This outline addresses key development components of a standard NSF proposal; however, it does not address all elements required to complete the application or budget. Be sure to refer to the program solicitation applicable to your proposal and the application instructions in the NSF Proposal and Award Policies and Procedures Guide (PAPPG).
Formatting Instructions
- Use one of the following typefaces: Arial, Courier New, or Palatino Linotype at a font size of 10 points or larger; Times New Roman at a font size of 11 points or larger; or Computer Modern family of fonts at a font size of 11 points or larger.
- Other fonts not specified above, such as Cambria Math, may be used for mathematical formulas, equations, or when inserting Greek letters or special characters.
- A font size of less than 10 points may be used for mathematical formulas or equations, figures, table or diagram captions and when using a Symbol font to insert Greek letters or special characters. The text must still be readable.
- Margins must be at least one inch in all directions.
- Line spacing must not exceed six lines of text per vertical inch.
- Individually paginate each document of the proposal.
Application Materials
Project Summary
Limited to 1 page
The Project Summary should be informative to other persons working in the same or related fields and, insofar as possible, understandable to a broad audience within the scientific domain. It should not be an abstract of the proposal. The summary must include three separate sections, each of which is input into a text box in FastLane:
- Overview: Describe the activity that would result if the proposal were funded and state the objectives and methods to be employed.
- Intellectual Merit: Describe the potential of the proposed activity to advance knowledge within its own field or across different fields, including the qualifications of the team to conduct the project and the extent to which the proposed activities suggest and explore creative, original, or potentially transformative concepts.
- Broader Impacts: Describe the potential of the proposed activity to benefit society and contribute to the achievement of specific, desired societal outcomes.
For additional guidance including an example Project Summary, see: https://granttrainingcenter.com/blog/important-part-nsf-proposal-summary-page/
Project Description
Limited to 15 pages
From the PAPPG (NSF 20-1):
The Project Description should provide a clear statement of the work to be undertaken and must include
the objectives for the period of the proposed work and expected significance; the relationship of this work to the present state of knowledge in the field, as well as to work in progress by the PI under other support.
The Project Description should outline the general plan of work, including the broad design of activities to be undertaken, and, where appropriate, provide a clear description of experimental methods and
procedures. Proposers should address what they want to do, why they want to do it, how they plan to do
it, how they will know if they succeed, and what benefits could accrue if the project is successful. The
project activities may be based on previously established and/or innovative methods and approaches, but in either case must be well justified. These issues apply to both the technical aspects of the proposal and the way in which the project may make broader contributions.
Additionally:
- Do not include URLs, which are prohibited because: (1) the information could circumvent page limitations; (2) the reviewers are under no obligation to view the sites; and (3) the sites could be altered or deleted between the time of submission and the time of review.
- For all proposals, the Project Description must contain, as a separate section within the narrative, a section labeled "Broader Impacts" (see below).
- If any PI or co-PI identified on the proposal has received prior NSF support—including an award with an end date in the past five years or any current funding (including any no cost extensions)—the Project Description must contain, as a separate section within the narrative, a section labeled "Results from Prior NSF Support" (see below).
- For proposals that involve collaboration with other institutions/organizations, describe the roles to be played by the other entities, specify the managerial arrangements, and explain the advantages of the multi-organizational effort.
- For proposals that include funding to an International Branch Campus of a U.S. institution of higher education or to a foreign organization (including through use of a subaward or consultant arrangement), provide a justification for why the project activities cannot be performed at the U.S. campus.
- For proposals submitted or due on or after June 1, 2020, the NSF has removed the requirement for the Project Description to contain, as a separate section within the narrative, a section labeled "Intellectual Merit."
Broader Impacts
From the PAPPG (NSF 20-1):
This section should provide a discussion of the broader impacts of the proposed activities. Broader impacts may be accomplished through the research itself, through the activities that are directly related to specific research projects, or through activities that are supported by, but are complementary to the project. NSF values the advancement of scientific knowledge and activities that contribute to the achievement of societally relevant outcomes. Such outcomes include, but are not limited to: full participation of women, persons with disabilities, and underrepresented minorities in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM); improved STEM education and educator development at any level; increased public scientific literacy and public engagement with science and technology; improved well-being of individuals in society; development of a diverse, globally competitive STEM workforce; increased partnerships between academia, industry, and others; improved national security; increased economic competitiveness of the U.S.; use of science and technology to inform public policy; and enhanced infrastructure for research and education. These examples of societally relevant outcomes should not be considered either comprehensive or prescriptive. Proposers may include appropriate outcomes not covered by these examples.
Additional resources to develop your Broader Impacts, including information on relevant campus offices and programs at Syracuse University, are located here.
Results from Prior NSF Support
Limited to 5 pages
References Cited
No page limit
Biographical Sketches
Limited to 2 pages each
Budget and Budget Justification
Justification limited to 5 pages
Current and Pending Support
No page limit
Facilities, Equipment, and Other Resources
No page limit
Special Information and Supplementary Documentation
Data Management Plan
Limited to 2 pages
Postdoctoral Resesarcher Mentoring Plan
If applicable; limited to 1 page
Documentation of Collaborative Arrangements
Other Documents
If applicable
Single-Copy Documents
Collaborators and Other Affiliations Information
No page limit