Symbiosis, Infection and Immunity Program (SII)

Symbiosis, Infection and Immunity Program (SII) is sponsored by NSF Division of Integrative Organismal Systems (IOS). Focuses on understanding the interactions between hosts and symbionts, including pathogens, and the immune responses involved.

NSF 23-547: Division of Integrative Organismal Systems Core Programs (IOS) | 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 23-547: Division of Integrative Organismal Systems Core Programs Download the solicitation (PDF, 1.

7mb) National Science Foundation Directorate for Biological Sciences Division of Integrative Organismal Systems Full Proposal Deadline(s) :7 Proposals Accepted Anytime Important Information And Revision Notes IOS continues to accept unlimited no deadline full proposal submission: proposals may be submitted any day, any time with no limit on the number of proposals that may be submitted by an individual investigator.

This solicitation contains two submission tracks: The Core Programs Track and the IntBIO Track. IntBIO Track : An Integrative Research in Biology (IntBIO) Track has been added. Proposers should note that proposals to the IntBIO Track require additional information that reviewers will be asked to evaluate.

These are described in the program description and in the additional solicitation-specific review criteria. Safe and Inclusive Working Environments: The Directorate for Biological Sciences requires that proposers who include off-campus or off-site research as part of their project submit, as supplementary documentation, a Plan for Safe and Inclusive Working Environments.

Proposals submitted after April 18, 2023 that involve off-campus or off-site research, defined as data/information/samples collected off-campus or off-site, must include a Safe and Inclusive Work Environments Plan. For this solicitation, this document replaces the required plan associated with the certification in Chapter II. E.

9 of the Proposal and Award Policies and Procedures Guide (PAPPG, NSF 23-1 ). Instructions for inclusion of the Plan for Safe and Inclusive Working Environments can be found in the additional proposal preparation instructions in this solicitation. Any proposal submitted in response to this solicitation should be submitted in accordance with the NSF Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG).

Summary Of Program Requirements Division of Integrative Organismal Systems Core Programs (IOS) The Division of Integrative Organismal Systems (IOS) Core Programs Track supports research to understand why organisms are structured the way they are and function as they do. Proposals are welcomed in all of the core scientific program areas supported by the Division of Integrative Organismal Systems (IOS).

Areas of inquiry include, but are not limited to, developmental biology and the evolution of developmental processes, development, structure, modification, function, and evolution of the nervous system, biomechanics and functional morphology, physiological processes, symbioses and microbial interactions, interactions of organisms with biotic and abiotic environments, plant and animal genomics, and animal behavior.

Proposals should focus on organisms as a fundamental unit of biological organization. Principal Investigators are encouraged to apply systems approaches that will lead to conceptual and theoretical insights and predictions about emergent organismal properties. The IntBIO Track invites submission of collaborative proposals to tackle bold questions in biology that require an integrated approach to make substantive progress.

Integrative biological research spans sub-disciplines and incorporates cutting-edge methods, tools, and concepts from each to produce groundbreaking biological discovery that is synergistic, such that the sum is greater than the parts.

The research should produce a novel, holistic understanding of how biological systems function and interact across different scales of organization, e.g., from molecules to cells, tissues to organisms, species to ecosystems and the entire Earth.

Where appropriate, projects should apply experimental strategies, modeling, integrative analysis, advanced computation, or other research approaches to stimulate new discovery and general theory in biology. 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.

Behavioral Systems Program Directors, telephone: (703) 292-8423, email: IOSBSC@nsf. gov Developmental Systems Program Directors, telephone: (703) 292-8417, email: IOSDSC@nsf. gov Phys.

& Struct. Systems Program Directors, telephone: (703) 292-8413, email: IOSPSS@nsf. gov Plant Genome Research Program Directors, telephone: (703) 292-8420, email: dbipgr@nsf.

gov Neural Systems Program Directors, telephone: (703) 292-8421, email: IOSNSC@nsf. gov Applicable Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number(s): 47. 074 --- Biological Sciences Anticipated Type of Award: Standard Grant or Continuing Grant Estimated Number of Awards: 250 Anticipated Funding Amount: $70,000,000 IOS estimates that approximately $70,000,000 will be available for new and continuing awards per fiscal year.

