Growing Convergence Research

The Growing Convergence Research (GCR) program, administered by the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF), is designed to support multidisciplinary teams working on convergence research to solve complex societal or scientific challenges. Convergence research is defined by NSF as having two key characteristics: it is driven by a specific and compelling problem, and it requires deep integration across disciplines to develop new paradigms, frameworks, or even disciplines. The GCR program seeks to foster innovative research approaches that integrate knowledge and expertise from multiple disciplines to address challenges that have the potential for significant scientific and societal impact. The program is structured to provide funding for a five-year research plan, which is divided into two phases. Phase I spans the first two years, with a maximum funding allocation of $1.2 million. Phase II covers years three to five, with a maximum additional allocation of $2.4 million. Successful proposals will initially receive funding for Phase I. However, continued funding into Phase II is contingent on demonstrated progress, which will be assessed during a reverse site visit at the end of Year 2. Only those teams that show exceptional progress in convergence research and demonstrate potential for further advancements will be considered for additional funding. GCR grants are available to institutions of higher education (both two- and four-year institutions) and non-profit, non-academic organizations, such as research laboratories, observatories, museums, and professional societies. The principal investigators (PIs) must hold full-time appointments in research or teaching positions at U.S.-based institutions. Each PI or co-PI may only submit one proposal and cannot participate in multiple GCR projects simultaneously. NSF enforces strict compliance regarding these participation limits, and any violation will result in the return of the proposal without review. The program requires applicants to submit full proposals via Research.gov or Grants.gov in accordance with the NSF Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG). Proposals must include a detailed five-year research plan, a convergence management plan outlining strategies for interdisciplinary collaboration, and an explanation of how the proposed research fits within NSF’s priorities while remaining distinct from existing programs. A proposal will be deemed ineligible if it extends an existing NSF-supported project rather than presenting a novel approach. Additionally, no cost-sharing is required, and voluntary committed cost-sharing is prohibited. NSF will evaluate proposals based on its standard merit review criteria, including intellectual merit and broader impacts, as well as additional solicitation-specific review criteria. These include assessing the potential for transformational scientific understanding, the degree of interdisciplinary integration, the novelty of research approaches, and the effectiveness of the proposed management plan. Awardees must participate in a virtual workshop on building convergence across disciplines within the first 90 days of receiving funding and undergo a virtual reverse site visit at the end of Year 2 to determine eligibility for Phase II funding. The anticipated number of awards is between six and ten per funding cycle, with a total program funding allocation of approximately $16 million, contingent upon the availability of funds. The upcoming deadlines for full proposal submissions are April 12, 2024, and February 10, 2025, with subsequent deadlines falling on the second Monday of February annually. The designated NSF program officer for inquiries is Dragana Brzakovic, who can be contacted at (703) 292-5033 or via email at dbrzakov@nsf.gov.