Initial Publication Date: June 28, 2006

Successful NSF (National Science Foundation) grant proposals

The "alphabet soup" of NSF's grant programs can be daunting. To find out whether there is a funding program that fits your intended research project, you may want to browse on the NSF funding opportunities webpage.

Jump down to

CAREER (Faculty Early Career Development Program)
Research in the Geosciences (Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Sciences)
TUES (Transforming Undergraduate Education in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) (Note: prior to 2010, this program was known as CCLI: Course Curriculum and Laboratory Improvement)
OEDG (Opportunity for Enhancing Diversity in the Geosciences)
REU (Research Experiences for Undergraduates)
MRI (Major Research Instrumentation)
IF (Instrumentation and Facilities)

CAREER (Faculty Early Career Development Program)

2009: CAREER: Contrasting environmental controls on regional CO2 and CH4 biogeochemistry " Research and education for placing global change in a regional, local context (Acrobat (PDF) 1.2MB Jun10 15). PI: Ankur Desai, University of Wisconsin-Madison. Awarded within the Ecosystem Science Cluster, Environmental Biology Division in BIO (Biological Sciences).
2009: Effects of particle size on physical and chemical properties of mine wastes. (Acrobat (PDF) 1.2MB Jun10 11) PI: Christopher Kim, Chapman University. Awarded within the Integrative Computing Education and Research initiative in EAR (Earth Sciences).
2007: A Study of the Radiative Effects of Cloud Shadows on the Dynamics of Long-Lived Convective Storms. (Acrobat (PDF) 3.8MB Jun24 08) PI: Paul Markowski, Pennsylvania State University. Awarded within the Physical and Dynamic Meteorology program in ATM (Atmospheric Sciences).
2004: Earth System Science Perspective on the Sulfur Cycle. (Acrobat (PDF) 3.2MB Jun24 08) PI: James Farquhar, University of Maryland. Awarded within the Petrology and Geochemistry program in EAR (Earth Sciences).
2004: Sediment Dynamics on the Bengal Shelf and Fate of the Ganges-Brahmaputra Floodpulse. (Microsoft Word 1.1MB Sep29 05) PI: Steve Goodbred, Vanderbilt University. Awarded within the Education/Human Resources program and the Marine Geology and Geophysics program, in OCE (Ocean Sciences).
2004: A Research and Education Program in Dynamical Paleoclimatology. (Acrobat (PDF) 1.4MB Oct5 05) PI: Mike Evans, Laboratory of Tree-Ring Research, University of Arizona. Awarded within the Paleoclimate program in ATM (Atmospheric Sciences).
2002: Integrated Stratigraphic and Hydrogeologic Aquifer Analysis: Toward Improved Multi-scale Characterization of Alluvial Aquifer Systems. (Acrobat (PDF) 833kB Oct24 05) PI: Gary Weissmann, University of New Mexico. Awarded within the Hydrologic Sciences programs in EAR (Earth Sciences).

Research in the Geosciences (Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Sciences)

2011: Collaborative Research: Deciphering connections among land management, soil erosion, and sediment yield in large river basins. (Acrobat (PDF) 690kB Jun4 12) PIs: Amanda Schmidt, Oberlin College; Paul Bierman, University of Vermont; and Dylan Rood, Earth Research Institute, University of California at Santa Barbara. Awarded within the Hydologic Sciences program, EAR (Earth Sciences).
2008: Collaborative Research: Vortex Dynamics and Interannual Variability in the Labrador Sea. (Acrobat (PDF) 599kB Apr7 08) PI: Annalisa Bracco, Georgia Institute of Technology. Awarded within the Physical Oceanography program, OCE (Ocean Sciences). In collaboration with Jonathan Lilly, Earth and Space Research, and Joseph Pedlosky, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute.
2005: Collaborative Research: Strike-Slip History of the East Gobi Fault Zone, Mongolia: Modes of Intraplate Deformation, Sedimentary Basin Evolution, and Regional Fault Linkages. (Acrobat (PDF) 5.6MB May15 09) PIs: Cari L. Johnson, University of Utah, and Laura E. Webb, Syracuse University. Awarded within the Tectonics program, EAR (Earth Sciences).
2005: Collaborative Research: Impact of Externally and Internally Modulated Convection on Tropical Cyclone Evolution. (Acrobat (PDF) 1.7MB Aug3 07) PIs: Matthew Eastin, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, and Paul R. Reasor, Florida State University. Awarded within the Physical and Dynamic Meteorology program, ATM (Atmospheric Sciences).
2005: Collaborative Research: Quantifying the Dependence of Fabric and Rheology on Finite Strain for Naturally Deformed Rocks. (Microsoft Word 1.8MB Oct29 05) PIs: Dyanna Czeck, University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, and Basil Tikoff, University of Wisconsin, Madison. Awarded within the Tectonics program, EAR (Earth Sciences).
2004: Expansion & Collapse of the Cordilleran Ice Sheet during the Quaternary (project description) (Microsoft Word 3.5MB Oct5 05) and project summary. (Microsoft Word 27kB Oct5 05) PI: Ingrid Hendy, University of Michigan. Awarded within the Marine Geology and Geophysics program, OCE (Ocean Sciences).
2004: Sulfate 17O Anomalies in Cenozoic Volcaniclastic Deposits in the Northern High Plains, North America. (Acrobat (PDF) 1.1MB Oct5 05) PI: Huiming Bao, Louisiana State University. Funding programs: Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR), Petrology and Geochemistry.

