NSF 25-500: Earth Sciences Postdoctoral Fellowships (EAR-PF) is a grant from the NSF Division of Earth Sciences that funds independent postdoctoral research and professional development in Earth sciences. The Division of Earth Sciences awards fellowships to recent doctoral graduates to conduct integrated research programs addressing scientific questions within EAR's disciplinary portfolio.

Under this updated solicitation, awards are transferred to the fellow's host institution rather than made directly to individuals, with fellows paid on the U.S. Government OPM General Schedule salary scale. The program supports up to two years of research experience and mentorship, with full proposals due the last Wednesday of October annually.

Eligible applicants must be postdoctoral researchers in Earth sciences at eligible host institutions.

NSF 25-500: Earth Sciences Postdoctoral Fellowships (EAR-PF) | NSF - U.S. National Science Foundation Archived funding opportunity This solicitation is archived. NSF 25-500: Earth Sciences Postdoctoral Fellowships (EAR-PF) To save a PDF of this solicitation, select Print to PDF in your browser's print options.

Program Solicitation NSF 25-500 U.S. National Science Foundation Directorate for Geosciences Division of Earth Sciences Full Proposal Deadline(s) (due by 5 p. m. submitting organization's local time): Last Wednesday in October, Annually Thereafter Important Information And Revision Notes This program solicitation has been updated to reflect the change in award management.

Awards will no longer be made directly to individuals but will be transferred to the host institution through a pre-award transfer. Postdoctoral fellows will be paid based on the U. S.

Government Office of Personnel Management General Schedule (GS) salary scale. Any proposal submitted in response to this solicitation should be submitted in accordance with the NSF Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG) that is in effect for the relevant due date to which the proposal is being submitted.

The NSF PAPPG is regularly revised and it is the responsibility of the proposer to ensure that the proposal meets the requirements specified in this solicitation and the applicable version of the PAPPG. Submitting a proposal prior to a specified deadline does not negate this requirement.

Summary Of Program Requirements Earth Sciences Postdoctoral Fellowships (EAR-PF) The Division of Earth Sciences (EAR) awards postdoctoral fellowships to recent recipients of doctoral degrees to conduct an integrated program of independent research and professional development that address scientific questions within the scope of EAR's disciplinary portfolio.

The program supports researchers for a period of up to two years with fellowships that can be taken to an eligible host institution. The program is intended to recognize beginning investigators of significant potential and provide them with research experience, mentorship, and training that will help establish them in leadership positions in the Earth Sciences community.

Postdoctoral fellows should pursue research in directions or with tools that will diversify the expertise they gained during their doctoral studies and research. The fellowship should also enable broadening of the fellow's professional network. For these reasons, applicants are strongly encouraged to seek opportunities outside of their doctoral institution and their organization at the time of submission.

Fellowships will include participation in a professional development program that emphasizes development of mentoring skills. Broadening Participation In STEM NSF has a mandate to broaden participation in science and engineering, as articulated and reaffirmed in law since 1950.

Congress has charged NSF to "develop intellectual capital, both people and ideas, with particular emphasis on groups and regions that traditionally have not participated fully in science, mathematics, and engineering." Cognizant Program Officer(s): Please note that the following information is current at the time of publishing. See program website for any updates to the points of contact.

Nicole M. Gasparini, telephone: (703) 292-8550, email: earpf@nsf. gov Aisha R.

Morris, telephone: (703) 292-7081, email: earpf@nsf. gov Applicable Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number(s): Anticipated Type of Award: Standard Grant or Continuing Grant Estimated Number of Awards: 8 to 10 Total of approximately 8 - 10 awards each year are anticipated, subject to availability of funds and the quality of proposals received. Each award has a two-year duration.

Anticipated Funding Amount: $2,784,000 Funding amount pending the availability of funds and the quality of proposals received. Who May Submit Proposals: Earth Sciences Postdoctoral Fellowship proposals are submitted directly by the fellowship candidate to NSF. Each fellowship candidate must affiliate with a primary host institution.

