Nov. 23, 2020 — The Computer and Information Science and Engineering Minority-Serving Institutions Research Expansion Program (CISE-MSI Program) is now open for solicitation. With this solicitation, the National Science Foundation’s (NSF) Directorate for Computer and Information Science and Engineering (CISE) is launching a new, focused program to support research expansion for Minority-Serving Institutions (MSIs).The goal of the CISE-MSI program is to broaden participation by increasing the number of CISE-funded research projects from MSIs. MSIs are central to inclusive excellence: they foster innovation, cultivate current and future undergraduate and graduate computer and information science and engineering talent, and bolster long-term U.S. competitiveness.
Anticipated Type of Award: Standard Grant or Continuing Grant
Estimated Number of Awards: 10 to 16
Anticipated number, duration, and size of new awards:
Thread 1: Research Capacity Building Planning Projects (RCBPP)
- Number of awards: Up to 10
- Project length: Two years
- Award size: Up to $300,000
Thread 2: Demonstration Projects (DP)
- Number of awards: Up to 4
- Project length: Three years
- Award size: Up to $500,000
Thread 3: Research Partnerships Enhancement Projects (RPEP)
- Number of awards: 1-2
- Project length: Up to four years
- Award size: Up to $1,200,000
Anticipated Funding Amount: $7,000,000
Estimated program budget, number of awards and average award size/duration are subject to the availability of funds and quality of proposals received. An estimated 10 to 16 projects per year will be funded, subject to availability of funds.
Eligibility Information
Who May Submit Proposals:
Proposals may only be submitted by the following:
- Institutions of Higher Education (IHEs) – Two- and four-year IHEs (including community colleges) accredited in, and having a campus located in the US, acting on behalf of their faculty members. Special Instructions for International Branch Campuses of US IHEs: If the proposal includes funding to be provided to an international branch campus of a US institution of higher education (including through use of subawards and consultant arrangements), the proposer must explain the benefit(s) to the project of performance at the international branch campus, and justify why the project activities cannot be performed at the US campus.
Who May Serve as PI:
A MSI faculty member should serve as the lead principal investigator(s) on any proposal submission. An institution must not have previously received an award funded by any of the CISE programs solicitations noted in Section II. Program Description within the past five years.
Limit on Number of Proposals per Organization:
Institutions that have received an NSF award in the CISE programs listed in this solicitation are ineligible (See Section II. Program Description.)
Limit on Number of Proposals per PI or Co-PI: 2
In each annual competition, an individual may participate in at most two proposals, across all solicitation threads, as PI, co-PI, or Senior Personnel.
Full Proposal Deadline(s) (due by 5 p.m. submitter’s local time):
April 15, 2021
April 15, Annually Thereafter
For submission instructions and more information: https://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2021/nsf21533/nsf21533.htm?WT.mc_id=USNSF_25&WT.mc_ev=click
Source: NSF