Sociology Program - Doctoral Dissertation Research Improvement Awards (Soc-DDRI)

Sociology Program - Doctoral Dissertation Research Improvement Awards (Soc-DDRI) is sponsored by NSF Division of Behavioral and Cognitive Sciences (SBE/BCS). Supports doctoral dissertation research in sociology, including topics on social exclusion.

NSF 14-604: SOCIOLOGY PROGRAM - Doctoral Dissertation Research Improvement Awards (Soc-DDRI) | NSF - U.S. National Science Foundation Archived funding opportunity This solicitation is archived.

Important information for proposers and award recipients All proposals must be submitted in accordance with the requirements specified in the funding opportunity and in the Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG) and its supplements . All NSF grants and cooperative agreements are subject to the applicable set of NSF award terms and conditions . NSF has updated its research security policies for NSF funded projects.

NSF 14-604: SOCIOLOGY PROGRAM - Doctoral Dissertation Research Improvement Awards (Soc-DDRI) Download the solicitation (PDF, 0.

7mb) National Science Foundation Directorate for Social, Behavioral & Economic Sciences Division of Social and Economic Sciences Full Proposal Target Date(s) : February 28, Annually Thereafter October 15, Annually Thereafter Important Information And Revision Notes This solicitation provides instructions for preparation of proposals for the Doctoral Dissertation Research Improvement (DDRI) awards to the Sociology (Soc) Program.

It replaces instructions that had been included in the Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences (SBE) Doctoral Dissertation Research Improvement Grant (SBE-DDRIG) announcement ( NSF 11-547 ). This solicitation outlines new submission requirements for doctoral students submitting DDRI proposals to Sociology. The next Fall target date for submission of proposals to the Sociology DDRI competition is November 25, 2014.

In future years, the annual Fall target submission date will be October 15. Based on the evaluation of proposals in the Fall competition, some doctoral students will be invited to revise and resubmit proposals for the Spring competition (March 2, 2015 and then February 28 annually thereafter).

Proposals to the annual Spring competition will only be accepted from doctoral students whose proposals were declined in the Fall competition and who are formally invited to resubmit. Those not receiving a resubmission invitation can only reapply to the following fall target date (October 15).

The advisor or another faculty member serving as the principal investigator (PI) of the proposal now is required to submit a signed statement affirming that the student will be able to undertake the proposed research soon after a DDRI award is made. In addition, the PI must affirm that she/he has read the proposal and believes that it makes a strong case for support of the dissertation research project.

This solicitation provides new clarification regarding certain aspects of DDRI proposal preparation for submission to the Sociology Program. Any proposal submitted in response to this solicitation should be submitted in accordance with the revised NSF Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG) ( NSF 18-1 ), which is effective for proposals submitted, or due, on or after January 29, 2018.

Summary Of Program Requirements SOCIOLOGY PROGRAM - Doctoral Dissertation Research Improvement Awards (Soc-DDRI) The Sociology Program supports basic research on all forms of human social organization -- societies, institutions, groups and demography -- and processes of individual and institutional change.

The Program encourages theoretically focused empirical investigations aimed at improving the explanation of fundamental social processes. Included is research on organizations and organizational behavior, population dynamics, social movements, social groups, labor force participation, stratification and mobility, family, social networks, socialization, gender roles, and the sociology of science and technology.

The Program supports both original data collections and secondary data analysis that use the full range of quantitative and qualitative methodological tools. Theoretically grounded projects that offer methodological innovations and improvements for data collection and analysis are also welcomed.

As part of its effort to encourage and support projects that explicitly integrate education and basic research, the Sociology Program provides support to improve the conduct of doctoral dissertation projects undertaken by doctoral students enrolled in U.S. universities when the dissertation research is conducted in a scientifically sound manner and it offers strong potential for enhancing more general scientific knowledge.

