Research on the Science and Technology Enterprise: Indicators, Statistics, and Methods (NCSES S&T) | 24 587

Opportunity Information: Apply for 24 587

The National Science Foundation is offering this grant through its National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics (NCSES), one of the federal government s principal statistical agencies. The core purpose of the opportunity is to fund research that strengthens how the United States measures, analyzes, and communicates information about the science and technology enterprise. NCSES is the group behind widely used statistical products such as Women, Minorities and Persons with Disabilities in Science and Engineering and the National Science Board s biennial Science and Engineering Indicators report. Because these publications and the underlying surveys are heavily relied on by policymakers, researchers, institutions, and the public, the program is designed to improve the quality, relevance, and usefulness of the indicators and methods that sit behind them.

The opportunity is titled Research on the Science and Technology Enterprise: Indicators, Statistics, and Methods (NCSES S and T). It supports a broad range of projects that either use large scale, nationally representative data to answer important questions about the S and T system, or develop new statistical tools and methods that NCSES and the wider research community can use. In practical terms, NCSES is looking for work that can do at least one of the following: conduct substantive research on the S and T enterprise using NCSES or other datasets, develop better survey and measurement methods that could be adopted by NCSES surveys, identify and evaluate alternative or complementary data sources that can supplement traditional surveys, create new or improved indicators that capture S and T activities and resources more accurately, strengthen analytic methodologies for working with S and T statistical data, or test more effective ways to communicate statistical findings to nontechnical audiences. The program also explicitly emphasizes education and training, meaning proposals that help researchers learn to responsibly use large national datasets, or that broaden the community of skilled users, fit well within the stated goals.

NCSES is open to multiple project formats rather than limiting applicants to standard research studies. The solicitation invites proposals for individual or multi investigator research projects as well as doctoral dissertation improvement awards, conferences, experimental research, survey research and data collection efforts, and dissemination projects. This mix signals that NCSES is not only interested in final academic findings, but also in the supporting ecosystem: improved data collection approaches, validated indicators, practical methodological experiments, and better channels for getting S and T statistics into the hands of decision makers and the public in ways they can understand and use.

Eligibility depends on the type of proposal. For standard research proposals, applications may be submitted by US based accredited institutions of higher education, including two year and four year colleges and community colleges, acting on behalf of faculty. Nonprofit, non academic organizations are also eligible if they are US based and directly associated with educational or research activities, such as independent museums, observatories, research laboratories, and professional societies. Federally recognized Tribal Nations are eligible as well. There is also a specific rule for proposals involving international branch campuses of US universities: if any project funds would support work at an international branch campus (including through subawards or consultants), the proposal must clearly explain why doing that work abroad benefits the project and why the same activities cannot be performed at the US campus.

For Doctoral Dissertation Research Improvement Grant proposals, the submitting organization must be a US based accredited doctoral degree granting institution of higher education. There is a specific leadership structure requirement for these dissertation awards: the dissertation advisor must be listed as the Principal Investigator and the student must be listed as the co Principal Investigator. For standard research proposals, there are no special restrictions or limits stated on who may serve as PI.

Administratively, this is a discretionary NSF grant opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number 24 587) within the science and technology and other research and development activity category, listed under CFDA 47.075. The posting indicates an expected number of awards of about 10, with an original closing date of 2025 01 21. The award ceiling is not specified in the provided information, which usually means prospective applicants need to consult the full NSF solicitation or program guidance for typical award sizes, budgeting expectations, and any project duration norms.

Overall, this program is a fit for teams working at the intersection of science policy, measurement, survey methods, statistics, data science, and research communication, especially when the work has a clear line of sight to improving nationally used indicators or the methods behind them. Strong proposals will typically make a convincing case that the project either advances understanding of how the S and T enterprise operates (for example workforce pathways, R and D investment patterns, equity and participation, innovation outputs, or institutional dynamics) or measurably improves the tools used to produce trustworthy, interpretable national statistics, with benefits that extend beyond a single study to the broader NCSES data and indicator infrastructure.

• The National Science Foundation in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Research on the Science and Technology Enterprise: Indicators, Statistics, and Methods (NCSES S&T)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 47.075.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2024-07-01.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2025-01-21. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 10 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others.

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