Civic Innovation Challenge

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Description

The Civic Innovation Challenge (CIVIC) is a research and action competition designed to accelerate the transition of foundational research and emerging technologies into practical community applications through civic-engaged research. It fosters equal partnerships between communities and researchers to jointly identify and address local civic priorities with national relevance.

CIVIC funds projects that pilot innovative, research-centered solutions to community challenges over a 12-month period, following a 6-month planning phase. Projects must demonstrate potential for lasting impact in the partnering community and scalability to other communities across the United States.

The program emphasizes:

• Flipping the traditional community-university dynamic by empowering communities as equal partners.
• Rapid piloting and evaluation of solutions within a 12-month timeframe.
• Multi-disciplinary, multi-sector coalitions including civic partners (local, state, tribal officials, non-profits, community advocates, service providers) and researchers.
• Nationwide "communities of practice" to facilitate knowledge sharing and collaboration.

Tracks

• Track A: Climate and Environmental Instability
  Focuses on building resilient communities through co-design, adaptation, and mitigation of climate-related risks such as extreme heat, flooding, and wildfires. Projects may address infrastructure, public health, transportation, food security, ecosystem services, and more, incorporating cyber, physical, environmental, biological, and social components.

• Track B: Bridging the Gap Between Essential Resources and Services & Community Needs
  Targets improving access to essential resources and services (e.g., food, water, housing, healthcare, education, digital inclusion) by addressing systemic inequities and inefficiencies. Projects should leverage community anchor institutions and focus on inclusive, equitable outcomes.

Program Structure

• Stage 1: Planning Grants
  Approximately 35-40 awards of up to $75,000 for 6 months to develop teams, refine project plans, and prepare for Stage 2 submission. Only Stage 1 awardees may apply for Stage 2.

• Stage 2: Full Awards
  Approximately 15-20 awards of up to $1,000,000 for 12 months to execute and evaluate research-centered pilot projects.

Community-of-Practice

The MetroLab Network (NSF award 2223449) facilitates cohort activities including workshops, showcases, and networking events to build capacity and share best practices. Awardees must participate in these activities, typically held in the Washington, DC area.

Due Dates

• Stage 1 Planning Grant Full Proposal Deadline: May 1, 2024 (5 p.m. submitter’s local time)
• Stage 2 Full Award Full Proposal Deadline: March 3, 2025 (5 p.m. submitter’s local time)

Funding Amount

• Stage 1 Planning Grants: Up to $75,000 for 6 months
• Stage 2 Full Awards: Up to $1,000,000 for 12 months
• Total program budget: Approximately $22.3 million to $25.6 million, supporting 55-60 awards across both stages.

Eligibility

• Who May Submit:

  • U.S.-based Institutions of Higher Education (two- and four-year, including community colleges) accredited and with campuses in the U.S.
  • Non-profit, non-academic organizations directly associated with educational or research activities (e.g., museums, observatories, research labs, professional societies).

• Principal Investigator (PI): No restrictions on who may serve as PI.

• Proposal Limits:

  • Stage 1: An individual may serve as PI or co-PI on at most two proposals.
  • Stage 2: An individual may serve as PI or co-PI on only one proposal.
  • Only Stage 1 awardees may submit Stage 2 proposals, with the same PI required.

• Civic Partners: Must be U.S.-based and may include government officials, non-profit representatives, community organizers, service providers, and others working to improve communities. Civic partners may receive subaward funding.

Application Process

• Submission: Proposals may be submitted via Research.gov or Grants.gov following NSF Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG) guidelines.

• Proposal Requirements:

  • Stage 1 proposals (Planning Grants) limited to 7 pages for Project Description, including sections on Vision for a Research-Centered Pilot Project (with Research Questions), Civic Partnerships and Engagement, Broader Impacts, and Results from Prior NSF Support.
  • Stage 2 proposals (Full Awards) limited to 15 pages, including detailed sections on Research-Centered Pilot Project (with Research Questions), Civic Partnerships and Engagement, Broader Impacts, Results from Prior NSF Support, Management Plan, Evaluation Plan, and Scalability, Sustainability, and Transferability.

• Supplementary Documents:

  • Project Personnel and Partner Institutions list required for all proposals.
  • Biographical sketches for senior personnel and encouraged for other civic partners.
  • Letters of Collaboration explicitly describing roles and responsibilities are strongly encouraged.

• Budget:

  • Must include travel funds for two team members to attend community-of-practice events in Washington, DC.
  • Voluntary committed cost sharing is prohibited.

Additional Information

• Projects must be designed for rapid execution and evaluation within 12 months.
• Emphasis on equity, inclusion, and addressing needs of marginalized populations.
• Projects should have clear metrics for impact and plans for sustainability and scalability beyond NSF funding.
• Institutional Review Board (IRB) or Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) approvals may be required prior to award.

External Links

• Program Solicitation and Details - NSF Civic Innovation Challenge
• NSF Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG)
• MetroLab Network
• NSF Civic Innovation Network
• Grants.gov Applicant Resources

Contact Information

For system support:

• NSF Help Desk: 1-800-381-1532 | rgov@nsf.gov
• Grants.gov Contact Center: 1-800-518-4726 | support@grants.gov