Accountable Institutions and Behavior

The Accountable Institutions and Behavior (AIB) Program is a funding initiative administered by the National Science Foundation (NSF), a federal agency dedicated to promoting the progress of science. Situated within the Directorate for Social, Behavioral and Economic Sciences (SBE) and managed by the Division of Social and Economic Sciences (SES), this program supports foundational research in political science and governance, particularly as it relates to institutions, public policy, and democratic behaviors. The program is explicitly designed to fund basic scientific research rather than applied or practical interventions. The objective of the AIB program is to advance theoretical and empirical understanding of governance-related behavior, attitudes, and institutions. This includes areas such as electoral processes, public decision-making, preference formation, public administration, and institutional design in both democratic and non-democratic systems. Proposed projects must demonstrate theoretical rigor, methodological sophistication, and conceptual clarity. Comparative research across time or geographies is welcome, as is research focused on a single case, provided it contributes to broader theoretical frameworks. In addition to supporting individual or collaborative academic research projects, the program also allocates funding for undergraduate research experiences and infrastructural development such as innovative methodologies. However, the program does not support applied research or policy implementation activities. AIB encourages applicants to also consider complementary NSF programs including Law and Science (LS), Security and Preparedness (SAP), and Research Infrastructure in the Social and Behavioral Sciences (RISBS), which may offer parallel or supplementary opportunities. Applications for the AIB program must be submitted through either Research.gov or Grants.gov, and applicants are required to follow the guidelines in the NSF Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG) that corresponds to the relevant due date. It is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure full compliance with all submission requirements regardless of when the proposal is submitted. NSF also provides updated guidance in line with the revised 2 CFR regulations effective October 1, 2024, and has implemented a standard 15% indirect cost rate policy. This program has a target submission date of August 15, 2025, and operates on an annual cycle with recurring submission windows every August 15 thereafter. Although this is a target date, proposals must be submitted in accordance with the policies in effect at that time. There are no pre-application or letter of intent requirements mentioned. The program is currently open and accepting applications. Contact for this opportunity includes two program directors: Jan E. Leighley (jleighle@nsf.gov, 703-292-2496) and Lee D. Walker (lwalker@nsf.gov, 703-292-7174). They are both based within the SBE/SES division. This grant opportunity is available to a wide range of research institutions and higher education entities, though the program does not explicitly list all eligible entity types. Interested applicants are encouraged to examine existing project awards to better understand the scope and style of successful submissions.