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Current Funding Opportunities

NSF Research on Fostering Interdisciplinary Research on Education (FIRE)

The FIRE program seeks to facilitate the process by which scholars can cross disciplinary boundaries to acquire the skills and knowledge that would improve their abilities to conduct rigorous research on STEM learning and education. The primary goal of the strand is to facilitate the development of innovative theoretical, methodological, and analytic approaches to understanding complex STEM education issues of national importance and, by so doing, make progress toward solving them. A secondary goal of the strand is to broaden and deepen the pool of investigators engaged in STEM educational research. In order to address this goal, investigators must pair with a mentoring scientist in a to-be-learned field of interest. Proposals therefore have both a research and a professional development component. Investigators may apply at any point in their post-graduate careers.

Information about the program: http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2010/nsf10541/nsf10541.htm?WT.mc_id=USNSF_179
Proposal Deadline Date: May 20, 2010

NIH Funding for Research on the Science of Behavior Change

This FOA solicits Research Project Grant (R01) applications that will improve understanding of the basic mechanisms of behavior change by bridging work in the laboratory and the field. This understanding will advance several goals, including: the identification of the optimal targets and timepoints in the lifecourse for intervention; the identification of common mechanisms of change related to either multiple or bundled health behaviors; the ability to tailor interventions to particular at-risk individuals or groups; the application of novel technologies for behavioral assessment and change; and the identification of individuals or groups most likely to benefit from specific interventions. This initiative seeks to establish the groundwork for a unified science of behavior change, capitalizing on emerging basic science to accelerate investigation of common mechanisms that play a role in initiating or maintaining behavior change and are applicable across a broad range of health-related behaviors. Approaches from behavioral economics; the social, behavioral, cognitive and affective neurosciences; neuroeconomics; behavior genetics and genomics; and systems science are specifically encouraged. By focusing basic research on the mechanisms of behavior change, and by integrating work across laboratory and field contexts, this initiative should transform the efficacy, effectiveness, and cost efficiency of behavior change interventions.

The NIH will commit up to $4 million to this funding initiative beginning in FY2010, allowing the support of 6-7 new R01 applications, and up to $20 million over the next 5 years. Budgets with direct costs ranging from $200,000 to $400,000 per year and time periods up to five years may be requested.

More information can be found at: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-RM-10-002.html
Letters of Intent Receipt Date(s): March 29, 2010
Application Due Date(s): April 26, 2010

NEW Basic Behavioral Research Funding at NIH

FIVE new funding opportunity announcements (FOAs) are now available, with rapidly approaching application deadlines. Announcements were published in the NIH Guide this week (http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/index.html) for applications in Basic Behavioral and Social Sciences Research (see http://oppnet.nih.gov/about-bssr.asp for b-BSSR definition) under NIH’s new Opportunity Network. OppNet is a trans-NIH initiative to expand the agency’s funding of b-BSSR on mechanisms and processes that influence behavior at the individual, group, community and population level. All NIH Institutes and Centers (ICs) share the mission of supporting b-BSSR through OppNet via a common fund.

Four Guide Notices solicit competitive revision applications (formerly “supplements”), and one RFA solicits applications for Mentored Career Development proposals, as follows:

For these competitive revision announcements, applications must incorporate new b-BSSR research objectives and aims that are outside of the scope of the approved “parent” grant. This significant expansion can be accomplished by either: (1) extending the scope of extant b-BSSR by adding a fundamentally different b-BSSR objective or aim; (2) supplementing applied research in the behavioral and social sciences with b-BSSR; or (3) incorporating b-BSSR into biological, clinical, or translational research.

OppNet has dedicated approximately $8 millionin ARRA funds, to be obligated by September 30, 2010, for competitive revision applications to three “Recovery Act Fund” Notices above (i.e.,NOT-OD-10-032, 033, and 034). It is expected that 20 to 30 competitive revision awards will be made in FY 2010, pending the number and quality of applications and availability of funds.

For the HIV/AIDS solicitation not supported by Recovery Act Funds (NOT-OD-10-036), this solicitation differs from NOT-OD-10-033 in two ways: First, it encourages investigators with any eligible NIH research grant (i.e., not only AIDS-related NIH grants) to supplement “parent” grant studies with additional research that applies to b-BSSR and to HIV/AIDS risk, prevention, disease progression, and/or treatment. Second, OppNet expects to make between 5-10 competitive revision awards in FY2010 from $2 million in Congressionally-appropriated funds for HIV/AIDS-related research under this Notice.

To reiterate differences between these FIVE FOAs, please note that for four of these (NOT-OD-10-032, 033, 034 and RFA-OD-10-003), grants will be supported from Recovery Act funds (see http://recovery.nih.gov/ for additional information), and for the remaining FOA, support will come from Congressionally-appropriated funds for HIV/AIDS-related research.

Please visit OppNet’s website, http://oppnet.nih.gov, for more information about the overall OppNet initiative and answers to FOA-related FAQs.