A user with the Principal Investigator (PI), Sponsored Project Officer (SPO), or Authorized Organizational Representative (AOR) role can initiate and submit an LOI in Research.gov. For a funding opportunity that requires AOR submission, the PI or SPO must share the LOI with the AOR.

For solicitations that require or request submission of an LOI, there is a field on the full proposal Cover Sheet labeled Letter of Intent ID Number. Enter your LOI number in this field and then save the Cover Sheet. A green confirmation message will display and will include your LOI title below the LOI ID number field. Additionally, there will be a blue information message at the top of the full proposal Cover Sheet confirming the successful association of your LOI and your full proposal. If the LOI ID number you entered is invalid or is for an LOI for which you do not have access, you will receive an error message and the LOI will not be associated to your full proposal.

Yes. Follow the solicitation requirements and enter the LOI number on the full proposal Cover Sheet. Although the system allows this entry to be optional, the cognizant Program Office will verify compliance of the submitted full proposal with the solicitation.

To remove an LOI number that is associated with a full proposal, go to the full proposal Cover Sheet, clear the Letter of Intent Number field, and then save the Cover Sheet.

A valid LOI must meet the following criteria:

• Exists in the user's Submitted LOI list
• Is not associated with another submitted full proposal
• Belongs to the same organization as the full proposal
• Was created using the same solicitation as the full proposal

Research.gov will require that each LOI has an LOI Title, a Project Synopsis, and an associated PI.

• Number of Senior Personnel
• Number of Participating Organizations
• Organization and Project Information
• Additional information permitted in the Other Comments section

Yes, an LOI can be associated to a single submission collaborative proposal with subaward or to a lead organization proposal that is part of a separately submitted collaborative proposal from multiple organizations. An LOI cannot be associated with a non-lead organization separately submitted collaborative proposal.

No, effective with implementation of the revised PAPPG (NSF 23-1) on January 30, 2023, all new proposals must be prepared in Research.gov or Grants.gov. Proposal file updates and budget revisions can be submitted in FastLane until Friday, September 29, 2023. Additional information is available on the FastLane Decommissioning page.

A proposal Temporary ID Number is a unique identifier that is generated by the system to keep track of and manage proposals before they are submitted. Once submitted to NSF, proposals are assigned permanent proposal IDs. The Temporary ID Number is also used by lead and non-lead organizations to link separately submitted collaborative proposals from multiple organizations.

The Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide   (PAPPG) is comprised of documents relating to the Foundation's proposal and award process for the assistance programs of NSF. The policy and procedural guidance contained in Part I of the PAPPG pertains to proposals submitted via the NSF Research.gov system. Relevant PAPPG sections are linked to within each proposal section in Research.gov to assist proposal preparers.

Automated proposal compliance checks triggering an error message will stop proposal submission to NSF, whereas checks triggering a warning message will still allow proposal submission. Expanded compliance checking in Research.gov helps to reduce administrative burden for the research community and NSF staff, as well as minimizes the return without review of proposals. Research.gov performs automated compliance checks on full proposals, renewal proposals, accomplishment-based renewal proposals, preliminary proposals, LOIs and supplemental funding requests. Refer to the Automated Compliance Checking of NSF Proposals   page for the current automated proposal checks. Proposers who receive a compliance error or warning message should check the Automated Compliance Checking of NSF Proposals   page and the solicitation for specific proposal requirements. Proposers should also review the topic-specific FAQs on the Research.gov About Proposal Preparation and Submission page. For example, the Uploading Documents FAQ topic includes document formatting FAQs, and the Proposal Sections FAQ topic includes Cover Sheet and budget FAQs.

Submitted proposals cannot be deleted but they can be withdrawn from NSF. To initiate a proposal withdrawal, the PI, SPO, or AOR can navigate to their Submitted Proposals list, select the appropriate proposal for withdrawal, and click on the Withdraw Proposal button in the Proposal Actions section of the main proposal page. For more information, see the Proposal Withdrawal FAQ topic. An Ideas Lab preliminary proposal cannot be withdrawn.

Individuals who are using Chrome will encounter a networking error when attempting to use the download file functionality. NSF recommends clicking on the Print icon and Save as PDF or using a different browser.

A new Current and Pending (Other) Support Update has been added in Research.gov so senior personnel on potential awards can submit updated current and pending (other) support information prior to award as requested by NSF.

Additionally, the following enhancements have been implemented:

• New Cover Sheet checkboxes for off-campus or off-site research and potential life sciences dual use research of concern
• Functionality to upload concept outline emails generated by the Program Suitability and Proposal Concept Tool (ProSPCT) for Planning, RAPID, EAGER, and RAISE proposals
• Ability to add a small business partner to GOALI proposals

Grants.gov was integrated with Research.gov and all proposals submitted in Grants.gov are processed in Research.gov instead of in FastLane. Proposal file update and budget revisions for Grants.gov proposals submitted to NSF on or after November 21, 2022, must be done in Research.gov. A list of automated Grants.gov proposal initial compliance checks is available on the Automated Compliance Checking of NSF Proposals page.

Proposal file updates and budget revisions for Grants.gov proposals submitted to NSF on or before November 18, 2022, must be made in FastLane. The last day to submit proposal file updates and budget revisions in FastLane is September 29, 2023 (5:00 PM submitter's local time). See the FastLane Decommissioning page for additional information.

To access the Research.gov Proposal Submission System:

• Open the Research.gov homepage and select Sign In at the top of the page
• After entering credentials, you will be navigated to the Research.gov My Desktop page.
• Click the Prepare and Submit Proposals link under Proposals.
• Click Continue to Proposal System after reviewing the modal message and then you will be on the proposal preparation landing page.

Yes, InCommon access login credentials can be used. From the Research.gov Sign In page, select your organization from the organization drop-down menu to be taken to the InCommon Log In page for your organization. (Note: Only InCommon Federation participants can use their organization-issued credentials to sign in to Research.gov. If you are signing in with your organization-issued credentials, you will be prompted to link your credentials to your NSF ID if they are not already linked.)

Yes, Login.gov credentials can be used. After entering your Login.gov credentials on the Research.gov Sign In page, you will be prompted to link your Login.gov credentials to your NSF ID if they are not already linked.

An SPO is able to review and edit proposals, proposal file updates, and revised budgets after the proposal's PI or co-PI shares proposal access. The SPO can also initiate LOIs and proposal withdrawal requests for approval and submission by the AOR.

An AOR is authorized to sign on behalf of the proposing organization. The AOR is able to view, edit, and submit proposals after they are shared with the AOR by the proposal's PI or co-PI. The AOR can initiate and submit LOIs and proposal withdrawals. In addition, the AOR reviews LOIs and proposal withdrawal requests initiated by PIs and SPOs and submits the approved LOIs and withdrawals to NSF.

Only a PI can initiate a proposal in Research.gov; however, individuals with other roles (e.g., SPO, AOR, and Other Authorized User (OAU)) who are granted access to the proposal by the PI will be able to prepare and edit the proposal.

A PI or co-PI can share a proposal with the SPO/AOR even before required proposal data is entered or uploaded and sections are completed. On the proposal main page, select Share Proposal with SPO/AOR. The PI or co-PI can proceed with providing access even when error/warning messages display. Continue past any error/warning messages and select the type of access to provide the SPO/AOR: No access, View-only access, Edit access, or Edit access with Allow proposal submission (AOR only).

No,users with the OAU role can assist with proposal preparation in Research.gov without being required to also have another organization-approved role (e.g., View Only role). Users with the OAU role can assist with preparing proposals already created by selecting the Work with In Progress link under In Progress on the proposal preparation landing page

Users without the OAU role can request this role from their organization by following the instructions in the Add a New Role section of the Account Management Guide.

No, individuals added to a Research.gov proposal as Other Senior Personnel cannot view, access, or edit the proposal.

