Informal Science Education (ISE)

Program Solicitation
NSF 06-520
Replaces Document NSF 05-544

[NSF Logo]   National Science Foundation
             Directorate for Education and Human Resources
                   Division of Elementary, Secondary and Informal Education



Preliminary Proposal Due Date(s) (required):

     March 21, 2006

          for Project Grants

     September 14, 2006

          for Project Grants

     Second Thursday in March

          thereafter

     Second Thursday in September

          thereafter

Full Proposal Deadline(s) (due by 5 p.m. submitter's local time):

     June 22, 2006

          for Project Grants

     December 14, 2006

          for Project Grants

     Third Thursday in June

          thereafter

     Second Thursday in December

          thereafter

Planning Grants: Proposals must be submitted on the same deadline dates as
those indicated above for Preliminary Proposals, following discussion with
a Program Officer.

Conference, Symposia, and Workshop Grants: Proposals may be submitted at
any time, generally at least one year in advance, following discussion with
a Program Officer. These types of projects do not require Preliminary
Proposals.

Grant Supplements for existing ISE Awards: Requests must be submitted at
least two months prior to the need for additional funds, following
discussion with the Cognizant Program Officer.

REVISIONS AND UPDATES

In furtherance of the President's Management Agenda, in Fiscal Year 2006,
NSF has identified programs that will offer proposers the option to utilize
Grants.gov to prepare and submit proposals, or will require that proposers
utilize Grants.gov to prepare and submit proposals. Grants.gov provides a
single Government-wide portal for finding and applying for Federal grants
online. A complete listing of these programs is available on the Policy
Office website at: http://www.nsf.gov/bfa/dias/policy.

In response to this program Solicitation, proposers may opt to submit
proposals via Grants.gov or via the NSF FastLane system. In determining
which method to utilize in the electronic preparation and submission of the
proposal, please note the following:

     A. Collaborative Proposals. All collaborative proposals must be
     submitted via the NSF FastLane system. This includes
     collaborative proposals submitted:

        * by one organization (and which include one or more
          subawards); or

        * as separate submissions from multiple organizations.

     Proposers are advised that collaborative proposals submitted in
     response to this Program Solicitation via Grants.gov will be
     requested to be withdrawn and proposers will need to resubmit
     these proposals via FastLane. (Chapter II, Section D.3 of the
     Grant Proposal Guide provides additional information on
     collaborative proposals.)

     B. All Other Types of Proposals That Contain Subawards. All other
     types of proposals that contain one or more subawards also must
     be submitted via the NSF FastLane system.

The following item is a major revision to the previous program
Solicitation:

As a special emphasis for serving professional audiences, this Solicitation
includes a request for proposals for establishing an Informal Science
Education Resource Center; see Section II.A.3.

SUMMARY OF PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS

General Information

Program Title:

     Informal Science Education (ISE)

Synopsis of Program:

     The ISE program invests in projects that develop and implement
     informal learning experiences designed to increase interest,
     engagement, and understanding of science, technology,
     engineering, and mathematics (STEM) by individuals of all ages
     and backgrounds, as well as projects that advance knowledge and
     practice of informal science education. Projects may target
     either public audiences or professionals whose work directly
     affects informal STEM learning. ISE projects are expected to
     demonstrate strategic impact, innovation, and collaboration.

Cognizant Program Officer(s):

   * Alphonse T. Desena, Program Director [exhibit projects], Directorate
     for Education & Human Resources, Division of Elementary, Secondary, &
     Informal Education, 885 S, telephone: (703) 292-5106, fax: (703)
     292-9044, email: adesena@nsf.gov

   * Arlene M. de Strulle, Program Director [technology projects],
     Directorate for Education & Human Resources, Division of Elementary,
     Secondary, & Informal Education, 885 S, telephone: (703) 292-5117,
     fax: (703) 292-9044, email: adestrul@nsf.gov

   * Sylvia M. James, Program Director [youth & community programs],
     Directorate for Education & Human Resources, Division of Elementary,
     Secondary, & Informal Education, 885 S, telephone: (703) 292-5333,
     fax: (703) 292-9044, email: sjames@nsf.gov

   * Valentine H. Kass, Program Director [media projects], Directorate for
     Education & Human Resources, Division of Elementary, Secondary, &
     Informal Education, 885 S, telephone: (703) 292-5095, fax: (703)
     292-9044, email: vkass@nsf.gov

   * Mary Ann Steiner, Program Director [youth & community programs],
     Directorate for Education & Human Resources, Division of Elementary,
     Secondary, & Informal Education, 885 S, telephone: (703) 292-5128,
     fax: (703) 292-9044, email: msteiner@nsf.gov

   * David A. Ucko, Section Head, Informal Science Education, Directorate
     for Education & Human Resources, Division of Elementary, Secondary, &
     Informal Education, 885 S, telephone: (703) 292-5126, fax: (703)
     292-9044, email: ducko@nsf.gov

   * Sandra H. Welch, Program Director [media projects], Directorate for
     Education & Human Resources, Division of Elementary, Secondary, &
     Informal Education, 885 S, telephone: (703) 292-5094, email:
     swelch@nsf.gov

Applicable Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number(s):

   * 47.076 --- Education and Human Resources

Eligibility Information

   * Organization Limit:

     Only U.S. organizations located in the U.S. are eligible to apply; see
     Grant Proposal Guide for further information.

   * PI Eligibility Limit:

     An individual may be included as a Principal Investigator (PI) in no
     more than the following numbers of proposals under ISE consideration
     at the same time: one Full Proposal for a Project Grant; one
     Preliminary Proposal for the next round of Project Grants; one
     Planning Grant proposal; and one Conference, Symposia, and Workshop
     Grant Proposal. However, a PI in one proposal may be a Co-Principal
     Investigator or project team member on other proposals submitted to
     this Solicitation.

   * Limit on Number of Proposals: See Section III, Eligibility
     Information, for specific limitations.

Award Information

   * Anticipated Type of Award: Standard or Continuing Grant or Cooperative
     Agreement
   * Estimated Number of Awards: 50
   * Anticipated Funding Amount: $25,000,000 in FY 2006, pending
     availability of funds; see Section IV.

Proposal Preparation and Submission Instructions

A. Proposal Preparation Instructions

   * Preliminary Proposals: Submission of Preliminary Proposals is
     required. Please see the full text of this solicitation for further
     information.

   * Full proposals submitted via FastLane:

        * Grant Proposal Guide (GPG) Guidelines apply.

   * Full proposals submitted via Grants.gov:

        * NSF Grants.gov Application Guide: A Guide for the Preparation and
          Submission of NSF Applications via Grants.gov Guidelines apply
          (Note: The NSF Grants.gov Application Guide is available on the
          Grants.gov website and on the NSF website at:
          http://www.nsf.gov/bfa/dias/policy/docs/grantsgovguide.pdf) To
          obtain copies of the Application Guide and Application Forms
          Package: click on the Apply tab on the Grants.gov website, then
          click on the Apply Step 1: Download a Grant Application Package
          and Application Instructions link and enter the funding
          opportunity number, (the program solicitation number without the
          NSF prefix) and press the Download Package button.

B. Budgetary Information

   * Cost Sharing Requirements: Cost Sharing is not required by NSF.
   * Indirect Cost (F&A) Limitations: Not Applicable.
   * Other Budgetary Limitations: Other budgetary limitations apply. Please
     see the full text of this solicitation for further information.

C. Due Dates

   * Preliminary Proposals (required) :
          March 21, 2006
               for Project Grants
          September 14, 2006
               for Project Grants
          Second Thursday in March
               thereafter
          Second Thursday in September
               thereafter
   * Full Proposal Deadline Date(s) (due by 5 p.m. submitter's local time):
          June 22, 2006
               for Project Grants
          December 14, 2006
               for Project Grants
          Third Thursday in June
               thereafter
          Second Thursday in December
               thereafter

Proposal Review Information

   * Merit Review Criteria: National Science Board approved criteria.
     Additional merit review considerations apply. Please see the full text
     of this solicitation for further information.

Award Administration Information

   * Award Conditions: Standard NSF award conditions apply.
   * Reporting Requirements: Additional reporting requirements apply.
     Please see the full text of this solicitation for further information.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

     Summary of Program Requirements

  I. Introduction

 II. Program Description

III. Eligibility Information

 IV. Award Information

  V. Proposal Preparation and Submission Instructions
       A. Proposal Preparation Instructions
       B. Budgetary Information
       C. Due Dates
       D. FastLane/Grants.gov Requirements

 VI. Proposal Review Information
       A. NSF Proposal Review Process
       B. Review Protocol and Associated Customer Service Standard

VII. Award Administration Information
       A. Notification of the Award
       B. Award Conditions
       C. Reporting Requirements

VIII.Contacts for Additional Information

 IX. Other Programs of Interest

I. INTRODUCTION

Informal learning happens throughout people's lives in a highly
personalized manner based on their particular needs, interests, and past
experiences. This type of multi-faceted learning is voluntary,
self-directed, and often mediated within a social context (Falk, 2001,
Dierking et al., 2004); it provides an experiential base and motivation for
further activity and subsequent learning. The ISE program invests in the
development of experiences that encourage informal learning in science,
technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). It promotes public
engagement with and understanding of STEM through such means as
exhibitions, media projects, and educational programs. ISE projects reach
audiences of all ages and backgrounds across the nation in museums,
theaters, community centers, and many other settings, including outdoor
environments and their homes.

The Informal Science Education (ISE) program supports activities at the
frontiers of informal science learning that further the state-of-the-art
through a cycle of knowledge accumulation and improvement of practice (Rand
Mathematics Study Panel, 2003). In this cycle, effective practice, whether
implemented through an exhibition, program, or other means, is based to the
greatest extent possible on prior related work and current research in
learning. Evaluation of practice leads to findings that provide insights
and questions for research. Subsequent research generates new knowledge
that in turn will inform the development of improved informal learning
experiences. By funding projects along this cycle, the ISE program can
strengthen connections between research and practice and thereby enhance
the capacity of the field to educate the public in informal settings.

The ISE program invests in projects that directly target public audiences
for self-directed STEM learning through such means as permanent and
traveling exhibitions; films; television and radio series; web-based
projects; citizen science programs; and youth and community programs. In
addition, the program supports projects that target ISE professionals to
further knowledge and the implementation of practice, such as through
research studies, conferences, formation of networks, and professional
development; these projects should strengthen the infrastructure for
informal science learning by the public. (Note that this program does not
fund operational or capital expenses, vehicles, major or office equipment,
tuition, school field trips, camps, science fairs or other competitions, or
projects whose primary focus is health or medicine.) Although ISE
encourages projects to support formal education, the primary audience must
be informal; see Section IX for other programs within the Division of
Elementary, Secondary, and Informal Education that invest in projects
specifically targeting K-12 education.

