs), and workshops are funded in the areas of judgment and decision making; decision analysis and decision aids; risk analysis, perception, and communication; societal and public policy decision making; management science and organizational design. DDRIG proposals are due in January and August annually.
Economics
The Economics Program supports research designed to improve the understanding of the processes and institutions of the U.S. economy and of the world system of which it is a part. This program also strengthens both empirical and theoretical economic analysis as well as the methods for rigorous research on economic behavior. It supports research in almost every area of economics, including econometrics, economic history, environmental economics, finance, industrial organization, international economics, labor economics, macroeconomics, mathematical economics, and public finance. DDRIG proposals are due in January and August annually.
Human-Environment and Geographical Sciences
The Human-Environment and Geographical (HEGS) Program supports basic scientific research about the nature, causes, and/or consequences of the spatial distribution of human activity and/or environmental processes across a range of scales. Projects about a broad range of topics may be appropriate for support if they enhance fundamental geographical knowledge, concepts, theories, methods, and their application to societal problems and concerns. DDRIG proposals are accepted any time.
Linguistics: Dynamic Language Infrastructure
The Dynamic Language Infrastructure Program supports doctoral research focusing on building dynamic language infrastructure (DLI). Developing language infrastructure includes the documentation and preservations of languages in ways that articulate or advance linguistic theory, as well as the use of digitization techniques and novel computational methods that support and advance the study of language. Special emphasis is given to human languages that are endangered, i.e., understudied and at risk of falling out of use. The program supports the development of the next generation of researchers that contribute to language data management and archiving, and to the analysis of these archives to advance language infrastructure. Funding can support fieldwork and other activities relevant to the digital recording, documenting, and archiving of endangered languages, including the preparation of lexicons, grammars, text samples, and databases. DDRIG proposals are accepted any time.
Methodology, Measurement, and Statistics
The Methodology, Measurement, and Statistics (MMS) Program is an interdisciplinary program in the Directorate for Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences that supports the development of innovative, analytical, and statistical methods and models for those sciences. MMS seeks proposals that are methodologically innovative, grounded in theory, and have potential utility for multiple fields within the social and behavioral sciences. As part of its larger portfolio, the MMS Program partners with a consortium of federal statistical agencies to support research proposals that further the development of new and innovative approaches to surveys and to the analysis of survey data. DDRIG proposals are due in January and August annually.
Political Science
The Political Science Program supports scientific research that advances knowledge and understanding of citizenship, government, and politics. Research proposals are expected to be theoretically motivated, conceptually precise, methodologically rigorous, and empirically oriented. Substantive areas include, but are not limited to, American government and politics, comparative government and politics, international relations, political behavior, political economy, and political institutions. DDRIG proposals are due in June annually.
Science, Technology, and Society
The Science, Technology, and Society (STS) Program supports research that uses historical, philosophical, and social scientific methods to investigate the intellectual, material, and social facets of the scientific, technological, engineering and mathematical (STEM) disciplines. It encompasses a broad spectrum of STS topics including interdisciplinary studies of ethics, equity, governance, and policy issues that are closely related to STEM disciplines, including medical science. DDRIG proposals are due in August annually.
Sociology
The Sociology Program is intended to provide support to improve the conduct of doctoral dissertation projects undertaken by doctoral students enrolled in U.S. universities. The program supports basic research on all forms of human social organization and processes of individual and institutional change. DDRIG proposals are due in October annually.
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| STAGE | DUE DATES | CHECKLIST | |
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| 1 | Proposal Development | 4 WEEKS (or more) before application deadline |
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| 2 | Application Review and Submission | 10 BUSINESS DAYS before the application deadline |
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10 - 0 BUSINESS DAYS before the application deadline |
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Proposal Development Steps
- Review the DDRIG solicitation from the applicable NSF program. If you are not sure which NSF program you should apply to, talk with your advisor.
- Review recent awards using the "What Has Been Funded (Recent Awards Made Through This Program, with Abstracts)" link on the program page.
- Leverage your network to find successful proposal and/or peers who have been through the application process (whether successful or not).
- Prepare a 1-page summary of your project to send by email to the NSF program officer(s) listed in the DDRIG solicitation for your chosen program. Request a phone call to discuss your project, including its fit with the program, or feedback by email.
- Read carefully pertinent sections of the NSF Proposal and Award Policies and Procedures Guide (PAPPG). Highlight or otherwise take note of important information.
- Draft your Project Description, Budget Justification, and other components of your application, carefully following the content and format requirements as described in the DDRIG solicitation and PAPPG.
- Obtain written documentation from hosting institution, collaborators, or other auxiliary resources, if applicable.
- Request required documents/information from your advisor (PI),* and mark your calendar to follow up to ensure you receive all documents/information well in advance of the submission deadline.
- Finalize and submit your proposal and all necessary paperwork to Caroline in OSP well in advance of the deadline. Caroline will review, work with you to revise as needed, and submit the application to the NSF.
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