A previous award will not be reflected in the Previous Awards(s) dropdown in Step 4 (Proposal Details) of the proposal setup wizard if any of the following scenarios is valid:

• The previous award was made as a result of submission of a RAISE, Ideas Lab, or Equipment proposal in Research.gov or in FastLane.
• You were not the PI or a co-PI on the previous award.
• The previous award was an accomplishment-based renewal.
• Your organization differs from the organization on the previous award.

Renewed funding of Planning, RAPID, or EAGER awards must be submitted as a Research proposal type. To renew a Planning, RAPID, or EAGER award, select the Research proposal type during Step 3 (Proposal Type) of the proposal setup wizard when initiating your renewal proposal.

To renew a Center award, prepare a renewal or accomplishment-based renewal proposal. For the proposal type, select the Center or Research Infrastructure proposal type during Step 3. (Proposal Type) of the proposal setup wizard.

To renew a Research Infrastructure award, prepare a renewal or accomplishment-based renewal proposal. For the proposal type, select the Research Infrastructure proposal type during Step 3 (Proposal Type) of the proposal preparation setup wizard.

Please see PAPPG, Chapter V   for additional information about renewal proposals.

Previous awards from proposals submitted in both FastLane and Research.gov are reflected in the Research.gov Previous Award(s) dropdown in proposal setup wizard Step 4 (Proposal Details); however, please refer to the earlier FAQ regarding reasons your previous award may not be listed. See PAPPG, Chapter V   for additional information about renewal proposals.

On NSF.gov   you can find a list of all directorates/offices and divisions under the Research Areas   tab on the top menu bar. If you navigate to a particular directorate, office, or division, you can select Programs from the left navigation menu to view all programs associated with that directorate, office, or division.

Step 2 (Where to Apply) in the proposal setup wizard will display one or multiple programs, depending on the selected funding opportunity. When more than one program is available for selection, you can select one or multiple programs before continuing to the next proposal setup wizard step.

In the proposal setup wizard, only the programs identified in the selected funding opportunity will display in Step 2 (Where to Apply). After the proposal is created, lead collaborative and single submission proposers can navigate to the Manage Where to Apply page from the proposal main page Manage Where to Apply link and select the Limit selections to those identified in the funding opportunity checkbox to view relevant programs.

Programs related to the selected funding opportunity will display as options and can be added to the proposal in Step 2 Where to Apply of the proposal setup wizard. After the proposal is created, the Manage Where to Apply link will display on the proposal main page in single submission proposals and lead collaborative proposals for the following proposal types: Research, Planning, RAISE, RAPID, EAGER, GOALI, FASED, Ideas Lab, Conference, Equipment, Travel, Center, Research Infrastructure, SBIR, and STTR. Clicking the Manage Where to Apply link opens the Manage Where to Apply page where programs related to the selected funding opportunity and programs not related to the funding opportunity can be added or removed. The Manage Where to Apply link will display for in-progress proposals only. Programs cannot be updated during a proposal file update/budget revision. The Manage Where to Apply link will not be available on the proposal main page for postdoctoral fellowship proposals.

After the proposal is created, a Manage Where to Apply link will display on the proposal main page in single submission proposals and lead collaborative proposals for the following proposal types: Research, Planning, RAISE, RAPID, EAGER, GOALI, FASED, Ideas Lab, Conference, Equipment, Travel, Center, Research Infrastructure, SBIR, and STTR. Click the Manage Where to Apply link on the proposal main page. (The link does not appear if Where to Apply cannot be changed.) Follow the Manage Where to Apply page instructions to add, delete, or change order of importance. The ability to make changes is based on the proposal type and funding opportunity selected when the proposal was initiated. Most funding opportunities have one primary program for Where to Apply which cannot be changed. However, many funding opportunities allow you to add program selections and set the order of importance.

The Industrial co-PI will have the same permissions in a GOALI proposal as a regular co-PI has after being added to the proposal, including the ability to view and edit the proposal.

In accordance with the PAPPG, industrial participants can request and receive funds from NSF if they are included as Industrial co-PIs in a small business partner subaward organization. An Industrial co-PI added to a GOALI proposal will be listed on the budget page for the small business partner subaward organization, as well as on any Individual Year and Cumulative Budget PDFs of the small business partner subaward organization. If an Industrial co-PI is added to a GOALI proposal in the prime organization or in another subaward organization which is not a small business partner subaward organization, that Industrial co-PI will not display on any budget page nor on any Individual Year and Cumulative Budget PDFs. Refer to PAPPG Chapter II.D.2.g   and Chapter II.F.5   for additional information.

Yes, in order for an industrial participant to be added to a GOALI proposal as an Industrial co-PI, the individual must first have an NSF ID and an Investigator role in the NSF Account Management System. All co-PIs have these account management requirements. Refer to the Research.gov About Account Management page for additional information and resources such as the Register for an NSF Account to access Research.gov   and the Add a New Role - Principal Investigator PI/co-PI sections of the Account Management Guide.

Yes. From the Manage Personnel page, there is a Change Role action that allows for an Industrial co-PI to convert to a regular co-PI, and vice versa.

The Industrial co-PI(s) will be listed as co-Principal Investigator - Industrial on the proposal preparation screen and on the Cover Sheet PDF. A regular co-PI is listed as co-Principal Investigator.

A GOALI proposal can have two types of subaward organizations: small business partner subaward organizations and subaward organizations which are not small business partner organizations. On the Manage Personnel page, there are buttons in the subaward organization section of the page to add the desired type of subaward organization to the GOALI proposal. The subaward organization section of the Manage Personnel page also contains a Subaward Type column to indicate whether the subaward organization added is a small business partner. Refer to PAPPG Chapter II.F.5   for additional details on each type of subaward organization for a GOALI proposal.

You must first have the Postdoctoral Scholar/PI role to initiate a postdoctoral fellowship proposal in Research.gov. A Postdoctoral Scholar/PI role is different than a PI role. Postdoctoral fellowship funding opportunities will only display and be available for selection for users preparing a proposal as a Postdoctoral Scholar/PI.

• After signing in to Research.gov, navigate to My Profile at the top right of the page.
• From the left navigation menu, select My Roles > Add a New Role > Add Investigator or Authorized User Role > No, prepare and manage proposals independently (third option).
• Proceed to complete the required information as appropriate.
• Once the Postdoctoral Scholar/PI role has been added, allow up to 60 minutes for the system to process the request.
• Then you will need to sign out of Research.gov and sign back in again before initiating and preparing a postdoctoral fellowship proposal for fellowship solicitations without reference letter requirements in Research.gov.Functionality to support proposals for fellowship solicitations that contain reference letter requirements is targeted to be added to Research.gov in summer 2023.

Additional guidance is available in the Add a New Role – Postdoctoral Fellowship Principal Investigator section of the Account Management Guide on the Research.gov About Account Management page.

When a user is affiliated with an organization and has multiple roles such as a PI, co-PI, SPO, OAU, or AOR as well as the role of a Postdoctoral Scholar/PI, all submission types are available to select. When a Postdoctoral Scholar/PI clicks on Prepare New, they will see the Select Organization for New Proposal modal. To create a postdoctoral fellowship proposal type from the Select Organization drop-down, the Postdoctoral Scholar/PI must select the I am a Postdoctoral Scholar (Postdoctoral Fellowship Proposals) option to initiate a postdoctoral fellowship proposal.

Yes, the following solicitation-specific proposal sections may be required to be submitted for postdoctoral fellowship proposals:

• Letter(s) of Collaboration
• Letter(s) of Support
• PhD Abstract
• Host Institution Letter(s)
• Research Support

Some postdoctoral fellowship programs require submission of Personnel documents (i.e., Biographical Sketch, Current and Pending Support, and/or Collaborators & Other Affiliations) for any Mentor/Advisor listed on the proposal. The Postdoctoral Scholar/PI should refer to the specific program solicitation to determine Personnel document requirements for a Mentor/Advisor. Please also see the Automated Compliance Checking of NSF Proposals   page for the related compliance checks. Note that the Mentor/Advisor cannot view or edit the proposal in Research.gov.

