Office of Sponsored Programs All rights reserved GTRC Working with the NSF An Overview of the National Science Foundation and NSF Fastlane

Office of Sponsored Programs

All rights reserved GTRC

Working with the NSF

An Overview of the National Science Foundation and NSF

Fastlane



NSF: A HistoryCreated by the National Science Foundation Act of 1950– “To promote the progress of science, to

advance the national health, prosperity, and welfare by supporting research and education in all fields of science and engineering.”

Receives about 40,000 proposals annually– 11,000 are funded

Office of Sponsored ProgramsAll rights reserved GTRC

Introduction to Sponsored Programs

The NSF and Georgia Tech

Office of Sponsored ProgramsAll rights reserved GTRC

Introduction to Sponsored Programs

The NSF and Georgia TechContracting Officers– Stacey Oliver-Johnson: COE (except MSE),

ARCH, Ivan [email protected]

– Tanya Blackwell: COC, COS, GTRI and others

[email protected]



NSF Organizational StructureDirector, Cora Marrett

National Science Board

Office of the Inspector General

Offices and Directorates– Offices– Directorates



DefinitionsGrants– Standard Grant: NSF provides a specific level of

support for a specified period of time, no intent to provide add’l support w/o submission of another proposal

– Continuing Grant: Support provided at a specific level for an initial period (1 year) statement of intent to provide add’l support of add’l periods, provided funds are available and results warrant add’l funding



DefinitionsPeople– Grantee: Organization that receives a grant and assumes legal

and financial responsibility for awarded funds and performance of grant-supported activity.

– Authorized Organizational Representative (AOR): Administrative official who on behalf of the proposing organization is empowered to make certifications and assurances and can commit the organization to the conduct of a project that NSF is supporting.

– Principal Investigator/ Project Director (PI/PD): Individual designated by Grantee and approved by NSF responsible for the scientific and technical direction of the project.



Proposal Preparation and Submission

Proposals must be submitted through NSF Fastlane– Proposal Preparation, File Update,

Submission and Status Checking, Project Reporting, and Post-award Administrative Activities

Grant Proposal Guide for Guidance




Types of Submissions: Letter of Intent– Some programs request this prior to

submitting a full proposal, non-binding, helps NSF gauge the size of competition. Contains PIs names, proposed title, list of possible participating orgs, synopsis. Can be submitted via Fastlane.



Proposal Preparation and Submission Types of Submissions: Preliminary Proposal – Requested by NSF to:

1. Reduce proposers unnecessary effort when chance to advance is small

2. Increase overall quality of the full submission

– Prepared in Proposal Preparation Module in FastlaneOn Cover Sheet, PI clicks “Preliminary Proposal” check box

– A decisionsInvite/ Not Invite- decision is final

Encourage/ Discourage- decision is advisory




Types of Submissions: Full Proposal– Should present

Objectives and scientific, engineering, or educational significance

Suitability of methods

Qualifications of PI and Grantee

Effect on infrastructure of science, engineering, and education

Amount of funding required



Rules of ThumbNo double jeopardy– Same work/proposal cannot be funded twice

Biological Sciences Directorate (ONLY)– No duplicates to any other Federal agency at the

same time

Special Instructions for High-resolution graphics– Cannot produce proposals containing color

Fastlane cannot be accessed without NSF ID

Allow 6 months for review



Proposal BasicsUse GPG for pagination instructions

Typefaces– Arial, Courier New, or Palatino Linotype 10 points or

larger– Times New Roman, Computer Modern (family) 11

points or larger– Font size of 10 points or less for formulas, equations,

figures, tables, and captions

No more than 6 lines within 1 inch

Margins must be at least 1 inch

Single column format



Project SummaryThree text boxes in FastLane

Total of 4600 character maximum

If using special characters, you can upload a one page document under Supplementary Documents



Project Summary– Overview: self-description of activity written in 3rd person– Intellectual Merit: importance to advancing knowledge and

understanding within its own field or across different fields, qualifications of the proposer, suggest and explore creative, original, or potentially transformative concepts, conception and organization is the proposed activity, access to resources

– Broader Impacts: advance discovery, promote teaching, training, and learning, broaden the participation of underrepresented groups, enhance the infrastructure for research and education, results be disseminated broadly to enhance scientific and technological understanding, benefits of the proposed activity to society



Project DescriptionClear statement of work including period, methodology, and long-term goals

15 page limit (visual materials included)

Self-Contained URLs should not be used



17

NSF Data Management Plan Requirement

All proposals submitted to NSF on or after January 18, 2011.

