Methodology, Measurement, and Statistics

The Methodology, Measurement, and Statistics (MMS) Program, operated under the National Science Foundation (NSF) within the Directorate for Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences (SBE), is an interdisciplinary grant program designed to support the development of innovative methodologies in the social, behavioral, and economic sciences. It aims to enhance research through the creation and application of advanced statistical and analytical tools. The program encourages projects that demonstrate methodological innovation, theoretical grounding, and utility across multiple SBE disciplines. A particular emphasis is placed on proposals that contribute to the development and use of official statistics in collaboration with a consortium of federal statistical agencies. The MMS Program offers several types of funding mechanisms including Regular Research Awards, Conference and Community Development Awards, Doctoral Dissertation Research Improvement (DDRI) Grants, and Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) Supplements. These awards are intended to fund various aspects of methodological and statistical research, including formal model development, survey research methodologies, data collection procedures, and research infrastructure. For DDRI proposals, the doctoral student must be listed as co-PI and their faculty advisor as PI. These projects are expected to be predominantly student-driven and limited to $18,000 in total funding, covering research-specific costs like travel, data collection, and analysis. Approximately $3.76 million in total funding is allocated annually, contingent on available appropriations, with an estimated 15 to 35 grants awarded each year. Some of these funds may be augmented through partnerships with federal statistical agencies for projects relevant to their data production needs. There is no matching requirement for this program, and voluntary cost sharing is explicitly prohibited. Applications must be submitted through Research.gov or Grants.gov, as FastLane is no longer supported. No letters of intent or preliminary proposals are required. The program operates with two fixed annual deadlines: the last Thursday in January and the last Thursday in August, making it a recurring funding opportunity. For 2025, the next expected due date is August 28. Proposals are evaluated based on NSF's standard merit review criteria—Intellectual Merit and Broader Impacts. Applicants should ensure compliance with the current NSF Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG), particularly regarding required components like the data management plan and DDRI-specific documentation such as a signed advisor statement affirming student readiness and proposal merit. Eligibility is open to institutions of higher education and other entities listed in the PAPPG. Unaffiliated individuals are ineligible to apply. REU supplements support undergraduate student participation and are encouraged especially for underrepresented groups. These supplements can support up to $8,000 per student and a maximum of two students per award. The MMS program also participates in NSF’s CAREER awards for early-career faculty. Contact for this funding opportunity is Nicholas N. Nagle, who can be reached at nnagle@nsf.gov or (703) 292-4490. Proposers should direct technical questions about application submission to Research.gov or Grants.gov help desks. All submitted proposals are reviewed by a combination of NSF program officers and external peer reviewers. Notification of awards or declinations typically occurs within six months of the submission deadline.

Include PI signed affirmation, follow strict DDRI format, budget only for research expenses, exclude student/advisor salaries.