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NIH Limited Submission Opportunity

Click here for information regarding the internal limited submission process for the upcoming National Institutes of Health (NIH) opportunity. SIU is limited to one (1) proposal submission. If you have any questions, please send them to ospa@siu.edu.

 

Summary of NSF Changes Effective May 20

The National Science Foundation (NSF) released a revised version of the Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG), version 24-1, on January 22, 2024. The new PAPPG is effective for proposals submitted or due on or after May 20, 2024. Below are some notable policy changes, for a complete list of the changes and additional details, please see the updated PAPPG (NSF 24-1). Please contact OSPA with any questions.

Foreign Organizations - updated guidance for justifying the inclusion of a foreign organization (subaward) or foreign individual (consultant) in a proposal budget.  The justification must be included in the project description section of the proposal and the box for “Funding of a Foreign Organization or Foreign Individual” must be checked on the Cover Sheet.

  • Malign Foreign Talent Recruitment Programs – guidance provided for individuals who are a party to a Malign Foreign Talent Recruitment Program. Such individuals are not eligible to serve as a Senior/Key Person on NSF proposals and awards.   This new policy is part of NSF’s implementation of the National Security Presidential Memorandum-33 (NSPM-33). Additionally, as part of the proposal submission, MSU must certify that all individuals identified as senior/key persons have been made aware of and have complied with their responsibility to certify that they are not a party to a Malign Foreign Talent Recruitment Program. 
  • Biographical Sketch – implementing the new Common Disclosure form, removing the Synergistic Activities section, and removing the page limitation.  The Biographical Sketch will continue to be created in SciENcv, which will produce a pdf-compliant version that can be attached to the proposal in Research.gov.
  • New Synergistic Activities Document – Synergistic Activities that used to be included as part of the Biographical Sketch have been moved to a separate document.  Each individual identified as senior/key personnel must include a one-page document with up to five examples that demonstrate the broader impact of the individual’s professional and scholarly activities that focus on the creation, integration, and transfer of knowledge.  This document is submitted as part of the Senior/Key personnel documents in Research.gov. 
  • Current and Pending (Other) Support – implementing the new Common Disclosure form.  The Current and Pending Support form will continue to be created in SciENcv, which will produce a pdf-compliant version that can be attached to the proposal in Research.gov.
  • Proposal Font, Spacing, and Margin Requirements - updated to allow for submission of proposal documents in landscape format.
  • Mentoring Plan - the Mentoring Plan has been expanded, requiring a plan for graduate students and/or postdoctoral researchers supported on a project.  The page limit for a Mentoring Plan is still one page.
  • Tribal Nation Approval – proposals that may impact the resources of a Tribal Nation must seek and obtain approval from the Tribal Nation before award.

Resources:

  • NSF provided a special PAPPG webinar -- Updates to the NSF Proposal and Award Policies and Procedures Guide (PAPPG) (NSF 24-1 ), which will cover the changes and clarifications to the PAPPG. A link to the recording can be found here: https://nsfpolicyoutreach.com/2024-pappg-webinar/.

 

DOE Limited Submission Opportunity

Click here and here for information regarding the pre-proposal limited submission process for the upcoming Department of Energy (DOE)/Office of Science (SC) opportunity. SIU is limited to three (3) pre-proposal submissions as the lead institution per program; notifications must be made through OSPA. If you have any questions, please send them to ospa@siu.edu.

  

NSF Updates: New Proposal Guide and Research Security Training

New Proposal and Award Policies & Procedures Guide

The National Science Foundation has just recently issued the NEW (2024) Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG) (NSF 24-1). The new PAPPG will be effective for proposals submitted or due on or after May 20, 2024.

We highly recommend reviewing the by-chapter Summary of Changes provided in the PAPPG. It provides a great snapshot and some in-depth detail into new changes and revisions over previous versions.

