Solicited Proposals NSF also solicits proposals for support in NSF targeted areas through issuance of specific program solicitations. Program solicitations are specifically designated as such, are more definitive than program announcements and generally describe types of projects the program wishes to fund. Competition among proposals is more focused and special evaluation and selection procedures are often used. Subscribers are informed each time new publications are issued that match their identified interests. The Foundation considers proposals submitted by individuals or groups for support in most fields of research.
Interdisciplinary proposals are also eligible for consideration.
NSF does not normally support technical assistance, pilot plant efforts, research requiring security classification, the development of products for commercial marketing or market research for a particular project or invention. Research with disease-related goals, including work on the etiology, diagnosis or treatment of physical or mental disease, abnormality, or malfunction in human beings or animals, is normally not supported. Animal models of such conditions or the development or testing of drugs or other procedures for their treatment also are not eligible for support. Research in bioengineering, with diagnosis or treatment-related goals, however, that applies engineering principles to problems in biology and medicine while advancing engineering knowledge is eligible for support. Bioengineering research to aid persons with disabilities is also eligible.