Below is a list of relevant links to NSF systems and websites that contain useful information about NSF policy and procedures.

Special NSF Notices:

  • Project Summary Submission Error: Please note that when the Project Summary is uploaded as a PDF instead of entering the text directly into the FastLane module, you must check a box on the Project Summary page to have the PDF uploaded with the submission. If you don't do this, it causes an error message and SPO is unable to submit.

Special Notice for all NSF Proposals being submitted to the Division of Chemistry:

The Division of Chemistry has a new solicitation (NSF 18-561), and all new proposals to the individual investigator program (which includes small teams) for the September and October submission windows must go through this solicitation.   There are a few important changes to the usual submission documents:

(1) a listing of the PI’s specific support within any funded, multi-person collaboratives must be delineated in the Current and Pending Support documents;

(2) an additional a single copy document explaining changes to any revised proposal must be included in the resubmissions; and

(3) there is a new limitation in the number of proposals submitted to the Chemistry Division during a fiscal year.  An investigator may only submit one proposal as a PI, Co-PI, or Senior Investigator in this window. As we want to provide the chemistry community with a sustainable and healthy funding rate and manageable workload as reviewers and panelists, we have implemented this change in proposal allowance effective immediately.  Please note that this one proposal per PI per year restriction does not apply to separate solicitations (e.g., CAREER, MRI, CCI, REU, EAGER/RAISE/RAPID, etc.).

Please be sure to submit your proposal to the Chemistry Solicitation (NSF 18-561), and not to the Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG).  Proposals submitted to the PAPPG will not be accepted.

Centers for Chemical Innovation – Phase 1:

The Centers for Chemical Innovation (CCI) – Phase 1 program is open for submissions again this fall (NSF 18-555).  Please note that the deadline for required preliminary proposals is August 14, 2018, earlier than in recent years.

 

Upon Grants.gov Email (Proposal did not make it through NSF yet)

Enter a Type of Submission (Field 1 on the Form)

Check the "Type of Submission" box (1). If this submission is to change or correct a previously submitted "New" application, click the Change/Corrected Application box and enter the Grants.gov tracking number in the Federal identifier field. If this submission is to change or correct a "resubmission", "renewal", "continuation", or "revision" application, leave the Federal identifier field as previously filled with the existing identifier (e.g. Award number). Do NOT insert the Grants.gov tracking number in these cases.

Upon NSF Email (Proposal made it past grants.gov and now at NSF)

In addition to the validations performed by the ERA system, further administrative review will be conducted by agency staff. The PD/PI and/or the applicant organization may be contacted for further corrections/clarifications that must be done via Fastlane using "proposal file update" module.

Once the proposal has passed Grants.Gov acceptance. NSF does not accept applications through Grants.gov for the following types of transactions:

  • Changed/Corrected Applications
  • Continuation
  • Revision

Proposal File Update - Post Submission

Applications submitted through Grants.gov are considered official submissions to the Federal government. Applicants that wish to change or correct a previously submitted application must use the Proposal File Update module available in the NSF Fastlane System

Check the Status of an Application in Fastlane

After applicants receive a receipt notification from NSF, Fastlane should be used to check the status of an application