Estimated program budget, number of awards and average award size/duration are subject to the availability of funds. Who May Submit Proposals: The categories of proposers eligible to submit proposals to the National Science Foundation are identified in the NSF Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG), Chapter I.E. Unaffiliated individuals are not eligible to submit proposals in response to this solicitation.

There are no restrictions or limits. 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 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: Full Proposal Deadline(s) : Proposals Accepted Anytime 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 Standard NSF award conditions apply. Standard NSF reporting requirements apply.

Summary of Program Requirements Proposal Preparation and Submission Instructions Proposal Preparation Instructions Research. gov/Grants.

gov Requirements NSF Proposal Processing and Review Procedures Merit Review Principles and Criteria Review and Selection Process Award Administration Information Notification of the Award The Division of Integrative Organismal Systems (IOS) supports research aimed at improving our understanding of organisms as integrated units of biological organization.

The division welcomes diverse approaches to research addressing organismal questions, and especially encourages integrative and interdisciplinary perspectives on complex problems in organismal biology.

The goal of the IOS Core Programs Track is to understand the forces behind form; to predict why organisms are structured the way they are and function as they do in a variety of developmental, social, physiological, and natural environmental contexts.

Projects that innovatively apply approaches that combine experimentation, computation, and modeling, and which lead to new conceptual and theoretical insights and testable predictions about integrated organismal properties are encouraged.

Research that integrates data across spatial/temporal/biological scales, leads to transformative methods, tools, and resources, and/or seeks breakthroughs in the understanding of complex traits and emergent properties of organisms (e.g. robustness, resilience) is also emphasized.

The Integrative Research in Biology (IntBIO) Track invites submission of collaborative proposals to tackle bold questions in biology that require an integrated approach to make substantive progress. Integrative biological research spans sub-disciplines and incorporates cutting-edge methods, tools, and concepts from each to produce groundbreaking biological discovery that is synergistic, such that the sum is greater than the parts.

The research should produce a novel, holistic understanding of how biological systems function and interact across different scales of organization, e.g., from molecules to cells, tissues to organisms, species to ecosystems and the entire Earth.

Where appropriate, projects should apply experimental strategies, modeling, integrative analysis, advanced computation, or other research approaches to stimulate new discovery and general theory in biology. Considerations for both tracks: Broader Impacts : IOS recognizes that an understanding of organismal form and function has many potential applications to societal needs.

Investigators are encouraged to consider these applications as Broader Impacts of the proposed work (e.g., bio-based technologies, impacts on the bioeconomy including applications to the production of food, fibers, and fuels, applications addressing environmental issues, conservation or applications to human health and welfare).

However, research addressing the mechanisms of human disease or disease therapeutics is not supported by IOS, and such proposals will be returned without review. IOS continues to support projects that provide unique educational and training opportunities for the next generation of researchers, scientific educators and scientifically literate citizens.

To address the Broader Impacts review criterion, proposals can contain the development of innovative educational, broadening participation, and outreach activities or substantive participation in existing institutional infrastructure for education, training and outreach with additional budget requested to support those activities. Successful proposals often demonstrate close integration of the scientific and educational goals.

NSF and IOS are committed to the inclusion of all people and institutions in the research enterprise because all are vital to the nation's health, security, and global leadership in STEM. The nation's changing demographics make this commitment all the more timely.

Therefore, to be competitive, proposers must be intentional regarding broadening participation in their projects through efforts to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion of individuals and institutions traditionally underrepresented in STEM.

NSF is also interested in ensuring the inclusion of individuals from diverse social categories and/or identities including but not limited to: race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, disability status, veteran status, or geography — recognizing that underrepresentation can vary by career stage and discipline and that there are additional considerations of intersectionality.

Proposals submitted to this solicitation are strongly encouraged to involve PIs, co-PIs, postdoctoral fellows, students, and other personnel who are members of these groups. NSF also recognizes that STEM research and education occurs at a wide range of institutions, including Minority-serving Institutions (MSIs), Primarily Undergraduate Institutions (PUIs), and two-year colleges, as well as major research institutions.

