Preparing and Submitting your NSF Grant Applications

This information is not intended to replace or contradict sponsor guidance.

Please always refer to the latest NSF PAPPG for current guidance.

Important NSF Quirks

• Titles: Include any required prefixes. Make sure title matches ePSRS.
• Cost Sharing: Voluntary committed cost share must not be included. The requirement to include cost sharing in a proposal is identified in the FOA
• Collaborators and Other Affiliations (COA): List names as LAST Name, FIRST Name
• Project Description: Broader Impacts is a distinct section.
• Project Description: Include Results from Prior NSF support if applicable in distinct section. Include Intellectual Merit and Broader Impacts as distinct sections in this section.
• Project Description: URLs are not allowed.
• References Cited: Full citation should be used, all authors listed (no et al).
• Biosketch – Synergistic Activities: Five examples must be distinct and not include multiple listings under each example. Must be “signed” by PI.
• Current and Pending Support: Include THIS proposal.
  • If no salary requested, effort must still be listed and identified in Facilities, Equipment and Other Resources.
  • All effort listed in the Current and Pending should be the actual effort, not the salary requested, for each listed grant.
  • Must be “signed” by PI.
• Facilities, Equipment and Other Resources: Do not include Quantifiable financial information.
• Data Management Plan: Either required or include a statement that no plan is needed.
• If any research or fieldwork will be conducted off-campus, PI must create a plan to create a safe and
  inclusive work environment. Provide confirmation to your SGCA that this plan has been created. The plan does not need to be included in the proposal.
• Postdoctoral Mentoring Plan: Required if a Postdoc is included in the budget. If a collaborative proposal,
  only one Postdoc Mentoring Plan can be submitted.
• Letters of Collaboration: Must use single sentence NSF format.
• Letters of Support: Do not include UNLESS REQUESTED.
• Effort listed in Budget must match the Budget Justification.
• In the Budget Justification, list the dollar amount of the indirect costs.
• Participant Support:
  • MU employees cannot be considered participants.
  • Honoria for speakers is not considered participant support
  • Materials and supplies for trainings is an other direct cost, not participant support

NSF Collaboration Proposals (MU NOT-LEAD) Required Documents

• Coversheet
• Biosketch
• Budget
• Budget justification
• Current and Pending Support
• Facilities, Equipment and Other Resources
• Collaborators and Other Affiliations (COA)
• Other

NSF Formatting

• Paginate each section of proposal uploaded
• Use following fonts:
  • Arial (not Arial Narrow), Courier New, or Palatino Linotype at a font size of 10 points or larger
  • Times New Roman at a font size of 11 points or larger
  • Computer Modern family of fonts at a font size of 11 points or larger
• 1 inch margins

Proposal Sections

FCOI Requirement

• NSF has a COI Policy requiring additional oversight regarding potential financial conflicts of interest (FCOI)
• Ensure an investigator form is provided with the proposal (link below) and that all MU personnel identified as an “investigator” (have up to date OIDFs
  • Failure to comply will prevent submission

Helpful Links

• NSF Proposal and Award Policies and Procedures Guide
• (PAPPG) NSF Proposal Preparation Checklist
• Grant Fact Sheet
• NSF Help Desk
• Investigator Form
• Research.gov
• Participant Support Cost