The budget section of all postdoctoral fellowship proposals includes the prepopulated stipend and fellowship allowance based on the selected solicitation. The budget section does not display on the proposal main page after the proposal has been created but can be viewed by clicking Print Proposal. When the Postdoctoral Scholar/PI submits the proposal, the budget will display as read-only and will be accessible from the proposal main page. The budget section is editable during a proposal file update/budget revision.

The proposed duration for a postdoctoral fellowship proposal is prepopulated, read-only (i.e., not editable), and aligns with the program solicitation selected when initiating the proposal in Research.gov.

Please refer to the SBIR/STTR Research.gov Guide   on how to prepare and submit an SBIR or STTR Phase I or Phase II proposal in Research.gov.

On the proposal preparation landing page, select Preliminary from the Prepare New drop-down menu. Step 1 (Funding Opportunity) of the proposal setup wizard will only display the solicitations that require a preliminary proposal and the solicitations that indicate a preliminary proposal is optional.

The program solicitation will specify content and submission requirements for preliminary proposals. Please see PAPPG, Chapter I.D.3   for information about preliminary proposals, including the two types of decisions that may be received from NSF upon submission of a preliminary proposal.

Only an individual with a PI role can initiate preliminary proposals in Research.gov.

Research.gov will not permit co-PIs and senior personnel to be added to an Ideas Lab preliminary proposal. In addition, Research.gov will not allow an Ideas Lab preliminary proposal to be withdrawn or to be related to a full proposal. Refer to PAPPG Chapter II.F.6 for additional information about Ideas Lab proposals

For solicitations that require or request submission of a preliminary proposal, there is a Related Preliminary Proposal Number field on the full proposal Cover Sheet. Enter your preliminary proposal number in this field and then save the Cover Sheet. A green confirmation message will display. Additionally, there will be a blue information message at the top of the full proposal Cover Sheet confirming the successful association of your preliminary proposal with your full proposal. If the preliminary proposal number you entered is invalid or is for a preliminary proposal for which you do not have access, you will receive an error message and the preliminary proposal will not be associated to your full proposal.

Note that an Ideas Lab preliminary proposal cannot be related to a full proposal.

Yes. Follow the solicitation requirements and enter the preliminary proposal number on the full proposal Cover Sheet. Although the system allows this entry to be optional, the cognizant Program Office will verify compliance of the submitted full proposal with the solicitation.

To disassociate a preliminary proposal from a full proposal, remove the related preliminary proposal number associated with a full proposal by going to the full proposal Cover Sheet, clearing the Related Preliminary Proposal Number field, and then saving the Cover Sheet.

A valid preliminary proposal must meet the following criteria:

• Submitted in Research.gov and exists in the user's Submitted Preliminary Proposals list
• Is not associated with another submitted full proposal
• Was created using the same solicitation as the full proposal
• Has been Invited or Encouraged/Discouraged by NSF

Research.gov requires that each preliminary proposal has a Cover Sheet, Project Summary, and Project Description. The following preliminary proposal sections are dependent on the requirements listed in the program solicitation:

• References Cited
• Budget(s)
• Budget Justification(s)
• Facilities, Equipment, and Other Resources
• Senior Personnel Documents
• Data Management Plan
• Postdoctoral Mentoring Plan

Preliminary proposals other than for Ideas Lab program solicitations can be withdrawn after submission to NSF.

A collaborative proposal is one in which investigators from two or more organizations wish to collaborate on a unified research project. Collaborative proposals may be submitted to NSF in one of two methods: as a single proposal, in which a single award is being requested (with subawards administered by the lead organization); or by simultaneous submission of proposals from different organizations, with each organization requesting a separate award. In either case, the lead organization’s proposal must contain all of the requisite sections as a single package to be provided to reviewers (that will happen automatically when procedures below are followed). All collaborative proposals must clearly describe the roles to be played by the other organizations, specify the managerial arrangements, and explain the advantages of the multi-organizational effort within the Project Description. Please see PAPPG, Chapter II.E.3.   for additional information about collaborative proposals.

Yes, Research.gov supports the preparation and submission of collaborative proposals from one organization (with subawards) and separately submitted collaborative proposals from multiple organizations.

In a collaborative proposal from one organization (with subawards), there can be a maximum of five—one PI and up to four co-PIs. In a separately submitted collaborative proposal from multiple organizations, each proposal may have a maximum of five—one PI and up to four co-PIs.

The lead organization's proposal must contain all of the required sections as a single package that will be provided to proposal reviewers. The non-lead organization will inherit the Proposal Title, Funding Opportunity, Where to Apply, Proposal Type, Submission Type, and Due Date from the lead organization proposal after the lead and non-lead organization proposals are successfully linked. For additional details, see the PAPPG, Chapter II.E.3.b  

The proposal title cannot be blank on the non-lead proposal since it is a mandatory field. The non-lead organization should enter an interim proposal title during preparation until the lead organization's title is inherited upon linking.

No, during proposal preparation an organization cannot change from a lead proposer role to a non-lead proposer role or vice versa. In this scenario, the in-progress collaborative proposal should be deleted and a new proposal can be initiated with the desired role on the project (i.e., lead proposer or non-lead proposer).

Required sections of the proposal differ based on the organization's role. The non-lead organization proposal will only have the following sections available on the proposal main page:

• Cover Sheet
• Budget(s)
• Budget Justification(s)
• Facilities, Equipment, and Other Resources
• Senior Personnel Documents
  • Biographical Sketch(es)
  • Current and Pending Support
  • Collaborators and Other Affiliations
• Optional: Other Personnel Biographical Information
• Optional: Other Supplementary Documents
• Optional: List of Suggested Reviewers
• Optional: List of Reviewers Not to Include

For additional information about proposal sections required to be submitted by a lead and non-lead organization in a collaborative proposal from multiple organizations, please see PAPPG, Chapter II.E.3.  

Yes, both the lead and non-lead organizations can upload Supplementary Documents and Single Copy Documents.

Yes, both the lead and non-lead organizations have the option for subawards in a separately submitted collaborative proposal.

A linked collaborative proposal results when a lead organization proposal has been joined with one or more non-lead proposals that will be submitted together.

The non-lead organization should work offline with the lead organization to provide its Temporary ID Number. The lead organization can then click the Link/View Collaborative Proposals button on its in-progress lead proposal form to enter the non-lead proposal's Temporary ID Number to send the link request to the non-lead organization. The link request must be accepted by the non-lead organization. The PI, co-PI, OAU, SPO and AOR for the non-lead organization proposal will receive a notification in Research.gov and an email notifying them that they have received a proposal link request.

The lead organization should contact the PI for the non-lead organization offline to verify the non-lead proposal Temporary ID Number.

By clicking the Link/View Collaborative Proposals button, the lead organization can view the list and status of all non-lead organizations that have been sent link requests. The lead organization will see the non-lead organizations that have accepted or rejected link requests as well as any pending link requests. The non-lead organization(s) will only be able to view the status of the linked lead proposal on the Link/View Collaborative Proposals page.

A lead organization can unlink a non-lead organization proposal by clicking the Link/View Collaborative Proposals button on the proposal form and clicking Unlink Proposal for the non-lead organization proposal it intends to unlink. Non-lead organizations cannot unlink their proposals from a lead organization and must coordinate with the lead organization to unlink proposals.

Only lead organizations have the ability to cancel link requests. A lead organization can cancel a link request by clicking on the Link/View Collaborative Proposals button on the lead organization proposal main page. Click Cancel Link Request next to the non-lead proposal(s) that has a pending link request (i.e., the non-lead organization hasn’t accepted or rejected the link request). Once the link request is cancelled, the pending link request will no longer display on the Link/View Collaborative Proposal table on both the lead and non-lead organization proposals.