The Sociology Program funds doctoral dissertation research to defray direct costs associated with conducting research, for example, dataset acquisition, additional statistical or methodological training, meeting with scholars associated with original datasets, and fieldwork away from the student's home campus. Projects are evaluated using the two Foundation-wide criteria, intrinsic merit and broader impacts.

In assessing the intrinsic merit of proposed research, four components are key to securing support from the Sociology Program: (1) the issues investigated must be theoretically grounded; (2) the research should be based on empirical observation or be subject to empirical validation or illustration; (3) the research design must be appropriate to the questions asked; and (4) the proposed research must advance our understanding of social processes, structures and methods.

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. Katherine Meyer - Program Director, Joseph Whitmeyer - Program Director, Toby Parcel - Program Director, Liana A.

Denola - Social Scientist, Applicable Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number(s): --- Social Behavioral and Economic Sciences Anticipated Type of Award: Estimated Number of Awards: During a fiscal year, the Sociology Program expects to recommend a total of 40-50 Doctoral Dissertation Research Improvement (DDRI) awards.

Anticipated Funding Amount: The Sociology Program anticipates spending up to $600,000, pending the availability of funds. Proposal budgets should be developed at scales appropriate for the work to be conducted. Doctoral Dissertation Research Improvement (DDRI) awards may not exceed $12,000.

The amount includes both direct and indirect costs for the entire duration of the award. Who May Submit Proposals: Proposals may only be submitted by the following: Universities and Colleges - Ph. D.

granting universities and colleges accredited in, and having a campus located in, the US acting on behalf of their faculty members. Such organizations also are referred to as academic institutions. DDRI proposals must be submitted with a principal investigator (PI) and a co-principal investigator (co-PI).

The PI must be the advisor of the doctoral student or another faculty member at the U.S. university where the doctoral student is enrolled. The doctoral student whose dissertation research will be supported must be designated as a co-PI.

There is no limitation on the number of times that an individual may be the principal investigator on a DDRI proposal or proposals submitted to the Sociology Program, either during a specific competition or over the course of her/his career. There is a not a limitation on the number of times a doctoral student may submit a DDRI proposal to the Sociology Program as long as they meet the eligibility criteria.

A student and her/his advisor, however, should carefully consider the times during the student's graduate program that are most appropriate for submission of a DDRI proposal. Proposals will only be accepted in the Sociology Program's Spring DDRI competition if they were submitted to a Fall competition, were declined, and received an invitation to resubmit. The invitation to resubmit will be included in the panel summary.

Limit on Number of Proposals per Organization: There are no restrictions or limits. Limit on Number of Proposals per PI or Co-PI: There are no restrictions or limits. Proposal Preparation and Submission Instructions A.

Proposal Preparation Instructions Letters of Intent: Not required Preliminary Proposal Submission: Not required Full Proposals submitted via FastLane: 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 Target Date(s) : February 28, Annually Thereafter October 15, Annually Thereafter Proposal Review Information Criteria National Science Board approved criteria apply. Award Administration Information Standard NSF award conditions apply.

Standard NSF reporting requirements apply. The Sociology Program supports basic research on all forms of human social organization -- societies, institutions, groups and demography -- and processes of individual and institutional change. The Program encourages theoretically focused empirical investigations aimed at improving the explanation of fundamental social processes.

Included is research on organizations and organizational behavior, population dynamics, social movements, social groups, labor force participation, stratification and mobility, family, social networks, socialization, gender roles, and the sociology of science and technology. The Program supports both original data collections and secondary data analysis that use the full range of quantitative and qualitative methodological tools.

Theoretically grounded projects that offer methodological innovations and improvements for data collection and analysis are also welcomed.

As part of its effort to encourage and support projects that explicitly integrate education and basic research, the Sociology Program provides support to improve the conduct of doctoral dissertation projects undertaken by doctoral students enrolled in U.S. universities when the dissertation research is conducted in a scientifically sound manner and it offers strong potential for enhancing more general scientific knowledge.