To achieve the greatest return on its investments, the ISE program
encourages projects that will "raise the bar" in the field of informal
science education. It seeks to invest in projects that advance the leading
edge of the field and address its most critical challenges. Thus, in making
funding decisions, the program will place particular emphasis on the
ability of projects to demonstrate the characteristics of strategic impact,
innovation, and collaboration.

  a. Strategic Impact: Further knowledge or practice of informal science
     education through new or more effective approaches, strategies,
     findings, or models. Strategic impact refers to how the project
     advances the ISE field overall by addressing key needs, challenges,
     and opportunities. It does not refer to project impact on audiences or
     communities. By identifying and influencing a leverage point for
     moving the field forward in a meaningful way, a project can extend
     impact beyond the lifetime of the grant or the project deliverables.
     Note that strategic impact can be achieved by organizations regardless
     of their size or the population of the communities that they serve.

     The following are examples of ways in which projects might
     achieve strategic impact by creatively addressing issues critical
     for the field, as well as potentially demonstrating innovation
     and collaboration. (This list is intended to be illustrative; it
     is not in a priority order, nor are proposed projects limited to
     these areas.)

        * Sustaining informal learning experiences and encouraging
          subsequent learning that go beyond one-time or a limited set
          of activities.
        * Creating programs that help museums and other informal
          learning organizations become truly engaged with and
          integral to their diverse communities.
        * Forming new types of collaborations that build capacity by
          integrating resources and expertise among informal learning
          organizations and across different modes of informal
          learning.
        * Exploring more effective strategies for engaging underserved
          audiences in culturally-responsive ways that broaden
          participation by significantly increasing the numbers
          impacted by informal science learning.
        * Developing new formats and innovative approaches to existing
          ones, such as exhibitions and media; developing innovative
          informal educational applications that take advantage of
          unique capabilities of the Internet.
        * Creating new models by which informal learning organizations
          can take advantage of university-based research expertise in
          STEM areas and learning, while helping researchers achieve
          broader impacts.
        * Proposing improved models and new research areas based on
          empirical evidence that contribute to the understanding of
          informal STEM learning.
        * Designing applied research projects that address key issues
          for practitioners, such as which practices are most
          effective in designing and implementing experiences that
          promote STEM learning.
        * Implementing evaluation projects that assess what measures
          best capture the impacts offered by different forms of
          informal learning experiences.
        * Enhancing learning through the social interaction that
          naturally occurs as part of the context of most informal
          learning experiences.
        * Harnessing the rapidly growing population of older adults
          many of whom will be seeking opportunities for informal
          learning and for community engagement.
        * Reaching very young children in ways that build upon
          increased knowledge of brain development and early childhood
          education.
        * Promoting the development of the next generation of diverse
          leadership for the informal science education field.
        * Finding more effective ways to disseminate knowledge of the
          state-of-the-art as a base from which the field can build.

  b. Innovation: "Push the envelope" through creative means to further
     informal science education. In a manner similar to NSF programs that
     fund the frontiers of STEM research, ISE seeks to fund projects at the
     frontiers of informal science education that will advance the
     state-of-the-art. To demonstrate innovation, PIs must show a thorough
     understanding of current practice and knowledge in areas related to
     the project and then indicate how what is proposed builds on and
     extends that prior work.

     Innovation applied to critical ISE issues, as in the examples
     previously mentioned, provides a means by which projects can
     achieve strategic impact. Projects also can demonstrate
     innovation in many other ways, including new types or
     combinations of deliverables, improvements in the deliverables,
     or their deployment in a different manner. The project as a whole
     may be innovative, or it may be innovative in aspects related to
     achieving the intended impacts, such as the process by which its
     products are developed. Since innovation often carries risk, the
     PI must be able to demonstrate an understanding of possible risks
     entailed and how they will be managed.

  c. Collaboration: Leverage the resources of partners to achieve more
     significant outcomes than would otherwise be possible. Organizations
     should seek to extend project impacts by taking advantage of the
     synergies generated by the competencies and resources of carefully
     chosen partners.

     Partnerships and alliances can be challenging to implement and
     sustain, but they often make it possible to achieve much greater
     project impact. Organizational partners can bring complementary
     resources and expertise that significantly expand the capacity of
     the project team, as well as provide access to new or
     nontraditional audiences. Thus collaboration can enhance the
     diversity of a project in terms of its geographic reach, target
     audiences, and other key attributes. It can play another valuable
     role by building capacity within participating organizations,
     especially those that have more limited resources. Partners
     should be selected strategically based on their ability to attain
     and extend intended project outcomes. PIs must demonstrate an
     understanding of the challenges of collaboration and propose
     means for addressing them. Collaborators should be involved in
     the development of the proposed project and preparation of the
     proposal.

     By funding projects that demonstrate strategic impact,
     innovation, and collaboration, the ISE program invests its
     resources in activities that most effectively further the
     engagement and understanding of STEM by all Americans, as well as
     the institutions and organizations that serve them. This focus
     supports the broader mission of the Elementary, Secondary, and
     Informal Education (ESIE) Division and the Education and Human
     Resources (EHR) Directorate to achieve excellence in U.S. science
     and engineering education at all levels and in all settings, and
     to ensure the development of a diverse and well-prepared
     workforce of scientists, engineers, mathematicians, technicians,
     and educators--and a well-informed citizenry. It is especially
     important at a time when science and technology play accelerating
     roles in our everyday lives, in an increasingly competitive
     global marketplace, and in guiding local and national policy.

References and Resources

Austin, J. E. (2000). The Collaboration Challenge. Jossey-Bass.

Bohan-Baker, M. (ed.) (2003). Evaluating Community-based Initiatives. The
Evaluation Exchange, 9(3). Harvard Family Research Project.

Bransford, J. D., Brown, A. L., and Cocking, R. R. (eds.) (2000). How
People Learn: Brain, Mind, Experience, and School. National Research
Council, National Academy Press.

Chittenden, D., Farmelo, G. & Lewenstein, B. V (eds.) (2004). Creating
Connections: Museums and the Public Understanding of Current Research.
AltaMira Press.

Dierking, L., Ellenbogen, K. M., & Falk, J. H. (eds.). (2004). In
Principle, In Practice: Perspectives on a Decade of Museum Learning
Research (1994-2004). Science Education 88: S1-S96.

Falk, J. H. (2001). Free-Choice Science Education: How We Learn Science
Outside of School. Teachers College Press.

Falk, J. H. & Dierking, L. D. (2000). Learning from Museums: Visitor
Experiences and the Making of Meaning. AltaMira Press.

Flagg, B. (2005). Beyond Entertainment: Educational Impact of Films and
Companion Materials. The Big Frame, Spring.

Frechtling, J. (2002). The 2002 User Friendly Handbook for Project
Evaluation. National Science Foundation (NSF 02-057).

Jolly, E. J., Campbell, P. B., & Perlman, L. (2004). Engagement, Capacity
and Continuity: A Trilogy for Student Success. GE Foundation.

Kelley, T. (2001). The Art of Innovation: Lessons in Creativity from IDEO.
Currency.

Kirshner, B., O'Donoghue, J. L. & McLaughlin, M. W. (2003). Youth
Participation: Improving Institutions and Communities. New Directions for
Youth Development, No. 96. Jossey Bass.

Laurel, B. (2003). Design Research: Methods and Perspectives. MIT Press.

Leinhardt, G. and Knutson, K. (2004). Listening in On Museum Conversations.
AltaMira Press.

Mattessich, P., Murray-Close, M., and Monsey, B. (2001). Collaboration:
What Makes It Work, 2nd ed. Wilder Research Center.

McLean, K. and McEver, C., eds. (2004). Are We There Yet: Conversations
about Best Practices in Science Exhibition Development. Exploratorium.

National Institute for Out-of-School Time (2004). Making the Case: A Fact
Sheet on Children and Youth in Out-of-School Time. Center for Research on
Women.

Rand Mathematics Study Panel (2003). Mathematical Proficiency for All
Students: Toward a Strategic Research and Development Program in
Mathematics Education. Rand Science & Technology Policy Institute.

Shavelson, R. J. and Towne, L. (eds.) (2002). Scientific Research in
Education. National Research Council, National Academy Press.

Wartella, E. A., Lee, J. H., & Caplovitz, A. G. (2002). Children and
Interactive Media--Research Compendium Update. Markle Foundation.

II. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

  A. ISE Project Grants

     Project Grants (Full Proposals) are the primary means in which
     the ISE program invests in projects that develop and implement
     informal learning experiences for the general public. These
     projects have as their primary audience informal learners, from
     young children to senior citizens. The program also supports
     projects that enhance the infrastructure of informal science
     education. Therefore, the ISE program targets both public and
     professional audiences, as follows.

       1. Public Audiences: For self-directed learning in informal
          settings.

          Projects should seek national, significant regional, or
          community-wide reach, depending on the methods used.
          They should create and sustain audience engagement
          through effective ISE techniques. Proposed projects
          should be grounded in both research and practice,
          building on the prior work, experience, and findings of
          others.

          Proposals in this category must meet the following
          requirements:

          Audience: The primary target audience must be informal
          learners, which may include families; children and
          youth; and adults. In contrast with formal learning,
          informal learning refers to those activities that are
          not primarily for school use, home schooling, part of
          an ongoing school curriculum, or require mandatory
          participation. Thus, students and teachers are
          considered secondary audiences for the ISE program;
          however, projects are strongly encouraged to support
          formal education by creating linkages to national and
          state standards and other means. Impacting underserved
          and nontraditional audiences is a vital program goal.

          Method: The proposed activities must be based on
          voluntary, self-directed learning by the primary target
          audience. Project deliverables include, but are not
          limited to, exhibitions, media of all types, and
          educational programs. Summer or holiday camps, school
          field trips, science fairs, and competitions are not
          supported through this program. ISE also does not fund
          development of a print publication or a curriculum as
          the primary public deliverable.

          Location: Project activities may be carried out in any
          location that reaches the intended target audience
          outside of formal education settings, such as in a
          museum (e.g., science-technology center, natural
          history museum, zoo, aquarium, planetarium, arboretum
          or botanical garden, history or art museum); community
          center; library; theater, the home or outdoors. PIs
          should consider reaching audiences at venues and web
          sites already frequented by the target audiences, in
          addition to projects intended to attract audiences.

          Content: The content of proposed projects must be based
          on one or more of the STEM research fields supported by
          NSF. They include: astronomy, atmospheric science,
          biological sciences, behavioral sciences, chemistry,
          computer science, earth sciences, engineering and
          technology, information sciences, materials research,
          mathematical sciences, oceanography, physics, and
          social sciences. ISE does not fund projects whose
          primary focus is health or medical education.