A non-lead organization proposal that has been unlinked from a lead organization proposal will retain the information (i.e., Proposal Title, Funding Opportunity, Where to Apply, Proposal Type, Submission Type, and Due Date) that was inherited from the lead organization proposal, but the non-lead organization proposal cannot be submitted until it is linked with a new lead organization proposal. Upon linking to a new lead organization proposal, the non-lead organization proposal will inherit information (i.e., Proposal Title, Funding Opportunity, Where to Apply, Proposal Type, Submission Type, and Due Date) from the new lead organization proposal.

A non-lead organization proposal can only be linked to one lead organization proposal at a time. In addition, a lead organization cannot send a link request to a non-lead organization that has accepted a link request or has a pending link request from another lead organization proposal.

No, there is no limit on the number of non-lead organizations that can participate in a collaborative proposal.

There is no maximum number of subawards for lead and non-lead organization proposals.

Once the proposals are linked, a PDF of all proposal pages within the collaboration will be displayed when a PI, co-PI, SPO, AOR, or OAU of either the lead or non-lead organization clicks Print Proposal.

There is only one difference between a submitted collaborative proposal and an in-progress collaborative proposal when printed. When submitted, the header of each lead and non-lead organization proposal page will display the name of the respective PI, and the assigned Proposal Number. The formatting of this display is: Submitted/PI: [PI First Name Last Name] /Proposal No: [Proposal Number].

No, proposals cannot be linked or unlinked once the collaborative set (i.e., all lead and non-lead organization proposals in the collaboration) has been submitted and has a Submitted to NSF status. In addition, proposals cannot be linked or unlinked during an in-progress proposal file update (PFU)/ budget revision.

An in-progress separately submitted collaborative proposal can only be deleted by the organization if it is not linked and does not have any pending link requests from another proposal in a collaborative set. Proposers who want to delete an in-progress linked proposal must first un-link it from all other proposals. There is a Delete Proposal button in the Proposal Actions Section (on the left side of the page) available to the PI and co-PI to delete in-progress collaborative proposals.

Research.gov runs selected automated checks for PAPPG formatting compliance when a PDF document is uploaded. If non-compliance is detected, a warning or error message will display that identifies the issue(s). Some issues stop document upload (i.e., compliance errors), such as a violation of page length, while others allow document upload to complete (i.e., compliance warnings), such as violations of line spacing. For complete information, see the PAPPG, Chapter II.C. proposal preparation instructions   and the Automated Compliance Checking of NSF Proposals   page. If unexpected errors occur when uploading a PDF document, please contact the NSF Help Desk at 1-800-381-1532 for assistance. The PDF can be analyzed, and a solution can be identified. The NSF Help Desk is available by phone from 7:00 AM to 9:00 PM ET Monday - Friday except federal holidays or via email to  rgov@nsf.gov.

The proposal must conform to the formatting requirements specified in PAPPG Chapter II.C.2.   including the proposal font and margin requirements detailed in PAPPG Chapter II.C.2.a.  Refer to the Automated Compliance Checking of NSF Proposals   page for the complete list of current compliance checks.

• No more than six lines of text within a vertical space of one inch.
• Margins, in all directions, must be at least an inch. No proposer-supplied information may appear in the margins.
• Paper size must be no larger than standard letter paper size (8½ by 11").

Some potential margin issue root causes may be:

• Text in headers/footers and page numbers: Be sure that the document has no text in the header or footer including page numbers. Research.gov will automatically paginate and add page numbers for you when the proposal PDF is generated, so page numbers should be removed.
• Document elements not visible or not obvious on inspection: Items such as a space character in the header/footer or code inserted when using LaTeX to create the source file can trigger a margin error.
• Inserted images, figures, shapes, and hyperlinks: Margins can be set to one inch, but an image, figure, shape, or hyperlink can violate the margin rule. Setting the margin rule to one inch would not automatically correct the images, figures, shapes or hyperlinks within margins. Be sure to review all inserted images, figures, shapes, or hyperlinks that may be causing a margin issue.
• Known issues with PDF conversion software:
  • Fully justified text (i.e., both the left and right sides of the text have clean edges) may result in right margin issues for some PDF conversions. Some characters, such as commas, can bleed into the margins. If you want to maintain justified text and encounter margin issues, experiment by increasing the right margin settings (e.g., 1.02 - 1.05). Settings will vary and are dependent on the user's software. As an alternative, consider using left justification.
  • Some PDF conversion software can overwrite metadata and alter the formatting of files. The NSF Help Desk has seen issues with Quartz PDF Context that is prevalent in Macs. Please use alternative methods to perform the PDF conversion.
  • The PDF conversion process from older versions of Microsoft Word may alter the margins set in the original document. Please use alternative methods to perform PDF conversions. Other options may include increasing margins or using a more recent Microsoft Word version.
  • Be wary of the use of heading styles in Microsoft Word: Using the heading style in Word will automatically add features to the document that collapse and expand text, and users may inadvertently collapse and hide non-compliant content. Starting a page with heading style text can cause top margin issues. It is helpful to check if any content is hidden by pressing Control-A to select the entire document and changing the style to "Normal" to identify hidden content.
  • Special characters, equations, or use of bolded font in the first line of text on a page: Documents with special characters, equations, or bolded font in the first line of a page can cause a top margin issue in some versions of Microsoft Word. Inserting an entire blank line or two before the text may resolve this issue. For equations, consider using an image of an equation instead of an equation inserted by Equation Editor.
• Margins less than 72 points: Ensure your document margins are compliant before exporting the document to PDF. The system recognizes one inch as 72 points. If you notice margin issues for your PDF document, try exporting the PDF to Microsoft Word format to correct the margins to one inch. Then save the file as a PDF and upload it again.

For line spacing, there should be no more than six lines of text within a vertical space of one inch. Some potential line spacing issue root causes may be:

• Documents originating in LaTeX sometimes will trigger the line spacing warning even though the font type and font size are compliant.
• Some PDF generators change the size of document content slightly.
• In some versions of Microsoft Word, Arial 10 and Courier New 10 will produce line spacing errors. In this instance, try changing the line spacing to 1.05 as a workaround. Also consider experimenting with a different font or increasing the font to 11 or more. Please note that caption fonts smaller than 10 will trigger line spacing warnings.

In Microsoft Word, the number of lines per inch is dynamic based on font size. An option in Word to try is to format the paragraphs to specify an exact point size to use between lines. Here's how to do this:

• Open the document Layout tab
• Open paragraph settings by clicking the arrow icon below the Spacing Before and After options
• Select the Indents and Spacing tab
• In the Spacing section, go to Line Spacing and select Exactly in the drop-down menu and then 12 pt in the At field.

Search on key domain suffixes such as .gov, .edu, .com, .io, .biz, etc.

Hidden or embedded URLs can be prevalent when using citations. Citations created by Zotero or Paperpile, for example, can create a hidden clickable links. Avoid using third party citation software and type out the citation.

A section heading must be on its own line without any other text for compliance checking purposes.

The following are some examples of known issues:

• Outdated software used for exporting the file to PDF (recommend using PDF version 1.5 or higher).
• OpenOffice inserts an unallowable font for superscript and subscript.
• Google Docs may not properly export bulleted text.
• Google Docs Print→Save as PDF is not supported. Use File→Download→PDF Document
• Microsoft Office for Macs Save as PDF functionality and Best for Printing may not be supported. Instead, select the Best for electronic distribution and accessibility (uses Microsoft online service) option.
• For Microsoft Office, do not use Print as PDF to create a PDF. Instead, use Export and Create PDF.

Yes, a repository of compliant LaTeX/TeX sample input files has been created at https://github.com/nsf-open/nsf-proposal-latex-samples   as a resource for LaTeX/TeX users to reference for their own documents. The NSF Help Desk cannot troubleshoot LaTeX files or converting LaTeX files to PDF.

The following are some examples of possible causes:

• Cell contents exceed the cell limit of 255 characters including spaces.
• Data is missing, especially in column A for tables 2-5.
• Last Active column is entered using a date format other than MM/DD/YYYY.
• Cutting and pasting from other programs or files with formatting has produced errors or brought in invalid fonts and borders that would trigger warning(s) on upload.