NSF welcomes single institution and multi-institutional collaborative proposals from all types of institutions and encourages authentic and substantive collaborations and partnerships across diverse geographies and types of institutions. Proposals from EPSCoR jurisdictions are especially encouraged. Budget and Scope : IOS supports smaller focused single investigator projects as well as larger team science.

IOS encourages submission of projects across the full range of conceptual scales, and durations (1-5 years) with associated budget requests commensurate with the scope, scale, and duration of the work. The division reminds proposers that there are no budget minimums, and it will continue to support both small-scale projects and larger requests as appropriate for the work proposed.

All IOS programs also encourage proposals that leverage NSF-supported scientific infrastructure, including but not limited to cyberinfrastructure (e.g. Cyverse, Environmental Data Initiative), and infrastructure for monitoring the organism's natural environment (e.g. the National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON), National Ocean Observatories, Critical Zone Observatories).

With this solicitation, IOS core programs accept proposals into two Tracks, the Core Programs Track and the Integrative Research in Biology (IntBIO) Track. Proposals are welcomed in all of the core scientific program areas supported by the Division of Integrative Organismal Systems, including projects that cross traditional disciplinary boundaries. IOS is organized into five clusters, that contain the core scientific programs.

Click on a cluster name to go to the cluster web page and learn more about each cluster and its programs. Biological questions, rather than techniques or approaches, should guide program selection. After reading the cluster and program descriptions, discuss any questions about the potential fit of a project to one of the clusters with the Program Director you believe is most closely associated with your field of interest.

Please consult the IOS web page for information about specific Program Directors associated with each program. This interaction can be a critical aspect for ensuring that your proposal is assigned to the most appropriate program for review. The IOS core clusters/programs participating in submissions to this solicitation are: Behavioral Systems Cluster The Behavioral Systems cluster contains the Animal Behavior Program.

Developmental Systems Cluster Programs within the Developmental Systems Cluster are: the Plant, Fungal and Microbial Developmental Mechanisms Program, the Animal Developmental Mechanisms Program and the Evolution of Developmental Mechanisms Program. Programs within the Neural Systems Cluster are the Organization Program, the Activation Program and the Modulation Program.

Programs within the Physiological and Structural Systems Cluster are: the Symbiosis, Infection, and Immunity (SII) Program (formerly Symbiosis, Defense and Self-recognition), the Physiological Mechanisms and Biomechanics Program (PMB), the Integrative Ecological Physiology Program (IEP) and the NSF-NIFA Plant Biotic Interactions Program (PBI). Important Note : PBI is jointly managed by the NSF and USDA-NIFA.

Proposals intended for PBI should be submitted directly through its solicitation which can be found on the PBI web page along with the program description and contact information for its program directors. The Plant Genome Research Program (PGRP) supports genome-scale research and tool development to address challenging questions of biological, societal, and economic importance.

Proposals intended for PGRP should be submitted directly through its solicitation which can be found on the PGRP program web page along with additional guidelines and current program contacts. Note: you must select a program name on the Cover Sheet during submission. Proposals submitted to this track do not require a prefix in the title.

B. Integrative Research in Biology (IntBIO) Track The Integrative Research in Biology (IntBIO) Track invites submission of collaborative proposals to tackle bold questions in biology that require an integrated approach to make substantive progress.

Integrative biological research spans sub-disciplines and incorporates cutting-edge methods, tools, and concepts from each to produce groundbreaking biological discovery that is synergistic, such that the sum is greater than the parts.

The research should produce a novel, holistic understanding of how biological systems function and interact across different scales of organization, e.g., from molecules to cells, tissues to organisms, species to ecosystems and the entire Earth.

Where appropriate, projects should apply experimental strategies, modeling, integrative analysis, advanced computation, or other research approaches to stimulate new discovery and general theory in biology. Proposals submitted to the IntBIO Track must span sub-disciplinary boundaries. Projects suitable for review in a single existing BIO program should be submitted to that program and not to the IntBIO track.

Proposers are strongly encouraged to contact a cognizant program director prior to submission to obtain advice on suitability of the project idea for the IntBIO Track.