Purpose: Address how proposed research will meet NSF Policy on Dissemination and Sharing of Research Results

DMP tool available through the GT Library



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Data Management Plan (DMP)

Supplementary document entitled Data Management Plan (no more than 2 pages)

Not included in 15-page limit for proposal bodies

What if it won’t fit into 2 pages?– May use part of 15-page Project Description for

additional DMP information– DMP may not be used to circumvent Project

Description 15-page limitation



Biosketches2 page limit

Required for each individual identified as senior personnel – Professional Preparation– Appointments (in reverse chronological order)– Products: 5 most closely related, 5 other significant – Synergistic Activities: 5 examples to demonstrate broader impact

of individuals’ professional activities– Collaborators & Other Affiliations (if none please indicate)

Collaborators and Co-Editors

Graduate Advisors and Postdoctoral Sponsors

Thesis Advisor and Postgraduate Scholar Sponsor



Current and Pending SupportThe proposed project and all other projects requiring a portion of PI time– Total award amount– Source – Number of person months– Includes ongoing projects and continuing

grants



NSF 1030 and Budget RequirementsVoluntary Committed Cost Share is Prohibited!!!!!

Salaries– Senior Personnel: 2 month cap– Administrative: Usually indirect cost

Equipment– An item of property ≥ $5000 – Excluded from indirect cost base

Foreign Travel – Fly American Act– Domestic Travel: US, its possessions, Puerto Rico, Canada,

and Mexico



NSF 1030 and Budget RequirementsParticipant Support– Participants and Trainees (NOT employees)– Transportation, per diem, stipends, and other related

costs to attend NSF-sponsored conferences, meetings, symposia, training and workshops

– Excluded from indirect cost base

Materials and Supplies

Publication/ Documentation/ Dissemination



NSF 1030 and Budget RequirementsConsultant Services

Computer Services

Subawards– Identified in the proposal, along with a description of

work, and basis of selection– Include indirect cost on first $25000

Other– Tuition Remission– Interdivisional Transfers



NSF Post Award See Award Administration Guide for guidance



NSF Post Award DefinitionsEffective Date: date specified in grant notice on or after which (except for fixed amount awards) expenditures may be charged. Once an award is made this date cannot be changed, but awardees have the authority to incur pre-award costs.

Expiration Date: Date where after expenses may not be charged except to satisfy commitments made on or before that date. Can be changed through No Cost Extension.



ExtensionsNo-Cost Extension (Grantee-Approved)– Grantee may authorize a 1 time extension of up to 1

year to assure adequate completion of original scope of work. Grantees cannot extend an award with a zero balance. Submitted via Fastlane.

NSF-approved Extension– Additional time beyond the NCE. Formal request

submitted via Fastlane at least 45 days prior to expiration date.



Additional SupportRenewed Support (Standard Grants)– Add’l funding for a support period following the period

of a standard grant. Renewals funded in form of a new grant (new grant number).

Continuing Support (Continuing Grants)– High priority, not considered in competition w/ new

grants or renewed support for a standard grant– Each increment funded at level indicated in the

original award



Additional SupportSupplemental Support– Small amounts of supplemental funding up to 6

months of additional support may be requested to assure completion of original scope of work

– Submitted via Fastlane

Summary of proposed work

Justification for need to supplemental funds

Budget, highlighting use by budget category of add’l funds



Project ChangesScope– Requires NSF approval– Proposed by PI/PD with approval from AOR

Changes in PI/PD– Short term absence (< 90 days)

Grantee to notify NSF of arrangements for conduct of the project



Project ChangesChanges in PI/PD– Long term absence

Plans to return- Arrangements for oversight sent to NSF for approval

30 days before departure

If not approved, grant may be terminated

– Change in Person MonthsReduction of 25% time

Consult with CO and NSF Program Officer



Project ChangesChanges in PI/PD– Withdrawal PI/PD

Notify NSF through Notification and Request Module in Fastlane

Initiate transfer of the grant

Nominate a substitute (Provide PI/PD name, qualifications, and current and pending support)

Initiate grant closeout through submission of final reports



Budget ChangesGrantees may transfer funds from budget category to another .– AAG Exhibit II-1, highlights changes that may require

approval

When a change requires approval, request made via Fastlane

If Federal funds authorized by NSF exceed the requirements of project by more than $5000 or 5% grantee will notify NSF



Cost SharingVoluntary committed cost sharing is prohibited

Mandatory cost sharing– Legally binding and subject to audit– Failure to meet obligation by grantee my

result inTermination of NSF award

Disallowance of award costs/ refund of award to NSF



Reporting via Research.govAnnual RPPR– Due at least 90 days prior to end of current budget

period

Final RPPR– Due 90 days following the expiration date

Project Outcomes Report– Due 90 days following the expiration date– Brief summary prepared for the public, no personal

confidential information, data that may negative impact publication and copyright activity



Questions or Requests for NSF IDCandice Ferguson– [email protected]– 404-894-0410

Thomas Capitano– [email protected]– 404-385-2542

mailto:[email protected]

mailto:[email protected]