Awards will be made to the institution. Institutions of Higher Education (IHEs) - Two- and four-year IHEs (including community colleges) accredited in, and having a campus located in the US, acting on behalf of their faculty members.

Special Instructions for International Branch Campuses of US IHEs: If the proposal includes funding to be provided to an international branch campus of a US institution of higher education (including through use of sub-awards and consultant arrangements), the proposer must explain the benefit(s) to the project of performance at the international branch campus, and justify why the project activities cannot be performed at the US campus.

Non-profit, non-academic organizations: Independent museums, observatories, research laboratories, professional societies and similar organizations located in the U.S. that are directly associated with educational or research activities. For-profit organizations: U.S.-based commercial organizations, including small businesses, with strong capabilities in scientific or engineering research or education and a passion for innovation.

Federally funded research and development centers (FFRDCs) and NSF-funded FFRDCs, are ineligible as primary host organizations. Any federal agencies or federally funded centers, facilities or institutes are ineligible as primary host organizations. Foreign organizations are also ineligible as primary host organizations.

To be eligible to submit a proposal to the EAR-PF Program an individual must, as of the full proposal deadline, meet all the following criteria: Be a U.S. citizen, national, or permanent resident (i.e., have a "green card") at the time the proposal is submitted. Have earned the doctoral degree (PhD), or expect to have earned the doctoral degree prior to the required start date of the fellowship.

Not have worked for more than a total of 24 full-time-equivalent months in positions that require the doctoral degree by the EAR-PF deadline date. Not have submitted concurrently the same project to another program at NSF. By signing and submitting the proposal, the fellowship candidate is certifying that they meet the eligibility criteria specified in this program solicitation.

Willful provision of false information in this request and its supporting documents or in reports required under an ensuing award is a criminal offense (U.S. Code, Title 18, Section 1001). Limit on Number of Proposals per Organization: There are no restrictions or limits. Limit on Number of Proposals per PI or co-PI: 1 Individuals may submit only one proposal per year.

Proposal Preparation and Submission Instructions A. Proposal Preparation Instructions Letters of Intent: Not required Preliminary Proposal Submission: Not required Full Proposals submitted via Research. gov: NSF Proposal and Award Policies and Procedures Guide (PAPPG) guidelines apply.

The complete text of the PAPPG is available electronically on the NSF website at: https://www. nsf. gov/publications/pub_summ.

jsp? ods_key=pappg . Full Proposals submitted via Grants.

gov: NSF Grants. gov Application Guide: A Guide for the Preparation and Submission of NSF Applications via Grants. gov guidelines apply (Note: The NSF Grants.

gov Application Guide is available on the Grants. gov website and on the NSF website at: https://www. nsf.

gov/publications/pub_summ. jsp? ods_key=grantsgovguide ).

Cost Sharing Requirements: Inclusion of voluntary committed cost sharing is prohibited. Indirect Cost (F&A) Limitations: Other Budgetary Limitations: Other budgetary limitations apply. Please see the full text of this solicitation for further information.

Full Proposal Deadline(s) (due by 5 p. m. submitting organization's local time): Last Wednesday in October, Annually Thereafter Proposal Review Information Criteria National Science Board approved criteria.

Additional merit review criteria apply. Please see the full text of this solicitation for further information. Award Administration Information Additional award conditions apply.

Please see the full text of this solicitation for further information. Standard NSF reporting requirements apply. The Division of Earth Sciences (EAR) is in the Geosciences Directorate.

EAR supports proposals for research geared toward improving the understanding of the structure, composition, and evolution of the Earth, the life it supports, and the processes that govern the formation and behavior of the Earth's materials.

The results of this research will create a better understanding of the Earth's changing environments, and the natural distribution of its mineral, water, biota, and energy resources and provide methods for predicting and mitigating the effects of geologic hazards such as earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, floods, and landslides.