To be responsive to the IntBIO track, proposals must: Articulate a fundamental overarching biological question or technical challenge that is addressed either through a bold, integrative hypothesis- or question-driven research, and that aims to produce outcomes that are synergistic and have potential to reveal new principles underlying function or interaction of biological systems.

Include a graphical illustration that effectively conveys how integration will be accomplished through interconnection among sub-disciplines, elements, or systems and how integrated strategies will lead to a synergistic outcome. Have an optimally configured collaborative investigative team that includes two or more investigators with diverse perspectives and expertise.

The role of each team member must be clearly described and justified. Team members may be from a single organization or multiple organizations. Describe a training and education plan, as part of broader impacts, that is inclusive and involves training in integrative approaches to biological research.

The IntBIO Track is common to each of the core research program solicitations in the Divisions of Environmental Biology, Integrative Organismal Systems, and Molecular and Cellular Biosciences. Proposals should be submitted to a program in one of these divisions. IntBIO Track proposals intended for the PGRP or PBI programs within IOS may submit to this solicitation rather than their respective solicitations for this track only .

Note: You must select a program name on the Cover Sheet and proposal titles for this track should start with the designation "IntBIO:" C.

Additional Information for Other Types of Proposals under this Solicitation In addition to the regular research proposals sought under this solicitation, IOS programs support a variety of other Foundation-wide activities: Faculty Early Career Development Program (CAREER) proposals may be submitted to any of the clusters/programs described in this solicitation but must be submitted by the deadlines listed in the CAREER solicitation and follow the proposal preparation guidance in that solicitation.

Mid Career Advancement (MCA) proposals may be submitted to any of the clusters/programs described in this solicitation but must be submitted during the annual proposal submission window for the MCA program.

Research Coordination Networks (RCN), and Research at Undergraduate Institutions (RUI) proposals may be submitted at any time, to any of the clusters/programs described in this solicitation but must follow the proposal preparation guidance in those solicitations. This solicitation will accept Renewal and Accomplishment Based Renewal (ABR) Proposals.

Information on eligibility, scope, and format for Renewal and ABR submissions can be found in the PAPPG. If you are considering an ABR submission you are strongly advised to contact a Program Officer prior to submission.

Grants for Rapid Response Research (RAPID), Early-concept Grants for Exploratory Research (EAGER), Research Advanced by Interdisciplinary Science and Engineering (RAISE), Grant Opportunities for Academic Liaison with Industry (GOALI), Planning Proposals, and proposals for Travel or Conferences support, including workshops, can be submitted at any time to any of the clusters/programs described in this solicitation.

These types of proposals should be submitted in accordance with the guidance in the PAPPG. Conference and Travel proposals should be submitted at least 6 months before the start date of the conference or workshop; you are strongly advised to contact a Program Officer prior to submission. Note that before submitting RAPID, EAGER, RAISE, or Planning proposals you must receive approval from a Program Officer in the area of the proposal.

U.S.-Israel Binational Science Foundation (BSF) Collaborative Proposals Proposals for international research in accordance with the Dear Colleague Letter NSF 20-094 describing an international collaborative activity with the BSF will be accepted under this solicitation. Complete instructions for proposal submission can be found in the Dear Colleague Letter. Questions about this activity should be directed to NSF-IOS-BSF@nsf.

gov . Investigators may include well justified international components in proposals submitted to any relevant NSF program or request supplemental funding for projects already supported by NSF. Additional information about opportunities for research involving international partners can be found in NSF's Office for International Science and Engineering (OISE) .

D. Supplemental Funding Requests: Mid-Career Investigator Supplements in Integrative Organismal Biology (MCI). Instituted in 2013, Mid-Career Investigator Supplements provide support for mid-career researchers/scientists to acquire new skills in any additional area of organismal biology, or to add the use of new tools and/or novel technologies to answer organismal questions.

MCI activities may be included in full proposals submitted to this solicitation. A "mid-career" investigator is defined here as any researcher who is post-tenure or its equivalent and not retired. Requests for MCI supplements may include support for research visits, for participation in training opportunities in other laboratories, and for the use of research facilities not available at the applicant's institution.