See the Automated Compliance Checking of NSF Proposals   page for additional information.

A COA document is required for each individual identified as Senior Personnel in a Conference proposal when the budget's total dollar value, including indirect costs, is more than $50,000. COA documents are uploaded on the Senior Personnel Documents screen. Please refer to PAPPG Chapter II.F.9   for additional information.

There is not currently a way to modify the order of senior personnel documents in the PDF. However, NSF will discuss a possible future enhancement to allow reordering of senior personnel documents in the PDF.

A PDF file that is a certified signed document or is password protected will produce this error. For the NSF-approved Fillable PDF formats for biographical sketch and current and pending (other) support, type your name in the field provided. See the NSF biographical sketch and current and pending (other) support websites for more information about the NSF-approved formats. For PDF uploads to the Other Supplementary Documents section, open the PDF file with a browser and print it with the destination set as Adobe PDF (not Save PDF or Save As). If this does not resolve the issue, please contact the Help Desk at 1-800-381-1532 (7:00 AM - 9:00 PM ET; Monday - Friday except federal holidays) or via email to  rgov@nsf.gov

Only the AOR can submit a proposal to NSF. A PI or co-PI must first use the Share Proposal with SPO/AOR button to provide the AOR with submit proposal access. Then the AOR will see the Initiate Proposal Submission button enabled under Proposal Actions on the proposal main page. The AOR will click the Initiate Proposal Submission button to start proposal submission

All lead and non-lead organization proposals in a separately submitted collaborative proposal from multiple organizations are held in a queue with a Submission Pending status upon submission by the respective AORs. The lead and non-lead collaborative proposals can be submitted in any order. Once all proposals in the collaboration have a Submission Pending status, the collaborative set will be fully submitted to NSF and the proposal status for each collaborative proposal will change from Submission Pending to Submitted to NSF (Not Yet Assigned for Review). After the collaborative set is submitted, each proposal will be assigned a proposal number and processed into NSF IT systems where the proposal is accessible by NSF Program Officers.

Organizations in a separately submitted collaborative proposal with pending link requests must either accept the link request (non-lead organization action), reject the link request (non-lead organization action), or cancel the link request (lead organization action) before submitting the proposal. If the lead organization chooses to continue with submitting the proposal, all pending link requests to non-lead proposals will automatically be cancelled.

In this scenario, the lead organization could unlink its proposal from the non-lead organization proposal not able to submit by its deadline. The lead organization proposal and the remaining linked non-lead proposals could then be submitted to NSF by the deadline. The final collaborative proposal should be revised before submission to account for the change in participating organizations. The lead organization will not be able to link to other non-lead proposals after the entire collaboration is submitted to NSF.

Within 24 hours of proposal submission in Research.gov (including proposals submitted via Grants.gov and processed in Research.gov), the proposal will be listed on the Research.gov Proposal Status page. Proposers can access the Proposal Status page using the Proposal Status link under Proposals on the Research.gov My Desktop page. If proposers do not see a submitted proposal listed on the Proposal Status page after 24 hours, the proposer should contact the NSF Help Desk at 1-800-381-1532 for assistance. The NSF Help Desk is available by phone from 7:00 AM to 9:00 PM ET Monday - Friday except federal holidays or via email to  rgov@nsf.gov

Proposals must be received by 5 p.m. submitter's local time on the established deadline date. In this example, the lead organization on the East Coast must submit by 5 p.m. Eastern Time, and the non-lead organization on the West Coast must submit by 5 p.m. Pacific Time.

How you edit your proposal will depend on the status of your proposal and whether it is a single submission or separately submitted collaborative proposal.

• Single submission or single submission with subawards (collaborative) proposals: All edits must be done via the Initiate PFU/Budget Revision button on the Submitted and Updates page.
• Separately submitted collaborative proposals with Submission Pending Status: A lead or non-lead organization proposal will receive a status of Submission Pending after submission if there are other proposals in the collaboration that have yet to submit. When a lead/non-lead organization proposal has a status of Submission Pending, there will be an Edit Proposal button visible to the PI/co-PIs, SPO, AOR, and OAU of the proposal. Clicking the Edit Proposal button removes the proposal from the Submission Pending status and returns it to an in-progress state. Proposals that are removed from the submission pending status will require a new submission by the AOR.
• Separately submitted collaborative proposal sets submitted to NSF: If all proposals in the collaborative set have been submitted, then each proposal can be edited via the Initiate PFU/ Budget Revision button on the submitted proposal form. Only the lead or non-lead proposal with the proposal file update/budget revision needs to be resubmitted; the entire collaborative set is not required to be resubmitted.
• See PAPPG, Chapter III.C   for additional information on Proposal File Updates.

When a proposal file update (PFU)/budget revision is initiated, the original submitted version remains intact until it is replaced by the proposal file update (PFU)/budget revision. If the proposal file update (PFU)/budget revision is not submitted, the original submission will remain and the collaborative set is not impacted.

To withdraw a submitted proposal from Research.gov, the PI, SPO, or AOR navigates to the Submitted Proposals list, selects the proposal they want to withdraw, and clicks on the Withdraw Proposal button in the Proposal Actions section of the proposal main page to initiate the withdrawal process.

A submitted proposal may be withdrawn at any time before a funding recommendation is made by the cognizant NSF Program Officer.

The proposal's PI, SPO and AOR may initiate a withdrawal request but only the AOR can approve the request and submit the withdrawal to NSF.

Submitted proposals are withdrawn from NSF as soon as the AOR approves the withdrawal in Research.gov.

A pending proposal withdrawal request initiated by the PI or SPO can be deleted at any time before the AOR approves the withdrawal in Research.gov.

No, proposals with a pending withdrawal request cannot be updated using the proposal file update (PFU)/budget revision process. The pending withdrawal request must first be deleted (PI or SPO action) or rejected (AOR action) before a proposal file update (PFU)/budget revision can be prepared to edit the submitted proposal.

Withdrawn proposals are indicated by a proposal status of Withdrawn on the Submitted Proposals list. In addition, the PI, SPO, and AOR will receive an email and system notification to confirm the proposal withdrawal.

If there is an in-progress proposal file update (PFU)/budget revision that was started prior to initiation of a withdrawal request, the in-progress proposal file update (PFU)/budget revision becomes read-only and cannot be submitted unless the proposal withdrawal request is deleted or rejected. A new proposal file update (PFU)/budget revision cannot be prepared when there is a pending withdrawal request or after a proposal has been withdrawn.

No. Once a proposal is withdrawn, it cannot be re-submitted to NSF by the organization. However, the PI/SPO/AOR may still view and print the withdrawn proposal in Research.gov.

Yes, separately submitted collaborative proposals from multiple organizations can be withdrawn in Research.gov.

The PI, SPO, or AOR of either the lead or non-lead organization can initiate a proposal withdrawal request.

If a lead or non-lead proposal in a collaboration is withdrawn, all the linked proposals in the collaboration will be withdrawn and will show a proposal status of Withdrawn. The proposals cannot be edited or re-submitted.

When one of the proposals in a collaboration has a pending withdrawal request, all the proposals in the collaboration become read-only and cannot be edited until the pending withdrawal request is either approved and submitted by the AOR of the initiating organization or deleted/rejected by the initiating organization's PI, SPO, or AOR.

No, there can only be one proposal withdrawal request at a time for a separately submitted collaborative proposal.

Yes, the associated PIs, SPOs, and AORs of the linked proposals are notified via email and system notification when a lead or non-lead organization in the collaboration has initiated a proposal withdrawal request.

When one of the proposals in a collaboration has a pending withdrawal request, all of the proposals and in-progress proposal file updates (PFU)/budget revisions in the collaboration will become read-only and cannot be edited until the pending withdrawal request is either approved and submitted by the AOR of the initiating organization or deleted/rejected by the initiating organization's PI, SPO, or AOR.

