NSF Plans to Boost Staffing, Halve Grant Solicitations

"The fewer solicitations you have, the less time grant applicants have to figure out which of our pigeonholes they fit into. In the past, a solicitation might have been for an individual program, which means it's attached to an individual program officer and a specific dollar amount. Now, instead of going to one program officer's area, the NSF will use technology to better route applications to wherever within the agency they can best be reviewed."

"People have told us that their first challenge is figuring out: Where do I actually send this? Like, who's the program officer that's going to take in my particular piece of research? The NSF is consolidating solicitations to reduce workload while making remaining opportunities broader and easier to navigate for applicants."

The National Science Foundation's chief management officer reported that the agency is requesting approval to increase staffing following cuts from the Trump administration that left it understaffed. Simultaneously, the NSF plans to consolidate grant solicitations to approximately half their usual number, aiming to reduce workload and simplify the application process for researchers. However, this consolidation raises concerns about reduced funding opportunities for junior faculty. The NSF is responding by making remaining solicitations broader and using technology to better route applications to appropriate reviewers within the agency, addressing applicants' confusion about where to submit research proposals.

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