       2. Professional Audiences: For enhancement of informal STEM
          learning, knowledge, infrastructure, or systems.

          ISE seeks innovative projects that address issues
          central to improving understanding of the principles
          and implementation of the practice of informal science
          education. Projects that target professionals might
          involve research and development in informal science
          learning; formation of collaboratives, consortia, or
          networks that bring institutions together; field-wide
          professional development; or other strategies for
          strengthening the infrastructure for informal STEM
          learning. While seeking to advance the field, the
          program also is interested in increasing
          professionalization of informal science education
          staff, institutions, and practices. Courses, with or
          without credit, are not funded.

          Proposals in this category must meet the following
          requirements:

          Organization or Institution: Projects may impact
          organizations or institutions; e.g., national or
          regional associations; museums (science-technology
          center, natural history museum, zoo, aquarium,
          planetarium, arboretum or botanical garden); community
          organizations; television and radio stations or
          networks, or others that directly affect informal STEM
          learning.

          Audience: Targeted individuals may include: staff,
          managers, board members, researchers, evaluators,
          funders, media producers or disseminators, exhibit
          designers, or other professionals whose work directly
          impacts informal science education.

       3. Informal Science Education Resource Center: For supporting
          the field, Principal Investigators, and the ISE program.

          As a special emphasis for professional audiences under
          this Solicitation, ISE seeks proposals that will result
          in a single award (as a cooperative agreement) for the
          development and implementation of an Informal Science
          Education Resource Center (ISERC). The ISERC should
          consider as its scope the broad domain of informal
          science education, including all forms of informal STEM
          learning activities and organizations.

          Audience: The ISERC should serve the following primary
          audiences; activities need not be limited to those
          described.

             * Informal Science Education Field. The ISERC should
               build capacity across the field and support
               continued professionalization. It should foster a
               community of practice that bridges the many varied
               forms in which informal STEM learning experiences
               are developed and delivered for informal audiences
               of all ages, as well as further knowledge transfer
               between research and practice. Activities serving
               the field should include: clearinghouse on
               ISE-funded awards to enable others to learn from
               and build upon this body of prior work;
               identification and dissemination of promising
               practices and findings based on project
               evaluations; and leadership development, with
               emphasis on increasing the diversity of the field.
               As a secondary emphasis, the ISERC should seek to
               share relevant informal learning knowledge and
               practices with formal educators and university
               researchers.
             * ISE Principal Investigators. The ISERC should
               serve both existing PIs and prospective PIs. It
               should help create a network among ISE awardees
               through PI meetings, communications, and other
               methods that encourage sharing of deliverables,
               practices, and findings across projects. It should
               encourage new PIs, particularly from
               underrepresented regions and groups, through
               orientation to the ISE program by web conferences,
               proposal development workshops, and other means.
             * ISE Program. The ISERC should assist the ISE
               program in gathering and assessing evidence of
               impact across the portfolio, as well as analyzing
               the awards portfolio. (In this regard, it will
               have access to an ISE database being developed
               from project baseline, annual, and final reports.)
               It also will assist in identifying reviewers,
               gathering "nuggets" for internal use, and
               communicating information externally about the ISE
               program.

          Lead Organization: The lead organization must be able
          to demonstrate significant experience in managing or
          providing services similar to those proposed.

          Collaboration: The ISERC is intended to be synergistic
          with existing activities of professional associations
          and other resources offered through organizations and
          institutions engaged in informal science education.

          Evaluation: Proposals must include assessment of the
          impacts of the ISERC by an external evaluator.

  B. Other Types of ISE Grant Proposals

     ISE also may make a limited number of awards in the following
     special grant categories.

       1. Planning Grants

          Planning grants are intended for the exploratory phase
          of highly innovative projects or aspects of complex ISE
          projects that require resources beyond those usually
          needed for proposal development. Proposers are strongly
          encouraged to talk with an ISE Program Officer before
          submitting a planning proposal.

          Proposers should be sufficiently advanced in their
          project conceptualization to be able to present a
          developed outline, including the suggested approach of
          the final project and a clear description of the
          planning activity's outcomes and methods. Planning
          grants can be used for any type of informal science
          education activity such as an exhibition, museum
          activity, media project, community program, or
          web-based project that would be appropriate for ISE
          funding based on this Solicitation. Examples include
          demonstration of the proof of concept or a focused
          planning effort for a large national or regional
          collaboration.

          Awards may provide up to $75,000 total for up to two
          years. The award of a planning grant does not in any
          way obligate NSF or ISE to fund in whole or in part the
          final project; submission of a project grant proposal
          for implementation is independent of the planning
          grant.

          Format: See Proposal Preparation and Submission
          Instructions (V.A.) for specific information.

       2. Conference, Symposia, and Workshop Grants

          Conferences, symposia, and workshops provide a specific
          format for certain projects targeting professionals.
          Conferences are one way that ISE can provide support to
          build capacity in the field of informal science
          learning. These special grants are intended to assemble
          experts for purposes of discussing issues of relevance
          to the informal learning community; the primary target
          audiences must be ISE professionals, not the general
          public or professionals primarily from other fields.
          For example, conferences may be based on promoting new
          partnerships and collaborations, or exploring findings
          and effective practices in such areas as informal
          learning research and evaluation. Outcomes from these
          awards are expected to extend beyond publication of the
          proceedings or a report. Proposers are strongly
          encouraged to seek guidance from an ISE Program Officer
          before submitting a conference proposal.

          Requests generally should be made at least one year in
          advance of the scheduled date to allow sufficient time
          for proposal processing and for arrangements should the
          proposal be funded. Conferences or meetings and the
          facilities in which they are held must be accessible to
          participants with disabilities. The range of these
          awards is between $50,000 to $250,000. The budget may
          include publication costs; dissemination must be a
          major project component.

          Format: Proposals should be submitted using the
          guidelines for full proposals; see Proposal Preparation
          and Submission Instructions (V.A.) for specific
          information. Proposals must identify the intended
          audience of ISE professionals; how participants will be
          invited or selected; tentative agenda and speakers;
          promotion and marketing plan; post-conference
          deliverables; and dissemination. For further
          information, also see Grant Proposal Guide (GPG),
          Chapter II, Section D.7.

       3. Grant Supplements

          For existing ISE awards, ISE will consider requests for
          small amounts of supplemental funding to ensure
          completion of the original scope of work based on
          changes in conditions after the award was made or to
          take advantage of opportunities to extend further the
          project impact. Supplemental funding will not be
          approved for such purposes as defraying costs
          associated with increases in salaries or additional
          indirect cost reimbursement (see GPG Chapter V, Section
          B.4). For standard and continuing awards, ISE
          supplements are limited to $200,000 or 20% of the total
          award amount, whichever is less; only one supplement
          will be considered per ISE award. (These limitations do
          not apply to cooperative agreements.) For their
          Supplement requests to be considered, PIs must be
          up-to-date in the submission of Annual Reports.
          Awardees are strongly encouraged to discuss the need
          with the Cognizant Program Officer prior to submission.

          Format: Requests for supplemental funding must include
          an update of the progress of the original grant
          including data to support progress, description of the
          proposed work (including rationale, audience, design,
          evaluation), a budget for the requested funds, and a
          narrative justification of expenses. Proposals are
          submitted using the Supplemental Funding Request
          function in FastLane.

          Note

          Except under exceptional circumstances that justify
          consideration of a proposal outside the normal process,
          ISE does not encourage submission of Small Grants for
          Exploratory Research (SGER) proposals or unsolicited
          proposals. PIs are strongly encouraged to discuss their
          projects with Program Officers before considering
          preparation of proposals in these categories.

     -----------------------------------------------------------------

     For Further Information

     www.informalscience.org: Resource for research and techniques
     related to informal science learning.

     www.nsf.gov: Information regarding both the NSF Education and
     Human Resources (EHR) Directorate and the Division of Elementary,
     Secondary and Informal Education (ESIE).

III. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

Organization Limit: Only U.S. organizations located in the U.S. are
eligible to apply; see Grant Proposal Guide.

PI Eligibility Limit: An individual may be included as a Principal
Investigator (PI) in no more than the following numbers of proposals under
ISE consideration at the same time, as follows: one Full Proposal for a
Project Grant; one Preliminary Proposal for the next round of Project
Grants; one Planning Grant proposal; and one Conference, Symposia, and
Workshop Grant Proposal. However, a PI in one proposal may be a
Co-Principal Investigator or project team member on other proposals
submitted to this Solicitation.

Limit on Number of Proposals: An institution or organization may serve as
lead in no more than the following numbers of proposals under ISE
consideration at the same time: three Preliminary Proposals and three Full
Proposals for Project Grants; three proposals in total for Planning Grants
and/or Conference, Symposia, and Workshop Grants. A proposal that is
substantially similar to another proposal from the same institution or
organization that is under consideration by ISE or other NSF program will
be returned without review.

IV. AWARD INFORMATION

The ISE program expects to make approximately 50 awards as Project Grants,
Planning Grants, Conference, Symposia, and Workshop Grants, and Grant
Supplements based on anticipated funding of $25 million in FY 2006 for new
awards. They will be made as Standard or Continuing Grants, with the
exception of the Informal Science Education Resource Center award, which
will be made as a Cooperative Agreement and may be renewed for an
additional five years, subject to external merit review and availability of
funds. The anticipated date for funding decisions is approximately seven
months from submission.

Duration and Funding Level

ISE Project Grants: Project duration may be from one to five years. The
level of funding depends on the nature and scope of the project. Awards may
range from $100,000 to a maximum of $3 million for up to five years, with
the exception of the Informal Science Education Resource Center, which may
be funded to a maximum of $5 million over five years.

Planning Grants. Project duration is to be no more than two years. The
maximum award is $75,000.

Conference, Symposia, and Workshop Grants. Project duration is expected to
be no more than two years. The range for these awards is approximately
$50,000 to $250,000.

Grant Supplements. The maximum award is $200,000 or 20% of the total amount
of the original award, whichever is less. (This limitation does not apply
to cooperative agreements.)

V. PROPOSAL PREPARATION AND SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS

A. Proposal Preparation Instructions

Preliminary Proposals (required):

Preliminary proposals may only be submitted via FastLane, even if full
proposals may be submitted via FastLane or Grants.gov.

Proposals submitted in response to this Solicitation should be prepared and
submitted in accordance with the general guidelines contained in the NSF
Grant Proposal Guide (GPG). The complete text of the GPG is available
electronically on the NSF Website at:
http://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=gpg. Paper copies of
the GPG may be obtained from the NSF Publications Clearinghouse, telephone
(703) 292-7827 or by e-mail from pubs@nsf.gov.

