Long Term Research in Environmental Biology

The Long Term Research in Environmental Biology (LTREB) program is administered by the National Science Foundation (NSF), specifically within the Directorate for Biological Sciences and the Division of Environmental Biology. Established to support decadal-scale research, the LTREB program aims to facilitate long-term data collection and analysis in evolutionary biology, ecology, and ecosystem science. This effort acknowledges the limitations of short-term research awards and addresses critical questions that require data spanning at least ten years, such as the effects of evolutionary processes, community interactions over time and space, and ecological feedback mechanisms. The LTREB program funds research projects that produce extended time series data, with a minimum of six consecutive years of core data already collected by the research team. This requirement ensures a solid empirical foundation upon which to build new research questions. Proposals must demonstrate that these new questions cannot be answered with existing data or standard shorter-term awards and must include a clearly articulated decadal research plan. The plan should identify core data and provide justification for why continued data collection over another decade is necessary. Proposals are accepted at any time and are reviewed by one of three clusters within the Division of Environmental Biology: Ecosystem Science, Population and Community Ecology, and Evolutionary Processes. Marine ecology-focused proposals are excluded, except for those examining the evolutionary dynamics of marine systems. The application process includes a 15-page project description for initial proposals or a 10-page summary for renewal applications. Renewal applications are only accepted during the fifth year of the existing award and must demonstrate progress, data accessibility, and integration of findings. The total funding for this opportunity is approximately $6,000,000 annually, with about 10 new or renewal awards expected each year. The maximum funding per award is $600,000 over five years. Cost sharing is not required, and indirect cost limitations do not apply. REU supplements can be requested in addition to the $600,000 cap. Proposals may be submitted by accredited U.S.-based two- and four-year institutions of higher education, including community colleges, and nonprofit, non-academic research-focused organizations. There are no limitations on the number of proposals per organization or individual. All proposals must be submitted via Research.gov or Grants.gov and comply with the NSF Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide. Required documents include a data management plan, mentoring plan (if applicable), and letters of collaboration. The proposal review process includes merit-based evaluation focused on intellectual merit and broader impacts, with additional criteria for LTREB such as the robustness of the decadal research plan and core data. Reporting requirements include annual and final project reports, along with a publicly accessible project outcomes summary. For additional guidance, applicants are encouraged to contact the program officers, Betsy von Holle (mvonholl@nsf.gov, 703-292-4974) or Robyn Smyth (rsmyth@nsf.gov, 703-292-2996). The program supports a wide array of topics within the scope of environmental biology and is designed to produce publicly available data for long-term benefit to the scientific community and the public.

Contact program officers for clarification, justify 10-year need, ensure public data access.