Environmental Sciences

No Applicants // Limit: 1 // Tickets Available: 1 

UArizona may submit one proposal as the lead organization of a collaborative project on only one submission per cycle, regardless of track, but may serve as the non-lead organization of a collaborative project more than once per cycle.

The Directorate for Geosciences (GEO) supports the Pathways into the Geosciences - Earth, Ocean, Polar and Atmospheric Sciences (GEOPAths) funding opportunity. GEOPAths invites proposals that specifically address the current needs and opportunities related to education, learning, training and professional development within the geosciences community through the formation of STEM Learning Ecosystems that engage students in the study of the Earth, its oceans, polar regions and atmosphere. The primary goal of the GEOPAths funding opportunity is to increase the number of students pursuing undergraduate and/or postgraduate degrees through the design and testing of novel approaches that engage students in authentic, career-relevant experiences in geoscience. In order to broaden participation in the geosciences, engaging students from historically excluded groups or from non-geoscience degree programs is a priority. This solicitation features three funding tracks that focus on Geoscience Learning Ecosystems (GLEs):

1. GEOPAths: Informal Networks (IN). Collaborative projects in this track will support geoscience learning and experiences in informal settings for teachers, pre-college (e.g., upper level high school) students, and early undergraduates in the geosciences.
2. GEOPAths: Undergraduate Preparation (UP). Projects in this track will engage pre-college and undergraduate students in extra-curricular experiences and training in the geosciences with a focus on service learning and workplace skill building.
3. GEOPAths: Graduate Opportunities (GO). Projects in this track will improve research and career-related pathways into the geosciences for undergraduate and graduate students through institutional collaborations with a focus on service learning and workplace skill building.

No applicants // Limit: 2 // Tickets Available: 2 

UArizona may submit no more than two (2) applications in response to this announcement.

The program provides funding to support research and development (R&D) for nuclear science, engineering, technology, and related disciplines to develop a workforce capable of supporting the design, construction, operation, and regulation of nuclear facilities and the safe handling of nuclear materials. University R&D activities provide an opportunity to complement current, ongoing NRC-led research.

More specifically, the program shall be used to provide financial assistance for R&D projects relevant to the programmatic mission of the NRC referenced above, with an emphasis on providing financial assistance with respect to research, development, demonstration, and commercial application of new and advanced nuclear technologies. New this year, non-technical research will be considered under this announcement (for example, projects that would foster the development of innovative community engagement strategies, including incorporation of principles of equity and environmental justice).

The estimated budget for this program is $6,000,000.00 for a project period of three years. 

Areas of interest include, but are not limited to:

• Application of wireless communications, drones, robotics, and autonomous control in operations and maintenance activities;

• Digital engineering/analytics, advanced sensors, and digital instrumentation/controls at nuclear facilities;

• Evaluation of technical gaps and major uncertainties in assessing risk for operating, new and advanced reactors (e.g., modeling of complex dependencies, advanced calculation techniques, multi-unit and multi-moule risk, application of risk techniques to radiological consequence analysis, development of improved risk metrics);

• Human and organizational factors and human reliability analysis for advanced nuclear applications, (e.g., improved models for dependency, consideration of organizational factors, dynamic methods, and risk analysis).

• Characterization of fire hazards in new reactor designs (e.g., sodium) and post-fire safe shutdown capability;

• Characterization of natural hazards including but not limited to flooding, high winds, hurricanes, wildfires, climate change;

• Analysis models and methods for fuel and cladding performance;

• Advanced technology approaches (e.g., data and text analytics, data visualization techniques, and artificial intelligence) and applications (e.g., data mining, autonomous control) in nuclear power-related applications; Evaluation of the radiological releases and offsite consequences for fusion reactor accidents;

• Application of innovative and advanced technologies for decommissioning and remediation of radiologically contaminated sites;

• Evaluation of the technical gaps and uncertainties in licensing new veterinary and medical uses of byproduct materials;

• Analytical approaches that combine probabilistic risk assessment (PRA) risk quantification methods with reactor systems sensitivity or uncertainty analysis methods to quantify the risk significance of safety analysis errors or uncertainties; Performance-based technology-neutral safety assurance;

• Evaluation of technical gaps and major uncertainties in assessing risk for decommissioning and waste management; and

• Comparative analysis, consistencies, and harmonization in application of dosimetry and dose coefficients

D.Diaz (Animal&Biomedical Sciences-Res)

The U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor(DRL) announces an open competition for organizations to submit applications for projects that address the impact of climate change and environmental degradation on democracy and human rights in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.

