Frontier Research in Earth Sciences (FRES)

Funding Agency:
National Science Foundation

The FRES program will support research in Earth systems from the core through the critical zone. The project may focus on all or part of the surface, continental lithospheric, and deeper Earth systems over the entire range of temporal and spatial scales. FRES projects should have a larger scientific scope and budget than those considered for funding by disciplinary programs in the Division of Earth Sciences (EAR). FRES projects may be interdisciplinary studies that do not fit well within EAR's disciplinary programs or cannot be routinely managed by sharing between disciplinary programs. Innovative proposals within a single disciplinary area with outcomes of potential broad relevance to Earth Science research are also encouraged. Investigations may employ any combination of field, laboratory, and computational studies with observational, theoretical, or experimental approaches. Projects should be focused on topics that meet the guidelines for research funded by the Division of Earth Sciences.

Full Proposal Target Date: February 7, 2024 and first Wednesday in February, Annually Thereafter.

Agency Website

https://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=504833

Eligibility Requirements

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 subawards 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.
  • Non-profit, non-academic organizations: Independent museums, observatories, research labs, professional societies and similar organizations in the U.S. associated with educational or research activities.

An individual may serve as Principal Investigator, Co-Principal Investigator, or Senior Personnel on only one FRES proposal for each annual deadline.

Amount

$3,000,000

Amount Description

Estimated Number of Awards: 5 to 10 projects

5 to 10 new projects per year. Many projects will be collaborative research proposals from multiple organizations. The upper limit on award size is $3,000,000, including any funds to be paid to NSF-supported facilities. Investigators proposing projects with budgets of less than $1,000,000 are encouraged to contact a program Officer before submitting a proposal.

Anticipated Funding Amount: Approximately $11,000,000 to $12,000,000 pending availability of funds.

Funding Type

Grant

Eligibility

Faculty

Category

Engineering and Physical Sciences
Environmental & Life Sciences
Interdisciplinary

External Deadline

February 7, 2024