The proposed significant changes to the NSF Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG), as presented in the briefing to COGR on June 9, 2016, aim to streamline and clarify the document’s structure and content. Key reforms include the unification of the previously separate Grant Proposal Guide (GPG) and Award & Administration Guide (AAG) into a single PAPPG document with sequentially numbered chapters, enhancing navigability. Eligibility requirements are broadened to include unaffiliated individuals, while instructions for late proposal submissions due to disasters are made clearer. The distinction between voluntary committed and uncommitted cost sharing is more extensively covered, promising improved understanding of cost sharing expectations.
Further updates involve revised language in sections concerning human and vertebrate animal research and the inclusion of a standard Organizational Environmental Impacts Checklist for applicable proposals. Special processing instructions and types of proposals are each now housed in distinct sections to provide greater specificity, with two new proposal types introduced: one focusing on interdisciplinary science and engineering (GOALI), and another on research advancement. International Travel Grants have also been expanded to support both domestic and international travel. The document addresses outstanding operational issues such as enhanced system compliance for proposal summaries, requirements for uploading collaborator and affiliation information separately, and clarifications about eligibility for overseas campuses of U.S. institutions. Overall, these changes are designed to promote clarity, efficiency, and adaptability in NSF proposal and award processes.