A Preliminary Proposal (or Preproposal) is required in order to submit a
full proposal for a Project Grant (but not proposals for Planning Grants;
Conference, Symposia, and Workshop Grants; or Grant Supplements).
Preliminary Proposals provide an opportunity to assess the responsiveness
of the project to the ISE guidelines and the potential to compete
successfully in the merit review process.

Preliminary Proposals must be submitted in FastLane no later than 5:00 p.m.
local time on the due date immediately prior to the Full Proposal
submission date. They are required in all cases, including resubmission of
a proposal that has been previously declined. In the case of a
resubmission, the proposal must be substantially revised. A new Preliminary
Proposal is required for each round of competition.

The response to a Preliminary Proposal is either to encourage or discourage
submission of a full proposal for a Project Grant based on assessment by
reviewers of the likelihood that a proposal based on the concept presented
will be competitive. This assessment is advisory, and Full Proposals may be
submitted in either event. Written reviews provide feedback to PIs to
strengthen their proposals.

The following instructions apply to preliminary proposals submitted to this
Program:

Submission of a Preliminary Proposal requires completion of the following
forms in FastLane. No additional NSF forms are required.

  1. COVER SHEET. Be sure to include the program solicitation number and to
     check the Preliminary Proposal (or Preproposal) box.

  2. PROJECT SUMMARY. The Summary is a critical proposal element that must
     make the essence of the project clear to the reviewer. It must
     succinctly identify the project's Intellectual Merit and Broader
     Impacts in separate sections under these two headings and include the
     following information:

          Intellectual Merit

             * Deliverables: brief description
             * Project Design: rationale for selecting
               deliverables and how they build on prior work
             * Project Team: key participants and roles
             * Partnerships: collaborating organizations and
               roles

          Broader Impacts

             * Audience (Public or Professional): identification
               of target audience and intended impacts
             * Impact Evaluation: how project success will be
               determined
             * Strategic Impact: how the project will advance the
               field of informal science education

     If Intellectual Merit and Broader Impacts are not explicitly
     identified, the proposal will be returned without review. The
     Project Summary is limited to one single-spaced page.

  3. PROJECT DESCRIPTION. The narrative is a condensed version of the
     Project Description for a Full Proposal that is limited in length to
     six single-spaced pages. It must identify the essential features of
     the project in terms of Impact, Innovation, and Collaboration as
     described in the Project Description for a Full Proposal.

       a. Impact. Summarize the public or professional target audience;
          intended public or professional impact; means for evaluating
          impact, including the external evaluator; and intended strategic
          impact.

       b. Innovation. Briefly describe the primary project deliverables;
          how they will achieve the intended impacts; their primary STEM
          content; the project plan; and how it builds on research and
          prior work.

       c. Collaboration. Identify the senior staff; advisory committee
          members; consultants; contractors; and primary organizational
          partners, describing how they will achieve impacts through
          collaboration not otherwise possible.

  4. BUDGET (including Justification). The support requested from NSF
     should be entered in the budget forms generated in FastLane. It is not
     necessary to enter the budget for each year; an overall budget for the
     project is sufficient. In the event that the project requires funding
     from sources in addition to NSF, the budget justification must
     identify the total project budget.

  5. SUPPLEMENTARY DOCUMENTS. Additional documents will NOT be accepted for
     Preliminary Proposals without written Program Officer approval.

     Other Fastlane forms (i.e., References, Biographical Sketches,
     Current and Pending Support) should NOT be submitted.

Full Proposal Instructions:

Proposers may opt to submit proposals in response to this Program
Solicitation via Grants.gov or via the NSF FastLane system.

   * Full proposals submitted via FastLane:

     Proposals submitted in response to this program
     announcement/solicitation should be prepared and submitted in
     accordance with the general guidelines contained in the NSF Grant
     Proposal Guide (GPG). The complete text of the GPG is available
     electronically on the NSF Website at:
     http://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=gpg. Paper
     copies of the GPG may be obtained from the NSF Publications
     Clearinghouse, telephone (703) 292-7827 or by e-mail from
     pubs@nsf.gov. Proposers are reminded to identify this program
     announcement/solicitation number in the program
     announcement/solicitation block on the NSF Cover Sheet For
     Proposal to the National Science Foundation. Compliance with this
     requirement is critical to determining the relevant proposal
     processing guidelines. Failure to submit this information may
     delay processing.

   * Full proposals submitted via Grants.gov:

     Proposals submitted in response to this program solicitation via
     Grants.gov should be prepared and submitted in accordance with
     the NSF Grants.gov Application Guide: A Guide for the Preparation
     and Submission of NSF Applications via Grants.gov. The complete
     text of the NSF Grants.gov Application Guide is available on the
     Grants.gov website and on the NSF website at:
     (http://www.nsf.gov/bfa/dias/policy/docs/grantsgovguide.pdf). To
     obtain copies of the Application Guide and Application Forms
     Package, click on the Apply tab on the Grants.gov site, then
     click on the Apply Step 1: Download a Grant Application Package
     and Application Instructions link and enter the funding
     opportunity number, (the program solicitation number without the
     NSF prefix) and press the Download Package button. Paper copies
     of the Grants.gov Application Guide also may be obtained from the
     NSF Publications Clearinghouse, telephone (703) 292-7827 or by
     e-mail from pubs@nsf.gov.

In determining which method to utilize in the electronic preparation and
submission of the full proposal, please note the following:

     A. Collaborative Proposals. All collaborative proposals must be
     submitted via the NSF FastLane system. This includes
     collaborative proposals submitted:

        * by one organization (and which include one or more
          subawards); or

        * as separate submissions from multiple organizations.

     Proposers are advised that collaborative proposals submitted in
     response to this Program Solicitation via Grants.gov will be
     requested to be withdrawn and proposers will need to resubmit
     these proposals via FastLane. (Chapter II, Section D.3 of the
     Grant Proposal Guide provides additional information on
     collaborative proposals.)

     B. All Other Types of Proposals That Contain Subawards. All other
     types of proposals that contain one or more subawards also must
     be submitted via the NSF FastLane system.

The following instructions apply to ISE Project Grant proposals and to
Conference, Symposia, and Workshop Grant proposals. Instructions specific
to Planning Grant proposals are described in the section that follows.

If a proposal is resubmitted after being previously declined, it must be
substantially revised, responding to concerns raised in the written reviews
and Panel Summary. If not, the proposal will be returned without review.
For proposals based on Planning Grants, the Final Report must have been
submitted by the Full Proposal deadline date.

All proposals must include: Cover Sheet, Project Summary, Project
Description (Narrative), References Cited, Biographical Sketches, Budgets
(including Justification), Current and Pending Support, and Supplementary
Documents (if required). Specific requirements for ISE that supplement the
GPG Guidelines and NSF Grants.gov Application Guide are described below.

  1. COVER SHEET

     Proposers are reminded to include the number of this Solicitation
     and the number of the Preliminary Proposal submitted for the
     deadline date immediately preceding the full proposal due date;
     failure to do so will delay processing of the proposal. (Note for
     Grants.gov users: enter Preliminary Proposal number in block 4 of
     SF 424 (R&R).)

  2. PROJECT SUMMARY

     The Summary is a critical proposal element that must make the
     essence of the project clear to the reviewer. It must succinctly
     identify the project's Intellectual Merit and Broader Impacts in
     separate sections under these two headings and include the
     following information:

          Intellectual Merit

             * Deliverables: brief description
             * Project Design: rationale for selecting
               deliverables and how they build on prior work
             * Project Team: key participants and roles
             * Partnerships: collaborating organizations and
               roles

          Broader Impacts

             * Audience (Public or Professional): identification
               of target audience and intended impacts
             * Impact Evaluation: how project success will be
               determined
             * Strategic Impact: how the project will advance the
               field of informal science education

     If Intellectual Merit and Broader Impacts are not explicitly
     identified, the proposal will be returned without review. The
     Project Summary is limited to one single-spaced page.

  3. PROJECT DESCRIPTION (NARRATIVE)

     For consideration by the ISE program, the Project Description or
     Narrative must follow the format described (Impact, Innovation,
     Collaboration) and must explicitly address the questions in this
     Solicitation under these headings. Proposals that do not follow
     these instructions will be returned without review. It is not
     necessary to retype these questions in the narrative, however.
     The Project Description is limited to 15 single-spaced pages in
     length. Although certain Supplementary Documents may be
     necessary, the Project Description is the primary means for
     presenting the project to reviewers and must be able to stand on
     its own.

     ISE strongly encourages PIs to develop projects by working
     "backwards" from the desired strategic and audience impacts
     rather than starting with a particular deliverable, such as an
     exhibition or television series. For this reason, the sequence of
     questions to be addressed here starts with the project impacts
     and the target audiences, then the deliverables, project design,
     project team and partners for achieving the intended impacts.

       a. Impact

          This section of the Project Description describes the
          target audience (public or professional), knowledge of
          that audience, underserved audiences reached, audience
          impacts, evaluation of that impact, and strategic
          impact on the ISE field.

            1. AUDIENCE. Who is the primary intended public or
               professional audience for your project?

               For public audiences: Who is the primary
               target audience for this project in terms of
               age range and other attributes? How many
               individuals will be directly reached by this
               project during the award and up to five years
               following the grant period? Provide a basis
               for this estimate. How does this project
               maximize reach to audiences nationally,
               regionally, or community-wide?

               Or for professional audiences: What are the
               types of informal learning organizations on
               which your project will have the greatest
               impact? What categories of informal learning
               professionals does your project specifically
               target to achieve this impact?

               The target audience must be clearly
               identified. It is unlikely for a single
               project to impact all segments of the general
               public. Proposals should indicate how
               particular target audiences were selected.
               Projects should seek to sustain audience
               impact beyond the life of the award. Impact
               often can be extended through strategic
               collaboration with organizations that offer
               additional access to target audiences. ISE
               seeks diversity in the audiences that are
               reached and the geographic locations where
               they reside.What do you already know about
               the knowledge, interests, attitudes, and
               needs of your target audiences? How do you
               know?

               Successful proposals are based on knowledge
               of the target audiences, as well as
               identification of significant challenges and
               opportunities for enhancing informal science
               learning. Initial front-end research, whether
               carried out informally or as a formal study,
               may be necessary for obtaining this audience
               information. Although firmly based in STEM
               content, competitive ISE projects are
               audience-focused rather than content-driven.

               How does this project increase participation
               of underserved audiences in STEM? Describe
               your strategies for attracting and engaging
               these audiences.

