Solar, Heliospheric, and INterplanetary Environment

The Solar, Heliospheric, and Interplanetary Environment (SHINE) program, administered by the National Science Foundation within its Directorate for Geosciences and Division of Atmospheric and Geospace Sciences, supports research that deepens the scientific understanding of how the Sun influences the near-Earth environment. The program originated from community-driven collaborations focused on the dynamics of the heliosphere, the interplanetary region dominated by solar magnetic fields and plasma. SHINE aligns with NSF’s broader Solar–Terrestrial Research efforts, emphasizing the physical mechanisms by which magnetic energy and charged particles are produced by the Sun, transported through interplanetary space, and interact with Earth’s magnetosphere and atmosphere. The program invites proposals that address key questions of solar-terrestrial physics through theoretical, observational, or modeling approaches. It prioritizes interdisciplinary projects that connect distinct SHINE subfields, such as links between the low and high corona, active region emergence, coronal hole boundaries, and solar wind behavior. Additional emphasis is placed on studies that explore heliospheric influences on Earth’s climate system, examining correlations between solar variability, magnetospheric dynamics, and long-term climatic trends. A third focus area supports integration of machine learning and artificial intelligence tools to analyze observational data from NSF-funded facilities and other relevant federal sources, including solar observatories and space-based datasets. Typical awards are three years in duration, although proposals of up to five years may be considered when strongly justified by scientific potential. Annual funding for the SHINE portfolio is expected to total approximately $3 million, supporting an estimated 10 to 15 standard or continuing grants each year. Requested budgets may be up to $200,000 per year per project. Cost sharing is not required and voluntary cost sharing is prohibited. The standard NSF merit review process applies, evaluating proposals based on Intellectual Merit and Broader Impacts, with attention to originality, soundness of methodology, qualifications of investigators, and the project’s contribution to both knowledge advancement and societal outcomes. Eligible applicants include U.S. institutions identified in the NSF Proposal and Award Policies and Procedures Guide, such as accredited universities and colleges, nonprofit research organizations, and certain other entities capable of managing federal research awards. Unaffiliated individuals are not eligible. There are no restrictions on who may serve as Principal Investigator, but each PI or co-PI may participate in at most two proposals per cycle. SHINE encourages participation from early-career scientists and researchers from underrepresented groups in STEM fields, in keeping with NSF’s commitment to broadening participation. Full proposals must be submitted electronically via Research.gov or Grants.gov following the instructions in the current PAPPG (NSF 22-1). FastLane submissions are not permitted. Letters of Intent and preliminary proposals are not required. Applicants should ensure all required sections of the proposal—including project description, budget justification, data-management plan, and postdoctoral mentoring plan if applicable—are prepared per NSF standards. Submissions are accepted on target dates of May 11 and October 7 each year, with October 7 recurring annually thereafter. Awards are typically announced about six months after the proposal deadline. Standard NSF award conditions and reporting requirements apply. Principal Investigators must submit annual progress reports and a final project report through Research.gov. Questions about program scope should be directed to the Program Officers Lisa M. Winter (lwinter@nsf.gov) and Andreas D. Keiling (akeiling@nsf.gov), both at (703) 292-8519. The SHINE program serves as a cornerstone for advancing solar-terrestrial science and building predictive capabilities for space-weather phenomena that affect Earth and technological systems. Its recurring annual deadlines ensure consistent support for the community’s efforts to understand and forecast solar-driven events.

Proposals are evaluated on Intellectual Merit and Broader Impacts; ensure clear objectives, strong methodology, and inclusive participation.