Sociology

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Description

The National Science Foundation's Sociology Program funds basic research on all forms of human social organization—including societies, institutions, groups, and demography—and on processes of individual and institutional change. The program encourages theoretically focused empirical investigations that improve the explanation of fundamental social processes. Research topics may include organizations and organizational behavior, population dynamics, social movements, labor force participation, stratification and mobility, family, social networks, socialization, gender, race, and the sociology of science and technology.

The program supports both original data collection and secondary data analysis, using the full range of quantitative and qualitative methodological tools. Projects that offer methodological innovations or improvements for data collection and analysis are also welcomed.

Proposals are evaluated on intellectual merit and broader impacts, with particular emphasis on:

• Theoretical grounding of the research questions
• Empirical observation or validation
• Appropriateness of research design
• Advancement of understanding of social processes, structures, or methods

The program also highlights NSF’s commitment to broadening participation of underrepresented groups and regions in STEM and to public access to research results and data.

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Due Dates

• Proposals are accepted at any time; there are no fixed deadlines.
• Specialized opportunities (e.g., CAREER, GRFP, REU) may have separate deadlines—refer to their specific solicitations.

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Funding Amount

• No set maximum or minimum; award size and duration are determined by the scope of the proposed project.
• Typical awards support research for 1–5 years.
• No cost-sharing or matching is required.

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Eligibility

• Open to U.S. institutions and organizations, including:
  • Colleges and universities
  • Nonprofit, non-academic organizations
  • For-profit organizations
  • State and local governments
  • Unaffiliated individuals (in rare cases)
• Principal Investigators should have the expertise and resources to carry out the proposed research.
• International collaborations are possible, but primary funding is for U.S.-based research.

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Application Process

• Proposals must be submitted via Research.gov or Grants.gov.
• Select program code PD 98-1331 in the program announcement/solicitation block on the proposal cover sheet.
• Follow the current NSF Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG).
• Proposals must address both intellectual merit and broader impacts.
• Include a data management plan and a postdoctoral mentoring plan (if applicable).
• Reviewers will assess theoretical grounding, empirical approach, research design, and contribution to understanding social processes.

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Additional Information

• NSF offers related and crosscutting opportunities, including:

  • ADVANCE (women in STEM)
  • CAREER (early career faculty)
  • Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP)
  • Major Research Instrumentation (MRI)
  • SBE Postdoctoral Research Fellowships (SPRF)
  • Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU)
  • Research at Undergraduate Institutions (RUI)
  • Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR)

• See the NSF cross-cutting and active funding opportunities for more.

• NSF is committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion, and to public access to research results and data (with exceptions for privacy and security).

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External Links

• NSF Sociology Program page
• NSF Program Description PD-98-1331
• NSF Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG)
• Apply via Grants.gov
• Browse funded projects
• Public Access to Results of NSF-Funded Research
• Data Management for NSF SBE Directorate Proposals and Awards (PDF)

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Contact Information

For technical issues with Grants.gov: grantsgovsupport@nsf.gov

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