               Broadening participation in STEM is a major
               program goal. ISE seeks to contribute to the
               development of a diverse, internationally
               competitive and globally-engaged workforce of
               scientists, engineers, and technicians, in
               addition to informed citizens. Activities
               should stimulate participation of underserved
               and underrepresented groups (e.g.,
               minorities, girls and women, persons with
               disabilities, youth and adults from
               economically disadvantaged areas) or regions
               (e.g., rural areas, small towns, and urban
               areas). Projects should seek to match program
               content to the needs of diverse audiences,
               target their communities, partner with youth
               and community organizations that serve them,
               and incorporate appropriate strategies for
               outreach and project dissemination.

            2. AUDIENCE IMPACT. What are the intended impacts of
               your project on its target audiences? Identify the
               most important intended audience impacts (up to
               three). For each, indicate how you will measure or
               assess that impact and what value of that measure
               or evidence will serve as your criterion for
               defining project success. Explain your selections
               and provide a rationale.

               Audience impacts should be specific,
               realistic, and achievable through the
               deliverables and strategies proposed. The
               measures that you indicate here for judging
               the success of your project must be integral
               to its evaluation, as described in the
               following section. If project deliverables
               are to continue beyond the duration of the
               award, PIs should demonstrate financial
               feasibility for doing so, if appropriate.

            3. IMPACT EVALUATION. What is the evaluation strategy
               you will use for the impact measures or
               assessments that you have identified? Provide a
               rationale. Include in the Supplementary Documents
               an evaluation plan that clearly identifies the
               methodologies that will be used for each impact
               measure.

               All ISE projects should include plans for a
               summative evaluation based on qualitative and
               quantitative data that document the extent to
               which the intended impacts have been
               achieved, along with any unanticipated
               impacts. This study should seek to further
               knowledge and practice in informal learning
               by sharing lessons learned from both positive
               and negative findings. It should be conducted
               by an independent evaluator experienced in
               informal learning. For a basic introduction,
               see The 2002 User-Friendly Handbook for
               Project Evaluation (NSF 02-057). The web site
               www.informalscience.org posts information
               provided by evaluation firms that offer
               services in this area (these listings do not
               represent endorsement). ISE encourages
               publication and sharing of summative
               evaluation findings widely with the field; at
               a minimum, reports must be submitted to this
               web site or others indicated by ISE for
               dissemination.

            4. STRATEGIC IMPACT. What is the most critical
               strategic impact on the ISE field that your
               project intends to produce? What continuing impact
               is this project likely to have?

               As described in more detail in Section I,
               projects must seek to produce a lasting
               impact on the field of informal science
               education in addition to the public or
               professional impact on target audiences.
               Strategic impact may be achieved through new
               approaches, strategies, models, findings, and
               other means designed to advance the systems
               or institutions that promote informal
               learning. Successfully addressing strategic
               impact requires demonstration of an
               understanding of the critical challenges
               facing the field. A plan for widely sharing
               results and practices is required. Project
               dissemination, while important, is not an end
               in itself, however, nor necessarily
               sufficient for achieving strategic impact.
               Potential for replication, if appropriate,
               should be presented.

       b. Innovation

          The next section of the Project Description describes
          the primary project deliverables and their development,
          project design, STEM content, how the project builds on
          prior work and educational research. PIs should
          explicitly indicate how the proposed project elements
          demonstrate innovation.

            1. PROJECT DELIVERABLES. What deliverables will your
               project produce that will lead to the intended
               impacts?

               Proposers are encouraged to include
               complementary deliverables that are tightly
               integrated and created strategically to
               enhance the intended project impacts.
               Examples of deliverables for public audiences
               include: exhibition (permanent or traveling);
               film or video; educational program, kit, or
               materials; radio program or series; software;
               television program or series; web site.
               Examples of deliverables for professionals
               include: collaborative, consortium, or
               network; conference, seminar, or workshop;
               media programs; professional development;
               publication; research study; web site. The
               yearly status of each deliverable in the
               proposal should serve as a basis for
               assessing project progress in Annual Reports.

               Describe each deliverable in enough detail
               for reviewers to assess its ability to
               achieve the intended impacts, addressing the
               specific issues listed below by type of
               deliverable. Be sure to explain your "theory
               of action," the means by which the proposed
               deliverables will achieve the intended
               audience outcomes.

                 a. Exhibit Deliverables

                    Describe a walk-through from the
                    visitor's perspective that
                    highlights key design elements and
                    experiences; the relationship of
                    these experiences to STEM content;
                    details about accessibility; and
                    logistics of exhibition tour (if
                    applicable). In Supplementary
                    Documents, provide indications of
                    interest or commitment from any
                    participating or host institutions.

                    ISE supports both traveling and
                    permanent exhibits that are
                    visitor-centered, inquiry-based,
                    and promote active learning. Where
                    possible, projects are encouraged
                    to consider smaller versions of
                    exhibits or exhibit components for
                    dissemination to additional venues,
                    such as small museums and science
                    centers, libraries, and community
                    centers. ISE expects exhibitions to
                    meet ADA requirements and reflect
                    principles of universal design.

                 b. Media (Film, Video, Radio) Deliverables

                    Explain the program or series
                    content and format; how the content
                    will be presented; and a plan for
                    outreach and complementary products
                    designed to extend the learning
                    experiences of target audiences. In
                    Supplementary Documents, provide a
                    treatment or script for one or more
                    programs; documentation of interest
                    or commitment from a major national
                    or regional broadcast or cable
                    outlet, or an indication of
                    interest and distribution plan for
                    a non-broadcast film; and sample of
                    prior work.

                    Media deliverables are generally
                    designed for national distribution.
                    If a STEM topic is relevant to a
                    particular area of the country,
                    media projects designed for
                    regional broadcast may be
                    supported. Outreach activities must
                    be integral to the project and
                    tightly connected.

                 c. Research Deliverables

                    Present clearly-defined research
                    questions, including identification
                    of independent and dependent
                    variables, where applicable;
                    explain the methodologies used and
                    their appropriateness to the
                    project.

                    The objective of applied research
                    studies should be to expand
                    understanding of the knowledge or
                    practice of effective informal STEM
                    learning by investigating important
                    aspects that have significant
                    potential to advance the field.
                    Research studies may be
                    well-defined elements of a larger
                    project for public audiences or a
                    separate project for informal
                    learning professionals. ISE expects
                    proposals to meet the highest
                    quality standards of publishable
                    educational research. Methodologies
                    should lead to valid and reliable
                    results. The ISE program will not
                    accept proposals essentially the
                    same as any pending that have been
                    submitted to the EHR Division of
                    Research, Evaluation, and
                    Communication (REC). Should IRB
                    approval be required for the use of
                    human subjects, ISE recommends that
                    the PI begin the process as soon as
                    the proposal is submitted.

                 d. Web Deliverables

                    Present organization of web site;
                    user interface; examples of online
                    activities; means for attracting
                    and tracking users; accessibility.
                    In Supplementary Documents, include
                    a flow chart or logic model and
                    descriptions of relevant prior
                    work.

                    Effective web-based ISE
                    deliverables should be interactive
                    and take full advantage of the
                    capabilities of the Internet to
                    engage learners; exemplify
                    scientific or technological
                    processes; encourage off-line
                    follow-up activities; provide
                    feedback and guidance to users;
                    have multiple entry points; and
                    accommodate users with special
                    needs to the extent possible. ISE
                    does not support institutional web
                    sites that primarily serve as
                    marketing tools or basic
                    information resources about
                    institutions.

                 e. Youth and Community Program Deliverables

                    Describe the concept and
                    organization of proposed programs;
                    examples of activities; and key
                    issues (e.g., participant
                    recruitment, retention, and
                    language barriers). In
                    Supplementary Documents, provide
                    documentation of commitment from
                    all partners, local and
                    regional/national; and samples of
                    intended activities.

                    Creative project designs should
                    provide participants with authentic
                    STEM-based experiences. For
                    example, projects might encourage
                    family involvement in science and
                    mathematics activities, or allow
                    participants to contribute to
                    ongoing scientific research, as in
                    citizen science. Youth and
                    community projects result in
                    high-quality program designs and
                    the resources to support them
                    including kits, activity materials,
                    workbooks, information for parents,
                    and multi-media products for
                    national dissemination.

                    PIs that present new or improved
                    models must clearly describe how
                    what is proposed differs from and
                    improves upon existing models. ISE
                    may support prototype projects to
                    be piloted and disseminated through
                    a network of partnering
                    organizations that leverage
                    organizational strengths and
                    resources.

            2. PROJECT DESIGN. How did you select the project
               deliverables and how will they be integrated to
               produce the greatest impact? What is your project
               plan? Identify key milestones in a timeline for
               their development, clearly indicating the status
               of every major deliverable by the end of each
               project year. Describe how the project will be
               sustained beyond the award, if appropriate.

               Every component should be aligned in such a
               way as to enhance the ability of the project
               to achieve the intended impacts. ISE strongly
               encourages the integration of approaches and
               techniques across traditional boundaries to
               accomplish that end. The proposal must
               demonstrate how the deliverables address the
               needs and interests of a clearly defined
               target audience, segmented into audience
               subgroups as appropriate.

               What is the process by which each deliverable
               be developed to achieve the greatest impact,
               including the evaluation strategies used?
               Provide a rationale for the approaches taken.

               Front-end research should inform the planning
               of project deliverables, and formative
               research should be employed to obtain
               audience feedback at key stages in their
               development. For example, prototypes, pilot
               studies, or other forms of preliminary
               testing with target audiences are expected as
               part of the project design whenever possible.
               Projects also may include remedial evaluation
               where appropriate.

               What are the areas of greatest potential risk
               in successfully achieving the intended
               project impacts? Describe your strategies for
               minimizing these risks.

               In its efforts to advance the leading edge of
               informal science education, the ISE program
               is willing to support projects of higher risk
               that demonstrate the potential to yield
               significant payoffs. Proposals must
               demonstrate an understanding of those risks
               and identify appropriate measures for
               managing them.

            3. STEM CONTENT. What are the primary STEM
               disciplines for the project deliverables? Briefly
               describe the age-appropriate STEM content. What
               strategies will you use throughout the development
               process for ensuring the accuracy of content in
               deliverables and appropriateness to the target
               audiences?

               ISE projects focus on STEM concepts and
               themes, skills, and processes. Appropriate
               STEM content encompasses all NSF program
               areas, including biology; computer and
               information sciences; engineering and
               technology; environmental sciences;
               geosciences; mathematics; physical sciences;
               and social, behavioral, and economic
               sciences. Strategies and mechanisms must be
               in place for ensuring accuracy of content and
               appropriateness to the target audience.
               Projects are encouraged to incorporate
               strategies for stimulating interest in
               STEM-related careers. ISE also seeks to
               engage the public in aspects of current
               research, including emerging STEM content and
               NSF priority areas (currently biocomplexity
               in the environment; nanoscale science and
               engineering; mathematical sciences; and human
               and social dynamics), the process or nature
               of discovery and design, and the implications
               or consequences of research. PIs are
               encouraged to take advantage of the expertise
               and potential resources available from
               NSF-funded research projects. Connection of
               proposed content to student STEM education
               standards should be made whenever
               appropriate. While ISE requires a primary
               focus on STEM content, the program encourages
               connections to the humanities and arts, as
               well as proposals submitted by institutions
               representing those fields.

