NSF Critical Aspects of Sustainability (CAS)

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Economic development and human progress have led to a proliferation of manufactured chemicals and materials made from limited resources found in nature (i.e., minerals and metals, petroleum-based products and natural gas). Long-term sustainability requires consideration of the availability of specific natural resources, energy, and water usage. NSF continues to support efforts that seek to improve the efficiency with which natural resources are used to meet human needs for products and services. Sustainability research encompasses the design, manufacture and use of efficient, effective, safe and more environmentally-benign products and processes; stimulates innovation across all sectors to design and discover new chemicals and materials, production processes, and product stewardship practices; and, increases performance and value while meeting the goals of protecting and enhancing human health and the environment.

This program seeks to support basic research through core disciplinary programs aimed at improving the sustainability of resources for future generations while maintaining or improving current products in order to offer technologically-advanced, economically competitive, environmentally-benign and useful materials to a global society. In order to address these challenges, the program aims to identify opportunities for innovation in a wide range of contributing disciplines as well as integrative activities. This program encourages the development of new experimental and theoretical/modeling approaches that will aid in both reductionist and whole-systems approaches.

This program welcomes proposals in any area of research supported through the participating divisions that address the topics outlined below. The selected topics are of particular interest to core disciplinary programs in the participating divisions and do not include all funding opportunities and priorities in the area or sustainability at NSF. Proposals are submitted to the relevant core Programs indicated below in the participating Divisions, and all questions regarding proposals should be addressed by the cognizant Program Officers to which submission is contemplated. Proposals should be submitted with the “CAS:” prefix in the title.

The Division of Chemistry (CHE/MPS) welcomes proposals to its Disciplinary Research Programs, including Chemical Catalysis (CAT), Chemical Measurement and Imaging (CMI), Chemical Structure, Dynamics and Mechanisms-A (CSDM-A), Chemical Structure Dynamics and Mechanisms-B (CSDM-B), Chemical Synthesis (SYN), Chemical Theory, Models and Computational Methods (CTMC), Chemistry of Life Processes (CLP), Environmental Chemical Sciences (ECS), and Macromolecular, Supramolecular and Nanochemistry (MSN). All proposals must be on chemical aspects of sustainability.

The Division of Materials Research (DMR/MPS) welcomes proposals to its Topical Materials Research Programs, including Biomaterials (BMAT), Ceramics (CER), Condensed Matter and Materials Theory (CMMT), Condensed Matter Physics (CMP), Electronic and Photonic Materials (EPM), Metals and Metallic Nanostructures (MMN), Polymers (POL), and Solid State and Materials Chemistry (SSMC). All proposals must be on materials aspects of sustainability and focused on fundamental materials-research approaches.

The Chemical, Bioengineering, Environmental and Transport Systems Division (CBET/ENG) has several core programs that review proposals on research topics related to sustainability, including Molecular Separations (MolS), Biosensing, Environmental Sustainability (EnvS), Biological and Environmental Interactions of Nanoscale Materials (BioNano), Combustion and Fire Systems (CFS), and Particulate and Multiphase Processes (PMP).

For the Division of Civil, Mechanical and Manufacturing Innovation (CMMI/ENG), proposals addressing sustainable materials processing are welcome. Of interest are manufacturing processes with reduced use of toxic components, such as solvents, carbon emissions, and pollutants; processes under ambient conditions, as opposed to extreme temperatures, pressures or other harsh conditions; and increased conservation of natural resources, such as water, raw material, and energy. Proposals to CMMI must be submitted to the Advanced Manufacturing (AM) Program and align with the scope of the program.

The Division of Earth Sciences (EAR/GEO) welcomes fundamental and transformational geosciences projects addressing the distribution of Critical Minerals and Materials in the Earth. The following programs in the division support research on this topic: Petrology and Geochemistry (CH), Geobiology and Low-Temperature Geochemistry (GG), and Frontier Research in Earth Sciences (FRES).

For additional information, including due dates for specific NSF Divisions, please visit the CAS program page.

National Science Foundation (NSF) and Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST) Collaborative Research Opportunity in Smart and Connected Communities

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The US National Science Foundation (NSF) and the Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST) have signed a Memorandum of Cooperation (MOC) on Research Cooperation. The MOC provides an overarching framework to encourage collaboration between the US and Japanese research communities. NSF and JST are pleased to announce a collaborative research opportunity aligned with the goals of the NSF Smart and Connected Communities (S&CC) Program.

