Well Told Grants

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

Developmental Sciences (DS)

Open Closes February 1, 2027 (93 days left) Opportunity 24-544

U.S. National Science Foundation is offering grants to the applicants described in the notice. It expects to make $6.5 million in total. Applications close on February 1, 2027.

From the official notice on Grants.gov, last changed October 15, 2026. Checked October 31, 2026.

Key dates

PostedFebruary 15, 2024
DeadlineFebruary 1, 2027
Archived by Grants.govAugust 29, 2027

Add the deadline to your calendar

Who can apply

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

*Who May Submit Proposals: Proposals may only be submitted by the following: -Foreign organizations: For cooperative projects involving U.S. and foreign organizations, support will only be provided for the U.S. portion. -For-profit organizations: U.S.-based commercial organizations, including small businesses, with strong capabilities in scientific or engineering research or education and a passion for innovation. -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. -Other Federal Agencies and Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDCs): Prospective proposers from other Federal Agencies and FFRDCs, including NSF sponsored FFRDCs, must follow the guidance in PAPPG Chapter I.E.2 regarding limitations on eligibility. -State and Local Governments -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. -Tribal Nations: An American Indian or Alaska Native tribe, band, nation, pueblo, village, or community that the Secretary of the Interior acknowledges as a federally recognized tribe pursuant to the Federally Recognized Indian Tribe List Act of 1994, 25 U.S.C. §§ 5130-5131. *Who May Serve as PI: PIs and co-PIs must be researchers who have a Ph.D. or equivalent education and experience, sufficient to allow them to carry out independent basic research. PIs are encouraged to include undergraduate and graduate students in their research projects, but not as PI/co-PI or senior/key personnel.

Is this a realistic fit?

What the grant funds

Developmental Sciences supports basic research that increases our understanding of perceptual, cognitive, linguistic, social, cultural, and biological processes related to human development across the lifespan. Research supported by this program will add to our knowledge of the underlying developmental processes that support social, cognitive, and behavioral functioning, thereby illuminating ways for individuals to live productive lives as members of society. The Developmental Sciences program supports research that addresses developmental processes within the domains of perceptual, cognitive, social, emotional, language, and motor development across the lifespan by working with any appropriate populations for the topics of interest including infants, children, adolescents, adults (including aging populations), and non-human animals. The program also supports research investigating factors that affect developmental change, including family, peers, school, community, culture, media, physical, genetic, and epigenetic influences. The program funds research that incorporates multidisciplinary, multi-method, and/or longitudinal approaches; develops new methods, models, and theories for studying development; and integrates different processes (e.g., memory, emotion, perception, cognition), levels of analysis (e.g., behavioral, social, neural) and time scales. The program funds basic research that advances our understanding of developmental processes and mechanisms; the program does not fund clinical trials and research focused primarily on health outcomes. The budgets and durations of supported projects vary widely and are greatly influenced by the nature of the project. Investigators should focus on innovative, potentially transformative research plans and then develop a budget to support those activities, rather than starting with a budget number and working up to that value. While there are no specific rules about budget limitations, a typical project funded through the Developmental Sciences program is approximately three years in duration with a total cost budget, including both direct and indirect costs, between $100,000 and $200,000 per year. Interested proposers are urged to explore the NSF awards database for the Developmental Sciences program to review examples of awards that have been made. Proposals that contain budgets significantly beyond this range may be returned without review.

Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development.

How to apply

  1. Read the full notice and attachments on Grants.gov and the agency's announcement. The notice is the official source for deadlines and requirements.
  2. Make sure your organization has an active SAM.gov registration and Unique Entity ID; registration can take several weeks.
  3. Register on Grants.gov and submit through Workspace before the deadline and time given in the notice. Our application guide walks through each step.

Questions go to U.S. National Science Foundation, grantsgovsupport@nsf.gov, 703-292-4203.

Open the official notice

Questions people ask

Who can apply for Developmental Sciences (DS)?

U.S. National Science Foundation accepts applications from the applicants described in the notice. The notice adds further conditions, so read its eligibility section.

What is the deadline for Developmental Sciences (DS)?

Closes February 1, 2027 (93 days left). Confirm the date and time in the official notice on Grants.gov.

How much funding is available?

About $6.5 million in total.

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