DRL seeks regional projects in the Middle East and North Africa that articulate the linkages between human rights and good governance with climate and the environment, and that prepare citizens to play a key role in mitigating the effects of climate change and environmental degradation. Responsive projects should be designed to achieve outcomes that may include:

• Civil society organizations (CSOs) and natural resource defenders (NRDs) meaningfully and safely contribute to national, regional, and global environmental policy development and reforms.
• Reform efforts that address environment and the challenges of climate change insecurity and include efforts to address governance, corruption, post-conflict recovery, and a just and equitable transition to a clean economy.
• Ensure the public has access to transparent and credible information on climate issues, including by supporting responsible media reporting, the role of independent media in climate coverage, and access to public records on environmental degradation and climate change.
• NRDs and CSOs are better able to safely coordinate and cooperate in their local, national, and regional-level advocacy for preserving natural resources and tackling climate change.

A.Linares-Gaffer (Nutritional Sciences) 

The purpose of the Higher Education Multicultural Scholars Program (MSP), Assistance Listing 10.220, is to provide scholarships to support recruiting, engaging, retaining, mentoring, and training committed multicultural scholars, resulting in either baccalaureate degrees within the food and agricultural science disciplines or Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (D.V.M.) degrees. The goals and objectives of the scholarships are to encourage outstanding students from groups that are historically underrepresented and underserved to pursue and complete baccalaureate degrees in food and agricultural sciences, or achieve a D.V.M., that would lead to a diverse and highly skilled work force. This may or may not include the teaching and preservation of traditional ecological knowledge.

Limit: 4*  // PIs selected: 

Track 1:

• J. Pyun (Chemistry and Biochemistry)
• D. Sand  (Astronomy)

Track 2:

• J. Schaibley ( Physics)
   

Track 3:

• J. Dai (Chemistry and Biochemistry)

*Number of proposals allowed per organization: Four.

• No more than two submissions in Track 1 (Track 1 MRI proposals are those that request funds from NSF greater than or equal to $100,000 and less than $1,400,000).
• No more than one submission in Track 2 (Track 2 MRI proposals are those that request funds from NSF greater than or equal to $1,400,000 up to and including $4,000,000). 
• Track 3: Track 3 MRI proposals are those that request funds from NSF greater than or equal to $100,0001 and less than or equal to $4,000,000 that include the purchase, installation, operation, and maintenance of equipment and instrumentation to conserve or reduce the consumption of helium. Institutions may submit no more than one Track 3 proposal. Submission of a Track 3 proposal does not impact limits that apply for Track 1 and Track 2 proposals.

The Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) Program (MRI Program Website) serves to increase access to multi-user scientific and engineering instrumentation for research and research training in our Nation's institutions of higher education and not-for-profit scientific/engineering research organizations. An MRI award supports the acquisition of a multi-user research instrument that is commercially available through direct purchase from a vendor, or for the personnel costs and equipment that are required for the development of an instrument with new capabilities, thereby advancing instrumentation capabilities and enhancing expertise for instrument design and fabrication at academic institutions. MRI instruments are, in general, too costly and/or not appropriate for support through other NSF programs.

MRI provides support to acquire critical research instrumentation without which advances in fundamental science and engineering research may not otherwise occur. MRI also provides support to obtain next-generation research instruments by developing instruments with new capabilities that open new opportunities to advance the frontiers in science and engineering research. Additionally, an MRI award is expected to enhance research training of students who will become the next generation of instrument users, designers and builders.

An MRI proposal may request from NSF up to $4 million for either acquisition or development of a research instrument. Each performing organization may submit in revised "Tracks" as defined below, with no more than two (2) submissions in Track 1 and no more than one (1) submission in Track 2. For the newly defined Track 3, no more than one (1) submission per competition is permitted.  As a result, it is now possible for an institution to submit up to four MRI proposals within the Track limits as described above.