EAR awards postdoctoral fellowships that focus on any of the disciplinary or cross-disciplinary research areas supported by the division. A. Appropriateness for EAR Priorities The EAR postdoctoral fellows are expected to propose a strong, coherent research program in or across any area of Earth Science within the scope of the disciplines covered in the Division of Earth Sciences (EAR) ( https://www.

nsf. gov/div/index. jsp?

div=EAR ). Proposals that address interdisciplinary questions encompassed by one or more traditional EAR disciplines are also appropriate for this solicitation. The EAR Division supports proposals for research geared toward improving the understanding of the structure, composition, and evolution of Earth, the evolutionary history of the life it supports, and the processes that govern the formation and behavior of Earth materials.

EAR is particularly interested in proposals that address the priority science questions outlined in A Vision for NSF Earth Sciences 2020-2030: Earth in Time (2020) ( https://nap. nationalacademies. org/catalog/25761/a-vision-for-nsf-earth-sciences-2020-2030-earth-in ) from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.

Candidates are encouraged to approach the fellowship as an opportunity to broaden their experience with research that moves beyond their previous research focus, and that takes a broad view of integrating disciplines, extending technical approaches to problems, or expanding collaborations. All proposals must include an earth science research effort; proposals that are solely focused on education will not be considered.

The EAR Division has made it a priority to address the challenges in advancing culture that achieves outcomes of creating opportunities everywhere for everyone, and increasing participation in the geoscience discipline. Proposers are encouraged to explicitly address this priority in their proposed activities. Principal Investigators are strongly encouraged to contact the Program Director in their area of science (see https://www.

nsf. gov/div/index. jsp?

div=EAR ) to discuss the appropriateness of their research for EAR funding. In addition, fellowship proposers are expected to include a program of personal professional development activities as part of their proposal. Such activities may include training or experiences important for careers in academia, government, industry, and/or other career paths.

As a rough guideline, fellows should plan on their professional development activities taking no less than 10% and no more than 25% of their time. Proposers are encouraged to discuss the proposed professional development activities with their proposed mentor(s) prior to proposal submission so that the professional development activities can be incorporated into the mentoring plan described in the letter(s).

Artificial intelligence will be considered a priority area within this program. Proposers seeking to address this priority should explain in their proposal how they will integrate artificial intelligence into their research and/or broader impact activities. The fellow must affiliate with a primary host organization.

Eligible primary organizations include U.S. IHEs, non-profit, non-academic organizations, or for-profit research organizations that are eligible to receive NSF funding. Federally funded research and development centers (FFRDCs) and NSF-funded FFRDCs, are ineligible as primary host organizations. Any federal agencies or federally funded centers, facilities or institutes are ineligible as primary host organizations.

Foreign organizations are also ineligible as primary host organizations. Multiple host organizations are permitted and may be appropriate for those looking to pursue interdisciplinary work, collaborative opportunities, and/or activities related to broadening participation. Regardless of the number of host organizations proposed, a primary host organization, which will receive and administer the award, must be identified.

In general, NSF expects that the fellowship will support work at an organization(s) other than the fellow's graduate institution or current affiliated institution because the fellowship objectives include broadening the perspectives and experiences of the fellows and promoting interdisciplinary research careers.

Consequently, all candidates must present strong justification for their choice of host organization(s) and must clearly explain the benefits of this choice for their research and for their professional development goals. All proposals will be evaluated in the context of the potential benefits of the host organization to enable the proposed research, broader impacts, and career development of the PI.

PIs are encouraged to expand their network of collaborators and implement the fellowship at an organization new to the PI. However, PIs who choose to carry out the postdoctoral fellowship at the organization where they received their PhD or their current organization at the time of submission must present a strong justification with clear explanation of the benefits of this choice to their research and career development goals.

Proposals that fail to justify the reason for carrying out their fellowship at an organization that is not new to the PI will be returned without review. In addition to affiliation with a host organization(s), the candidate must identify a scientific mentor who will provide mentoring and guidance for the research and broader fellowship goals.

