A revised version of the NSF Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG), NSF 13-1, was issued on October 4, 2012.
Please be advised that these guidelines contained in NSF 13-1 apply to proposals submitted in response to the current Advancing Informal STEM Learning (AISL) solicitation NSF 12-560, due on January 14, 2013. A by-chapter summary of this and other significant changes is provided at the beginning of the publication.
Important changes you should be aware of are:
1. The project summary requires three distinct sections: 1) an overview, 2) intellectual merit statement, and 3) broader impact statement. Beginning around January 11th, the process to input the summary will change from uploading a one-page WORD document to inputting the information into three text boxes within FastLane.
2. The new Guide requires that each proposal have a separate section that deals with broader impacts. Since all aspects of AISL projects have broader impact implications, PIs should include the separate Broader Impact Section in whatever location of the proposal narrative that makes the most sense. It should be concise and refer to other parts of the narrative as needed.
If you are trying to decide which guidelines to follow – the new Guide or the solicitation guidelines – please note that it is important to include the elements identified in the solicitation, while also adhering to the changes noted the new Guide.
For questions, please send an email to drlaisl@nsf.gov.