It is imperative that all proposals conform to the proposal preparation and submission instructions specified in the Grant Proposal Guide. Conformance with all preparation and submission instructions is required and will be strictly enforced unless a deviation has been approved in advance of proposal submission. FastLane uses the rules specified for each type of proposal (e.g., RAPID EAGER, Ideas Lab, Equipment, Conference, and International Travel) to check for compliance prior to submission to NSF. Proposers are strongly advised to review the applicable sections of the Grant Proposal Guide pertinent to the type of proposal being developed PRIOR to submission. NSF will not accept or will return without review proposals that are not consistent with these instructions.
Further information on each section can be found in the NSF Proposal Guide, as well was the Cultural Anthropology – Doctoral Dissertation Research Improvement Grant page.
- There are four major components of the Cover Sheet. A number of the boxes contained on the Cover Sheet are pre-filled as part of the FastLane login process.
- Each proposal must contain a summary of the proposed project not more than one page in length. The Project Summary consists of an overview, a statement on the intellectual merit of the proposed activity, and a statement on the broader impacts of the proposed activity.
- A Table of Contents is automatically generated for the proposal. The proposer cannot edit this form.
- Ensure Project Description does not exceed page limitations.
- Project Description contains, as a separate section with the narrative, a section labeled “Broader Impacts”.
- Project Description is self-contained, and does not have URLS included
- This section includes bibliographic citations only and does not provide parenthetical information outside of the 15-page Project Description.
- Each reference is in the specified format.
- A biographical sketch (limited to two pages) is required for each individual identified as senior personnel.
- Biographical sketches should include: Professional Preparation; Appointments; Products; Synergistic Activities.
- Each budget line item is documented and justified in the budget justification.
- All current and pending support from whatever source (e.g., Federal, State, Local, or foreign government agencies, public or private foundations, industrial or other commercial organizations, or internal funds allocated toward specific projects) must be listed. The proposed project and all other projects or activities requiring a portion of time of the PI and other senior personnel must be included, even if they receive no salary support from the project(s).
- An aggregated description of the internal and external resources (both physical and personnel) that the organization and its collaborators will provide to the project, should it be funded, has been included.
- If there are no facilities, equipment or other resources identified, a statement to that effect has been included in this section of the proposal and uploaded into FastLane.
- Proposals must include a supplementary document of no more than two pages labeled “Data Management Plan”. The DMP should address the following questions:
- What kinds of data, software, and other materials will your research produce?
- How will you manage them (e.g., standards for metadata, format, organization, etc.)?
- How will you give other researchers access to your data, while preserving confidentiality, security, intellectual property, & other rights and requirements?
- How will you archive data and preserve access in the short and the long term?
- Single Copy Document for both the student (Co-PI) and the advisor (PI) needs the following information:
- Collaborators and co-Editors. A list of all persons in alphabetical order (including their current organizational affiliations) who are currently, or who have been collaborators or co-authors with the individual on a project, book, article, report, abstract, or paper during the 48 months preceding the submission of the proposal. Also include those individuals who are currently or have been co-editors of a journal, compendium, or conference proceedings during the 24 months preceding the submission of the proposal. If there are no collaborators or co-editors to report, this should be so indicated.
- Graduate advisors and Postdoctoral Sponsors. A list of the names of the individual’s own graduate advisor(s) and principal postdoctoral sponsor(s), and their current organizational affiliations , if known.
- Thesis Advisor and Postgraduate-Scholar Sponsor. A list of all persons (including their organizational affiliations, if known), with whom the individual has had an association as thesis advisor. In addition, a list of all persons with whom the individual has had an association within the last five years as a postgraduate-scholar sponsor.