Division of Chemistry: Disciplinary Research Programs: No Deadline Pilot

The Division of Chemistry within the National Science Foundation has established a pilot program for three of its core Disciplinary Research Programs, under the solicitation titled Division of Chemistry: Disciplinary Research Programs: No Deadline Pilot (CHE-DRP:NDP). The pilot applies only to the Chemistry of Life Processes, Chemical Structure and Dynamics, and Chemical Theory, Models and Computational Methods programs. Proposals to these three programs are accepted at any time beginning September 1, 2022, with the intention of providing researchers greater flexibility in proposal preparation and submission. The purpose of this pilot is to evaluate the benefits and challenges of removing submission deadlines for these areas of chemistry research. The continuation of this pilot will be assessed annually. The program is designed to support a large and diverse research community engaged in fundamental discovery, invention, and innovation in the chemical sciences. Projects supported by the Division of Chemistry include the design, synthesis, and characterization of molecules, catalysts, surfaces, and nanostructures, particularly with an emphasis on sustainability. Additional priorities include advancing fundamental understanding of chemical species, transformations, kinetics, and thermodynamics, as well as developing new tools and instrumentation for chemical discovery. Specific focus areas extend to quantum information systems, biotechnology, advanced manufacturing, artificial intelligence, environmental processes, and the rules of life. Awards under this solicitation may be issued as standard or continuing grants, with an estimated 105 awards totaling approximately $45 million, pending availability of funds. The awards will support both new and continuing projects. Faculty Early Career Development Program proposals, Research in Undergraduate Institutions, Research Opportunity Awards, and specialized proposals such as EAGER, RAPID, RAISE, conferences, and supplemental funding requests have separate submission requirements but may still be submitted without deadlines under specified conditions. Proposals must adhere to the NSF Proposal and Award Policies and Procedures Guide. Eligibility to apply is limited to U.S.-based institutions of higher education, including two- and four-year colleges and universities, as well as non-profit, non-academic organizations such as museums, observatories, and research laboratories directly engaged in research or education. Special provisions apply when including funding for international branch campuses, requiring justification of why activities cannot be conducted at the U.S. campus. Proposers may serve as principal investigator or co-principal investigator on at most two proposals across all nine chemistry disciplinary programs per year, provided that at least one is collaborative or multi-investigator in nature. A moratorium requires that declined proposals may not be resubmitted for at least four months after declination or one year from initial submission, whichever is sooner. Proposals are submitted through Research.gov or Grants.gov in accordance with NSF requirements. The pilot program does not impose deadlines, with proposals accepted continuously. Reviews are conducted through NSF’s standard merit review process, based on the intellectual merit and broader impacts of the proposed research. Notification of awards is provided by NSF Grants and Agreements Officers, with standard award conditions and reporting requirements applying. Annual and final project reports are required through Research.gov. Program officers serve as points of contact for each eligible research area: John M. Papanikolas for Chemical Structure and Dynamics, Richard Dawes for Chemical Theory, Models and Computational Methods, and Christine Chow for Chemistry of Life Processes. General support is available through the NSF Help Desk for Research.gov and the Grants.gov Contact Center. This pilot reflects the NSF’s continuing mission to promote the progress of science and advance national welfare by supporting research and education in the sciences and engineering.