Support can be requested for an investigator's own activities or to host an eligible mid-career investigator and can include a request for salary support during periods of training. Investigators interested in the MCI activity are strongly encouraged to contact a program director for further guidance prior to submission of a proposal containing these activities.

IOS accepts supplemental funding requests for Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU), Research Experiences for Teachers (RET), Research Assistantships for High School Students (RAHSS), and Research Opportunity Award (ROA). Note: Supplemental funding is intended for unanticipated opportunities only and should be justified on this basis.

Requests for support of planned REU, RET, RAHSS, and ROA activities should be included in the full proposal budget at the time of submission. The descriptions of proposed REU activities should be included in the Supplementary Documents. For REUs, follow the guidelines as described on the REU program page .

REU projects must involve students in meaningful ways in ongoing research programs or in research projects specifically designed for the REU student. For other supplement requests, guidelines can be found at IOS Supplemental Funding Request page . Research Experiences for Post-Baccalaureate Students (REPS).

NSF BIO/IOS continues to accept requests for supplemental funding of funding at the time of the award, for up to 12 months of participant support for an eligible post-baccalaureate student. Priority for funding will be given to support individuals who have not had prior research experiences and/or individuals who will aid in NSF's goal of ensuring diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility in STEM fields.

Career Life Balance Supplements. The Division will continue to support Career Life Balance (CLB) supplements. NSF's Career-Life Balance (CLB) Initiative builds on family-friendly practices among individual NSF programs to expand them to activities NSF-wide.

Funded Principal Investigators (PIs) are invited to submit supplemental funding requests to support additional personnel (e.g., research technicians or equivalent) to sustain research when the PI is on family leave. More information and FAQ can be found on the Career-Life Balance Initiative Web Page . Non-Academic Research Internships for Graduate Students ( INTERN ) Supplements.

The goal of INTERN is to provide graduate students with experiential learning opportunities through research internships outside academia to acquire core professional competencies and skills to support careers in any sector of the U.S. economy. Further information is available in the INTERN Dear Colleague Letter .

More detailed instructions for submission of any of these supplements can be found on the IOS supplemental Funding Request website: IOS Supplemental Funding Request page. The target date for most IOS programs to receive supplemental funding requests is March 1 annually (or next business day if that is a weekend or holiday).

Anticipated Type of Award: Standard Grant or Continuing Grant Estimated Number of Awards: 250 Anticipated Funding Amount: $70,000,000 IOS estimates that approximately $70,000,000 will be available for new and continuing awards per fiscal year. Estimated program budget, number of awards and average award size/duration are subject to the availability of funds. IV.

Eligibility Information Who May Submit Proposals: The categories of proposers eligible to submit proposals to the National Science Foundation are identified in the NSF Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG), Chapter I.E. Unaffiliated individuals are not eligible to submit proposals in response to this solicitation. There are no restrictions or limits.

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 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.

Additional Proposal Preparation Instructions: Preparation of proposals should follow the guidance in the PAPPG. Below we provide additional information and resources to aid preparation: For proposals submitted to the IntBIO Track. The title of the proposal should contain the designator, "IntBIO:", followed by the substantive title.

The Project Description should contain the graphical illustration, information about the collaborative team, and (as part of the Broader Impacts section) the description of the training and education plan. Data Management Plan. In addition to the guidance in the PAPPG, the Directorate for Biological Sciences provides additional context and guidance to PIs on the preparation of Data Management Plans .

All projects must ensure that data and biological materials are collected, archived, digitized, and made available using methods that allow current and future investigators to address new questions as they arise. Funded projects must disseminate project data broadly, using widely accepted electronic data standards. Investigators are strongly encouraged to make use of appropriate community infrastructure for data management.

For proposals that include specimen collection: For projects that involve collecting or generating specimens (e.g., organisms, parts of organisms, fossils including trace fossils, microbial isolates, etc), the Data Management Plan must include a description of how the specimens and associated data will be accessioned into and maintained in an established biological collection.