PIs are encouraged, but not required in most cases (see paragraph below), to identify at least one additional scientific mentor and/or career mentor. Career mentors are scientists who can guide the fellow with career advice as well as scientific advice. Additional mentors do not have to work at the host institution and do not need to work at an institution that is eligible to receive federal funding.

The support of the mentor(s) and their plan for mentoring the fellow will be part of the evaluation of the proposal. The candidate is responsible for making all arrangements with the host organization(s) and the mentor(s).

PIs who choose to carry out the postdoctoral fellowship at the organization where they received their PhD or their current organization at the time of submission must have at least two scientific mentors, one at the hosting organization and a second mentor at a different organization. The second mentor must be a new collaborator for the PI.

If the primary mentor is already one of the PI's mentors, the PI must justify why continuing to work with a previously established mentor is the best choice for their research and career goals. Duration and Tenure : Up to 24 full-time-equivalent months of support may be requested. Fellowship tenure must begin between August 1 of the year following the submission deadline date and July 1 of the subsequent year.

Within the fellowship period, one month per year of fellowship duration may be used for paid leave, including parental or family leave. Additional leave may be provided as part of the institutional benefits. This paid leave cannot be used to increase the level of NSF support beyond the duration of the fellowship.

NSF enables career-life balance through a variety of mechanisms. For more information, please see https://www. nsf.

gov/career-life-balance/ . Candidates selected to receive fellowships will be contacted by NSF and asked to provide additional information, such as forms required for a pre-award transfer to the initial (primary) host organization. Successful candidates who have not completed their PhD at the time of proposal submission must provide certification of the completion of all PhD degree requirements before the start date of the award.

Normally fellowships will be held at the primary host organization specified in the proposal, but under certain circumstances and with suitable justification, fellows may transfer the award during the tenure of the fellowship to a new organization contingent upon approval by NSF. Fellowships are not renewable and are subject to availability of funds.

During the period of the fellowship, no additional appointment or fellowship may be held without prior permission of the cognizant NSF program officer. If a fellow chooses to accept employment (i.e. a tenure-track position) during the first year of the fellowship, the fellowship award will be terminated upon the start of the new position.

In such cases, the primary host organization is responsible for initiating procedures for a termination by mutual agreement in accordance with Chapter XII of the NSF PAPPG. Fellows who wish to accept a new position in Year 2 of the award must contact their EAR-PF program officer to discuss disposition of any remaining funds in the PF grant.

Salary and Allowances: If the proposal is recommended for award, the prospective fellow will be required to submit a revised budget with salary information for years one and two. The EAR-PF fellowship salary will be based on the U.S. Government Office of Personnel Management (OPM) General Schedule (GS).

For Year 1 of the fellowship, the EAR-PF salary is set at GS-11 Step 1 for submission year and for the location of the primary host institution (see Locality Pay Tables for Geographic Areas at https://www. opm. gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/salaries-wages/ ).

Salary should be escalated by 3% for Year 2. In the proposed budgets for both Year 1 and Year 2, $15,000 each year should be included to cover expenses directly related to the conduct of the proposed research and professional development goals.

These costs include but are not limited to, materials and supplies, equipment, computing resources, access to databases, domestic and international travel, publication charges, and subscription fees.

EAR would like to encourage a close partnership between the fellow and the primary host organization to allow the fellow access to organizational benefits such as healthcare and to permit the reduction of grant management tasks that would be placed on the fellow if an award was made directly to them.

Therefore, EAR will review proposals as submitted by individuals, but all awards will be made to the primary host organization after the review process is complete using the Pre-award Transfer Process. Budgets and award documents will be adjusted to include organizational fringe benefits and overhead costs as part of the Pre-award Transfer Process described below.

Pre-Award Transfer Process: To process the Pre-award Transfer, the fellow, acting as the Authorized Organizational Representative (AOR), must submit to the cognizant EAR-PF Program Officer (PO) an e-mail concurring with the transfer of the proposal to the primary host organization. This documentation will be added to the proposal jacket by the PO as correspondence associated with the proposal.