• Track 1: Track 1 MRI proposals are those that request funds from NSF greater than $100,000[1] and less than $1,400,000.
• Track 2: Track 2 MRI proposals are those that request funds from NSF greater than or equal to $1,400,000 up to and including $4,000,000.
• Track 3: Track 3 MRI proposals are those that request funds from NSF greater than or equal to $100,000[1] and less than or equal to $4,000,000 that include the purchase, installation, operation, and maintenance of equipment and instrumentation to conserve or reduce the consumption of helium. Track 3 is an institutionally coordinated submission and won't be part of the internal competition.

  Institutions may submit no more than one Track 3 proposal. Submission of a Track 3 proposal does not impact limits that apply for Track 1 and Track 2 proposals.

Cost sharing requirements for new awards in the MRI Program are waived for a period of 5 years beginning with the FY 2023 MRI competition. Institutional submission limits for Track 1, Track 2 and Track 3 proposals remain.

The MRI Program especially seeks broad representation of groups, institutions, and geographic regions that are underrepresented in STEM disciplines. Proposals from women, underrepresented minorities, persons with disabilities and early-career PIs are encouraged, as are proposals that benefit early-career researchers and proposals with PIs from geographically underserved regions, including EPSCoR jurisdictions. Additionally, proposals are encouraged from under-resourced institutions, including from emerging research institutions, where MRI can significantly build capacity for research

A. Mostafa (Maricopa County Cooperative Extension)

The purpose of Equity in Conservation Outreach Cooperative Agreements is to leverage NRCS and partner resources by developing community-led conservation projectsso that historically underserved producers and underserved communities will be able to access NRCS programs and services and learn of potential career opportunities in agriculture, natural resources, and related sciences. Through this NFO, eligible applicants may propose projects that engage historically underserved producers and underserved communities equitably and offer access to opportunities through outreach activities that: 

• promote NRCS programs through education or demonstration of conservation practices;
• develop community conservation partnerships that encourage historically underserved producers to plan and protect farmland ecosystems, watersheds, and wildlife habitat in geographical areas of underserved communities;
• inform small-scale or urban agriculture producers about participation in conservation programs; and
• support education on, planning for, and adoption of conservation practicesthat are climate smart.

Applicants are encouraged to showcase the local environmental and economic value of adopting conservation measures through various methods, such as training and demonstrations. Eligible applicants should consider outreach that is mutually beneficial to both the communities and NRCS,such as partnershipsthat incorporate local needs and prioritize conservation investments. Such outreach should increase awareness of NRCS programs, services, and career opportunities in agriculture and natural resources conservation within historically underserved producers and underserved communities.

No applicants // Limit: 1 // Tickets Available: 1 

UArizona can submit one proposal as a lead organization and can serve on no more than two proposals as a collaborator. Both, collaboration and leading projects should participate in the internal competition in other to determine the projects that will be selected to represent UofA.

All IHEs can participate in ART in some form, either as lead or partner/mentor.  It’s up to the institution to make the case of where they seem themselves fitting in.  There are different metrics that can be used to determine research translation and entrepreneurship that reflect the current capacity and status of infrastructure for translational research at an IHE.  We are asking IHEs to self-determine and provide data as justification.  

The National Science Foundation’s (NSF) Directorate for Technology, Innovation and Partnerships (TIP) announced a new foundation-wide solicitation for the Accelerating Research Translation (ART) program, which was authorized by the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022.  The ART program aims to support projects that will increase the role of U.S. institutions of higher education in their region’s innovation ecosystems through building their capacity and strengthening their infrastructure for translational research and supporting translational research training for graduate students and postdocs.  For this competition, NSF recognizes “translational research” as converting research into practical applications that can be deployed at scale, including knowledge/technology transfer, commercialization, or transition to practice, resulting in tangible economic and/or societal benefits.

This solicitation seeks proposals that enable IHE-based teams to propose a blend of: (1) activities that will help build and/or strengthen the institutional infrastructure to sustainably grow the institutional capacity for research translation in the short and long terms; (2) educational/training opportunities, especially for graduate students and postdoctoral researchers, to become entrepreneurs and/or seek use-inspired and/or translational research-oriented careers in the public and/or private sectors; and (3) specific, translational research activities that offer immediate opportunities for transition to practice to create economic and/or societal impact. The funded teams will form a nationwide network of 'ART Ambassadors' who will champion the cause of translational research.