            4. EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH AND PRIOR WORK. How do your
               deliverables and project design build on specific
               findings from informal learning research? How do
               they build on and extend prior related work in the
               field? How do they build on prior NSF-funded work
               by the PI, if any?

               Proposals must clearly demonstrate how the
               proposed project builds upon prior practice
               and related work, citing specific examples of
               related deliverables and how the project
               design and proposed deliverables benefit from
               the lessons learned. In addition, they must
               demonstrate that they are soundly based on
               educational research in informal learning,
               citing appropriate literature references to
               studies that warrant the proposed approaches.
               This section is critical to demonstrating how
               the project extends earlier work in
               meaningful ways.

               Results of Prior NSF Support. For NSF awards
               received within the past five years, the
               prospective PI or co-PI must describe the
               projects and especially the outcomes in
               sufficient detail for reviewers to assess
               their results. Full proposals based on
               Planning Grants must clearly demonstrate how
               the project builds on the results from that
               award. Each project should be identified by
               grant number, funding amount, period of
               support, title, summary of outcomes, and any
               publications or presentations that
               acknowledge the award. Key summative
               evaluation results and lessons learned should
               be succinctly described. Also, for projects
               based on Planning Grants, the Supplementary
               Documents must include an executive summary
               of the planning outcomes and findings; for
               other projects, synopses of evaluation
               studies (not entire reports) should also be
               included as Supplementary Documents. Note:
               NSF will not make a new award unless the PI
               and co-PIs have submitted all outstanding
               Final Reports.

       c. Collaboration

          This section of the Project Description describes the
          project team, the organizational partners, and the
          process by which they will achieve the intended
          impacts.

            1. PROJECT TEAM. For each of the following
               categories, who are the key project team members,
               their areas of expertise, their roles, and their
               extent of commitment to this project? Provide a
               rationale for your selections.

                 a. Senior Staff
                 b. Advisory Committee Members
                 c. Consultants
                 d. Contractors

               Project leaders, key team members, and
               advisory committee members should
               collectively provide the expertise necessary
               to conduct the project, including relevant
               experience based in informal science
               learning, STEM content, knowledge of target
               audiences, any media used, and evaluation.
               Projects are encouraged to include members of
               underserved groups on their teams.

            2. PARTNERS. Who are your primary organizational
               partners? Identify each organization, its
               expertise, role in the project, extent of
               commitment, and contact person. Why were these
               partners selected? What has been the extent of
               their involvement in planning this project?

               Potential partners could be drawn from
               informal learning organizations, media
               organizations, community organizations,
               professional associations, research
               institutions, school systems, and
               universities. (When the lead organization is
               a school system, university, or other entity
               for which informal learning is not the
               primary focus, it is strongly encouraged to
               partner with one or more informal learning
               organizations, which must be actively
               involved in the project.) Partners should be
               selected strategically based on their ability
               to achieve and extend project impacts. It is
               essential that project partners have been
               involved in the conceptualization of the
               project and preparation of the proposal.
               Letters of commitment from partners
               indicating their roles in the project should
               be included in the Supplementary Documents.

            3. COLLABORATION PROCESS. How will the project
               partner organizations work together to achieve the
               deliverables and produce impacts that would not
               otherwise be possible? Describe your management
               structure and strategy for fostering a true
               collaboration among the partners.

               Implementing a successful collaboration is
               not simple. PIs should describe their process
               for collaboration, explaining how it builds
               on lessons learned from prior experience and
               from studies of collaboration.

  4. REFERENCES CITED

     Include here references to relevant research literature in
     informal learning and other areas that support the proposed
     strategies and approaches.

  5. BUDGETS

     Budgets should provide the most cost-effective means of producing
     the project deliverables and achieving the intended impacts. All
     budgets (grantee and subawards) must be accompanied by Budget
     Justifications that include itemizations corresponding to each
     FastLane or Grants.gov budget line item.

     Funds cannot be requested for operational expenses other than
     those recovered through the organization's indirect cost rate,
     for graduate or undergraduate tuition, or for paid advertising.
     Requested equipment must be essential components of project
     deliverables, such as exhibits; office-type equipment and
     vehicles cannot be funded.

     Include under Travel (E) the cost for the PI to attend a two-day
     meeting every other year at NSF. Any consultants listed in line
     G.3 must be compensated on a daily rate not to exceed the current
     NSF maximum. Each subaward on line G.5 requires a complete set of
     Proposal Budget forms accompanied by a Budget Justification that
     includes the basis for selecting the subawardee as well as
     itemization of expenses and explanations.

     Projects with Budgets Greater than the NSF Request. Even though
     cost sharing is no longer required by NSF, should a project
     require other sources of funding, the scope and cost of the
     entire project must be provided in enough detail to identify the
     work to be performed and/or funded by parties other than NSF.
     Reviewers will need this additional information in order to
     assess the viability of the overall project, as well as the scope
     and budget to be funded by NSF. The anticipated sources and
     amounts of funding from other sources must be identified, along
     with all commitments at the time of submission. The estimated
     budget to be funded by sources other than NSF should not be
     entered on a FastLane or Grants.gov budget form, but presented
     separately using the same format and major budget categories for
     comparison with the NSF budget. These proposals must include in
     the Supplementary Documents a spreadsheet that presents the total
     project budget for each year and cumulative; rows should
     correspond to the NSF budget line items, and columns should show
     the funds requested from NSF, the funds provided from other
     sources, and the total for each line item. Reference to these
     additional funds is for informational purposes only, and they
     will not be subject to audit.

  6. OTHER FASTLANE or GRANTS.GOV FORMS

     Biographical Sketches: Sketches must be provided for the PI,
     co-PIs, and other senior project personnel. These sketches need
     not follow a prescribed format, but must be limited to two pages.

     Current and Pending Support: Required for the PI, co-PIs, and
     senior project personnel. The proposal being submitted should be
     listed first on the form and identified as pending.

     Facilities, Equipment & Other Resources: Not required for ISE
     proposals.

  7. SUPPLEMENTARY DOCUMENTS

     The Project Description must provide sufficient information for
     reviewers to make reasoned judgments about the proposed work. It
     may be necessary to provide a limited amount of additional
     supporting information, as noted in the section on project
     deliverables. Because reviewers may be asked to assess a
     substantial number of competing proposals, PIs must be extremely
     judicious in the number of pages submitted. PIs should submit
     executive summaries and illustrative samples of materials rather
     than complete reports or lengthy publications. Biographical
     sketches of advisors should be limited to no more than a single
     page for each.

     All Supplementary Documents must be submitted through FastLane or
     Grants.gov.. Only media that cannot be submitted in this form may
     be provided as DVD or CD; 15 copies (5 for Planning Grants),
     labeled with proposal number, title, and PI, must be sent to:
     Informal Science Education Program, EHR/ESIE, Room 885, National
     Science Foundation, 4201 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, VA 22230
     [phone: (703) 292-5087]. These materials, which will not be
     returned, must be received within 5 business days following
     electronic submission; clearly mark the package re: Supplementary
     Documents and indicate the proposal number.

Planning Grant Proposal Instructions:

Planning Grants follow the general format described in the section above
for Full Proposals. The information provided here is a summary of that
format applied specifically to the preparation of Planning Grant proposals.

  1. PROJECT SUMMARY: Same as Full Proposal Instructions.

  2. PROJECT DESCRIPTION: Planning grant proposal narratives should
     generally be limited to ten single-spaced pages and may not exceed 15.
     The narrative includes the following required elements, which are
     similar to those for a full proposal. See Section V.A.1-3 for
     additional details.

     Impact (audience, intended public or professional impact; and
     means for evaluating impact; strategic impact;). This section
     should identify the intended impacts of the project that will
     ultimately result from the planning activity, as well as any
     impacts of the planning activity itself.

     Innovation (including main project deliverables; primary STEM
     content; the project plan; and how this project builds on
     research and prior work). Although this section should focus on
     the specific planning activities being proposed, it should also
     address innovations in the ultimate project.

     Collaboration (primary individuals and organizational partners
     and how they will achieve the larger impacts of the project).
     This section should addressed both the planning activity and the
     ultimate project.

  3. BUDGET: Same as Full Proposal Instructions.

  4. SUPPLEMENTARY DOCUMENTS: Include a statement of commitment from each
     partner that indicates willingness to participate in the planning
     process.

Proposers are reminded to identify the program announcement/solicitation
number (06-520) in the program announcement/solicitation block on the
proposal Cover Sheet. Compliance with this requirement is critical to
determining the relevant proposal processing guidelines. Failure to submit
this information may delay processing.

B. Budgetary Information

Cost Sharing:

Cost sharing is not required by NSF in proposals submitted under this
Program Solicitation.

Other Budgetary Limitations:

Funding for the following are not supported by this program: capital
expenses; operating expenses (other than through an indirect cost rate);
purchase of major or office equipment; vehicles; graduate or undergraduate
tuition; paid advertising; and admissions or similar fees.

C. Due Dates

Proposals must be submitted by the following date(s):

Preliminary Proposals (required):

     March 21, 2006
          for Project Grants

     September 14, 2006
          for Project Grants

     Second Thursday in March
          thereafter

     Second Thursday in September
          thereafter

Full Proposal Deadline(s) (due by 5 p.m. submitter's local time):

     June 22, 2006
          for Project Grants

     December 14, 2006
          for Project Grants

     Third Thursday in June
          thereafter

     Second Thursday in December
          thereafter

Planning Grants: Proposals must be submitted on the same deadline dates as
those indicated above for Preliminary Proposals, following discussion with
a Program Officer.

Conference, Symposia, and Workshop Grants: Proposals may be submitted at
any time, generally at least one year in advance, following discussion with
a Program Officer. This category does not require Preliminary Proposals.

Grant Supplements (for existing ISE Awards): Requests must be submitted at
least two months prior to the need for additional funds, following
discussion with the Cognizant Program Officer.

D. FastLane/Grants.gov Requirements

   * For Proposals Submitted Via FastLane:

     Detailed technical instructions for proposal preparation and
     submission via FastLane are available at:
     https://www.fastlane.nsf.gov/a1/newstan.htm. For FastLane user
     support, call the FastLane Help Desk at 1-800-673-6188 or e-mail
     fastlane@nsf.gov. The FastLane Help Desk answers general
     technical questions related to the use of the FastLane system.
     Specific questions related to this program solicitation should be
     referred to the NSF program staff contact(s) listed in Section
     VIII of this solicitation.