Additionally, NSF provided a special PAPPG webinar -- Updates to the NSF Proposal and Award Policies and Procedures Guide (PAPPG) (NSF 24-1 ), which will cover the changes and clarifications to the PAPPG. A link to the recording can be found here: https://nsfpolicyoutreach.com/2024-pappg-webinar/. 

New NSF Research Security Training Modules

NSF has launched four interactive online research security training modules, now available to researchers and institutions across the U.S. These modules are designed to facilitate principled international collaboration in an open, transparent and secure environment that safeguards the nation's research ecosystem.

Fueled by the "CHIPS and Science Act of 2022," these training modules signify a major first step in reconciling the needs of the research, law enforcement and intelligence communities to pursue trusted relationships in the global research community while minimizing economic and security risks. They provide researchers with clear guidelines and effective strategies to protect against existing and emerging research security threats. The modules also reinforce NSF's commitment to President Biden's priorities to strengthen protections of U.S. government-supported research as outlined in the National Security Presidential Memorandum-33.

MODULES:

Module 1: Introduction to Research Security

Module 2: The Importance of Disclosure

Module 3: Manage and Mitigate Risk

Module 4: The Importance of International Collaboration

These training modules can be taken online, and users can download a completion certificate.

 

Meyers Institute Collaborative Seed Grant Program

APPLICATION DEADLINE: 4:30 p.m., Friday, May 31, 2024

  • IMPORTANT: Applications that do not meet ALL the criteria and requirements below will be returned without review.
  • START DATE: September 1, 2024.
  • IMPORTANT: Applications will be reviewed in June-August 2024.

OVERVIEW 

  1. The PI must be a faculty/staff member of SIUC campus who is eligible to submit grant proposals.
  2. The PI must agree to be an associate of the Meyers Institute.
  3. Teams of two or more collaborative PIs are strongly encouraged.
  4. Only one proposal can be submitted per faculty member.
  5. PIs who received a seed grant from the Meyers Institute in the past five years are not eligible.
  6. Seed grants are intended to produce externally funded research and scholarship. These interactions may support pilot studies or generate preliminary data. A federal or state proposal should be submitted within 18 months of the projects start date. 

EXPECTATIONS

  1. An external target funding agency, foundation, or other source should be identified. Examples include NSF, NIH, DOE, or corporate or foundation sources.
  2. Only projects related to chemistry and/or its applications in life sciences (broadly defined) will be considered. The Meyers Institute is particularly interested in collaborating with SIU researchers who are working on using fluorescent probes for the detection of biological molecules, such as DNA, RNA and proteins and cellular imaging with NIR fluorescent probes. The topics may include: 
    Novel reactions and synthetic methodologies.
    Catalysis.
    Nanochemistry. 
    Medicinal chemistry. 
    Biological sensors and applications. 
    Molecular and cellular imaging with NIR fluorescent and other chemical probes. 
    Other interesting applications that you might conceive.
  3. May request graduate assistants, undergraduate assistants, commodities and equipment
  4. Project duration should not exceed 12 months.
  5. Only one project will be funded.
  6. Total request should not exceed $12,000.
  7. A written report should be submitted to the Meyers Institute within six months of the completion of the project. 

 PROCESS 

  1. Complete application and attach proposal following instructions.
  2. Follow OSPA budgetary guidelines at this link: http://ospa.siu.edu/apply/budget-preparation/index.html
  3. Peer-review will be in June-August.

GENERAL GUIDELINES PROPOSAL PREPARATION

Proposals and electronic copy must be received by 4:30 p.m., Friday, May 31, 2024.

Submit one (1) electronic copy of your application to houyq@siu.edu in pdf format.

The format below is required for the preparation of proposals:

  1. Maximum of eight pages, single-spaced, 11-point Times New Roman font. This does not include the title page, references cited, support letters or budget pages.
  2. Title page, with all authors and university affiliation signatures.
  3. Abstract: 200 words maximum.
  4. All proposals should include:
    1. Introduction
    2. Intellectual merit and broader technical impacts
    3. Proposed research and methods
    4. Timeline
    5. Budget and budget justification
  5. Expected results and plan for proposal submission.