Submissions to the ART solicitation must address how an institution would:

1. “Develop institutional capacity and infrastructure for translational research activities in the short term (during the four-year duration of the award) and long term (beyond the duration of the award);
2. Create and continually train new cohorts of graduate students and postdoctoral researchers versed in translational research to successfully create economic and/or societal impact through various career pathways, e.g., as entrepreneurs, in industry or public sectors; and
3. Support a nationwide network of 'ART Ambassadors' who will be the agents of change within their institutions and region to support equal importance for translational research and its ensuing impact.”

Among other activities, ART awardees will be required to identify and fund at least two Seed Translational Research Projects (STRPs) selected from research being done at the lead institution with translational potential.  Each STRP must be supported for at least two years and total funding for all STRP projects supported throughout the duration of the award cannot be more than half of the total funding for the project. 

Colleges and universities that have high levels of fundamental research activity but low translational research activity are encouraged to apply to the ART solicitation.  NSF recommends that institutions who already have high levels of translational research activity consider participating as a collaborator that can provide expertise to funded institutions working on their translational research capacity building.  Applicants must provide data to “justify their current capacity and infrastructure for translational research activities, using multiple evidence-based methods and metrics to determine their capacity.”  NSF recommends utilizing their data on research expenditures, linked below, as a starting point to determine if an institution is operating at a high fundamental research level.  Specific metrics to reflect the level of translational research activity are up to the applicant.  Some examples provided by NSF are number of invention disclosures; number of start-ups; number of patents issued; volume of industry-funded research; broad adoption of research outputs; licenses issued; and revenue from royalties.  Institutions applying to the ART program also need to clearly state why they have significant potential to build translational research capacity. Finally, the solicitation highlights that translational research activities at institutions receiving ART awards must be valued similarly to fundamental research activities, including when institutions are making decisions about faculty recruitment, promotion, and tenure.

Sources and Additional Information:

• The ART program page is available at https://beta.nsf.gov/funding/opportunities/accelerating-research-translation-art.
• The full ART solicitation is available at https://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2023/nsf23558/nsf23558.htm.
• Registration information for the webinar can be found at https://nsf.zoomgov.com/webinar/register/WN_N-mFOgtjSkijCuOI7orPvw?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery.

R. Tronstad ( Agricultural and Resource Economics)

The primary goal of BFRDP, under assistance listing number 10.311, is to help beginning farmers and ranchers in the United States and its territories enter and/or improve their successes in farming, ranching, and management of nonindustrial private forest lands, through support for projects that provide education, mentoring, and technical assistance to give beginning farmers and ranchers the knowledge, skills, and tools needed to make informed decisions for their operations and enhance their sustainability. The term “farmer” is used in the broadest sense and may be interpreted to include agricultural farmers, ranchers, and non-industrial private forest owners and managers. The term "beginning farmer or rancher" means a person that (A)(i) has not operated a farm or ranch; or (ii) has operated a farm or ranch for not more than 10 years; and (B) meets such other criteria as the Secretary may establish.

K. Fitzsimmons ( International Initiatives/ Environmental Science) - Collaboration Track

There is one slot still available for the Collaboration Track and two free slots for the Conference Track. 
UA may not submit more than two Collaboration and two Conference applications to this program, as a lead institution each year. There is no limit on the number of Regular applications submitted by an institution
 

For FY 2023, only two awards will be made to the same lead institution, with up to one being a Collaboration award each year. Conference awards are excluded from this award limitation. A Project Director may not apply for a Collaboration grant as the lead project director if they currently have an active USDA NIFA HSI Collaboration award in its first or second year of the project

The purpose of the HSI Education Grants Program is to encourage innovative teaching or education proposals with potential to impact and become models for other institutions that serve underrepresented students at the regional or national level. Projects supported by this program must include/address one or more of the following goals:

1.  Attract and support undergraduate and graduate students from underrepresented groups to prepare them for careers related to the food, agricultural natural resources, and human systems and sciences in the United States.
2.  Enhance the quality of postsecondary instruction within the above disciplines.
3. Provide opportunities and access to food and agricultural careers in the public, non-profit and private sectors.
4. Align the efforts of HSIs and other non-profit organizations to support academic development and career attainment of underrepresented groups.

