1. Math Department Proposal Guidance Fiscal Year 2016

2. Changes to NSF Proposal Preparation: http://osp.mit.edu/grant-and-contract-administration/sponsor- information/nsf/nsf-news-archive/changes-to-nsf-proposal-p Allowability (e.g. computers, administrative staff, meetings) and revised procurement requirements Clarifications in “Results from Prior NSF Support” and “Broader Impacts of the Proposed Work” subsections of the project description Total # of all collaborator types must now be provided in Biosketch

3. Finding an Opportunity: http://math.mit.edu/services/grants/funding.php Sponsor site examples: http://www.grants.gov http://sciencecareers.sciencemag.org/funding http://www.nsf.gov/funding/azindex.jsp

4. Solicitations: Solicitations, RFP or Program Guidelines will generally tell you what you need to know to apply. Illustration by Gabrielle Ceriales

5. Can I apply to this funding source? Look for: Eligibility restrictions (citizenship, career level) Budget limits: $ and years Required cost-sharing Limits on indirect costs (under recovery) Effort required/limits on effort

6. When to involve your Math Financial Administrator? The moment you decide to propose for research funding through the Math Department When you have picked an opportunity When you need help creating a budget When you need more information about a solicitation When you have a question about allowable expenses

7. What can your Financial Administrator not do? Unfortunately, they cannot: Decide which funding opportunity is most appropriate to your research Provide examples of previously funded proposals Write your proposal Choose appropriate conferences for you to attend Edit the PDF documents you send for the proposal Edit your LaTeX or original text documents Review the scientific merit of your proposal Choose reviewers to recommend to your proposal Expedite the NSF review and award notification process

8. Financial Approx. #s: 26 PI w/ Monthly Projections 25 PI w/ Quarterly Projections 116 people eligible to propose in Math Dept. Financial Administrator receives on average over 300 emails per month (about 10-15 requests per day) FY15 47 proposals submitted (9 proposals in the span of 4 days)

9. FY15 Proposal Submissions: NSF : Analysis, Combinatorics and Computational Math (2 each) Algebra and Number Theory, Computing and Communications Foundations, CAREER, Fluid Dynamics, Focused Research Groups in Math (FRG), Mathematical Sciences Infrastructure Program, Particulate and Multiphase Processes, Physics of Living Systems (PoLS), Probability (1 each) Supplement (5) Conference (3) Revised Budgets (6) Topology (6) Other: (sponsors including AFOSR, NSA, ONR, The Simons Foundation) (12)

10. Planning your proposal: Make sure to mention every part of the project that requires funding Will you need supporting letters? Unfunded collaborators must commit to the project in writing Collaborative visits to other schools should include letters of invitation Give yourself adequate time to complete the proposal

11. Determining the Budget: What will you need to complete your proposed project? Resource to help you: Budget Worksheet (PDF questionnaire) *Please email your Financial Administrator with the desired budget details and they can generate the needed budget for the proposal. Your confirmation of the final budget will be necessary.

12. COI (Conflict of Interest): You will receive an automated email once your Financial Administrator has generated the proposal in KC (Kuali Coeus) The completion of your COI in KC is required for all proposals and awards Contact coi-help@mit.edu for COI ?scoi-help@mit.edu Contact for kc-help@mit.edu technical ?skc-help@mit.edu http://coi.mit.edu https://coeus.mit.edu/coeus/coi.do?Menu_Id=004

13. Writing your proposal: For NSF proposals:http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/policydocs/pappg uide/nsf14001/gpg_index.jsphttp://www.nsf.gov/pubs/policydocs/pappg uide/nsf14001/gpg_index.jsp Download the NSF proposal template from: http://math.mit.edu/services/grants.html http://math.mit.edu/services/grants.html All other Sponsors, follow solicitation guidelines and/or contact the Financial Administrator

14. NSF Proposal Documents: The LaTeX NSF templates include: Project Summary (1 page) Project Description (15 pages) References Cited (no limit) Biographical Sketch (2 pages) Data Management Plan (1 page) *the Data Management Plan is not part of the NSF Master File

15. Project Summary: Must include 3 sections:  Overview  Intellectual Merit  Broader Impacts

16. Project Description: *those in bold are required sections by NSF Introduction Intellectual Merits Broader Impacts of the Proposed Work Background Research Problem(s) Proposed Approach Results from Prior NSF Support

17. Results from Prior NSF Support: If you have no prior NSF support, you must indicate: “The PI has not previously been supported by the NSF” If you have prior support currently or in the past 5 years, you must include the following information for the one award most closely related to the proposal: a. NSF award #, amount and period of support b. Title of the project c. Summary of results explained in 2 subsections Intellectual Merit of the prior support Broader Impacts of the prior support d. Publications resulting from the prior NSF award (if none, PI must state, "No publications were produced under this award”) e. Evidence of research products (i.e. data, publications, samples, physical collections, software, and models) f. Description of the relation of the completed work to the proposed work (only if the proposal is for renewed support)

18. References: Each reference must include: the names of all authors (in the same sequence in which they appear in the publication), the article and journal title, book title, volume number, page numbers, and year of publication. Include website(s) (if applicable) Follow accepted scholarly practices in providing citations If there are no references, send a PDF document that states, "Not Applicable."

19. Biosketch: Professional Preparation Appointments (in reverse chronological order) Products Synergistic Activities Collaborators & Other Affiliations Collaborators (for past 48 months) and Co-Editors (for past 24 months) (must include current organizational affiliations, be in alphabetical order and include the total #) Graduate Advisors and Postdoctoral Sponsors (must include current organizational affiliations and total #) Thesis Advisor (all time) and Postgraduate-Scholar Sponsor (for past 5 years) (must include organizational affiliations the total # for all time)

20. Submission Process: Math Department Deadline is 2 weeks before the sponsor deadline! *Please note that if an institute holiday falls in that time, it does not count as part of the 2 weeks. 2 days for Financial Administrator and Administrative Officer’s compilation of administrative documents, set-up of proposal in KC and sponsor the site, reviews and corrections 3 days for Dean’s review and corrections 5 days for Office of Sponsored Programs: review, corrections and submission as needed

21. Contact Information: Gabrielle Stump Ceriales Financial Administrator MIT Math Department gstump@mit.edu 617-452-2231 Finance Proposal Guide 08/26/2015