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

September 3, 2025

Estimated total program funding: $3,270,000 | Typical award size and duration vary; see program details

Funds basic research to advance scientific understanding and improve the design, development, and effectiveness of organizations of all types.

Proposals must focus on generalizable, theory-driven research; implementation/evaluation of specific organizational programs is not supported.

--- ## Description The Science of Organizations (SoO) program supports basic research that builds a scientific evidence base for improving the design, emergence, development, management, and effectiveness of organizations. The program welcomes proposals that use rigorous scientific methods to develop and refine theories, empirically test frameworks, and create new measures and methods relevant to organizations of all types—private and public, established and entrepreneurial, formal and informal, profit and nonprofit. Research funded by SoO is expected to yield generalizable insights valuable to business practitioners, policy-makers, and the research community. The program encourages a wide range of intellectual perspectives, phenomena, levels of analysis, and research methods, provided the work advances fundamental understanding of organizations as systems of coordination, management, and governance. Projects focused solely on implementing or evaluating specific organizational training, effectiveness, or change programs—without advancing generalizable knowledge—are not appropriate for this program. --- ## Due Dates - Full proposals are due: **September 3, 2025** --- ## Funding Amount - **Estimated total program funding:** $3,270,000 - **Expected number of awards:** Approximately 20 per cycle - **Award size and duration:** Varies by project; consult the [program page](https://www.nsf.gov/funding/opportunities/soo-science-organizations) for details --- ## Eligibility - **Eligible applicants:** Unrestricted; open to all types of entities, including universities, colleges, nonprofit and for-profit organizations, and government agencies, subject to NSF policies. - **No cost sharing or matching required.** - Proposals must be submitted in accordance with the [NSF Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG)](https://www.nsf.gov/policies/pappg). --- ## Application Process - Proposals must be submitted via [NSF’s Research.gov](https://www.research.gov/) or [Grants.gov](https://www.grants.gov/search-results-detail/112354). - All proposals must adhere to the requirements in the current [NSF PAPPG](https://www.nsf.gov/policies/pappg). - Proposals should clearly address both intellectual merit and broader impacts. - The majority of the proposal should focus on theory, methods, and the specific contribution to the evidence base about organizational effectiveness. - For research involving industry-university collaboration, consider also reviewing the [GOALI program](http://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=504699). --- ## Additional Information - Proposals that primarily implement or evaluate specific organizational programs (e.g., training or change initiatives) are not appropriate. - Both qualitative and quantitative research methods are welcome, including archival analyses, surveys, simulation studies, experiments, comparative case studies, and network analyses. - Intellectual perspectives may include (but are not limited to): organizational theory, behavior, sociology, economics, business policy and strategy, communication sciences, entrepreneurship, human resource management, information sciences, managerial and organizational cognition, operations management, public administration, social or industrial psychology, and technology and innovation management. - Phenomena of interest include structures, routines, effectiveness, competitiveness, innovation, dynamics, change, and evolution at various levels (individual, group, organizational, cross-organizational, institutional). --- ## External Links - [NSF SoO Program Page](https://www.nsf.gov/funding/opportunities/soo-science-organizations) - [NSF Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG)](https://www.nsf.gov/policies/pappg) - [Apply via Grants.gov](https://www.grants.gov/search-results-detail/112354) - [GOALI Program (industry-university collaboration)](http://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=504699) - [Browse funded SoO projects](https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/advancedSearchResult?ProgEleCode=803100&BooleanElement=Any&BooleanRef=Any&ActiveAwards=true#results) --- ## Contact Information | Name | Email | Phone | |--------------|-----------------------------|----------------| | Songqi Liu | [soliu@nsf.gov](mailto:soliu@nsf.gov) | (703) 292-2542 | | NSF Grants.gov Support | [grantsgovsupport@nsf.gov](mailto:grantsgovsupport@nsf.gov) | | For general NSF inquiries, see the [NSF Contact Page](https://www.nsf.gov/about/contact-us).

Science of Organizations

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