Complementary expertise and resources in the US and Japan enable research in areas which are fundamental to smart and connected community solutions. Specific areas include, but are not limited to, disaster response and emergency management, precision agriculture, cybersecurity of the electric grid and Internet-of-Things (IoT) devices, and wired and wireless networking.

Proposals are expected to adhere to the solicitation guidelines for the NSF and JST programs from which the funding is sought and must represent an integrated, well-coordinated collaborative effort. This document provides guidelines for the preparation, submission, review, and award of NSF-JST collaborative proposals. Proposers are advised that all documents submitted to NSF or JST may be shared with the other agency in order to implement the two-way agency activities

NSF Solicitation – Smart and Connected Communities, NSF 19-564. Eligible award category: Planning Grants.

NSF Deadline: September 6, 2019

JST Solicitation – Japan (JST) – US (NSF) Joint Research 2019. Deadline: September 8, 2019.

Additional information can be found in the NSF Dear Colleague letter about the joint NSF – JST Collaborative Research Opportunity. 

NIH – New “All About Grants” Podcast on Writing a Fellowship Application

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NIH offers a variety of opportunities for researchers early in their career. Individual fellowship (F) awards provide research training opportunities to trainees at the predoctoral, graduate, and postdoctoral levels. In this next installment of the NIH’s All About Grants podcast series, Shoshana Kahana, Ph.D., NIH Research Training Policy Officer, discusses the F application process, sharing tips and best practices for developing a strong application (MP3 / Transcript).

Tune in for the A to Z on F applications, including where to start, the role of sponsors, and what NIH is looking for as they review applications. She also explains the considerations for applications involving clinical research, and offers advice for unfunded applicants.

For even more information, see the NIH Fellowships page.

Diversity Program Consortium Dissemination and Translation Awards (DPC DaTA) (U01)

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The Diversity Program Consortium (DPC) Dissemination and Translation Awards (DaTA) initiative is designed to broaden the consortium’s national impact. The DPC DaTA initiative provides an opportunity for institutions not currently part of the DPC to apply for funding to take a rigorous scientific approach to understanding the effectiveness of a biomedical research training, mentoring, or research capacity building intervention by employing DPC experimental methods (see DPC data elements/survey instruments and hallmarks of success).

Funded programs must:

  • Conduct hypothesis-driven research;
  • use rigorous DPC methods for evaluation (e.g., the use of matched controls and/or comparison groups); and,
  • disseminate the results to inform the biomedical community on what factors enhance diversity in the biomedical research workforce and why those factors have an influence.

Research results are expected to move beyond participation satisfaction, self-reporting of perceived skills gained, or self-reporting of effectiveness. Accordingly, the interventions are to be centered not only on psychosocial factors but also on outcomes.

The interventions should:

  • Inform the field about the effectiveness of the duration, frequency, and intensity of the intervention and whether those effects can be enhanced by reinforcement sessions;
  • provide the scientific community with sound evidence of short-, medium-, and long-term effects of the efficacy of the interventions; and,
  • be cost-effective, practical, realistic, scalable, and sustainable at a broad range of institutions.

NIH intends to fund primarily undergraduate institutions with a commitment to providing educational opportunities to research-oriented students from diverse backgrounds (see NIH’s Interest in Diversity). Eligible institutions are expected to be:

  • Domestic associate’s degree-granting and/or baccalaureate degree-granting colleges/universities that received an average of NIH research project grant funding of less than $7.5 million total costs per year over the past 3 fiscal years; and,
  • have at least 25 percent of undergraduate students supported by Pell grants.

These awards will be cooperative agreements, which means that there will be substantial federal scientific or programmatic involvement. NIH scientific and/or program staff will assist, guide, coordinate, or participate in the project activities.

The scope of the proposed project should determine the project period. The maximum project period is 3 years. The DPC DaTA program is not intended for professional schools or Phase I awardees of the DPC. Application budgets are limited to $250K with no funds allowable for alterations and renovations, large equipment, and student financial support.

For more information about the DPC DaTA program, see the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts, RFA-RM-19-003, or contact Dr. Anissa J. Brown at anissa.brown@nih.gov.

Additional information can be found in the RFA available at RFA-RM-19-003.

On July 17, NIGMS staff will offer a webinar to provide an overview of the program and explain application expectations and requirements for the upcoming Oct. 8, 2019 receipt date.