TUES (Transforming Undergraduate Education in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics)

Note: Until 2010, this program was called CCLI (Course Curriculum and Laboratory Improvement)

Because CCLI grants vary so widely in topic and scope, you may also find it helpful to search the NSF database of awards to find additional recent examples.

Type I (Exploratory) proposals
- 2010: Creating an Academic Community to Foster Curiosity and Discovery in Introductory Geoscience Classes. (Acrobat (PDF) 209kB Jun7 10) PIs: Karen Grove, Dave Dempsey, Petra Dekens, San Francisco State University.
- 2009: Inquiry Based Learning Modules for Atmospheric Science Using Student-Accessible Modeling Tools (Acrobat (PDF) 386kB Jul21 10). PI: Timothy VanReken, Washington State University. Co-PI: Shane Brown, Washington State University.
- 2009: Transforming Museums and Colleges into an Effective Earth Science Partnership: Creating Student Explorations of Museum Exhibits for Undergraduate Education. (Acrobat (PDF) 752kB Jun10 09) PI: Kent Kirkby, University of Minnesota. Co-PI: Paul Morin.
- 2006: The Math You Need, When You Need It: Modular Student Resources to Encourage Successful Incorporation of Quantitative Concepts in Introductory Geoscience. (Acrobat (PDF) 375kB Mar5 07) PI: Eric Baer, Highline Community College, co-PI: Helen Burn, Highline Community College. In collaboration with Jennifer Wenner, University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh.
- 2006: Get WET Observatory: Implementing a Fluid Learning Experience for Undergraduates. (Project summary only.) (Microsoft Word 178kB Jun1 06) PI: Sara Rathburn, Colorado State University. Co-PIs: Dennis Harry, Andrew Warnock, and William Sanford.
Type II (Expansion) proposals
- 2009: Collaborative Research: Expansion of "The Math You Need, When You Need It" Through Widespread Implementation (Acrobat (PDF) 322kB Jul21 10). PIs: Eric Baer, Highline Community College, and Jennifer Wenner, University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh. Co-PI: Helen Burn, Highline Community College.
Educational Materials Development proposals
- 2005: Bringing Relevance to Earth Science Introductory Curricula through Images Showing Human/Landscape Interaction. (Acrobat (PDF) 1.6MB Oct5 05) PI: Paul Bierman, University of Vermont. If you want to, you can check out just the project summary (Microsoft Word 29kB Oct5 05) or the project description (Microsoft Word 605kB Oct5 05) sections of the proposal. You can also view the project funded by the grant. Follow the prompts, and type in the course code "development" when you need it.
Adaptation and Implementation proposals
- 2004: Improving Reasoning and Technological Competency Across the Curriculum through Targeted Applications of GIS. (Microsoft Word 62kB Oct5 05) PI: William Montgomery, New Jersey City University.
- 2004: The power of moving sediment: integrating experimental sedimentology into the undergraduate geoscience curriculum. (Acrobat (PDF) 1.7MB Nov15 05) PI: Cathy Summa, with co-PIs from the Winona State University geology department (Dogwiler, Myers, and Allard).
- 2003: Enhancing Student Understanding of Environmental Systems with Ion Chromatography. (Acrobat (PDF) 344kB Nov1 05) PI: Jeanette (Jerz) Pope, DePauw University.

OEDG (Opportunity for Enhancing Diversity in the Geosciences)

2005: Enhancing Diversity Track 1: Intensive Field Experience in Northern Illinois and Central Mexico for Junior and Senior High School Teachers Serving Large Hispanic Populations. (Microsoft Word 330kB Oct29 05) PI: Kathy Kitts, co-PI: Eugene Perry, Northern Illinois University.

REU (Research Experiences for Undergraduates)

2003: REU Site: Interdisciplinary Watershed Studies at the College of William and Mary (project description) (Microsoft Word 74kB Oct5 05) and project summary. (Microsoft Word 24kB Oct5 05) PI: Randy Chambers (Biology). Co-PIs: Hancock (Geology), Roberts (Sociology), and Hicks (Economics); all are from the College of William and Mary.