Questions concerning the seed grant program and review process should be directed to Dr. Yuqing Hou (houyq@siu.edu), Associate Director, the Meyers Institute.

 

Limited Submission DOE Opportunity

Limited Submission Opportunity Department of Energy, Office of Science, Advanced Scientific Computing Research: Advancements in Artificial Intelligence for Science

Submission deadline for pre-applications: March 19, 2024 at 4:00 p.m.

Pre-application response date: April 11, 2024 at 10:59 p.m.

Submission deadline for full, invited applications: May 21, 2024 at 10:59 p.m.

The DOE Office of Science (SC) Advanced Scientific Computing Research (ASCR) announces its interest in basic computer science and applied mathematics research in the fundamentals of Artificial Intelligence (AI) for science. Specifically, advancements in this area are sought that can enable the development of:

Foundation models for computational science;
Automated scientific workflows and laboratories;
Scientific programming and scientific-knowledge-management systems;
Federated and privacy-preserving training for foundation and other AI models for science; and
Energy-efficient AI algorithms and hardware for science.

The development of new AI techniques applicable to multiple scientific domains can accelerate progress, increase transparency, and open new areas of exploration across the scientific enterprise. Please review the FOA in its entirety. Applicant budget requests must be between $100,000 and $350,000 per year for three years (per institution, if the application is multi-institutional; the ceiling and floor specified are for total costs). Cost sharing is not required. Applicant institutions are limited to no more than three pre-applications or full applications as the lead institution per research area. There is no limitation to the number of applications on which an institution appears as a subrecipient or for which the institution is not the lead in a multi-institution team using collaborative applications. Interested applicants must submit a proposal notification. Pre-applications are subject to the requirements posted on OSPA's website; pre-applications for this opportunity require OSPA notification. Submissions will be allowed on a first come, first served basis.

 

Grant Opportunities for Illinois Agriculture

The Illinois Department of Agriculture has three grant programs open for applications for Illinois agriculture. 

First is the Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure (RFSI) grant. The RFSI purpose is expanding middle of the food supply chain capacity for locally and regionally produced foods, to offer better market opportunities and new streams of revenue to small and mid-sized agricultural producers (including those who may not have access to value-added opportunities or processing to meet market demand for premium or value-added products, such as underserved producers). The application window opened 1/22/2024 and will close 3/15/2024. If interested in learning more, please follow the link below. Applications are being accepted via email @AGR.RFSI

https://agr.illinois.gov/assistance/illinoisfarmprograms/resilient-food-systems-infrastructure-program.html

Second is the Specialty Crop Block Grant (SCBG). The purpose of the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program (SCBGP) is to enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops. Specialty crops are defined as “fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits, horticulture, and nursery crops (including floriculture).” Nonprofit organizations and educational facilities are encouraged to apply to the SCBG. The application period opened 2/1/2024 and will close 3/22/2024. If you would like more information or to apply, please follow the link below.  Applications are being accepted via email @AGR.ISCBG.

https://agr.illinois.gov/assistance/illinoisfarmprograms/specialty-crop-grants.html

Third is the Dairy Business Builder Grant. The Dairy Business Innovation Alliance (DBIA) distributes grants to dairy based farms and processors in Illinois, Iowa, Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, South Dakota and Wisconsin. This grant program is targeted at small-to-medium size farmers or processors. Projects should be aimed at diversifying on-farm activity, creating value-added products, enhancing dairy by-products or export programs. The application window opened 2/5/2024 and will close 4/4/2024. If you would like to learn more or to apply follow the link below.

https://www.cdr.wisc.edu/dbia-business-builder-grant

 

IIN Supplemental Seed Funding

The University of Illinois System, its Office of the Vice President for Economic Development and Innovation (OVPEDI) and Northern Illinois University are committed to advancing the Illinois Innovation Network (IIN) by providing supplemental (operational) funding for several projects. 

