NSF-Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) Program
To: Chairs, Departments in the Biological Sciences, Physical Sciences, and Social Sciences
From: Heather Daniels, Graduate School
Date: November 26, 2012
Subject: NSF-Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) Program
Deadlines:
Nominations are due at the Graduate School on Wednesday, December 5; Applications are due for internal review on Monday, December 17.
Project Description:
The MRI program accepts proposals for acquisition or development of research instrumentation that is, in general, too costly for support through other NSF programs. MRI encourages the development and acquisition of research instrumentation for shared inter- and/or intra-organizational use. Proposals may be for a single instrument or for equipment that, when combined, serves as an integrated research instrument (physical or virtual). The MRI program does not support the acquisition or development of a suite of instruments to outfit research facilities or to conduct independent research activities simultaneously. NSF is stimulating the development of the next generation of research instrumentation by encouraging organizations to submit proposals for instrument development. The program will consider requests from $100,000 - $4 million for either a development or acquisition proposal. Requests for less than $100,000 will also be accepted for the disciplines of mathematics or social, behavioral and economic sciences.
The program will not provide support for instrumentation to be used in medical education (such as medical school courses). Instrumentation intended for 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. Instrumentation for research on animal models of such conditions or the development or testing of drugs or other procedures for their treatment also is not eligible for support.
Eligibility:
The number of proposals UW–Madison may submit is limited to two, but if at least one proposal is for instrument development, three proposals may be submitted. This limit includes significantly funded subawardees (20% or more of total budget request for development proposals OR any acquisition proposals). For this reason we will convene an ad hoc committee to review the applications internally and to select the projects to be forwarded to NSF.
NSF requires cost-sharing in the MRI program of exactly 30% of the total project cost.
The Graduate School has a limited amount of funds available each year to assist applicants to the NSF Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) program when that program requires a match. The Graduate School will consider committing a contribution to the match for successful applications, but not more than 50% of the required match nor more than $300,000. However, potential Graduate School contributions are also subject to the availability of funds, competitive review and approval by the Dean of the Graduate School.
Website:
http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2013/nsf13517/nsf13517.htmThis contains additional information on the program and specific application instructions, etc.
Internal Competition Application Instructions:
Notice of intent (proposal or subaward): Send an email message to gsgrants@grad.wisc.edu with "NSF MRI-PI name" in the subject line by Wednesday, December 5, 2012 to inform us of your intention to submit a proposal. Please include the following in your email message:
--name and full contact information for the PI
--names and departments of the Co-PIs
--UW-Madison proposal or subaward
--indicate whether this is an instrument development (Track 2) or instrument acquisition (Track 1) proposal
--a brief description (sentence or two) of the instrumentation requested
Applications for internal review: Send your application for the internal competition to gsgrants@grad.wisc.edu as a pdf file with "NSF MRI-PI name" in the subject line by Monday, December 17, 2012. Your application for the internal competition should include the following information:
-- Cover page with proposal title, full contact information (building address, phone, email) for the PI
-- 2-3 page description of the proposed instrumentation, the need for the instrumentation, and the faculty/staff programs impacted. If the request is for more than $1 million, include information regarding the potential impact on the research community of interest and at the regional or national level when appropriate.
-- 2-3 sentences on your plans for meeting the NSF cost-sharing requirement including total cost for the project
For those projects selected, complete proposals must be submitted using FastLane or Grants.gov. Information about campus procedures for FastLane or Grants.gov is posted on the RSP Web site. The NSF proposal deadline is Thursday, February 21, 2013, 5 pm CST.
If you have any questions about this procedure, please contact Heather Daniels (608) 263-7274 or email gsgrants@grad.wisc.edu