The Sociology Program funds doctoral dissertation research to defray direct costs associated with conducting research, for example, dataset acquisition, additional statistical or methodological training, meeting with scholars associated with original datasets, and fieldwork away from the student's home campus. Projects are evaluated using the two Foundation-wide criteria, intrinsic merit and broader impacts.

In assessing the intrinsic merit of proposed research, four components are key to securing support from the Sociology Program: (1) the issues investigated must be theoretically grounded; (2) the research should be based on empirical observation or be subject to empirical validation or illustration; (3) the research design must be appropriate to the questions asked; and (4) the proposed research must advance our understanding of social processes, structures and methods.

This solicitation provides instructions for preparation of proposals for the Doctoral Dissertation Improvement (DDRI) proposals to the Sociology (Soc) Program.

It replaces instructions included in the Social, Behavioral and Economic Sciences (SBE) Doctoral Dissertation Improvement Grant (SBE-DDRIG) announcement ( NSF 11-547 ) The Sociology Program dissertation improvement grants are awarded to support high quality doctoral dissertation research in sociology.

A proposal submitted for consideration by the Sociology Program at NSF will be most competitive if the research contributes to sociological theory and knowledge, rather than merely focusing on specific topics of sociological interest.

Competitive proposals focus on one or a few core questions that are theoretically derived or framed, and articulate how scientifically sound methods will be used to address questions, but also enhance broader sociological theory.

As a general rule, proposals that review well are those that clearly state a central research question, make an argument that engages and/or debates relevant literatures, specifies the data that will be gathered and the analytic procedures that will apply to those data. Additionally, strong proposals state what the researcher expects to find or show through the research.

Projects designed primarily to "expand," "explore," or "develop" our understanding of a phenomenon tend to be too preliminary for NSF support. Likewise, the Sociology Program does not fund evaluation projects or those with a primarily applied focus.

NSF-funded sociology proposals tend to be theoretically framed and make clear contributions to sociological theory, and the strongest proposals have a research design that permits falsifiability so that the PI can be wrong as well as right. The Sociology Program frequently engages in co-review of regular research proposals with other NSF programs, but it does not co-review DDRI proposals.

Proposals submitted to the DDRI program in Sociology will only be reviewed by the Sociology Program. It also will not co-review DDRI proposals submitted to other NSF programs.

Doctoral dissertation research improvement (DDRI) awards provide support to enhance and improve the conduct of doctoral dissertation projects conducted by doctoral students enrolled in U.S. universities who are conducting scientific research that enhances basic scientific knowledge. As noted in the title of the awards, DDRI awards are meant to improve the conduct of the dissertation research.

All DDRI proposals recommended for funding by the Sociology Program must clearly demonstrate how the proposed research will contribute to the advancement of basic sociological scientific theory and knowledge. The most competitive proposals will be those that also demonstrate how already significant research will be improved with DDRI funding.

DDRI awards are not intended to provide the full costs of a student's doctoral dissertation research. DDRI awards recommended by Sociology will not exceed $12,000, a total that includes both allowable direct costs and appropriate indirect costs over the duration of the award.

Project budgets should be developed at scales appropriate for the work to be conducted and may only include costs directly associated with the conduct of dissertation research. DDRI awards provide funding for research costs not normally covered by the student's university.

Examples of the kinds of expenses that may be included in a DDRI proposal budget are the following: Costs associated with travel and related expenses to conduct research at field sites, archives, specialized collections, and/or facilities away from the student's campus Costs for data-collection activities, including the conduct of surveys, questionnaires, and/or focus groups or the purchase of extant data Costs for equipment necessary for the conduct of the project that will be devoted to the project over the duration of the award (Note that any equipment purchased with NSF funds becomes property of the awardee organization.)

