NSF program announcement with limited submissions listed for SRN

Sustainability Research Networks Competition (SRN)
Program Solicitation# 11-574
www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=503645&WT.mc_id=USNSF_39&WT.mc_ev=click

The National Science Foundation has issued the following program announcement for Sustainability Research Networks Competition.
Sustainability Research Networks will engage and explore fundamental theoretical issues and empirical questions in sustainability science, engineering, and education that will increase our understanding of the ultimate sustainability challenge – maintaining and improving the quality of life for the nation within a healthy Earth system. The goal of the Sustainability Research Networks (SRN) competition is to support the development and coalescence of entities to advance collaborative research that addresses questions and challenges in sustainability science, engineering, and education. SRNs will link scientists, engineers, and educators, at existing institutions, centers, networks, and also develop new research efforts and collaborations.
As a result of the limited number of proposals that can be submitted, UND will conduct an internal review of preproposals. Preproposals should consist of the following sections:

• Cover page listing the project name, collaborators, contact person, total budget amount
• Instrument(s) to be purchased or developed and its (their) function(s)
• Impact on the research program of the collaborators, department(s), and college(s)
• Impact on the university’s mission as a whole
• Detailed budget

Preproposals should be no more than three pages in length using a reasonable format (one inch margins, font size 11, single-spaced). Preproposals are due in Research Development and Compliance (RD&C) by 4:30 p.m. Monday, Nov. 21. Criteria used for reviewing preproposals will include appropriateness to the goal of the program; probability for funding by NSF; reasonableness of budgetary requests; and impact of the request on the university and the academic units involved. Investigators will be notified of the review results as soon as possible in order to provide as much time as possible to prepare a final proposal for submission.

— Barry Milavetz, associate vice president for Research, 777-4278, barry.milavetz@email.und.edu.