     Submission of Electronically Signed Cover Sheets: The Authorized
     Organizational Representative (AOR) must electronically sign the
     proposal Cover Sheet to submit the required proposal
     certifications (see Chapter II, Section C of the Grant Proposal
     Guide for a listing of the certifications). The AOR must provide
     the required electronic certifications within five working days
     following the electronic submission of the proposal. Proposers
     are no longer required to provide a paper copy of the signed
     Proposal Cover Sheet to NSF. Further instructions regarding this
     process are available on the FastLane Website at:
     http://www.fastlane.nsf.gov/.

   * For Proposals Submitted Via Grants.gov:

     Before using Grants.gov for the first time, each organization
     must register to create an institutional profile. Once
     registered, the applicant&rsquo;s organization can then apply for
     any federal grant on the Grants.gov website. The
     Grants.gov&rsquo;s Grant Community User Guide is a comprehensive
     reference document that provides technical information about
     Grants.gov. Proposers can download the User Guide as a Microsoft
     Word document or as a PDF document. The Grants.gov User Guide is
     available at: http://www.grants.gov/CustomerSupport. In addition,
     the NSF Grants.gov Application Guide provides additional
     technical guidance regarding preparation of proposals via
     Grants.gov. For Grants.gov user support, contact the Grants.gov
     Contact Center at 1-800-518-4726 or by email: support@grants.gov.
     The Grants.gov Contact Center answers general technical questions
     related to the use of Grants.gov. Specific questions related to
     this program solicitation should be referred to the NSF program
     staff contact(s) listed in Section VIII of this solicitation.

     Submitting the Proposal: Once all documents have been completed,
     the Authorized Organizational Representative (AOR) must submit
     the application to Grants.gov and verify the desired funding
     opportunity and agency to which the application is submitted. The
     AOR must then sign and submit the application to Grants.gov. The
     completed application will be transferred to the NSF FastLane
     system for further processing.

VI. PROPOSAL REVIEW INFORMATION

A. NSF Proposal Review Process

Reviews of proposals submitted to NSF are solicited from peers with
expertise in the substantive area of the proposed research or education
project. These reviewers are selected by Program Officers charged with the
oversight of the review process. NSF invites the proposer to suggest, at
the time of submission, the names of appropriate or inappropriate
reviewers. Care is taken to ensure that reviewers have no conflicts with
the proposer. Special efforts are made to recruit reviewers from
non-academic institutions, minority-serving institutions, or adjacent
disciplines to that principally addressed in the proposal.

The National Science Board approved revised criteria for evaluating
proposals at its meeting on March 28, 1997 (NSB 97-72). All NSF proposals
are evaluated through use of the two merit review criteria. In some
instances, however, NSF will employ additional criteria as required to
highlight the specific objectives of certain programs and activities.

On July 8, 2002, the NSF Director issued Important Notice 127,
Implementation of new Grant Proposal Guide Requirements Related to the
Broader Impacts Criterion. This Important Notice reinforces the importance
of addressing both criteria in the preparation and review of all proposals
submitted to NSF. NSF continues to strengthen its internal processes to
ensure that both of the merit review criteria are addressed when making
funding decisions.

In an effort to increase compliance with these requirements, the January
2002 issuance of the GPG incorporated revised proposal preparation
guidelines relating to the development of the Project Summary and Project
Description. Chapter II of the GPG specifies that Principal Investigators
(PIs) must address both merit review criteria in separate statements within
the one-page Project Summary. This chapter also reiterates that broader
impacts resulting from the proposed project must be addressed in the
Project Description and described as an integral part of the narrative.

Effective October 1, 2002, NSF will return without review proposals that do
not separately address both merit review criteria within the Project
Summary. It is believed that these changes to NSF proposal preparation and
processing guidelines will more clearly articulate the importance of
broader impacts to NSF-funded projects.

The two National Science Board approved merit review criteria are listed
below (see the Grant Proposal Guide Chapter III.A for further information).
The criteria include considerations that help define them. These
considerations are suggestions and not all will apply to any given
proposal. While proposers must address both merit review criteria,
reviewers will be asked to address only those considerations that are
relevant to the proposal being considered and for which he/she is qualified
to make judgments.

     What is the intellectual merit of the proposed activity?
     How important is the proposed activity to advancing knowledge and
     understanding within its own field or across different fields? How
     well qualified is the proposer (individual or team) to conduct the
     project? (If appropriate, the reviewer will comment on the quality of
     the prior work.) To what extent does the proposed activity suggest and
     explore creative and original concepts? How well conceived and
     organized is the proposed activity? Is there sufficient access to
     resources?

     What are the broader impacts of the proposed activity?
     How well does the activity advance discovery and understanding while
     promoting teaching, training, and learning? How well does the proposed
     activity broaden the participation of underrepresented groups (e.g.,
     gender, ethnicity, disability, geographic, etc.)? To what extent will
     it enhance the infrastructure for research and education, such as
     facilities, instrumentation, networks, and partnerships? Will the
     results be disseminated broadly to enhance scientific and
     technological understanding? What may be the benefits of the proposed
     activity to society?

NSF staff will give careful consideration to the following in making
funding decisions:

     Integration of Research and Education
     One of the principal strategies in support of NSF's goals is to foster
     integration of research and education through the programs, projects,
     and activities it supports at academic and research institutions.
     These institutions provide abundant opportunities where individuals
     may concurrently assume responsibilities as researchers, educators,
     and students and where all can engage in joint efforts that infuse
     education with the excitement of discovery and enrich research through
     the diversity of learning perspectives.

     Integrating Diversity into NSF Programs, Projects, and Activities
     Broadening opportunities and enabling the participation of all
     citizens -- women and men, underrepresented minorities, and persons
     with disabilities -- is essential to the health and vitality of
     science and engineering. NSF is committed to this principle of
     diversity and deems it central to the programs, projects, and
     activities it considers and supports.

     Additional Review Criteria:

     ISE reviewers will consider the following as specific aspects of
     Intellectual Merit and Broader Impacts.

     Within Intellectual Merit, reviewers will assess:

     Deliverables. Does this project creatively "push the envelope" in
     enhancing informal science learning? Have the deliverables been
     selected and integrated to achieve the greatest project impacts? Are
     front-end and formative evaluation efforts adequate for their
     development? Are their scope and depth of STEM content appropriate to
     the target audience? (Innovation)

     Project Design. Are the deliverables, project design, and timeline
     well developed and integrated to produce the specified impacts? Does
     the project design build on informal learning research and on lessons
     learned from prior efforts? Is the proposed budget reasonable and
     adequate? Does the proposal present meaningful strategies for managing
     potential risks? (Innovation)

     Project Team. Is the team qualified to carry out the project? Do
     external advisors provide the expertise necessary to conduct the
     project, including relevant expertise based in informal science
     learning, STEM content, any media used, and evaluation?
     (Collaboration).

     Partnerships. Does the project fully take advantage of partnerships to
     enhance project impacts? Is there a credible strategy and plan for
     fostering or strengthening collaboration among the partners?
     (Collaboration)

     Within Broader Impacts, reviewers will assess:

     Audience. Is the primary target audience, as well as any secondary
     audience, clearly identified and segmented into subgroups as
     appropriate? Does the project demonstrate knowledge about the target
     audiences, their needs, and their interests? (Impact)

     Public Audiences. Will the project likely achieve a significant impact
     on the target audience of informal learners? Does the project maximize
     reach to audiences nationally, regionally, or community-wide? Does the
     proposal offer effective ways to reach nontraditional audiences and
     underrepresented groups? (Impact)

     ---or---Professional Audiences. Will the project likely achieve a
     significant impact on professionals in the field of informal science
     learning? (Impact)

     Impact Evaluation. Are there clear, appropriate measures and criteria
     for defining project success? Is there an appropriate summative
     evaluation plan for assessing impact? Is there an effective plan for
     broadly sharing project outcomes and findings? (Impact)

     Strategic Impact. Is the project likely to advance the field of
     informal science education in a significant way? (Impact)

B. Review Protocol and Associated Customer Service Standard

All proposals are carefully reviewed by at least three other persons
outside NSF who are experts in the particular field represented by the
proposal. Proposals submitted in response to this announcement/solicitation
will be reviewed by Panel Review.

Reviewers will be asked to formulate a recommendation to either support or
decline each proposal. The Program Officer assigned to manage the
proposal's review will consider the advice of reviewers and will formulate
a recommendation.

A summary rating and accompanying narrative will be completed and submitted
by each reviewer. In all cases, reviews are treated as confidential
documents. Verbatim copies of reviews, excluding the names of the
reviewers, are sent to the Principal Investigator/Project Director by the
Program Director. In addition, the proposer will receive an explanation of
the decision to award or decline funding.

NSF is striving to be able to tell proposers whether their proposals have
been declined or recommended for funding within six months. The time
interval begins on the closing date of an announcement/solicitation, or the
date of proposal receipt, whichever is later. The interval ends when the
Division Director accepts the Program Officer's recommendation.

In all cases, after programmatic approval has been obtained, the proposals
recommended for funding will be forwarded to the Division of Grants and
Agreements for review of business, financial, and policy implications and
the processing and issuance of a grant or other agreement. Proposers are
cautioned that only a Grants and Agreements Officer may make commitments,
obligations or awards on behalf of NSF or authorize the expenditure of
funds. No commitment on the part of NSF should be inferred from technical
or budgetary discussions with a NSF Program Officer. A Principal
Investigator or organization that makes financial or personnel commitments
in the absence of a grant or cooperative agreement signed by the NSF Grants
and Agreements Officer does so at their own risk.

VII. AWARD ADMINISTRATION INFORMATION

A. Notification of the Award

Notification of the award is made to the submitting organization by a
Grants Officer in the Division of Grants and Agreements. Organizations
whose proposals are declined will be advised as promptly as possible by the
cognizant NSF Program Division administering the program. Verbatim copies
of reviews, not including the identity of the reviewer, will be provided
automatically to the Principal Investigator. (See section VI.A. for
additional information on the review process.)

B. Award Conditions

An NSF award consists of: (1) the award letter, which includes any special
provisions applicable to the award and any numbered amendments thereto; (2)
the budget, which indicates the amounts, by categories of expense, on which
NSF has based its support (or otherwise communicates any specific approvals
or disapprovals of proposed expenditures); (3) the proposal referenced in
the award letter; (4) the applicable award conditions, such as Grant
General Conditions (NSF-GC-1); * or Federal Demonstration Partnership (FDP)
Terms and Conditions * and (5) any announcement or other NSF issuance that
may be incorporated by reference in the award letter. Cooperative agreement
awards are administered in accordance with NSF Cooperative Agreement
Financial and Administrative Terms and Conditions (CA-FATC). Electronic
mail notification is the preferred way to transmit NSF awards to
organizations that have electronic mail capabilities and have requested
such notification from the Division of Grants and Agreements.

