Cognitive Neuroscience

The National Science Foundation (NSF), through its Directorate for Social, Behavioral and Economic Sciences and Division of Behavioral and Cognitive Sciences, administers the Cognitive Neuroscience (CogNeuro) program. This program is dedicated to supporting research that advances the understanding of neural mechanisms underlying human cognition and behavior. The foundation emphasizes both intellectual merit and broader impacts in its review process, requiring proposals to be theoretically motivated, experimentally rigorous, and designed to contribute to the broader scientific and educational community. The purpose of the CogNeuro program is to fund research that links precise physiological responses with cognitive processes such as perception, attention, memory, language, decision-making, and social reasoning. The program prioritizes work that connects theory with experimental evidence and goes beyond surface-level observations of physiology or behavior. Multimethod approaches are encouraged, including neuroimaging, brain stimulation, lesion studies, genetics, computational modeling, and pharmacological interventions in both human and animal models. Proposals that lack a clear link between behavior and physiology, focus exclusively on clinical populations, or rely solely on non-human animal models without clear human application are not eligible. In addition to advancing scientific knowledge, the program emphasizes broader impacts such as mentoring, outreach, and public engagement. Strong proposals often incorporate mentoring plans that extend beyond routine lab activities and provide specific strategies for supporting the careers of students and trainees. Broader impacts may also include STEM outreach in underserved communities, developing tools for public use, or engaging in science communication. Applicants are encouraged to budget for such activities if relevant to their research goals. Applicants must follow NSF’s Proposal and Award Policies and Procedures Guide (PAPPG) for all submissions. Before submitting a full proposal, investigators are strongly advised to send a one-page project summary to a program director for feedback on alignment with program priorities. All proposals are subject to NSF’s merit review process, which evaluates intellectual merit and broader impacts. Sharing of data and materials is expected, and declined proposals may only be resubmitted after one year, unless specifically permitted by program officers. Proposals that are substantially unchanged from previous submissions will be returned without review. The CogNeuro program currently supports standard and CAREER awards typically ranging between $175,000 and $225,000 per year for three to five years. Larger awards exceeding $1 million are rare and generally reserved for multidisciplinary projects. The program operates with recurring proposal cycles, with upcoming target dates of February 2, 2026, and August 17, 2026, followed by annual deadlines of February 1 and August 15 in subsequent years. Proposals submitted after these deadlines will not be accepted until the next cycle. Direct contacts for the program include Program Directors Elizabeth F. Chua (echua@nsf.gov, 703-292-5187), Dwight Kravitz (dkravitz@nsf.gov, 703-292-4502), and Joseph C. Toscano (jctoscan@nsf.gov, 703-292-7220). For administrative questions, applicants may reach out to Business Operations Specialist Kenyatta Johnson (kenjohns@nsf.gov, 703-292-4850). The program can also be contacted via the general email address sbe-cogneuro@nsf.gov. The NSF headquarters is located at 2415 Eisenhower Avenue, Alexandria, VA 22314, with a central phone number of 703-292-5111.