When a proposal submitted via Grants.gov is successfully submitted to NSF, the proposal will display on the Submitted and Updates page under the Proposals (Full and Renewals) tab. Access this tab by signing in to Research.gov and clicking the Prepare and Submit Proposals link in the My Desktop Proposals tile. From the Letters of Intent and Proposals (Preliminary, Full, and Renewal) landing page, click on the View/Update Submitted button in the Submitted and Updates tile and select Proposals (Full and Renewals) to navigate to this tab.

If a proposal submitted via Grants.gov and processed in Research.gov has any automated compliance check errors or warnings, the proposal will display on the Research.gov In Progress page. Access this page by signing in to Research.gov and clicking the Prepare and Submit Proposals link in the My Desktop Proposals tile. From the Letters of Intent and Proposals (Preliminary, Full, and Renewal) landing page, click on the Work with In Progress button in the In Progress tile and select Proposals (Full and Renewals). Proposals submitted via Grants.gov will have "Grants.gov" displayed directly next to the proposal title.

Proposals with compliance warnings can be submitted in Research.gov whereas proposals with compliance errors must be fixed in Research.gov and then submitted. Please refer to the Automated Compliance Checking of NSF Proposals   page for Research.gov automated compliance checks.

If your proposal does not meet the minimum validation requirements (i.e., Grants.gov initial compliance checks) to be processed in Research.gov, your proposal will not display in Research.gov. You must fix the issues listed in the system-generated email sent to the PI and then resubmit via Grants.gov. Please see the Automated Compliance Checking of NSF Proposals   page for the Grants.gov initial compliance checks.

If a Grants.gov proposal meets the minimum validation requirements (i.e., Grants.gov initial compliance checks) to be successfully processed in Research.gov but there are compliance warnings and/or errors to be addressed, the proposal will display on the Research.gov In Progress page but the proposal has not been successfully submitted to NSF. Ensure the proposal is successfully submitted in Research.gov by the relevant 5:00 pm submitter's local time deadline. Proposals with compliance warnings can be submitted in Research.gov whereas proposals with compliance errors must be fixed in Research.gov and then submitted. SPO(s) are automatically provided edit access in Research.gov and AORs are automatically provided edit and submit access in Research.gov when a Grants.gov proposal is processed in Research.gov but has an in progress status.

To view the error and warning messages in Research.gov, users with PI and co-PI roles can click the Share Proposal with SPO/AOR button and users with AOR and Postdoctoral Scholar roles can click the Initiate Proposal Submission button. Refer to the Automated Compliance Checking of NSF Proposals   page for the Research.gov automated compliance checks.

Please see the following list of system-generated emails and associated scenarios:

• If the Grants.gov submitted proposal does not meet the minimum validation requirements (i.e., Grants.gov initial compliance checks) necessary to process the proposal in Research.gov, a system-generated email will be sent to the PI notifying them of the issues that must be fixed in Grants.gov before the proposal can be resubmitted in Grants.gov for processing in Research.gov.
• If the Grants.gov submitted proposal does not pass the Research.gov automated compliance checks, a system-generated email will be sent to the PI, SPO(s) and AOR(s) associated with the prime organization notifying them the proposal is in progress in Research.gov and has not been successfully submitted to NSF. Proposals with compliance warnings can be submitted in Research.gov whereas proposals with compliance errors must be fixed in Research.gov and then submitted. The proposal must be successfully submitted in Research.gov by the relevant 5:00 pm submitter's local time deadline.
• If the Grants.gov submitted proposal is successfully submitted to NSF, a system-generated notification email will be sent to the PI, co-PI(s), OAU(s) and AOR associated with the prime organization.

There are some scenarios where information in Grants.gov proposals cannot be transferred into your proposal processed in Research.gov. Review the specific system messaging in each proposal section and make updates as required. In particular, please review the budget(s), subaward organization(s), personnel listed in the proposal, and senior personnel document(s). The proposal must be successfully submitted in Research.gov by the relevant 5:00 pm submitter's local time deadline. Please contact the NSF Help Desk at 1-800-381-1532 (7:00 AM - 9:00 PM ET; Monday - Friday except federal holidays) or via rgov@nsf.gov if you need assistance.

Saving the Cover Sheet when the proposed duration is zero or has been left blank will result in an error message. A proposal cannot be submitted without a valid proposed duration saved on the Cover Sheet. Refer to funding opportunity for any potential duration requirements. Proposal duration is prepopulated on postdoctoral scholarship proposals.
Note: The system will not enforce any funding opportunity-specific duration requirements.

The number of months entered for proposed duration should align with the number of years entered in the prime organization’s budget. The proposed duration should not extend beyond five years (60 months) unless otherwise specified in a program solicitation. Use the chart below for appropriate alignment:

Proposers must follow the Project Description page limit guidance in the program solicitation for the proposal. The limits in a single solicitation may vary by track or program. For a program solicitation that does not include Project Description page limit guidance, follow the guidance in the PAPPG for the proposal type.

As a general policy, NSF limits the salary compensation requested in the proposal budget for senior personnel to no more than two months of their regular salary in any one year. It is the organization's responsibility to define and consistently apply the term "year", and to specify this definition in the budget justification. Please see PAPPG Chapter II.D.2.f.i.   for additional information.

Currently, when a printable PDF of the proposal is displayed in Research.gov, the academic and summer month labels will display as blank fields. In the future, these fields will also be removed from the Research.gov print view.

Cost sharing is rarely required in NSF proposals. For those programs with required cost sharing, Line M on the proposal budget will only appear in year 1 of the prime organization proposal budget. A list of NSF programs with required cost sharing is available at https://nsf.gov/bfa/dias/policy/  

No, cost sharing is not included as part of a proposal's Total Requested Amount and is treated as a separate and independent amount in the budget.

The cost sharing budget line (Line M of the Proposal Budget) will appear in the Prime Award Organization budget directly under the Total Amount Requested budget line (Line J) when the funding opportunity selected requires cost sharing. The cost sharing data will only appear under the Year 1 column within the Prime Award Organization's budget page and will represent the total proposed cost sharing amount.

An explanation of the source, nature, amount and availability of any proposed cost sharing must be provided in the budget justification. The budget justification upload screen can be found on the proposal main page below the Budget section.

Yes, the cost sharing amount on Line M on the Proposal Budget can be added, removed, or edited as part of a proposal file update (PFU)/budget revision.

Yes, proposals that require cost sharing can be shared or submitted with a cost sharing amount of $0 entered on Line M of the Prime Award Organization's Year 1 Budget. Although the proposer will be prompted with a warning to check that the amount entered is correct based on solicitation requirements, the warning will not stop proposal submission and can be bypassed to allow the AOR to submit the proposal. A value of $0 is acceptable because based on the solicitation, certain institutions are exempt from the mandatory cost sharing requirement. For example, the Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) program provides that, "only non-Ph.D.- granting academic institutions of higher education are exempt from the cost-sharing requirement and cost sharing by those institutions may not be provided."

The number of years in a subaward budget must be equal to or less than the number of years in the prime organization budget. If the number of years in a subaward budget exceeds the number of years in the prime organization budget, an automated compliance error will be generated and the proposal will be stopped from being submitted to NSF.

These funding requests should be included in the proposed budget for the project and documented in the Budget Justification. The specific nature, purpose and need for such equipment or assistance should be described in sufficient detail in the Project Description to permit evaluation of the request by knowledgeable reviewers.

A Facilities, Equipment and Other Resources document is required for a Conference or Travel proposal when there will be support from other sources. This selection is made when initiating the proposal using the proposal setup wizard but can be changed on the Cover Sheet. Please see PAPPG Chapter II.F.9.   for additional information on Conference proposals and PAPPG Chapter II.F.11.   for Travel Proposals.

A project data form is currently only required for some proposals to the Directorate for STEM Education (EDU)/Division of Undergraduate Education (DUE). The information that is provided in the project data form is used to direct proposals to appropriate reviewers and to determine the characteristics of projects supported by DUE.