The cognizant PO will then request that the host organization submit to NSF the following revised documents: Cover Sheet (with the fellow named as the PI) and certification pages signed by the host organization AOR. Budget and Budget Justification .

The fellow must be named as the PI and receive a monthly or bi-weekly salary in Year 1 equal to GS-11 Step 1 for the submission year and with locality pay for the location of the primary host institution (Locality Pay Tables for Geographic Areas at https://www. opm. gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/salaries-wages/ ) plus organizational benefits.

In Year 2 the salary should be increased by 3%. The primary host organization's budget is expected to include fringe benefit costs for the fellow.

In the final budget, the $15,000 per year for research costs may be distributed to cover other direct research costs, including but not limited to, materials and supplies, equipment, computing resources, access to databases, domestic and international travel, publication charges, and subscription fees. The applicable U.S. federally negotiated indirect cost rate(s) must be used in computing indirect costs (F&A).

Organizations that do not have a current negotiated rate agreement with a cognizant federal agency may request indirect cost recovery up to the de minimis rate of up to 15% of modified total direct costs. After receiving the revised documents, the PO will update the proposal system with the new organizational and budget data so that processing of the proposal award to the primary host organization can proceed.

The fellow's original Cover Sheet and Certification pages will not be modified and will be retained for the historical record of how the proposal was submitted to NSF. IV. Eligibility Information Who May Submit Proposals: Earth Sciences Postdoctoral Fellowship proposals are submitted directly by the fellowship candidate to NSF.

Each fellowship candidate must affiliate with a primary host institution. Awards will be made to the institution. Institutions of Higher Education (IHEs) - Two- and four-year IHEs (including community colleges) accredited in, and having a campus located in the US, acting on behalf of their faculty members.

Special Instructions for International Branch Campuses of US IHEs: If the proposal includes funding to be provided to an international branch campus of a US institution of higher education (including through use of sub-awards and consultant arrangements), the proposer must explain the benefit(s) to the project of performance at the international branch campus, and justify why the project activities cannot be performed at the US campus.

Non-profit, non-academic organizations: Independent museums, observatories, research laboratories, professional societies and similar organizations located in the U.S. that are directly associated with educational or research activities. For-profit organizations: U.S.-based commercial organizations, including small businesses, with strong capabilities in scientific or engineering research or education and a passion for innovation.

Federally funded research and development centers (FFRDCs) and NSF-funded FFRDCs, are ineligible as primary host organizations. Any federal agencies or federally funded centers, facilities or institutes are ineligible as primary host organizations. Foreign organizations are also ineligible as primary host organizations.

To be eligible to submit a proposal to the EAR-PF Program an individual must, as of the full proposal deadline, meet all the following criteria: Be a U.S. citizen, national, or permanent resident (i.e., have a "green card") at the time the proposal is submitted. Have earned the doctoral degree (PhD), or expect to have earned the doctoral degree prior to the required start date of the fellowship.

Not have worked for more than a total of 24 full-time-equivalent months in positions that require the doctoral degree by the EAR-PF deadline date. Not have submitted concurrently the same project to another program at NSF. By signing and submitting the proposal, the fellowship candidate is certifying that they meet the eligibility criteria specified in this program solicitation.

Willful provision of false information in this request and its supporting documents or in reports required under an ensuing award is a criminal offense (U.S. Code, Title 18, Section 1001). Limit on Number of Proposals per Organization: There are no restrictions or limits. Limit on Number of Proposals per PI or co-PI: 1 Individuals may submit only one proposal per year.

Additional Eligibility Info: Eligible primary host organizations include: Institutions of Higher Education (IHEs) - Two-and four-year IHEs (including community colleges) accredited in, and having a campus located in the U.S., acting on behalf of their faculty members.

Non-profit, non-academic organizations - Independent museums, observatories, research laboratories, professional societies and similar organizations located in the U.S. that are directly associated with educational or research activities. For-profit research organizations - U.S. commercial organizations, especially small businesses with strong capabilities in scientific or engineering research or education.

