Grants / National Science Foundation / U.S. National Science Foundation

NSF 17-594: Research Coordination Networks (RCN)

Closed Closed Opportunity NSF 17-594 ☆ Save

This grant is closed. Who won this program's grants before is below, and similar open grants are at the end of the page. It is in our archive of U.S. National Science Foundation notices from 2025.

• Award ceiling$500,000
• Award floor$50,000
• Total funding$12.5 million
• Expected awards25
• Cost sharingNot required
• Funding typeGrant

Key dates

Who can apply

This opportunity was open to the applicants described in the notice.

• Others (see text field entitled "Additional Information on Eligibility" for clarification)

*Who May Submit Proposals: Proposals may only be submitted by the following: -Non-profit, non-academic organizations: Independent museums, observatories, research laboratories, professional societies and similar organizations located in the U.S. that are directly associated with educational or research activities. -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 sub-awards 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.

Is this a realistic fit?

• Most of the money in the 6 programs behind this notice (85% over five years) went to colleges and universities.
• No cost sharing or match is required.

What the grant funds

The goal of the RCN program is to advance a field or create new directions in research or education by supporting groups of investigators to communicate and coordinate their research, training and educational activities across disciplinary, organizational, geographic and international boundaries. The RCN program provides opportunities to foster new collaborations,including international partnerships,and addressinterdisciplinary topics. Innovative ideas for implementing novel networking strategies, collaborative technologies, training, broadening participation, and development of community standards for data and meta-dataare especially encouraged. RCN awards are not meant to support existing networks;nor are they meant to support the activities of established collaborations. RCN awards also do not support primary research. Rather, the RCN program supports the means by which investigators can share information and ideas, coordinate ongoing or planned research activities, foster synthesis and new collaborations, develop community standards, and in other ways advance science and education through communication and sharing of ideas. Additional information about the RCN program and its impacts may be found in Porter et al. 2012 Research Coordination Networks: Evidence of the relationship between funded interdisciplinary networking and scholarly impact. BioScience, 62: 282-288 Proposed networking activities directed to the RCN program shouldfocus ona theme to give coherence to the collaboration, such as a broad research question or particular technologies or approaches. Participating programs inthe Directorates for Biological Sciences(BIO), Computer and Information Science and Engineering (CISE), Geosciences (GEO),Education and Human Resources (EHR), Engineering (ENG) andSocial, Behavioral and Economic Sciences (SBE) will accept RCNproposals. PIs are encouraged (for CISE required) to discuss suitability of an RCN topic with a program officer that manages the appropriate program. Several other NSF solicitations accept RCN proposals, or supportresearch networkingactivities ifappropriate to the solicitation. Please see section IX. Other Information of this solicitation for a listing of these programs. PIs are strongly advised to contact the appropriate Program Director before submitting an RCN proposal.

Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development.

Other programs behind this notice

• Biological Sciences 47.074
  $4.2 billion in five years
• Integrative Activities 47.083
  $2.0 billion in five years
• Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences 47.075
  $1.1 billion in five years

Applying now

This notice no longer takes applications. Agencies often post the same opportunity again under a new number, so check the program's notices on Grants.gov and the similar open grants below.

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