The project data form must be included in a proposal only when specified in a program solicitation. The following programs currently require project data form submission:

• Advanced Technological Education (ATE)Improving Undergraduate STEM Education: Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSI Program)
• Improving Undergraduate STEM Education: Directorate for STEM Education (IUSE:EDU)
• Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program
• NSF Scholarships in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (S-STEM)

If the selected funding opportunity requires a project data form, it must be included for single submissions as well as lead and non-lead collaboratives that are full proposals, renewal proposals, or accomplishment-based renewal proposals.

No. The Program Track and Category fields are not required if there are no program tracks or categories that correspond to the program where the proposal will be submitted within NSF. In this scenario, the following read-only text will be displayed under the Program Track and/or Category section: Not applicable for the selected program.

No. The Prime Organization Information section in a non-lead collaborative proposal project data form refers to the prime/awardee organization for the non-lead proposal. The non-lead proposer should select the appropriate selections based on the prime/awardee organization for its non-lead proposal when completing the Highest Degree and Institution Type fields.

Yes. The organizations that should be added in the Add Other Organizations section in your project data form are organizations involved in the project directly or through shared use of equipment, including subaward organizations. Subaward organizations should also be added on the Add Subaward Organizations page within the proposal to report any necessary budget information, personnel, and senior personnel documents.

If you have entered text in the Organizations field and do not see the organization you want to add displayed in the search results, please try the following:

• Ensure you have entered the full organization name. The system will only display a maximum of 10 search results when entering text in the Organization(s)'field.
• Review the text you have entered to ensure there are no spelling errors.
• If the organization you're attempting to add is still not displaying, click on the Add other organization: selection displayed at the very bottom of the search results. Selecting this option will allow you to add a custom organization that is not in the system.

If you do not see the desired subdiscipline in the subdiscipline selection drop-down, please select the Other (Specify) selection. Once selected, a text field will be displayed where you can enter a custom subdiscipline. This custom subdiscipline information will also display in the project data form PDF.

The Strategic Area section is an optional section in the project data form. If your project does not apply to any of the strategic areas listed in the drop-down, you do not need to make a selection in this section.

Yes. The system will require you to enter a value in all the individual categories within the Estimated Number of Individuals Involved section. If there are individual categories where no individuals were involved, enter zero ('0') in those fields. Leaving any individual category field blank will result in a compliance error stopping proposal submission.

The following sections in the project data form are required to be completed in a single submission and in a lead collaborative proposal before the proposal can be submitted in Research.gov:

• Program Track (if the program has corresponding program tracks that can be selected)
• Categories (if the program has corresponding categories that can be selected)
• Highest Degree
• Institution Type
• Are there other organizations involved in the project's operation question? (if Yes is selected, at least one organization must be provided)
• Discipline
• Primary Academic Focus Level
• Private Sector Participation
• Estimated Number of Individuals Involved (a value must be entered in all individual category fields within this section)

The following sections in the project data form are required to be completed in a non-lead collaborative proposal before the proposal can be submitted:

• Highest Degree
• Institution Type
• Estimated Number of Individuals Involved (a value must be entered in all individual category fields within this section)

After a non-lead collaborative proposal is submitted, it will be held in a submission pending queue until all proposals in the collaboration have been submitted. When all proposals in the collaboration are in the submission pending queue, the non-lead proposal and the other proposals in the collaboration will be submitted to NSF.

The information below is inherited in the non-lead proposal project data form based on the information entered on the lead collaborative proposal project data form. The inherited information in the non-lead proposal project data form will be read-only on the Research.gov proposal preparation screen when preparing the non-lead proposal and will be reflected on the non-lead proposal project data form PDF. If information has not yet been entered on the lead collaborative proposal project data form, the following read-only text will display on the non-lead project data form for each section where the lead organization has not yet provided information: Not yet specified in the lead proposal.

• Program Track
• Category
• Other Organizations
• Discipline
• subdiscipline
• Primary Academic Focus Level
• Private Sector Participation
• Audience(s)
• Strategic Area
• Project Feature(s)

If the inherited information from the lead collaborative proposal project data form does not display correctly in the non-lead project data form, try refreshing the page by clicking the Refresh button in your web browser, Ctrl + F5 (Windows), or Command + Option + R (Mac) to reload the page. After reloading the page, the inherited information from the lead proposal project data form should display in your non-lead proposal project data form.

Yes. If the non-lead organization has provided the required data that the non-lead is responsible to provide in the project data form, the non-lead will be able to submit their proposal but it will be held in a submission pending queue until all proposals in the collaboration have been submitted. The information will be inherited in the non-lead proposal project data form after the lead organization provides data in each of the project data form sections.

Yes. Proposal file updates made in the lead proposal project data form will be automatically inherited in the project data form for all non-lead proposals in the collaboration.

Certain categories of information submitted in conjunction with a proposal are for "NSF Use Only" and not provided to reviewers for use in the review of the proposal. Single Copy Documents include: Collaborators and Other Affiliations Information, Proprietary or Privileged Information, Disclosure of Lobbying Activities, Nature of Natural or Anthropogenic Event, Deviation Authorization, and Additional Single Copy Documents. Please see PAPPG, Chapter II.D.1.   for additional information about Single Copy Documents.

Navigate to the proposal Cover Sheet and select the checkbox for the Single Copy Document you would like to add to your proposal and then save the Cover Sheet. At the top of the saved Cover Sheet, you will see a blue information message with a link to the added Single Copy Document upload section. Additionally, if you scroll down to the Other Information section of the Cover Sheet, you will see a clickable link below the checkbox you selected, and this link will also navigate you to the associated upload screen for the specified Single Copy Document.

A Deviation Authorization permits the proposer exceptions to the PAPPG standard proposal preparation requirements, per PAPPG Chapter II.A.1  . On the Deviation Authorization text entry screen, the proposer can provide either the program solicitation number or the name and title of the NSF official who authorized the deviation and the date of the authorization.

Patentable ideas, trade secrets, privileged or confidential commercial or financial information, disclosure of which may harm the proposer, should be included in proposals only when such information is necessary to convey an understanding of the proposed project. The checkbox for Proprietary or Privileged Information must be checked on the Cover Sheet when the proposal contains such information. While NSF will make every effort to prevent unauthorized access to such material, the Foundation is not responsible or in any way liable for the release of such material. Such information may be included as a separate statement and must be submitted as a Single Copy Document. Please refer to PAPPG Chapter II.D.1.c  

A Proprietary or Privileged Information Single Copy Document is not included as part of the printed proposal (or on the print preview screen) and is not shared with reviewers. This Single Copy Document can only be seen in the official system of record after proposal submission.

The checkbox for Disclosure of Lobbying Activities must be checked on the Cover Sheet if, pursuant to the Lobbying certification provided in the System for Award Management (SAM), submission of the Form SF LLL is required. The SF LLL form can be downloaded from the Disclosure of Lobbying Activities upload screen. For more information, refer to PAPPG Chapter I.G.2.   and PAPPG Chapter II.D.1.d.  

In the case of a natural or anthropogenic event, or other reason that interferes with an organization's ability to meet a proposal submission deadline, proposers are instructed to check the Special Exception to the Deadline Date Policy checkbox on the NSF Cover Sheet and, if available, upload written approval from the cognizant NSF Program Officer. Note that checking this box and uploading a Nature of Natural or Anthropogenic Event document will allow the proposer to submit the proposal after the listed deadline date, but acceptance is still at the discretion of the Program Officer. Please see PAPPG Chapter I.F.3.   for more information.

A Nature of Natural or Anthropogenic Event Single Copy Document is not included as part of the printed proposal (or on the print preview screen) and is not shared with reviewers. This Single Copy Document can only be seen in the official system of record after proposal submission.

No, a special exception to the deadline date and the corresponding Nature of Natural or Anthropogenic Event Single Copy Document must be added prior to proposal submission. The Nature of Natural or Anthropogenic document can be viewed when executing a proposal file update (PFU)/budget revision but cannot be added through this mechanism after a proposal has been submitted.

