The components listed below are common documents required for each NSF proposal submission.
Current NSF Proposal Preparation Instructions are outlined in the NSF Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide.
Note: Requirements are subject to change depending on the specific NSF Program Solicitation so, it is very important to read through the preparation and submission instructions each time.
- Project Summary (1 page)
- Project Description (small and medium proposals, up to 15 pages; large proposals, up to 20 pages)
- References Cited
- Budget and Budget Justification
- Sr/Key Personnel Documents
- Biographical Sketch (as of 2024, there is no longer a page limitation for the biosketch)
- Current and Pending Support
- Collaborators & Other Affiliations (COA) Information
- Synergistic Activities
- Facilities, Equipment and Other Resources
- Data Management Plan (2 pages)
- Collaboration Plan (if applicable; medium and large proposals, up to 2 pages)
- Mentoring Plan (if applicable; 1 page) – as of 2024, required for proposals that request funding to support postdoctoral scholars and/or graduate students
- Letter(s) of Collaboration (if applicable; use NSF recommended format)