Costs for payments to research subjects and/or informants Costs for non-routine materials and supplies required for the conduct of the project Costs for data transcription (a letter outlining service and service costs will be required before an award will be recommended) Analysis and research services not otherwise available Cost for training in qualitative and quantitative methods required to complete the dissertation The Sociology Program due to budgetary constraints will not support travel to professional conferences to present research results.

Costs that cannot be reimbursed by DDRI awards include the following: A stipend or salary for the doctoral student or advisor (Note that salaries or payments for work by other individuals whose assistance may be essential to conduct the project may be permitted when there is sound justification for such expenses.)

Costs for tuition, textbooks, or other items not directly related to the conduct of dissertation research Publication costs for articles based on the dissertation, except when the university's degree requirements permit the substitution of published research results for a free-standing dissertation Costs for travel of the advisor to the field site DDRI awards may be for one or two years in duration.

The dissertation does not have to be completed during that time period, but costs associated with research activities to be reimbursed with DDRI funds must be incurred when the award is active. The Sociology Program anticipates spending up to $600,000 per fiscal year on Doctoral Dissertation Improvement (DDRI) awards pending the availability of funds.

A DDRI award is a standard grant and may be for one or two years in duration and cannot exceed $12,000 (this amount includes both direct and indirect costs for the entire duration of the award). The total estimated number of DDRI awards per fiscal year is 40 to 50. IV.

Eligibility Information Who May Submit Proposals: Proposals may only be submitted by the following: Universities and Colleges - Ph. D. granting universities and colleges accredited in, and having a campus located in, the US acting on behalf of their faculty members.

Such organizations also are referred to as academic institutions. DDRI proposals must be submitted with a principal investigator (PI) and a co-principal investigator (co-PI). The PI must be the advisor of the doctoral student or another faculty member at the U.S. university where the doctoral student is enrolled.

The doctoral student whose dissertation research will be supported must be designated as a co-PI. There is no limitation on the number of times that an individual may be the principal investigator on a DDRI proposal or proposals submitted to the Sociology Program, either during a specific competition or over the course of her/his career.

There is a not a limitation on the number of times a doctoral student may submit a DDRI proposal to the Sociology Program as long as they meet the eligibility criteria. A student and her/his advisor, however, should carefully consider the times during the student's graduate program that are most appropriate for submission of a DDRI proposal.

Proposals will only be accepted in the Sociology Program's Spring DDRI competition if they were submitted to a Fall competition, were declined, and received an invitation to resubmit. The invitation to resubmit will be included in the panel summary. Limit on Number of Proposals per Organization: There are no restrictions or limits.

Limit on Number of Proposals per PI or Co-PI: There are no restrictions or limits. 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 Grants. gov or via the NSF FastLane system.

Full proposals submitted via FastLane: Proposals submitted in response to this program solicitation should be prepared and submitted in accordance with the general guidelines contained in the NSF Proposal & Award Policies & 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) 292-7827 or by e-mail from nsfpubs@nsf. gov . Proposers are reminded to identify this program solicitation number in the program solicitation block on the NSF Cover Sheet For Proposal to the National Science Foundation.

Compliance with this requirement is critical to determining the relevant proposal processing guidelines. Failure to submit this information may delay processing. 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) 292-7827 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 the NSF FastLane system.

PAPPG Chapter II. D. 3 provides additional information on collaborative proposals.

See PAPPG Chapter II. C. 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. Proposal Sections to Be Prepared as Directed in the NSF Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG) or the NSF Grants.

gov Application Guide The following sections of the proposal are mandatory and should be prepared in accordance with instructions regarding those sections in the NSF Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG) or the NSF Grants.

gov Application Guide: Project Summary - (Note the requirements regarding explicit discussion of the intellectual merit and broader impacts in separate subsections) Refer ences Cited -This is a separate section of the proposal and it immediately follows the Project Description.

Biographical Sketches - Biographical sketches are required for the advisor (PI) doctoral student (co-PI), additional co-PIs, and any Senior Personnel and should include all required sections, including lists of collaborators and other affiliations. Budgets - A narrative with budget justification should follow the budget forms, with explanations for all costs being as detailed as possible.

