Human-Environment and Geographical Sciences Program - Doctoral Dissertation Research Improvement Awards

U.S. National Science Foundation · NSF

CFDA Numbers

47.075

Award Ceiling

$18K

Award Floor

—

Expected Awards

Close Date

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Section I

How to Apply

Apply Online ↗

View on grants_gov ↗

Program Contact

NSF grants.gov support grantsgovsupport@nsf.gov
grantsgovsupport@nsf.gov

Section II

Eligibility

*Who May Submit Proposals: Proposals may only be submitted by the following: -Institutions of Higher Education (IHEs): Two- and four-year IHEs (including community colleges) accredited in, and having a campus located in the US, acting on behalf of their faculty members. Special Instructions for International Branch Campuses of US IHEs: If the proposal includes funding to be provided to an international branch campus of a US institution of higher education (including through use of sub-awards and consultant arrangements), the proposer must explain the benefit(s) to the project of performance at the international branch campus, and justify why the project activities cannot be performed at the US campus. *Who May Serve as PI: DDRI proposals must be submitted with a principal investigator (PI) and a co-principal investigator (co-PI). The PI must be the advisor of the doctoral student or another faculty member at the U.S. university where the doctoral student is enrolled. There is no limitation on the number of times that an individual may be the principal investigator on a DDRI proposal submitted to GSS, either during a specific competition or over the course of her/his career. A doctoral student may submit a DDRI proposal to GSS to support her/his dissertation research only twice during her/his lifetime. A student and her/his advisor therefore should carefully consider what times during the student's graduate program are most appropriate forsubmission ofa DDRI proposal.

Eligible Applicant Types

Section III

Description

As specified in the Geography and Spatial Sciences Program strategic plan, the mission of the NSF Geography and Spatial Sciences (GSS) Program is to promote: Basic scientific research in geography and spatial science that advances theory, fundamental understanding, scientific approaches, and that addresses the challenges facing society. The education and training of geographers and spatial scientists in order to enhance the capabilities of current and future generations of researchers. The involvement of geographers and spatial scientists in interdisciplinary research. The Geography and Spatial Sciences Program supports basic research about the geographic distributions and interactions of human, physical, and biotic systems on Earth. Investigators are encouraged to propose plans for research about the nature, causes, and consequences of human activity and natural environmental processes across a range of scales. Projects about a broad range of topics may be appropriate for support if they offer promise of enhancing fundamental geographical knowledge, concepts, theories, methods, and their application to societal problems and concerns.As part of its effort to encourage and support projects that explicitly integrate education and basic research, GSS provides support to improve the conduct of doctoral dissertation projects undertaken by doctoral students enrolled in U.S. universities when the dissertation research is conducted in a scientifically sound manner and it offers strong potential for enhancing more general scientific knowledge.This solicitation addresses the preparation and evaluation of proposals for Doctoral Dissertation Research Improvement (DDRI) awards.Instructions for submission of proposals for regular research awards; proposals for awards for conferences,group-travel support, and community-development activities; proposals for research coordination network (RCN) awards; and proposals for rapid-response research (RAPID) awards appear in another GSSsolicitation(https://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=505034&org=BCS&from=home).

Section IV

Key Dates

Posted: Jun 6, 2025
Archive: Jun 7, 2025