Sustaining Illinois has multiple meanings, including the broad economic, health-related and social well-being of the state and its communities, and environmental sustainability of its food and water ecosystem, which includes addressing issues affecting groups who are underserved, under-represented or under-resourced.

For more information, see here.

 

NSF Limited Submission Opportunity

S-STEM limited submission internal deadline: December 8, 2023 by close of business

Selection of applicants for full proposal submission: No later than January 12, 2024

NSF proposal deadline: February 20, 2024

Click here for more information.

 

SIU Foundation Research and Creative Activities Funding Opportunity

The Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research and the SIU Foundation invite SIU faculty to seek funds to support scholarly, creative and research activities. The goal of the grant is for SIU faculty to propose innovative work in the arts and humanities. The requested funding should potentially lead to substantial benefits to the scholarly, creative and research activities of the proposer(s). Projects should promote innovation, leadership or student success, although student participation is not required. Click here for more information.

 

Proposal Development Support Program

The Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research is introducing the Proposal Development Support Program (PDS) to provide seed funds to support the development of large collaborative grant proposals with the goal to facilitate the submission of highly competitive funding requests to federal agencies. PDS funds shall specifically facilitate the submission of large collaborative grant proposals with minimum proposed budget of $1,000,000 coming to SIU. 

 

Requirement to Use SciENcv for NSF Biographical Sketch and Current and Pending Support Documents

The mandate to use SciENcv for preparation of the National Science Foundation (NSF) Biographical Sketch and Current and Pending Support documents will go into effect for new proposals submitted or due on or after October 23, 2023.

We strongly encourage investigators to create their SciENcv account and begin generating NSF-compliant Biosketches and Current and Pending Support documents by September 1, 2023.

Background

NSF has partnered with the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to use SciENcv: Science Experts Network Curriculum Vitae, which enables researchers to assemble their professional information, including expertise, employment, education and professional accomplishments, to generate NSF-compliant personnel documents. Adoption of this single, common profile system for federal grants reduces administrative burden for researchers.

Using SciENcv

This job aid will assist you in creating your SciENcv account and creating the required documents.

Using your ORCID iD with SciENcv

Researchers are encouraged to obtain an ORCID iD (Open Researcher & Contributor ID) to help them prepare NSF documents using SciENcv. An ORCID iD is a free persistent digital identifier that distinguishes you from every other researcher. ORCID is a space to collect all of your scholarly works, from traditional articles to art works and dance performances to datasets and more.

Register for an ORCID iD.

Linking your ORCID account in SciENcv will import your profile information and publication data into your SciENcv profile. See the job aid for more instructions.

Quick Links

 

Changes to Approvals for Sponsored Projects

Sponsored projects administration is a shared effort between the principal investigator (PI), fiscal officer (FO) and the university. The PI is responsible and accountable for the management and administration of their award within the constraints imposed by the sponsor and in accordance with university policy. Along with the PI and FO, the university is legally and financially responsible and accountable to the sponsor for the performance and proper use of funds for the award, and relies on the oversight of the PI and FO in fulfilling its stewardship role.

All costs charged to a sponsored project must be in conformance with the award terms and conditions of the sponsored project, the Uniform Guidance in the case of federal sponsored projects, federal and state law, and university policy.

Effective July 1, 2023, OSPA approval is no longer required on travel vouchers for domestic travel or purchases of  $9,999.99 or less, processed via an invoice distribution form (excluding equipment and furniture). For more information detailing the updated approval process for these transactions as well as a reminder of transactions that do require OSPA prior approval, click here.

Please check with OSPA Grant Assignee before charging any expenditures not included in the approved sponsor budget.

If you have questions or concerns regarding these changes, please contact your OSPA Grant Assignee.