Current and Pending Support - This proposal is considered a pending activity and should be listed on the form for the advisor, doctoral student, any other co-PIs, and Senior Personnel. Facilities, Equipment, and Other Resources - Descriptions of other resources that may assist in the conduct of the project may be identified, but these descriptions should be narrative in nature and must not include any quantifiable financial information.

Also, if there are no facilities, equipment, or other resources to describe, a statement to that effect must be included in the proposal. Proposal Sections with Special Instructions for Proposals Submitted in Response to This Solicitation Note: Failure to comply with Sociology DDRI solicitation-specific instructions may result in a proposal being returned without review.

The following sections of the proposal are mandatory and should be prepared in accordance to the following supplementary instructions as well as to guidance in the NSF Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG) or the NSF Grants. gov Application Guide. The solicitation number for this solicitation should be specified as the program solicitation number.

Proposers should not use the number of the NSF Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG). Once the Sociology Program – Doctoral Dissertation Research Improvement Awards solicitation number is selected, the NSF Unit of Consideration should automatically be populated with SES-Sociology –DDRI. You should not select additional programs because the Sociology Program does not co-review DDRI proposals.

" Doctoral Dissertation Research: " should be the prefix before the substantive title of the DDRI proposal. The substantive title of the proposal should follow. This substantive portion of the title should describe the project in concise, informative language so that a scientifically or technically literate reader could understand what the project is about.

The title should emphasize the scientific work to be undertaken, specifically the broader more general theoretical contribution. Proposers should not use "cute" or "attention-grabbing" subtitles or titles that suggest that the outcome of the research is already known, because such phrases will lead reviewers to question the intellectual significance of the project.

Personnel Listed on the Cover Sheet DDRI awards focus on providing support for the dissertation research of a doctoral student. The student's advisor or another faculty member at the university where the student is enrolled must serve as the principal investigator (PI) of the proposal, however. The student must be listed as a co-principal investigator (co-PI).

In cases where a student is working closely with multiple faculty members, an additional faculty member may be added as another co-PI. (Note that identification of an individual as a PI or co-PI means that they will have administrative responsibility for an award based on the proposal). As specified in Chapter II, Section C.

2. d of the NSF Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG) and in the comparable section of the NSF Grants. gov Application Guide, the project description should be a clear statement of the work to be undertaken.

Proposers should note that the project description must contain a separate section within the narrative that discusses the broader impacts of the proposed activities.

To be competitive for Sociology funding, the project description should provide clear descriptions of relevant literature and theoretical frameworks within which the project is set, a complete description of the research methods that will be used, and discussion of the expected intellectual merit and broader impacts that may result from the project.

Proposers should note the special review criteria that are used to complement consideration of the standard NSF merit review criteria and to explicitly identify the expected larger-scale, longer-term significance of their project as well as its likelihood of success.

Although a discussion of the results from prior NSF support are required for most proposals, if the PI and/or any co-PIs have had NSF funding within the last five years, results from prior support do not need to be provided for the PI or any other senior personnel. The project description of a Sociology DDRI proposal may not be more than ten (10) pages in length.

Up to five (5) additional pages following the project description may be used to include the survey guide or interview protocol. These five pages cannot have any content other than the survey guide or interview protocol.

Special Information and Supplementary Documentation Following are supplementary documents for which special instructions are provided for proposals submitted in response to this solicitation that supplement guidance in the NSF Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG) and the NSF Grants.

gov Application Guide: All proposals must include as a supplementary document a plan for data management and sharing the products of research. The data-management plan to be submitted with a proposal must be no longer than two (2) pages in length and must be included as a supplementary document. In preparing their data-management plans, proposers should address all five of the points specified in Chapter II, Section C.

2. j of the NSF Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG) and the comparable section of the NSF Grants. gov Application Guide.

