NSF Research in Disabilities Education (RDE)

WHAT: Limited Submission Proposal for the National Science Foundation NSF (08-527) Research in Disabilities Education (RDE)

WHO:  Texas A&M University faculty, including TAES, TEES and TTI personnel.

WHY:  The RDE Program anticipates making awards for $200,000 per year with a maximum duration of five years for Innovation through Institutional Integration (I3) projects.

WHEN: Internal proposal deadline of February 4, 2008.

HOW:  Faculty should submit an internal proposal via email for review by the internal selection committee.  

THE FINE PRINT:

The funding agency below has limited the number of solicitations to one Innovation through Institutional Integration (I3) project per institution. If the number of faculty wishing to submit a proposal exceeds the number allowed by the agency, we will conduct an internal selection process. Below are due dates for the program, including the due date for the internal proposal for review by the internal selection committee, the date for announcement of the internal selection, the date for the optional letter of intent and the due date for submission of the proposal to the agency.                                                       

AGENCY:  National Science Foundation (NSF)

AGENCY PROGRAM TITLE:  NSF 08-527 Research in Disabilities Education (RDE)

BRIEF PROGRAM DESCRIPTION:  The Research in Disabilities Education (RDE) Program is designed to increase the participation and achievement of persons with disabilities in all fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education and associated professional careers. 

Innovation through Institutional Integration (I3) projects are designed to enable institutions to think and act strategically about the creative integration of NSF-funded awards towards a whole that exceeds the sum of its parts, with particular emphasis on awards managed through programs in the Directorate for Education and Human Resources (EHN), but not limited to those awards.  The PI for an I3 project must be the university provost or equivalent, unless the proposal is exclusively for I3 STEM educational or related research. 

Five specific goals of I3 projects include:  increasing synergy and collaboration across NSF-funded projects and within/between institutions, towards an educational environment where artificial boundaries are significantly reduced and the student experience is more fully integrated; expanding and deepening the footprints of NSF-funded projects and enhancing their sustainability; promoting innovative programming, policies and practices to encourage the integration of STEM research and education; providing additional avenues to broaden participation by those underserved in STEM research and education, especially underrepresented minorities, women and persons of disabilities, as well as attending to seamless transitions across critical educational junctures, and/or providing more effectively for a globally engaged workforce; and encouraging STEM educational or related research in domains that hold promise for promoting intra- or inter-institutional integration and broader impacts.

In addition, all I3 projects should include a management/governance plan, details on capabilities of the submitting team and an evaluation plan.  I3 awardees will be required to participate in an NSF data collection system (to be developed) that will track outcomes and impacts over time, as well as in an independent, multi-method program-level evaluation to assess the effectiveness of the I3 investment.

More information can be found at the web page of the sponsor’s program announcement here. 

AGENCIES ELIGIBLE TO SUBMIT:  Institutions of higher education (including two- and four-year colleges) located and accredited in the U.S. are eligible for this program.

ELIGIBLE PROJECT COSTS:  Indirect Cost (F&A) Limitations:  Office equipment for project staff is expected to come from other sources.  Further, the RDE Program does not offer individual stipends, scholarships or living expenses in direct support of individuals with disabilities.   

AWARD INFORMATION:  The RDE Program anticipates making awards of $200,000 per year for a maximum duration of five years for the Innovation through Institutional Integration (I3) projects.

COST SHARING:  NONE.

INTERNAL SELECTION PROCEDURES AND DEADLINES   

February 1, 2008:  Deadline for an email of intent, including the names of the PI and the co-PIs, title of internal proposal and a 1-3 sentence description of the project.  Send email of intent.  This will allow us time to identify internal review committee members, if necessary.

February 4, 2008:  Deadline to obtain signatures of approval from your department head and college dean to submit an internal proposal to the Office of Sponsored Projects for review by the internal selection committee.  The internal proposal should include:

• An executive summary, up to three pages, based on the proposal description as outlined in the NSF Program Announcement
•  Project and Management Plans (including team members)
•  Summary budget

The form for completing the internal proposal is here.  

This completed form should be submitted electronically for review by the internal selection committee.

Please read the RFP carefully for specific requirements of the program here.    

Selection of pre-proposals will be based on NSF evaluation guidelines. Meeting the needs of the university’s reinvestment plan will also be taken into account.

During the selection process, the internal selection committee may contact

departments and colleges for their opinions and commitments. They may also

request additional information from PI’s.

February 15, 2008: The Internal Selection Committee will notify PIs of the result of the internal competition.

April 10, 2008:  NSF deadline for full proposal:  (due by 5 p.m. proposer’s local time).