The HSI Education Grants Program is aligned with the following USDA Strategic Plan FY 2022- 2026:

1. Strategic Goal 2: Ensure America’s Agricultural System is Equitable, Resilient, and Prosperous
2. Strategic Goal 4: Provide All Americans Safe, Nutritious Food

Collaboration Grant
Collaboration Grants for this program must be submitted by agroup of two or more HSIs forming a linkage arrangement for the purpose of carryingout common objective(s) on the group’s behalf. The arrangement must be formed topromote and strengthen the institutional abilities to carry out higher educationprograms related to FANH . Collaboration grants must support Education/TeachingProjects. Collaboration grants for Community Development Projects will not beaccepted.

Grants are designed to help institutions develop competitive projects and to attractnew students into careers in high-priority areas of national need. To ensure the cost- effectiveness of funded projects, the institutions will work together to recruit andgraduate a minimum of fifteen undergraduate and ten graduate students fromunderrepresented groups in an Associate, Baccalaureate, MS, or PhD degree program.The twenty-five students must be recruited during the duration of the grant.

Collaboration Grants will be funded up to approximately $1,000,000 total, and mustbe for a project period of four years.

All partners must have a significant role in the collaboration and each institution’sbudget needs to be appropriate to support its activities. More information regardingpartnership and allowed activities can be found in “HSI Education Grants ProgramSupplemental Information.”
 

Conference Grants
Conference Grants support scientific meetings that bring togethereducators to identify research, education/teaching, and/or extension needs, updateinformation, or advance an area of education/teaching. Individual conference grantsmust not exceed $50,000 total for a project period of up to three years. Conferencegrants are not renewable. Indirect costs are not permitted on Conference Grantawards.

In FY 2023, one of the conference grants will be awarded to an institution to bringtogether a diverse and representative group of HSIs for a HSI Assessment andEvaluation conference to convene HSIs from across the country and Puerto Rico.Applications are expected to propose a conference that will emphasize research andpractice as related to educational assessment and evaluation of projects fundedthrough the NIFA HSI Education Grants program. Projects should focus on thefollowing areas:

a.Measuring to what extent previously funded projects from the NIFA HSIEducation Grants Program achieve the following program goals to guidecurrently funded and future project applicants:

1.Attract and support undergraduate and graduate students fromunderrepresented groups to prepare them for careers related toFANH agricultural and natural resources systems and sciences inthe United States.

2.Enhance the quality of postsecondary instruction within the abovedisciplines.

3.Provide opportunities and access to food and agricultural careers in thepublic and private sector.

4.Align the efforts of HSIs and other non-profit organizations to supportacademic development and career attainment of underrepresented groups.

b.Capturing the outcomes and impacts of NIFA funds on student recruitment, retention, and graduation and faculty professional development, including retention and promotion. c. Disseminating and reporting outcomes, impacts, and best practices to federal agencies, the greater HSI community, and other stakeholders.

d. Promoting and strengthening the ability of HSIs to carry out education, applied research, and related community development programs.

Conference activities should bring together participants from a range of backgrounds and institution types to learn ways to evaluate and assess their projects, discuss challenges facing HSIs, and provide opportunities for participants to discuss their own experiences. Invitees will be determined in collaboration with the agency with a minimum of twenty-five institutions expected to attend. The conference date will be determined with guidance from program staff to accommodate agency and stakeholder needs.

Conference applications focused on assessment and evaluation should include 1) a comprehensive plan for outreach and ensuring attendance of a diverse and representative group of HSIs and stakeholders and 2) a robust dissemination plan for the conference proceedings.

The awardee is required to develop conference proceedings which will include, but not limited to: a) a detailed conference agenda, b) a list of the individuals, and their institutional affiliations, who participated as speakers or attendees in the formally planned sessions of the meeting, c) a summary of topics discussed, including current trends in evaluation methodology and recommendations of products that can assure preservation of and ready access to information and outputs from projects, and conclusions, and d) an analysis of HSIs’ future research, education, and extension needs in FANH as determined by the participants.

Applicants of regular, collaboration, or conference grants are encouraged, but not required, to partner with a USDA agency to leverage resources and expertise for the proposed project.

No applicants // Limit: 2 // Tickets Available: 2 

UArizona may submit two proposals.
No more than two proposals across both tracks may be submitted by any Lead institution.

The Centers for Innovation and Community Engagement in Solid Earth Geohazards program supports university-based centers to advance research on the fundamental solid Earth processes that underpin natural hazards. Centers will catalyze, coordinate, and produce transformative research, lead innovation, and enable convergent approaches for systems-level insights that require the collective efforts of a large group of individuals.