Consistent with the requirements of OMB Circular A-16, Coordination of
Geographic Information and Related Spatial Data Activities, and the Federal
Geographic Data Committee, all NSF awards that result in relevant
geospatial data must be submitted to Geospatial One-Stop in accordance with
the guidelines provided at: www.geodata.gov.

More comprehensive information on NSF Award Conditions is contained in the
NSF Grant Policy Manual (GPM) Chapter II, available electronically on the
NSF Website at http://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=gpm.
The GPM is also for sale through the Superintendent of Documents,
Government Printing Office (GPO), Washington, DC 20402. The telephone
number at GPO for subscription information is (202) 512-1800. The GPM may
be ordered through the GPO Website at http://www.gpo.gov/.

*These documents may be accessed electronically on NSF's Website at
http://www.nsf.gov/awards/managing/. Paper copies of these documents may be
obtained from the NSF Publications Clearinghouse, telephone (703) 292-7827
or by e-mail from pubs@nsf.gov.

C. Reporting Requirements

For all multi-year grants (including both standard and continuing grants),
the PI must submit an annual project report to the cognizant Program
Officer at least 90 days before the end of the current budget period.

PIs are required to submit the Summative Evaluation of the project for
posting to the web site www.informalscience.org (or other sites designated
by ISE) as part of submission of the Final Report and may be requested to
provide project data for ISE program analysis and evaluation.

Within 90 days after the expiration of an award, the PI also is required to
submit a final project report. Failure to provide final technical reports
delays NSF review and processing of pending proposals for the PI and all
Co-PIs. PIs should examine the formats of the required reports in advance
to assure availability of required data.

PIs are required to use NSF's electronic project reporting system,
available through FastLane, for preparation and submission of annual and
final project reports. This system permits electronic submission and
updating of project reports, including information on project participants
(individual and organizational), activities and findings, publications, and
other specific products and contributions. PIs will not be required to
re-enter information previously provided, either with a proposal or in
earlier updates using the electronic system.

VIII. CONTACTS FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

General inquiries regarding this program should be made to:

   * Alphonse T. Desena, Program Director [exhibit projects], Directorate
     for Education & Human Resources, Division of Elementary, Secondary, &
     Informal Education, 885 S, telephone: (703) 292-5106, fax: (703)
     292-9044, email: adesena@nsf.gov

   * Arlene M. de Strulle, Program Director [technology projects],
     Directorate for Education & Human Resources, Division of Elementary,
     Secondary, & Informal Education, 885 S, telephone: (703) 292-5117,
     fax: (703) 292-9044, email: adestrul@nsf.gov

   * Sylvia M. James, Program Director [youth & community programs],
     Directorate for Education & Human Resources, Division of Elementary,
     Secondary, & Informal Education, 885 S, telephone: (703) 292-5333,
     fax: (703) 292-9044, email: sjames@nsf.gov

   * Valentine H. Kass, Program Director [media projects], Directorate for
     Education & Human Resources, Division of Elementary, Secondary, &
     Informal Education, 885 S, telephone: (703) 292-5095, fax: (703)
     292-9044, email: vkass@nsf.gov

   * Mary Ann Steiner, Program Director [youth & community programs],
     Directorate for Education & Human Resources, Division of Elementary,
     Secondary, & Informal Education, 885 S, telephone: (703) 292-5128,
     fax: (703) 292-9044, email: msteiner@nsf.gov

   * David A. Ucko, Section Head, Informal Science Education, Directorate
     for Education & Human Resources, Division of Elementary, Secondary, &
     Informal Education, 885 S, telephone: (703) 292-5126, fax: (703)
     292-9044, email: ducko@nsf.gov

   * Sandra H. Welch, Program Director [media projects], Directorate for
     Education & Human Resources, Division of Elementary, Secondary, &
     Informal Education, 885 S, telephone: (703) 292-5094, email:
     swelch@nsf.gov

For administrative questions contact:

   * Phyliss Minn, Senior Program Assistant, pminn@nsf.gov or (703)
     292-5087.

For questions relating to Grants.gov contact:

   * Grants.gov Contact Center: If the Authorized Organizational
     Representatives (AOR) has not received a confirmation message from
     Grants.gov within 48 hours of submission of application, please
     contact via telephone: 1-800-518-4726; e-mail: support@grants.gov.

For questions related to the use of FastLane, contact:

   * ESIE FastLane Contact, telephone: (703) 292-8620, email:
     ehr-esie.info@nsf.gov

IX. OTHER PROGRAMS OF INTEREST

The NSF Guide to Programs is a compilation of funding for research and
education in science, mathematics, and engineering. The NSF Guide to
Programs is available electronically at
http://www.nsf.gov/cgi-bin/getpub?gp. General descriptions of NSF programs,
research areas, and eligibility information for proposal submission are
provided in each chapter.

Many NSF programs offer announcements or solicitations concerning specific
proposal requirements. To obtain additional information about these
requirements, contact the appropriate NSF program offices. Any changes in
NSF's fiscal year programs occurring after press time for the Guide to
Programs will be announced in the NSF E-Bulletin, which is updated daily on
the NSF Website at http://www.nsf.gov/home/ebulletin, and in individual
program announcements/solicitations. Subscribers can also sign up for NSF's
MyNSF News Service (http://www.nsf.gov/mynsf/) to be notified of new
funding opportunities that become available.

Related Programs:

   * Information Technology Experiences for Students and Teachers (NSF
     05-621)

  ------------------------------------------------------------------------

The National Science Foundation (NSF) and the National Endowment for the
Humanities (NEH) have agreed to encourage TV film projects that meet both
the NSF criteria for science content and the NEH criteria for humanities
content. Applicants who would like their media projects considered for
co-review and possible co-funding by the Public Programs Division of the
National Endowment for the Humanities should so indicate in the project
description. For relevant NEH guidelines, see:

   * Radio Project Development and Production:
     http://www.neh.gov/grants/guidelines/radiodev.html
   * Television Project Planning, Scripting, or Production:
     http://www.neh.gov/grants/guidelines/tvprojects.html.

In addition to investing in informal science education, the comprehensive
programming of the NSF Division of Elementary, Secondary, and Informal
Education (ESIE) develops research-based models and high-quality,
innovative resources designed to strategically impact the learning and
teaching of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM)
education, grades preK-12. Instructional materials and student assessments
that promote active investigation, together with new models for teacher
education, contribute to STEM classroom environments that serve all
students well. These programs create a solid educational foundation in STEM
disciplines for the future research, instructional, and technological
workforce, as well as for students pursuing post-secondary education in
other disciplines. All ESIE efforts incorporate innovations that promote
high standards in content, pedagogy, and assessment; and through
collaborations, capitalize on the strengths of formal and informal
education, research and practitioner communities, and major stakeholders
(e.g., higher education, school districts, state education agencies). Other
programs administered by ESIE include: Information Technology Experiences
for Students and Teachers (ITEST); Teacher Professional Continuum (TPC);
Instructional Materials Development (IMD); Centers for Learning and
Teaching (CLT); Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and
Science Teaching (PAEMST); and Advanced Technological Education (ATE).
Further information on these programs can be found at
http://www.nsf.gov/div/index.jsp?div=ESIE.

ABOUT THE NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION

The National Science Foundation (NSF) funds research and education in most
fields of science and engineering. Awardees are wholly responsible for
conducting their project activities and preparing the results for
publication. Thus, the Foundation does not assume responsibility for such
findings or their interpretation.

NSF welcomes proposals from all qualified scientists, engineers and
educators. The Foundation strongly encourages women, minorities and persons
with disabilities to compete fully in its programs. In accordance with
Federal statutes, regulations and NSF policies, no person on grounds of
race, color, age, sex, national origin or disability shall be excluded from
participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to
discrimination under any program or activity receiving financial assistance
from NSF, although some programs may have special requirements that limit
eligibility.

Facilitation Awards for Scientists and Engineers with Disabilities (FASED)
provide funding for special assistance or equipment to enable persons with
disabilities (investigators and other staff, including student research
assistants) to work on NSF-supported projects. See the GPG Chapter II,
Section D.2 for instructions regarding preparation of these types of
proposals.


 The National Science Foundation promotes and advances scientific
 progress in the United States by competitively awarding grants and
 cooperative agreements for research and education in the sciences,
 mathematics, and engineering.

 To get the latest information about program deadlines, to download
 copies of NSF publications, and to access abstracts of awards, visit the
 NSF Website at http://www.nsf.gov

        * Location:                        4201 Wilson Blvd.
                                           Arlington, VA 22230
        * For General Information          (703) 292-5111
          (NSF Information Center):
        * TDD (for the hearing-impaired):  (703) 292-5090

        * To Order Publications or Forms:

               Send an e-mail to:          pubs@nsf.gov

                 or telephone:             (703) 292-7827

        * To Locate NSF Employees:         (703) 292-5111

PRIVACY ACT AND PUBLIC BURDEN STATEMENTS

The information requested on proposal forms and project reports is
solicited under the authority of the National Science Foundation Act of
1950, as amended. The information on proposal forms will be used in
connection with the selection of qualified proposals; project reports
submitted by awardees will be used for program evaluation and reporting
within the Executive Branch and to Congress. The information requested may
be disclosed to qualified reviewers and staff assistants as part of the
proposal review process; to applicant institutions/grantees to provide or
obtain data regarding the proposal review process, award decisions, or the
administration of awards; to government contractors, experts, volunteers
and researchers and educators as necessary to complete assigned work; to
other government agencies needing information as part of the review process
or in order to coordinate programs; and to another Federal agency, court or
party in a court or Federal administrative proceeding if the government is
a party. Information about Principal Investigators may be added to the
Reviewer file and used to select potential candidates to serve as peer
reviewers or advisory committee members. See Systems of Records, NSF-50,
"Principal Investigator/Proposal File and Associated Records," 63 Federal
Register 267 (January 5, 1998), and NSF-51, "Reviewer/Proposal File and
Associated Records," 63 Federal Register 268 (January 5, 1998). Submission
of the information is voluntary. Failure to provide full and complete
information, however, may reduce the possibility of receiving an award.

An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to
respond to an information collection unless it displays a valid OMB control
number. The OMB control number for this collection is 3145-0058. Public
reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average
120 hours per response, including the time for reviewing instructions. Send
comments regarding this burden estimate and any other aspect of this
collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden,
to: Suzanne Plimpton, Reports Clearance Officer, Division of Administrative
Services, National Science Foundation, Arlington, VA 22230.

OMB control number: 3145-0058.

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