Two Significant NSF Changes

The National Science Board recently issued a report entitled “Investing in the Future: NSF Cost Sharing Policies for a Robust Federal Research Enterprise” (NSB 09-20, August 3, 2009), which contained recommendations for NSF regarding cost sharing. As a result, NSF revised its policy in order to implement the Board’s recommendations.

1.)  Revised Cost Sharing Policy (effective January 18, 2011):  In the past, even when cost share (i.e., “match”) was not required; it was included in the budget narrative as a way to demonstrate the university’s commitment to a proposal.  This is no longer acceptable to NSF. The major change is, except when required in an NSF solicitation, voluntary committed cost sharing is prohibited. Awardee organizations also may, at their discretion, continue to contribute voluntary uncommitted cost sharing to NSF-sponsored projects.

• All organizational resources (including voluntary uncommitted cost share) necessary for a project (both physical and personnel) must be described in the Facilities, Equipment and Other Resources section of the proposal.
• The description in the Facilities, Equipment and Other Resources section should be narrative in nature and must not include any quantifiable financial information.
• Do not list any cost share in the budget. (Voluntary committed cost share is prohibited.)
• NSF-required mandatory cost sharing will only be required when explicitly authorized by the NSF Director.
• If voluntary committed cost sharing is included in a proposal the proposer runs the risk of the proposal being returned without review or declined.
• The budget should only show the salary being requested and the corresponding person months related to that salary for the senior personnel.
• The Current and Pending Support section may show the total person months projected to be spent working on the project by the senior personnel.
• The Facilities, Equipment and Other Resources section is what should be used to provide a narrative description of the resources available (both physical and personnel) to the project.

For more information click here

2.) NSF Data Management Plan Requirements (effective January 18, 2011):  Proposals submitted to NSF must now include a supplementary document of no more than two pages labeled "Data Management Plan" (DMP).  This supplementary document should describe how the proposal will conform to NSF policy on the dissemination and sharing of research results. The DMP may include:

• The types of data, samples, physical collections, software, curriculum materials, and other materials to be produced in the course of the project;
• The standards to be used for data and metadata format and content (where existing standards are absent or deemed inadequate, this should be documented along with any proposed solutions or remedies);
• Policies for access and sharing including provisions for appropriate protection of privacy, confidentiality, security, intellectual property, or other rights or requirements.
• Policies and provisions for re-use, re-distribution, and the production of derivatives; and
• Plans for archiving data, samples, and other research products, and for preservation of access to them.

  Proposals that do not include a DMP will not be able to be submitted.  For more information about this new requirement, please see the Grant Proposal Guide, Chapter II.C.2.j and the Data Management and Sharing Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)