Centers focus on addressing major, fundamental science challenges for understanding solid Earth geohazards, primarily those related to faulting, volcanoes, mass movements, and other dynamic processes. In particular, the Centers will advance understanding in one or more of the priorities outlined in the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine decadal survey report The Earth in Time, including; What is an earthquake? What drives volcanism? What are the causes and consequences of topographic change? and How can Earth science research reduce the risk and toll of geohazards?

Centers will also foster different dimensions of community engagement to meaningfully improve the national welfare. Flagship community engagement activities will take bold and creative action to broaden participation of underrepresented groups in the geoscience workforce and expand the impact of fundamental research in solid Earth geohazards to inform and prepare a broader community. Centers will establish partnerships to enable public outreach, hazard mitigation and other community engagement activities.

The Program has two tracks, both of which are described in this solicitation. Track I – Center Catalyst awards are intended to provide resources to catalyze initiatives to develop future centers. These awards would support groups to develop the science, management, and broader impact concepts for of a major research center. Track II – Center Operation awards are intended to support the operation of a fully developed center.
 

Track I – Center Catalyst 

For the FY 2022 competition, Track I – Center Catalyst proposals will address topics that focus on the fundamental processes that create solid Earth geohazards, including earthquakes, volcanoes, landslides, and other solid earth or tectonic processes. The proposal’s scope will align with one or more of the priorities outlined in the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine decadal survey report The Earth in Time, including; What is an earthquake? What drives volcanism? What are the causes and consequences of topographic change? and How can Earth science research reduce the risk and toll of geohazards?

Catalyst proposals will outline center development activities, including goal setting, strategic planning and community building, as well as developing and piloting center-scale activities that generate new knowledge with a broad range of impacts. Awardees must engage in research, broader impact activities, and center development activities over the two-year duration of the award. The activities may build on pre-existing efforts, but new, collaborative results attributed to the award are expected.

Track I - Center Catalyst Principal Investigators are required to develop a complete strategic plan for operating a future Center. Proposals will describe community engagement activities that will be carried out to develop the plan by the end of the award period. NSF staff will evaluate the plan and monitor progress throughout the award period. Developing a strong strategic plan may require consultation with strategic planning experts. 

Proposals should speak to a broad audience of Earth scientists and clearly articulate the value of the proposed Center to fundamental research and community engagement in solid Earth geohazards.

Key milestones during a Track I project will include a mandatory virtual site visit at the end of year 1 and submission of the strategic plan at 24 months. Additional information is provided in the proposal preparation guidance for a Track I full proposal.

Track II – Center Operations

In FY 2022, the program will consider only those proposals built around a compelling research challenge or theme related to fundamental earthquake processes. NSF intends to open future competitions to proposals focused more broadly on solid Earth geohazards.

Center Operations proposals are expected to outline broad, strategic, center-scale activities in accordance with the Center Attributes, as described earlier in this section. Centers will be agile structures that respond rapidly to emerging opportunities, promote synergy, enhance collaborations, and engage in potentially transformative research. Centers will integrate research, innovation, education, science communication, and efforts to broaden participation.

Center proposals will organize their scope into Major Activities, which will provide the framework for aligning the proposed scope with realistic budgets and timelines for achieving Center goals. A Major Activity will most frequently be a major research thrust of the Center but may also be a large-scale effort for workforce development, community-building, broadening participation, or other comparable effort to support broader impacts.

Centers may need flexibility to advance Major Activities or to respond quickly and effectively to emerging research and/or broader impact opportunities through subaward seed funding. These emerging areas may include (but are not limited to): high-risk research projects; emerging areas of interdisciplinary research; development of new cyberinfrastructure to support the Center; support for early-career faculty or for investigators changing fields; and innovative educational, diversity-promoting, or outreach ventures. Seed funding is not intended to provide a substitute for NSF individual investigator funding, nor should it be used to fund foundational operational support for the Center. Proposals should describe the criteria and mechanisms for selecting and evaluating projects that may require seed funding.

Key milestones will include periodic site visits and other oversight by NSF staff. The initial Track II awards will be made for five years (contingent on acceptable progress). Additional information is provided in the proposal preparation guidance for a Track II full proposal.