Other Single Copy Documents that are seen only by NSF and not included in the proposal seen by reviewers should be uploaded as Additional Single Copy Documents and include:

• AOR designation of a substitute negotiator
• Other documents as specified in the relevant funding opportunity
• Documents without their own separate section

For a separately submitted collaborative full proposal, a Postdoctoral Mentoring Plan is required as part of a lead organization separately submitted collaborative proposal when funds are requested for postdoctoral scholars in the lead organization proposal budget or in a linked non-lead organization proposal budget. Refer to the program solicitation for separately submitted collaborative preliminary proposal requirements related to the Postdoctoral Mentoring Plan

The lead organization's PI, co-PI, and OAU will receive an email notifying them when requested funding for postdoctoral scholars is added for the first time or is removed entirely from the collaborative proposal set.

For full single submission collaborative proposals (i.e., single submission proposal with subaward), a Postdoctoral Mentoring Plan is required when funds are requested for postdoctoral scholars in any of the proposal's budgets. Refer to the program solicitation for separately submitted collaborative preliminary proposal requirements related to the Postdoctoral Mentoring Plan.

The proposal preparation demo site provides the research community an opportunity to initiate and edit proposals as well as check compliance of uploaded proposal documents (e.g., Collaborators and Other Affiliations and Biographical Sketch) before preparing proposals in the actual Research.gov Proposal Submission System. The demo site also is accessible by NSF staff.

All demo site users are able to perform the proposal preparation functions that a PI is able to perform in the actual Research.gov Proposal Submission System, such as initiating and editing proposals, uploading proposal documents, and adding budgets. The demo site does not support proposal submission and will not trigger any system-generated email notifications (e.g., link requests for separately submitted collaborative proposals).

Note that demo site proposals are not available in the actual Research.gov Proposal Submission System, and information cannot be transferred between the demo site and the actual Research.gov Proposal Submission System.

The Give Feedback button is displayed on all demo site proposal pages for proposals created in the demo site. When this button is clicked, a new browser tab will open and displays the Research.gov Feedback page. Select the Proposal Preparation Demo Site option under Site Area to submit feedback about the demo site. Demo site feedback from users will help NSF improve the site, as well as identify potential enhancements to improve the user experience when preparing proposals in the Research.gov Proposal Submission System.

External users can access the demo site by following these steps:

• Navigate to Research.gov.
• Click "Sign In" located at the top right of the Research.gov page.
• Sign in to Research.gov using your primary email address, NSF ID, your organization-issued credentials, or Login.gov credentials. (Note: Only InCommon Federation participants can use their organization-issued credentials to sign in to Research.gov. If you are signing in with your organization-issued credentials, you will be prompted to link your credentials to your NSF ID if they are not already linked. If you are signing in with Login.gov credentials, you will be prompted to link your credentials to your NSF ID if they are not already linked.)
• After signing into Research.gov, you will land on My Desktop, where there are two ways to access the demo site:
  • From the top menu bar, select Prepare and Submit Proposals, then select Demo Site: Prepare Proposals.
  • From the tiles on the page, select the Prepare and Submit Proposals tile, then select Demo Site: Prepare Proposals.

You will first need to create an NSF account and obtain an NSF ID by clicking Register on the Research.gov homepage to be able to access the demo site. Additional information about creating an NSF account is available on the Research.gov About Account Management page. Users with an existing NSF account (i.e., nine-digit NSF ID) will use that account to access the demo site. After signing in to Research.gov, you will land on My Desktop, where there are two ways to access the demo site.

• From the top menu bar, select Prepare and Submit Proposals, then select Demo Site: Prepare Proposals.
• From the tiles on the page, select the Prepare and Submit Proposals tile, then select Demo Site: Prepare Proposals.

No, you are able to access the demo site if you have an NSF ID and can sign in to Research.gov. All demo site users are given the PI role for demo site use only and are not required to obtain a special user role to access the demo site. All demo users have the National Science Foundation as their organization for purposes of the demo site. The demo site PI role will not be available in the user's NSF account profile for use on the actual Research.gov Proposal Submission System.

The organization(s) that you are affiliated with in your NSF account profile will be incorporated when you are in the proposal preparation demo site, but the user role(s) that you have will not be available in the demo site. All users who access the demo site are given the role of PI, and unaffiliated users including NSF staff will be assigned National Science Foundation as their organization. Users with any affiliated organization(s) in their NSF account profile will have both those organization(s) and the NSF organization incorporated in the demo site.

All demo site users have the PI role and can perform the same PI functions as in the actual Research.gov Proposal Submission System. The Postdoctoral Scholar/PI role must be specifically added to prepare a postdoctoral fellowship proposal in the demo site. The demo site does not include the OAU, SPO or AOR roles.

Yes. Any individual added to a demo proposal as a co-PI or OAU by entering the individual's NSF ID will be able to access that proposal in the demo site via the In Progress Proposals section on the Proposal Preparation demo site homepage. The permissions and available functions for the co-PI and OAU in the demo site are identical to the permissions and available functions for the co-PI and OAU in the actual Research.gov Proposal Submission System.

No. All demo site users have the PI role and can perform the same PI functions as in the actual Research.gov Proposal Submission System. You will be able to go through the process of sharing proposal access (view, edit and/or submit) with the SPO/AOR, but the SPO/AOR will not be able to view, edit, and/or submit the proposal since SPO and AOR roles and proposal submission are not supported in the demo site. In addition, no system-generated email notifications will be created or sent to the SPO/AOR in the demo site.

You must first have the Postdoctoral Scholar/PI role to initiate a postdoctoral fellowship proposal in the demo site. A Postdoctoral Scholar/PI role is different than a PI role. Postdoctoral fellowship funding opportunities will only display and be available for selection for users preparing the proposal as a Postdoctoral Scholar/PI.

After signing in to the Research.gov proposal preparation demo site, a message box will display with demo site information. From within the message box, click the 'Add a New Role' hyperlink. Proceed to complete the required information as appropriate. Once the Postdoctoral Scholar/PI role has been added, allow up to 60 minutes for the system to process the request. Then you will need to sign out of Research.gov and sign back in again before initiating and preparing a postdoctoral fellowship proposal.

Yes. You can add real subaward organization(s) to any proposal that’s created in the demo site. However, no system-generated email notifications will be created or sent to personnel affiliated to the subaward organization(s) when their organizations are added to your demo proposal.

No. All system-generated email notifications are disabled in the demo site.

The proposal preparation demo site currently only supports the initiation, preparation, and editing of non-collaborative and collaborative proposals.

Proposals created in the demo site will be available for six months and then will be deleted by NSF. Neither NSF nor users will be able to access deleted demo proposal data. If your demo proposal was created within the previous six months and your proposal data is not visible, please contact the NSF Help Desk at 1-800-381-1532 (7:00 AM - 9:00 PM ET; Monday - Friday except federal holidays) or via  rgov@nsf.gov for assistance.

Yes. All compliance checks that are enabled in the actual Research.gov Proposal Submission System will also apply to proposals in the demo site. The demo site can be used to check compliance of uploaded proposal documents (e.g., Collaborators and Other Affiliations and Biographical Sketch). Refer to the Automated Compliance Checking of NSF Proposals   page for the current automated proposal checks.

Yes, all proposal types and submission types in the actual Research.gov Proposal Submission System are also in the demo site. The demo site is a replica of the actual system. View the Proposal Submission Capabilities for details.

No. Proposal data created in the demo site will not be displayed in and cannot be transferred to the actual Research.gov Proposal Submission System. Proposal data created in the demo site is only available in the demo site.

The only time other users will be able to view or edit any proposals that you create in the demo site is if you add them to the proposal as a co-PI or OAU by entering their NSF ID. If you don't add any users to the proposal, no one will else will be able to access, view, or edit your demo proposal.

No. If you attempt to link a lead/non-lead proposal created in the demo site to a lead/non-lead proposal that was created in the actual Research.gov Proposal Submission System, you will receive an error and will not be able to link the proposals together. You are only able to link lead and non-lead proposals together that were created in the demo site and that are affiliated with different organizations.