NSF Proposal and Award Policies and Procedures Guide (NSF 08-1)

The Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (http://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=papp) is comprised of documents relating to the Foundation's proposal and award process. It has been designed for use by both our customer community and NSF staff and consists of two parts:

• Part I is comprised of NSF’s proposal preparation and submission guidelines -- the NSF Grant Proposal Guide and the NSF Grants.gov Application Guide.3 Both the Grant Proposal Guide (GPG) and Grants.gov Application Guide provide guidance for the preparation and submission of proposals to NSF, whether by the NSF Fastlane System or Grants.gov.4 Some NSF programs have program solicitations that modify the general provisions of these Guides, and, in such cases, the guidelines provided in the solicitation must be followed.

It is important that proposers use the appropriate guidelines when preparing proposals for submission to NSF. As such:

When preparing proposals via FastLane, the guidelines contained in the Grant Proposal Guide govern; and

When preparing proposals via Grants.gov, the guidelines contained in the NSF Grants.gov Application Guide govern.

• Part II is comprised of the documents used to guide, manage, and monitor the award and administration of grants and cooperative agreements made by the Foundation. Coverage includes the NSF award process, from issuance and administration of an NSF award through closeout. Guidance regarding other grant requirements or considerations that either is not universally applicable or which do not follow the award cycle also is provided.

General information about NSF programs may be found on the NSF website at http://www.nsf.gov/funding/browse_all_funding.jsp. Additional information about special requirements of individual NSF programs may be obtained from the appropriate Foundation program offices. Information about most program deadlines and target dates for proposals are available on the NSF website at http://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_list.jsp?org=NSF&ord=date. Program deadline and target date information also appears in individual program announcements and solicitations and on relevant NSF Divisional/Office websites.

Grants.gov provides an additional electronic capability to search for Federal government-wide grant opportunities. NSF funding opportunities may be accessed via this mechanism. Further information on Grants.gov may be obtained at http://www.grants.gov.