Federally funded research and development centers (FFRDCs), including NSF-funded FFRDCs, are ineligible as primary host organizations. Government agencies, national centers, facilities or institutes funded by other federal agencies, and foreign organizations are also ineligible as primary host organizations. If an award is recommended, the proposal will be transferred to the proposed primary host organization.

The award will be issued to and administered by the primary host organization. See Section III for additional information about the Pre-Award Transfer Process. V.

Proposal Preparation And Submission Instructions A. Proposal Preparation Instructions Full Proposal Preparation Instructions : Proposers may opt to submit proposals in response to this Program Solicitation via Research. gov or Grants.

gov. Full Proposals submitted via Research. gov: Proposals submitted in response to this program solicitation should be prepared and submitted in accordance with the general guidelines contained in the NSF Proposal and Award Policies and Procedures Guide (PAPPG). The complete text of the PAPPG is available electronically on the NSF website at: https://www.

nsf. gov/publications/pub_summ. jsp?

ods_key=pappg . Paper copies of the PAPPG may be obtained from the NSF Publications Clearinghouse, telephone (703) 292-8134 or by e-mail from nsfpubs@nsf. gov .

The Prepare New Proposal setup will prompt you for the program solicitation number. Full proposals submitted via Grants. gov: Proposals submitted in response to this program solicitation via Grants.

gov should be prepared and submitted in accordance with the NSF Grants. gov Application Guide: A Guide for the Preparation and Submission of NSF Applications via Grants. gov .

The complete text of the NSF Grants. gov Application Guide is available on the Grants. gov website and on the NSF website at: ( https://www.

nsf. gov/publications/pub_summ. jsp?

ods_key=grantsgovguide ). To obtain copies of the Application Guide and Application Forms Package, click on the Apply tab on the Grants. gov site, then click on the Apply Step 1: Download a Grant Application Package and Application Instructions link and enter the funding opportunity number, (the program solicitation number without the NSF prefix) and press the Download Package button.

Paper copies of the Grants. gov Application Guide also may be obtained from the NSF Publications Clearinghouse, telephone (703) 292-8134 or by e-mail from nsfpubs@nsf. gov .

In determining which method to utilize in the electronic preparation and submission of the proposal, please note the following: Collaborative Proposals. All collaborative proposals submitted as separate submissions from multiple organizations must be submitted via Research. gov. PAPPG Chapter II.

E. 3 provides additional information on collaborative proposals. See PAPPG Chapter II.

D. 2 for guidance on the required sections of a full research proposal submitted to NSF. Please note that the proposal preparation instructions provided in this program solicitation may deviate from the PAPPG instructions.

Proposals submitted to the EAR Postdoctoral Fellowship program must be submitted electronically through either Research. gov or Grants. gov. Only one proposal is permitted per individual per year.

A full proposal consists of many parts and requires input from the fellowship candidate, the proposed mentor(s), and the proposed host institution(s). Proposers are advised to begin the proposal well in advance of the submission deadline and to submit as early as possible. Partially completed proposals may be saved for future completion and submission.

The submission of incomplete or late proposals is not permitted. Proposal preparation and submission through Research. gov is strongly encouraged because these fellowships contain unique requirements.

If the proposer elects to submit through Grants. gov, confirmation that ALL required documents have been successfully uploaded into NSF systems by the deadline date is recommended. Otherwise, the proposal will be considered incomplete or late and will be returned without review.

Before starting proposal preparation, the proposer must be registered as an individual. To register as a new individual in Research. gov, access the Research.

gov New Account Management System . To register as a new individual in Grants. gov, access Grants.

gov Applicant Registration (https://www. grants. gov/register).

Please note that if submitting via Grants. gov, you must also obtain an NSF ID in Research. gov. Fellowship proposals must be submitted by the fellowship candidate, not by the fellowship candidate's current or proposed organization's Authorized Organizational Representative (AOR).