Proposers are especially encouraged to specify how they intend to make data, software, and other products of the research readily available to potential users through institutionally based archives, repositories, and/or distribution networks so that the products may be easily accessed by others over long time periods.

Signed Statement from the Principal Investigator The advisor or other faculty member serving as the principal investigator (PI) of the proposal now is required to submit a signed statement affirming that the student will be able to undertake the proposed research soon after a DDRI award is made.

In addition, the PI must affirm that she/he has read the proposal and believes that it makes a strong case for support of the dissertation research project. The following template must be used to prepare this statement, with changes permitted only to provide information where there are blank lines in the template. Additional text is not permitted.

The statement must be signed by the PI. (In very unusual cases, an electronic signature or equivalent may be permitted, but replacement of a real signature with a PI's real equivalent is permitted only with prior written approval from a Sociology program officer). Required template for a statement signed by the PI.

To: NSF Sociology Program From: ___________________________________________ [Insert name of the PI] By signing below, I acknowledge that I am the listed Principal Investigator on this proposal, entitled "_________________________" (insert title of the DDRI proposal from the Cover Sheet) , with my doctoral student advisee ___________________________ (insert typed/printed name of the Co-PI ) as the Co-Principal Investigator.

I affirm that the doctoral student is at a stage in her/his graduate program that makes it very likely that the student will be able to undertake the dissertation research described in this proposal soon after a DDRI award is made. I affirm that I have read this proposal, and I believe that this proposal makes a strong case for NSF support for this project.

[Print this paragraph in bold text] Signed: ___________________________ [Insert PI's signature] University: _____________________________ [Insert university name] Date: __________________ [Insert date that the statement is signed by the PI] Brief statements (whether written as letters or as free-standing e-mail messages) from individuals and/or organizations that will work with the doctoral student and/or provide in-kind support for the proposed project may be included as supplementary documents.

Such letters are not needed from other individuals at the student's university or from that university. Letters of collaboration should focus on the willingness of the letter's author to collaborate or provide in-kind support for the project in ways that have been outlined in the project description.

Such letters should not argue for support of the project by articulating in greater detail what activities the collaborator will undertake and/or by elaborating reasons for supporting the project. Such additional text may be included in the first ten pages of the project description of the proposal, but such supportive text is not permitted in a supplementary document.

Sociology program directors strongly recommend the use of the following template for letters of collaboration. If this templates or very similar text is not used, the text provided by the letter's author should be equally brief and to-the-point. Inclusion of longer letters may result in the PIs being forced to remove such letters (with no other changes to the proposal permitted), or NSF may return the proposal without review.

Suggested template for a letter of collaboration: To: NSF Sociology Program From: ____________________________________ [Insert the name of the individual collaborator or name of the organization and name and position of the official submitting this letter] By signing or transmitting this message electronically, I acknowledge that I am listed as a collaborator on the proposal titled "_____________________" [Insert proposal title], which is a doctoral dissertation research project to be undertaken by ______________________ [Insert doctoral student's name].

I agree to collaborate with the doctoral student by undertaking the tasks associated with me as described in the project description of this proposal.

Signed: _______________________ [Insert the signature or name of the author of this letter] Organization: ________________________________ [Insert the name of the organization the letter's author is representing or with which the author is associated] Date: ________________ [Insert the date when the letter is signed or transmitted] IRB and/or IACUC Certifications If the submitting organization's Institutional Review Board (IRB) has approved plans for research involving human subjects or the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) has approved research involving vertebrate animals, certification of that may be included on appropriate sections of the cover sheet.

Documentation of the certification may be included as a supplementary document, but that is not required if sufficient information is provided by the sponsored projects office on the cover sheet of the proposal. If the IRB and/or IACUC have not approved the research plans when the proposal is submitted, the appropriate box(es) should be checked on the cover sheet and "Pending" should be listed on the line that follows.

If IRB or IACUC approval is granted while the proposal is under review at NSF, certification of the approval should be sent to the