NSF's Interdisciplinary Behavioral and Social Science Research (IBSS)

The Interdisciplinary Behavioral and Social Science Research (IBSS) competition promotes the conduct of interdisciplinary research by teams of investigators in the social and behavioral sciences. Emphasis is placed on support for research that involves researchers from multiple disciplinary fields, that integrates scientific theoretical approaches and methodologies from multiple disciplinary fields, and that is likely to yield generalizable insights and information that will advance basic knowledge and capabilities across multiple disciplinary fields. 

There are two types of projects that may be supported by IBSS:

• IBSS Large Interdisciplinary Research Projects (with maximum award sizes of $1,000,000)
• IBSS Interdisciplinary Team Exploratory Projects (with maximum award sizes of $250,000)

Deadline: January 23, 2013


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NEH's Collaborative Research Grants

Collaborative Research Grants through the National Endowment for the Humanities support interpretive humanities research undertaken by a team of two or more scholars, for full-time or part-time activities for periods of a minimum of one year up to a maximum of three years. Support is available for various combinations of scholars, consultants, and research assistants; project-related travel; field work; applications of information technology; and technical support and services. All grantees are expected to communicate the results of their work to the appropriate scholarly and public audiences.

Eligible projects include

• research that significantly adds to knowledge and understanding of the humanities;
• conferences on topics of major importance in the humanities that will benefit scholarly research;
• archaeological projects that include the interpretation and communication of results (projects may encompass excavation, materials analysis, laboratory work, field reports, and preparation of interpretive monographs); and
• research that uses the knowledge and perspectives of the humanities and historical or philosophical methods to enhance understanding of science, technology, medicine, and the social sciences.

Awards are made for a minimum of one year up to a maximum of three years and normally range from $25,000 to $100,000 per year. Awards for conferences are typically made for a minimum of one year and normally range from $15,000 to $65,000 per grant.

Deadline: December 6, 2012

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NEA Art Works

The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) will make awards to support research on how "art works." Consistent with its strategic plan, the NEA distinguishes between research projects seeking to define value for the U.S. arts sector, and those seeking to demonstrate the arts'impact on American life. "Value"-oriented research will measure or otherwise clarify one or more components of how Americans participate in the arts. Such research also may probe the underlying conditions and vehicles for arts participation; for instance, it can examine how key inputs such as training, education, and infrastructure, directly affect arts creation, arts audiences, or other aspects of arts engagement.

Deadline: November 6, 2012
Expected number of awards: 25
Grant amount: $10,000 - $50,000

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Institute of Education Sciences (IES): Education Research Program

The Director of the Institute of Education Sciences (Institute) announces the Institute’s FY 2013 competitions for grants to support education research and special education research. The Director takes this action under the Education Sciences Reform Act of 2002. The Institute’s purpose in awarding these grants is to provide national leadership in expanding fundamental knowledge and understanding of developmental and school readiness outcomes for infants and toddlers with or at risk for disability, and of education outcomes for all students from early childhood education through postsecondary and adult education.

The Education Research Competitions. Under these two competitions, NCER will consider only applications that address one of the following education research topics:

• Cognition and Student Learning
• Early Learning Programs and Policies
• Education Technology
• Effective Teachers and Effective Teaching
• English Learners
• Improving Education Systems: Policies, Organization, Management, and Leadership
• Mathematics and Science Education
• Postsecondary and Adult Education
• Reading and Writing
• Social and Behavioral Context for Academic Learning

The Education Research Training Competition. Under this competition, NCER will consider only applications that address one of the following two topics:

• Postdoctoral Research Training
• Researcher and Policymaker Training

Closing Date: September 20, 2012

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Sustaining Cultural Heritage Collections

Sustaining Cultural Heritage Collections (SCHC), offered by National Endowment for the Humanities, helps cultural institutions meet the complex challenge of preserving large and diverse holdings of humanities materials for future generations by supporting preventive conservation measures that mitigate deterioration and prolong the useful life of collections. Libraries, archives, museums, and historical organizations across the country are responsible for collections of books and manuscripts, photographs, sound recordings and moving images, archaeological and ethnographic artifacts, art, and historical objects that facilitate research, strengthen teaching, and provide opportunities for life-long learning in the humanities. To preserve and ensure continued access to such collections, institutions must implement preventive conservation measures, which encompass managing relative humidity, temperature, light, and pollutants in collection spaces; providing protective storage enclosures and systems for collections; and safeguarding collections from theft and from natural and man-made disasters. As museums, libraries, archives, and other collecting institutions strive to be effective stewards of humanities collections, they must find ways to implement preventive conservation measures that are scientifically sound and sustainable. This program therefore helps cultural repositories plan and implement preservation strategies that pragmatically balance effectiveness, cost, and environmental impact. Projects should be designed to be as cost effective, energy efficient, and environmentally sensitive as possible, and they should aim to mitigate the greatest risks to collections rather than to meet prescriptive targets. 

Deadline: December 4, 2012
Award Ceiling: $350,000

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Astronomy and Astrophysics Research Grants

The Astronomy and Astrophysics Research Grants (AAG) Program through the National Science Foundation (NSF) provides individual investigator and collaborative research grants for observational, theoretical, laboratory and archival data studies in all areas of astronomy and astrophysics, including but not limited to the following areas of study:

Planetary Astronomy: Studies of Solar System and extrasolar planets; the detailed characterization, structure and composition of the surfaces, interiors, and atmospheres of planets and satellites; the nature of small bodies (asteroids, comets, and Kuiper-belt objects); the inter-planetary medium; and the origin, formation, and development of the Solar System and other planetary systems. 

Stellar Astronomy and Astrophysics: Studies of the structure and activity of the Sun and other stars; the physical properties and composition of all types of single and multiple stars; compact objects and their interactions; star formation and stellar evolution; stellar nucleosynthesis; and the properties of atoms and molecules of relevance to stellar astronomy.

Galactic Astronomy: Studies on the composition, structure and evolution of the Milky Way Galaxy and nearby galaxies. Research may focus on the stellar populations in these galaxies; the characteristics of star clusters; the interstellar medium; and the properties of atomic and molecular constituents of the interstellar medium.

Extragalactic Astronomy and Cosmology: Studies of the Universe beyond our Galaxy. Research topics include galaxy formation, evolution and interaction; active galaxies; quasars; the intergalactic medium; large-scale structure; and all areas of cosmology.


Submission Deadline: November 15, 2012
Expected Number of Awards: 100
Estimated Total Program Funding: $40,000,000

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Mineral Resources External Research Program

The Mineral Resources Program (MRP) of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is offering a grant and/or cooperative agreement opportunity to universities, State agencies, Tribal governments or organizations, and industry or other private sector organizations that have the ability to conduct research in topics related to non-fuel mineral resources.

Submission Deadline: September 26, 2012

Expected Number of Awards: 5

Estimated Total Program Funding: $250,000

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