The fellowship candidate serves as their own Sponsored Projects Office (SPO) and AOR for the purposes of any research administration functions in Research. gov or Grants. gov. Proposals must include all the required sections of a full research proposal submitted to NSF as specified in Chapter II.

D. 2 of the PAPPG. In cases where requirements given in this solicitation supplement or deviate from the instructions provided in the PAPPG or the NSF Grants.

gov Application Guide, this solicitation takes precedence. All page limitations include pictures, figures, tables, graphics, etc. Proposers are urged to take special care to strictly adhere to page limitations. Proposals that do not conform to the requirements will not be accepted or will be returned without review.

Proposal Set-Up: Select "Prepare New Full Proposal" in Research. gov. The fellowship candidate/PI must select the "I am a Postdoctoral Scholar (Postdoctoral Fellowship Proposals)" option to initiate a postdoctoral fellowship proposal. Search for and select the title of this solicitation in Step 1 of the Full Proposal wizard.

The information in Steps 2 and 3 is pre-populated by the system. In Step 4, add a descriptive title of the proposed research following the prepended text "Postdoctoral Fellowship: EAR-PF:" Personnel Documents: The fellowship candidate is automatically designated as the PI in the Research. gov system.

When preparing the Current and Pending (Other) Support section, please include current funding support for research and training. Under pending support, include this proposal, as well as any pending and planned applications to other fellowship or research programs. The research project submitted to this solicitation should not be concurrently under review by another program at NSF.

All mentor(s) must be identified in the proposal. If using Research. gov, this is done by going to the Personnel Documents section, clicking on the "Add Mentor/Advisor" tab, and entering the individual's NSF ID, email, or personnel name and organization.

For each mentor, please submit a Biographical Sketch and COA information. Current and Pending (Other) Support documents are not required for the mentor(s). Research.

gov contains sections to upload the Biographical Sketch and COA for the mentor(s). For Grants. gov, the mentor(s) Biographical Sketch can be uploaded to "Other Supplementary Documents" and COA(s) to "Collaborators & Other Affiliations (COA)" as single copy documents.

The following instructions supplement or deviate from the guidance in the NSF PAPPG or the NSF Grants. gov Application Guide : Cover Sheet: A requested start date must be entered. Fellowship tenure must begin between August 1 of the year following the submission deadline and July 1 of the subsequent year.

The proposed duration for a postdoctoral fellowship proposal is pre-populated, read-only (i.e., not editable), and aligns with the program solicitation selected when initiating the proposal in Research. gov. No co-PIs are permitted on the Cover Sheet. In the Primary Place of Performance section enter host institution information.

Complete any other sections as appropriate/applicable. Grants. gov Users: The program solicitation number will be pre-populated by Grants.

gov on the NSF Grant Proposer Cover Sheet. The title must start with "Postdoctoral Fellowship: EAR-PF:" followed by the descriptive title of the research. Project Summary: The Project Summary must be no more than one page in length and include an overview of the project and separate statements that clearly address the intellectual merit and broader impacts of the proposed activity.

In addition, the overview section of the Project Summary must identify the following: Proposed scientific mentor(s) and career mentor (if applicable) Proposed host organization(s) Project Description: Please note this section must include a separate section header labeled, "Broader Impacts," and the heading must be on its own line with no other text on that line.

The Project Description must not exceed 10 single-spaced pages (including any figures, pictures and tables) The Project Description must include the following: Justification for the choice of the host organization(s) and mentor(s).

This justification relates to the proposed fellowship work, available expertise, available facilities, and available resources Description of the expected broader impacts, including a specific statement of commitment to broadening participation in science Description of the candidate's long-term career goals and the role of this postdoctoral experience in achieving them Special certifications and permits may be required when projects involve human subjects, vertebrate animals, endangered species, hazardous materials, collecting in foreign countries, or other elements.

The research plan should provide general information on these matters and address feasibility. If selected, candidates must submit required documentation to the NSF program officer before an award can be