Volume 11, number 11: May 3, 2005
FEDERAL NEWS
DARPA’s Dwindling Research Dollars to Universities
In response to a Senate Armed Services query reported in the New York Times, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) acknowledged that the noticeable decline in the agency’s grantmaking stemmed from shifted priorities within the agency. The change negatively affects funding to computer science departments at research universities and offers greater opportunities for military and corporate research.
In the last year, funding to university researchers has dropped from $214 million to $123 million and often has additional stipulations, such as restricting graduate student assistants to those with U.S. citizenship. As a result, many researchers are seeking alternative sources of funding. The broader consequences of the refocused agenda remain to be seen.
Source: John Markoff, “University Scientists Concerned by cuts in Computer Projects,” New York Times, 2 April 2005, sec 1C.
NSF Seeks Review Panelists for Graduate Research Fellowship Program
New members are welcomed every year to the review panels charged with evaluating applications to the National Science Foundation's Graduate Research Fellowship Program. These panels convene for three days, in February, in the Washington, D.C., area. Panelists read and evaluate applications in their areas of research expertise. In 2003-04, there were 30 panels, requiring 500 experts. NSF seeks diverse panels composed of outstanding researchers from a wide range of institutions, geographic locations, and backgrounds.
All panelists should have
- outstanding research in an NSF-supported field;
- ability to evaluate interdisciplinary proposals;
- knowledge of NSF Merit Review Criteria; and
- experience in mentoring graduate students.
If you are interested in becoming a panelist, you can add your information to the GRFP review panelist database. Current members who would like to be considered for this year’s panels should also update your information. READ MORE.
NSF and NIH Offer Quick Grants to Respond to Disasters
The National Science Foundation’s Small Grants for Exploratory Research program accepts unsolicited proposals from researchers conducting time-sensitive research, such as responding to natural or man-made disasters. There is no formal external review process, and requests of up to $200,000 can be submitted and processed under an immediate internal merit review.
The National Institute of Mental Health’s Rapid Assessment Post-Impact of Disaster program funds and supports researchers examining the impact of traumatic stress in the aftermath of a disaster. Researchers can apply for grants between $50,000 and $125,000 using an abbreviated review and funding process.
NSF Funding Rates Lowest in Fifteen Years
The National Science Foundation’s (NSF) annual Merit Review Reports states that, during fiscal year 2004, NSF evaluated 43,851 proposals and made 10,380 awards, slightly fewer than in the previous fiscal year. This resulted in an overall funding rate of 24 percent, the lowest rate in 15 years. The steady decline of the agency’s funding rate is due mainly to the increasing number of submitted proposals, while the number of available NSF grants has not grown in proportion. The number of NSF reviewed proposals increased 9 percent from the previous year, and is 25 percent higher than fiscal year 2002. READ MORE (pdf).
Fogarty International Center Solicits Obesity-Related Research
Obesity has become a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the world, and the burden of obesity-related illnesses is rapidly rising in developing countries. In order to address this problem, the National Institutes of Health’s Fogarty International Center (FIC) encourages applications for FIC research awards to include studies related to obesity in low- and middle-income countries.
Several FIC programs could be used to conduct research on obesity. These include the Global Health Research Initiative Program for New Investigators, which is managed as direct grants to foreign country institutions; the Fogarty International Research Collaboration Award, a collaborative program between a US institution and a foreign institution; and the International Research Scientist Development Award for US Postdoctoral Scientists, a career development program that provides support to US scientists wishing to gain research experience in a low or middle-income country. READ MORE.
New Policies for the Electronic Submission of Grant Applications to the Department of Education
The U.S. Department of Education (ED) is transitioning to Grants.gov, a website that allows organizations and individuals to find grants from all federal grant-making agencies and apply for them electronically. Selected ED grant competitions in fiscal year 2005 will require that applications be submitted electronically through Grants.gov. As a result, ED has changed its policy and procedural requirements related to electronic submission of applications through Grants.gov.
To learn more about this transition, the new policy and procedural requirements, and what these changes mean for you, click here.
HUD Invites Applications under SuperNOFA
The US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has released this year’s Super Notice of Funding Availability (SuperNOFA), the annual omnibus grant announcement of $2 billion in funding opportunities through HUD. The SuperNOFA contains information about HUD’s Universities and Colleges programs, the Community Outreach Partnerships Centers (COPC), Research Grant programs, and others. For example, universities are eligible for funding through the Healthy Homes initiative, which provides money for targeted research and technical studies on healthy homes and lead elimination.