Science of Organizations

The National Science Foundation (NSF), an independent federal agency of the United States, supports fundamental research and education across all fields of science and engineering. Within NSF, the Directorate for Social, Behavioral and Economic Sciences (SBE), specifically the Division of Social and Economic Sciences (SES), administers the Science of Organizations (SoO) program. This program is designed to generate a scientific evidence base to improve the design, development, management, and effectiveness of organizations, whether public or private, profit or nonprofit, established or emerging. The SoO program encourages rigorous, theory-driven research that enhances our understanding of how organizations form, develop, and function. It seeks proposals that employ scientific methods to refine or develop theoretical frameworks, empirically test theories, and produce new metrics and methodologies. The goal is to produce broadly applicable insights relevant to business leaders, policymakers, and academic researchers. Projects should contribute to understanding organizations as systems of coordination, governance, and management. Although societal impact is valued, proposals must focus predominantly on theory, method, and contribution to fundamental knowledge. Research proposals submitted to SoO may draw upon a wide range of intellectual disciplines such as organizational theory, sociology, psychology, economics, business strategy, and public administration, among others. Studies may focus on a variety of phenomena including innovation, change, structure, routine, and effectiveness. Acceptable levels of analysis range from individual to institutional, including team and organizational levels. Researchers may employ qualitative and quantitative methodologies such as archival analyses, surveys, case studies, experiments, and network analyses. To be considered, all proposals must adhere to the requirements in the NSF Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG) in effect at the time of submission. The program does not fund implementation-focused projects such as evaluating the impact of training programs or operational change efforts. Instead, it funds research aimed at producing generalizable theoretical contributions. Proposals may be submitted at any time, as the program accepts full proposals on an ongoing basis. Applicants interested in SoO-funded research within industrial contexts or through university-industry collaborations are encouraged to explore the related GOALI (Grant Opportunities for Academic Liaison with Industry) program. Proposals must clearly articulate their intellectual merit and broader impacts as defined by NSF standards. Award terms are subject to NSF conditions revised as of October 1, 2024, in accordance with updated OMB guidance. The program does not list specific funding amounts or award limits. It also does not specify an expected number of awards or match requirements. The primary point of contact is Program Director Songqi Liu, who can be reached via email at soliu@nsf.gov or by phone at (703) 292-2542. Proposals can be submitted through Research.gov or Grants.gov, following the relevant NSF application guides. The program is currently active and accepting applications with no stated close date. There is no indication of pre-application deadlines or recurring cycles at this time.

Proposals should emphasize theory, methodology, and alignment with NSF merit review criteria.