[U.S. National Science Foundation](https://www.nsf.gov)

Proposals accepted anytime

Up to $25,000 in direct costs per award; indirect costs may be requested in addition; approx. $800,000 total program funding annually; ~40 awards/year

Supports doctoral dissertation research in anthropologically relevant archaeology, including fieldwork, material analysis, and methodological innovation.

--- ## Description This opportunity provides support for doctoral dissertation research improvement grants (DDRIG) in the field of archaeology. The program funds research that is anthropologically relevant, with no restrictions on geographic region, time period, or theoretical orientation. Projects may include field research, analysis of archaeological materials, or the development of new analytic techniques. The purpose is to advance anthropological knowledge through original research conducted by doctoral students. --- ## Due Dates - Proposals are accepted at any time; there is no set deadline. --- ## Funding Amount - Maximum direct costs per award: **$25,000** (indirect costs may also be requested, subject to the institution's federally negotiated rate). - Estimated total program funding: **$800,000** annually. - Expected number of awards: **approximately 40 per year**. - Awards support research expenses not normally covered by the student's institution; they are not intended to cover the full cost of dissertation research. --- ## Eligibility - **Who May Submit:** Only U.S.-accredited, doctoral degree-granting institutions of higher education (IHEs) may apply, on behalf of their faculty. - **PI Requirements:** The dissertation advisor serves as the Principal Investigator (PI); the doctoral student is the co-PI and must be the author of the proposal. - **Student Requirements:** The student must be enrolled at a U.S. institution but does not need to be a U.S. citizen. - There are no limits on the number of proposals per organization or PI. - The advisor must be available during proposal submission, review, and research performance to relay communications from NSF to the student. --- ## Application Process - Proposals must be submitted via [Research.gov](https://www.research.gov) or [Grants.gov](https://www.grants.gov/). - Letters of intent and preliminary proposals are **not required**. - The project title must begin with "Doctoral Dissertation Research:" and clearly state the research question. - The application must include a project description (up to 10 pages of text plus 5 pages of figures), budget and justification, data management plan, and a signed PI/advisor statement. - No cost-sharing is required or permitted. - Allowable expenses include research travel, equipment, materials, fieldwork, analysis, and data archiving. Stipends, tuition, and costs not directly related to research are not allowed. - Proposals may be submitted for concurrent review to other organizations, but only one NSF program may review a DDRIG proposal. --- ## Additional Information - Review is based on NSF’s standard merit review criteria: intellectual merit and broader impacts. - Awards are typically issued within six months of submission. - A data management plan is required with all proposals. - For questions about proposal fit, applicants are encouraged to send a one-page project summary to the program officer. - Indirect costs are in addition to the $25,000 direct cost limit. --- ## External Links - [Program Solicitation & Details](https://www.nsf.gov/funding/opportunities/arch-ddrig-archaeology-program-doctoral-dissertation-research/nsf23-531/solicitation) - [NSF Publication 23-531](http://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=nsf23531) - [NSF Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG)](https://www.nsf.gov/policies/pappg/24-1) - [Recent Awards in Archaeology DDRIG](https://nsf.gov/awardsearch/advancedSearchResult?ProgEleCode=7608&ActiveAwards=true) --- ## Contact Information | Name/Role | Email | Phone | |-------------------------|-----------------------------|----------------| | John E. Yellen, Program Director | jyellen@nsf.gov | 703-292-8759 | | Don Rimon, Business Operations Analyst | drimon@nsf.gov | 703-292-2960 | | NSF Grants.gov Support | grantsgovsupport@nsf.gov | — | | NSF Information Center | info@nsf.gov | 703-292-5111 | For technical questions related to submission systems: - Research.gov Help Desk: rgov@nsf.gov, 1-800-673-6188 - Grants.gov Contact Center: support@grants.gov, 1-800-518-4726

Archaeology Program - Doctoral Dissertation Research Improvement Grants

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