{"id":5945,"date":"2026-05-22T16:22:23","date_gmt":"2026-05-22T20:22:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/faculty-and-staff\/?page_id=5945"},"modified":"2026-05-22T17:10:04","modified_gmt":"2026-05-22T21:10:04","slug":"the-national-science-foundation","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/faculty-and-staff\/office-of-grants-and-contracts\/the-grant-advocate\/the-national-science-foundation\/","title":{"rendered":"The National Science Foundation (Special Edition of The Grant Advocate)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The National Science Foundation (NSF) is in the process of modernizing efforts and updating financial assistance policy updates. All the organizational and policy updates are to better serve the grant\/research community. Yes, they are streamlining to make it easier on their researchers, but they are also making the application process more competitive. Currently, the NSF is funding one to five grant applications.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"nsf-by-the-numbers\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>NSF by the Numbers<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>8,377 New Competitive Awards Funded<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>43,532 Proposals Evaluated<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>19% Funding Rate<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>$260,362 Average Award Size<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>1,621 Organizations Funded &#8211; across 50 states, DC, and 3 territories<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>54,773 Active Awards Under Management<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Source: <a href=\"https:\/\/nsf-gov-resources.nsf.gov\/files\/FY-2025-Agency-Financial-Report_0.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">NSF Agency Financial Report for FY 2025<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"gold-standard-science-implementation-plan\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Gold Standard Science Implementation Plan<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">NSF has revised Chapter II.D.2.i(ii) of the PAPPG to align with the implementation of public access requirements under the <strong>Gold Standard Science Implementation Plan<\/strong>, consistent with the U.S. Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) Memorandum: &#8220;Agency Guidance for Implementing Gold Standard Science in the Conduct &amp; Management of Scientific Activities&#8221;. The following relevant requirements to <strong>Data Sharing Expectations<\/strong> were incorporated as follows:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Recipients are required to share all data supporting NSF-funded publications and supporting data at the time of publication.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Publications must be made public and freely available at the time of publication.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>A justification is required if there are any limitations on access to supporting data it must be described and justified within the Data Management Sharing Plan (DMSP).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"program-changes\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Program Changes<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><thead><tr><th class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\"><strong>Program Name<\/strong><\/th><th class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\"><strong>Brief Description<\/strong><\/th><th class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\"><strong>New Maximum<\/strong> <strong>(Incl. IDC)<\/strong><\/th><th class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\"><strong>Duration<\/strong><\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">RAPID (Rapid Response Research)<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">This grant supports urgent, time-sensitive research projects, addressing events like natural disasters such as extreme weather, earthquakes, unexpected ecological shifts, and wildfires; pandemics; cyber incidents; or sudden scientific opportunities. It allows researchers to collect time-sensitive data or respond to rapidly evolving conditions that cannot wait for standard NSF proposal cycles. RAPID grants prioritize feasibility, urgency, and societal relevance.<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">\u2264 $300,000<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Up to 1yr. &nbsp;<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">EAGER (Early-concept Grants for Exploratory Research)<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">This grant supports high-risk, innovative, exploratory research with transformative potential to significantly advance a field or open new research directions. Typically, it is designed for early-stage, high-risk research that is often exploratory, interdisciplinary, and conceptually bold. It may not have extensive preliminary data.<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">\u2264 $400,000<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Up to 2yrs. <strong>&nbsp;<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Planning<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">NSF does not have a single \u201cplanning grant\u201d deadline &#8211; instead, NSF funds a wide range of research and education programs, each with its own announcement of opportunity (NOFO) and submission dates. These deadlines vary by program, but many flagship NSF opportunities in 2026 fall in January, March, and August.<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">\u2264 $200,000 (total)<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Up to 2yrs.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For those interested in <strong>SBIR\/STTR Grants<\/strong>, no new pitch proposals will be accepted until further notice due to the lapse in congressional authorization. Program directors will continue to process previously received project proposals\/pitches. Current pitch proposals are not eligible for reconsideration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"nsf-peer-review-got-stricter\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>NSF Peer Review Got Stricter<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">While NSF\u2019s peer review process is overall, inherently strict due to its high standards for science and societal impact, recent policy shifts have made it more selective and less forgiving. Applicants must now ensure proposals are not only technically compliant but also compelling, well-structured, and aligned with NSF priorities (see link below) with little room for \u201cgood enough\u201d work. The combination of fewer external perspectives, stricter screening, and no resubmission benefit means that proposals that fail first-pass scrutiny are less likely to be salvaged.