For planned REU, ROA, REPS, RET or RAHSS activities, a Supplementary Document (limited to three pages as described in the REU solicitation) should be included that describes those activities. Funds for these proposed activities are included in the budget. Additional guidance for REU activities can be found on the REU program page .

Additional guidance for ROA, RET or RAHSS activities can be found in the Facilitating Research at Primarily Undergraduate Institutions: Research in Undergraduate Institutions (RUI) and Research Opportunity Awards (ROA) solicitation and the RAHSS DCL .

Safe and Inclusive Work Environments Plan: All proposals submitted to this solicitation that include research that will be conducted off-campus or off-site must submit a plan for safe and inclusive working environments as a supplemental document that will be considered under the broader impacts review criterion. This supplemental document is in lieu of the required plan associated with the certification called for in Chapter II. E.

9 of the PAPPG, NSF 23-1 ) More information regarding review of the plan is provided under Solicitation Specific Review Criteria. It is NSF policy to foster safe and harassment-free environments wherever science is conducted. Work conducted off-campus or off-site should be an enriching experience for everyone and help draw researchers to biological sciences research.

By requiring advanced planning and attention to maintaining an inclusive environment, NSF is working to ensure that off-campus or off-site research is safe and inclusive for all participants. Off-campus or off-site research is defined as data/information/samples being collected off-campus or off-site, such as fieldwork and research activities on vessels and aircraft. The plan must be no longer than two pages.

The plan for safe and inclusive working environments must include: a brief description of the field setting and unique challenges for the team; the steps the proposing organization will take to nurture an inclusive off-campus or off-site working environment, including processes to establish shared team definitions of roles, responsibilities, and culture, e.g., codes of conduct, trainings, mentor/mentee mechanisms and field support that might include regular check-ins, and/or developmental events; communication processes within the off-site team and to the organization(s) that minimize singular points within the communication pathway (e.g., there should not be a single person overseeing access to a single satellite phone); and the organizational mechanisms that will be used for reporting, responding to, and resolving issues of harassment if they arise.

The proposal is compliant with the provisions of this solicitation and the PAPPG. Where the two differ, this solicitation takes precedence. Any section or document not mentioned here follows the PAPPG guidance.

Cover Sheet- the title includes any necessary prefix(s) (e.g. "Collaborative Research:"; "NSF-BSF"; "IntBIO:"). Appropriate boxes have been checked, and requisite information provided. REU, REPS, RET, ROA and RAHSS activities, if planned, are described in three pages maximum, uploaded into Supplementary Documents, and included in the budget request.

It is highly recommended that a list of 6-12 suggested reviewers who are not listed on the Collaborators and Other Affiliations Information is submitted by the PI or Co-PI(s) be submitted as a Single Copy Document, including the individuals' names, institutions, and areas of expertise, email addresses, and URLs if available. Contact a Program Officer if you have questions about any Supplementary Documents that you plan to upload.

Inclusion of voluntary committed cost sharing is prohibited. Full Proposal Deadline(s) : Proposals Accepted Anytime D. Research.

gov/Grants. gov Requirements For Proposals Submitted Via Research. gov: To prepare and submit a proposal via Research.

gov, see detailed technical instructions available at: https://www. research. gov/research-portal/appmanager/base/desktop?

_nfpb=true&_pageLabel=research_node_display&_nodePath=/researchGov/Service/Desktop/ProposalPreparationandSubmission. html . For Research.

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The Research. gov Help Desk answers general technical questions related to the use of the Research. gov system.

Specific questions related to this program solicitation should be referred to the NSF program staff contact(s) listed in Section VIII of this funding opportunity. For Proposals Submitted Via Grants. gov: Before using Grants.

gov for the first time, each organization must register to create an institutional profile. Once registered, the applicant's organization can then apply for any federal grant on the Grants. gov website.

Comprehensive information about using Grants. gov is available on the Grants. gov Applicant Resources webpage: https://www.

grants. gov/web/grants/applicants. html .

In addition, the NSF Grants. gov Application Guide (see link in Section V. A) provides instructions regarding the technical preparation of proposals via Grants.

gov. For Grants. gov user support, contact the Grants. gov Contact Center at 1-800-518-4726 or by email: support@grants.

gov . The