Funder: National Science Foundation
Due Dates: September 9, 2025 (Full proposals)
Funding Amounts: No specified ceiling; typical NSF research awards range from 1–5 years and vary by project scope.
Summary: Funds research advancing theory and understanding of scientific discovery, communication, impact, and evidence-based policy making.
Key Information: Open to a wide range of disciplines and encourages proposals from underrepresented groups and institutions.
Description
The Science of Science: Discovery, Communication and Impact (SoS:DCI) program supports research that advances theory and knowledge about increasing the public value of scientific activity. The program draws from multiple disciplinary and field perspectives to fund projects that investigate the mechanisms of scientific discovery, improve understanding of scientific communication, and assess the societal benefits and policy impacts of science.
SoS:DCI welcomes proposals that:
- Apply rigorous empirical research methods to advance theory and knowledge on the social and structural mechanisms of scientific discovery.
- Develop theories, frameworks, models, and data to improve understanding of scientific communication and outcomes.
- Analyze how science advances evidence-based policy making and the creation of public value.
The program encourages research at individual, organizational, and institutional levels, and supports work at micro, meso, macro, and complex system scales. Interdisciplinary and convergent research, as well as diverse methodological approaches, are strongly encouraged.
Proposals should:
- Advance theory and frameworks in the science of science.
- Develop transformative models, data, indicators, and analytical tools.
- Provide rigorous assessments of project impact and policy implications.
- Include robust data management plans to promote open science and public access to reliable scientific materials.
The program is particularly interested in projects that can strengthen U.S. global leadership in science, increase national competitiveness, diversify the scientific workforce, and cultivate high-impact discovery across sectors.
Due Dates
- Full Proposal Deadline: September 9, 2025
Funding Amount
- No explicit maximum or minimum award amount is specified.
- Typical NSF research awards range from 1–5 years; funding levels depend on project scope and budget justification.
- Supports standard research grants, collaborative research, conference grants, and specialized opportunities (e.g., SoS:BIO).
Eligibility
- Open to a broad range of applicants, including:
- Universities and colleges
- Nonprofit, non-academic organizations
- For-profit organizations
- Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs)
- Research Undergraduate Institutions (RUIs)
- Institutions in EPSCoR states
- Encourages participation from junior faculty, women, and members of historically underrepresented groups.
- Proposals from diverse and inclusive research teams are strongly encouraged.
Application Process
- Proposals must be submitted via NSF FastLane, Research.gov, or Grants.gov.
- All proposals must comply with the NSF Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG).
- Proposals should address both intellectual merit and broader impacts, including societal and policy relevance.
- Include a robust data management plan to support open science.
Additional Information
- The program supports a variety of proposal types, including:
- Standard Research Grants
- Collaborative Research Grants
- Conference Grants
- Specialized opportunities (e.g., SoS:BIO)
- SoS:DCI participates in NSF’s cross-cutting and cross-directorate activities.
- For guidance on broader impacts, see NSF’s broader impacts resources and SBE-specific guidance.
External Links
Contact Information
For general inquiries, see the NSF Contact Page.