NSF Announces New Deadline for Proposals for Innovation in Science Learning

Informal Science Education (ISE)

The ISE program supports innovation in anywhere, anytime, lifelong learning, through investments in research, development, infrastructure, and capacity-building for STEM learning outside formal school settings.

Informal” science education, which occurs outside formal school settings and across all ages, plays an increasingly vital role in the 21st century educational landscape. Americans spend over 80% of their lifetime waking hours outside schools (Stevens & Bransford, 2007), and have access to a vast array of learning resources, experiences, and educators.

The ISE program also invests in five types of projects that are specific to the program: Research; Pathways; Full-Scale Development; Broad Implementation, and Communicating Research to Public Audiences. No institutional limits on this FOA. For Communicating Research to Public Audiences projects ONLY: PI must hold an active NSF-funded research award in any NSF directorate or program. The ISE program expects to make approximately 46 awards based on anticipated funding of $25 million in FY 2011 for new awards. It is anticipated that approximately 8 Research, 8 Pathways, 17 Full-Scale Development, 3 Broad Implementation, and 10 Communicating Research to Public Audiences awards will be made as Standard or Continuing Grants per year, pending availability of funds.

Duration and Funding Levels:

Research: Project duration from one to five years. The maximum award is $1,500,000.

Pathways: Project duration is up to two years. The maximum award is $250,000.

Full-Scale Development: Project duration may be from one to five years. Full-Scale Development proposals will normally be funded in the $1 million to $3 million dollar range.

Broad Implementation: Project duration may be from one to five years. Broad Implementation proposals will normally be funded in the $1 million to $3 million dollar range.

Communicating Research to Public Audiences: Project duration may be up to two years and the maximum award is $150,000.

Due Dates

• Preliminary Proposal Due Date(s) (required) (due by 5 p.m. proposer's local time):

  July 22, 2010

  except CRPA proposals (which do not require preliminary proposals)

• Full Proposal Deadline(s) (due by 5 p.m. proposer's local time):

  December 07, 2010

  except CRPA proposals (which do not have deadlines)

  Click here for complete announcement