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In the past, peer reviewers consisted of three to ten experts to assess whether the proposal advances science, is innovative, has a clear work plan, and is feasible. They also judge the team\u2019s qualifications and resources. The peer review panel was a mix of active researchers, related-field experts, and occasional specialists in the exact subfield. Each reviewer read five to fifteen proposals, often over two weeks, and comments were discussed in person. Proposals are then categorized as follows: Highly Competitive; Competitive; Low Competitive; or Not Recommended. All NSF proposals are still evaluated against two main pillars: Intellectual Merit (IM): potential to advance knowledge (is the work creative, transformative, and well-planned?); and Broader Impacts (BI): potential to benefit the greater society and contribute to desired outcomes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Recent policy changes in late 2025 have increased strictness by relaxing the minimum number of <strong>external peer reviewers to two. <\/strong>What this means to the grant\/research community is fewer reviewers means less buffering of proposals with varied viewpoints, a reduced diversity of external perspectives, and an increased emphasis on clarity and program fit over speculative potential. Proposals with underdeveloped aims, vague methods, or weak broader impacts can be returned without review (RWR) or with no resubmission benefits. A proposal will be RWR if the proposal isn\u2019t responsive to the NSF funding opportunity; or does not contain sufficient content to permit effective merit review. When (1) reviewer is internal within NSF, it carries more influence toward NSF priorities and compliance norms. <strong>The Exception:<\/strong> NSF may perform an internal review (review by program official) in cases where one of the two reviews completed cannot be used.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"revised-definition-of-research-misconduct\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Revised Definition of Research Misconduct<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The NSF has defined research misconduct to mean the <strong>fabrication, falsification, or plagiarism<\/strong>, whether committed directly or through the use or assistance of the following: other persons or entities; and tools, including <strong>artificial intelligence (AI)-based tools. <\/strong>This misconduct definition applies to those proposing or performing NSF-funded research; reviewing NSF proposals; and reporting NSF-funded research results. Please Note: the use of AI tools does not exempt individuals from misconduct standards and institutions still remain responsible for oversight and compliance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"available-resources\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Available Resources<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nsf.gov\/about\/performance\/strategic-plan\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">NSF Strategic Plan<\/a><\/strong>\u2014currently in the process of updating. <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nsf.gov\/updates-on-priorities\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">NSF Priorities<\/a><\/strong>\u2014updates on agency priorities. <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>PAPPG References<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Minimum Number of Reviewers (Chapter III.B)<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Proposal Returned Without Review (Chapter IV.B)<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>SBIR\/STTR Reconsideration (Chapter IV.D.2.b.(7))<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The National Science Foundation (NSF) is in the process of modernizing efforts and updating financial assistance policy updates. All the organizational and policy updates are to better serve the grant\/research community. Yes, they are streamlining to make it easier on their researchers, but they are also making the application process more competitive. Currently, the NSF [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":0,"parent":5369,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_mu_eop_enabled":false,"_mu_eop_name":"","_mu_eop_name_override":false,"_mu_eop_description":"","_mu_eop_description_override":false,"_mu_eop_url":"","_mu_eop_url_override":false,"_mu_eop_program_type":"","_mu_eop_educational_credential":"","_mu_eop_time_to_complete":"","_mu_eop_number_of_credits":"","_mu_eop_occupational_category":"","_mu_eop_occupational_category_code":"","_mu_eop_program_prerequisites":"","_mu_eop_application_deadline":"","_mu_eop_application_start_date":"","_mu_eop_start_date":"","_mu_eop_end_date":"","_mu_eop_day_of_week":"","_mu_eop_time_of_day":"","_mu_eop_educational_program_mode":"","_mu_eop_financial_aid_eligible":"","_mu_eop_maximum_enrollment":"","_mu_eop_offers_price":"","_mu_eop_offers_currency":"USD","_mu_eop_offers_price_per":"","_mu_eop_offers_preset":"","_mu_eop_salary_upon_completion":"","_mu_eop_training_salary":"","_mu_eop_recognized_by_name":"","_mu_eop_recognized_by_url":"","_mu_eop_concentrations":"","_mu_eop_identifier_cip":"","_mu_eop_provider_name":"","_mu_eop_provider_name_override":false,"_mu_eop_provider_url":"","_mu_eop_provider_address":"","_mu_eop_provider_city":"","_mu_eop_provider_state":"","_mu_eop_provider_zip":"","_mu_eop_provider_country":"","footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-5945","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/faculty-and-staff\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/5945","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/faculty-and-staff\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/faculty-and-staff\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/faculty-and-staff\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/15"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/faculty-and-staff\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5945"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/faculty-and-staff\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/5945\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5985,"href":"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/faculty-and-staff\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/5945\/revisions\/5985"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/faculty-and-staff\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/5369"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/faculty-and-staff\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5945"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}