Defense Health Program Department of Defense Chronic Pain Management Research Program Funding Opportunities for Fiscal Year 2019 (FY19)

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The FY19 Defense Appropriation provides $10 million (M) to the Department of Defense Chronic Pain Management Research Program (CPMRP) to support research of exceptional scientific merit with the potential to make a significant impact on improving the health and quality of life of Service members, Veterans, and all Americans living with chronic pain. As directed by the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs, the Defense Health Agency J9, Research and Development Directorate manages the Defense Health Program (DHP) Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation (RDT&E) appropriation. The managing agent for the anticipated Program Announcements/Funding Opportunities is the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP) at the U.S. Army Medical Research and Development Command (USAMRDC).The CPMRP is providing the information in this pre-announcement to allow investigators time to plan and develop applications. FY19 CPMRP Program Announcements and General Application Instructions for the following award mechanisms are anticipated to be posted on the Grants.gov website in July 2019. Pre-application and application deadlines will be available when the Program Announcements are released. This pre-announcement should not be construed as an obligation by the government.

Per the FY19 CPMRP Congressional appropriation, chronic pain is defined as a pain that occurs on at least half the days for six months or more, and which can be caused by issues including, but not limited to: combat- and training-related physical or mental stress and trauma, migraines and chronic headaches, traumatic brain injury, arthritis, muscular-skeletal conditions, neurological disease, tick and vector-borne disease, other insect-transmitted or tropical disease, and cancer. The CPMRP seeks to support and promote innovative, high-impact research to prevent the development and improve the management of chronic pain, with specific emphasis on the utilization and implementation of non-opioid therapies or non-addictive complementary methods. Applications from investigators within the military Services and applications involving multidisciplinary collaborations among academia, industry, the military Services, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), and other Federal Government agencies are highly encouraged.

For FY19, the CPMRP Focus Areas will be required. Each award mechanism (listed below) will require at least one of the FY19 CPMRP Focus Areas as indicated below:

  • Investigator-Initiated Research Award – FY19 Focus Area: “Chronification” of Pain (i.e., the acute-to-chronic pain transitition)
  • Translational Research Award – FY19 Focus Area: Comparative Effectiveness
  • Translational Research Award – FY19 Focus Area: Implementation Science (Evidence-based, efficacious interventions to manage chronic pain)
https://cdmrp.army.mil/pubs/press/2019/19cpmrppreann

Investigator-Initiated Research Award – Investigators at or above the level of Assistant Professor (or equivalent)

  • Emphasis on innovative and impactful research
  • Applications must include preliminary and/or published data or clinical observations that originated from the research team that support the rationale for the proposed study.
  • Applications must include preliminary and/or published data or clinical observations that originated from the research team that support the rationale for the proposed study.
  • Should be relevant to active duty Service members, Veterans, military beneficiaries, and/or the American public.
  • Multidisciplinary collaborations are encouraged.
  • Clinical Trials Not Allowed
  • Maximum funding of $900,000 for direct costs (plus indirect costs)
  • Maximum period of performance is 4 years

Translational Research Award – Investigators at or above the level of Assistant Professor (or equivalent)

  • Supports acceleration of evidence-based ideas and research into clinical applications (e.g., healthcare products, technologies, practice guidelines).
  • Applications must include preliminary and/or published data collected by the research team that support the rationale for the proposed study.
  • Effectiveness-implementation hybrid type 2 and type 3 studies are encouraged.
  • Projects may include studies using prospective human subject enrollment or retrospective data analysis; limited clinical studies are allowed. • Animal studies are not allowed.
  • Maximum funding of $1,400,000 for direct costs (plus indirect costs)
  • Maximum period of performance is 4 years

A pre-application is required and must be submitted through the electronic Biomedical Research Application Portal (eBRAP) at https://eBRAP.org prior to the pre-application deadline. All applications must conform to the final Program Announcements and General Application Instructions that will be available for electronic downloading from the Grants.gov website. The application package containing the required forms for each award mechanism will also be found on Grants.gov. A listing of all CDMRP and other USAMRDC extramural funding opportunities can be obtained on the Grants.gov website by performing a basic search using CFDA Number 12.420.

Submission deadlines are not available until the Program Announcements are released. For email notification when Program Announcements are released, subscribe to program-specific news and updates under “Email Subscriptions” on the eBRAP homepage at https://eBRAP.org. For more information about the CPMRP or other CDMRP-administered programs, please visit the CDMRP website (https://cdmrp.army.mil).

Additional information can be found at: https://cdmrp.army.mil/pubs/press/2019/19cpmrppreann