Civic Innovation Challenge | 24 534

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) - Civic Innovation Challenge (CIVIC) (NSF 24-534)

What is the Civic Innovation Challenge (CIVIC)?

The Civic Innovation Challenge (CIVIC) is a National Science Foundation (NSF)-led research and action competition designed to move advanced research and emerging technologies out of the lab and into real communities on a fast timeline, with measurable outcomes. CIVIC emphasizes civic-engaged research, where communities and researchers work side by side to identify high-priority local problems and co-design practical solutions that can be piloted and evaluated.

What is CIVIC trying to change compared to typical research projects?

CIVIC is designed to shift away from a model where universities primarily drive the work and communities primarily receive outcomes. Instead, it treats civic partners as equal drivers of the project, expects teams to move quickly, and requires concrete outcomes during a 12-month pilot implementation period (Stage 2).

What does "civic-engaged research" mean in this program?

In CIVIC, civic-engaged research means researchers and community partners jointly identify community priorities, co-design the project approach, implement the work together, and evaluate results together. The intent is not only to produce knowledge, but also to transition innovations into real-world use rather than stopping at prototypes or publications.

What kinds of research and technologies does CIVIC support?

Projects are expected to be rooted in maturing, state-of-the-art research across fields such as computer science, engineering, geosciences, biological sciences, and the social sciences. The emphasis is on deploying and testing practical solutions in real communities and generating evidence about what works, what does not, and why.

What are the topic tracks for this solicitation?

This solicitation includes two tracks:

• Track A: Climate and environmental instability, emphasizing resilient communities through co-design, adaptation, and mitigation.
• Track B: Bridging gaps between essential resources and services and what communities actually need, focusing on mismatches in access, delivery, and responsiveness.

Do projects need to be community-based and US-based?

Yes. Across both tracks, the work must be grounded in US-based civic partnership and engagement. The communities and all academic and civic partners must be located in the United States or its protectorates.

Who counts as a "civic partner" in CIVIC?

CIVIC uses a broad definition of civic partners. Examples include local, state, or tribal government officials, nonprofit representatives, community organizers and advocates, community service providers, and others directly involved in improving community conditions.

Are coalitions required, or can a single organization apply alone?

CIVIC proposals must be built around coalitions. Multiple civic partners and a multidisciplinary research team are expected to co-create the project, carry it out together, and evaluate outcomes. The program is structured around collaborative partnerships rather than single-entity efforts.

What is meant by a multidisciplinary research team?

A multidisciplinary research team in CIVIC is a team that brings together expertise across multiple disciplines (for example, combining computing, engineering, social science, geoscience, or biological science) to address a community-defined problem and support real-world implementation and evaluation.

How is the CIVIC funding structured?

Funding is awarded through a two-stage process:

• Stage 1: Planning grants to form and strengthen teams and produce a well-developed Stage 2 proposal.
• Stage 2: Pilot implementation and evaluation awards to execute the research-centered pilot in the community and assess outcomes.

How many Stage 1 planning awards are expected, and what is the budget and period of performance?

Stage 1 anticipates about 35 to 40 awards. Each planning award can be up to $75,000 for a six-month period.

What is Stage 1 funding intended to support?

Stage 1 funding is meant for team formation and strengthening, clarifying community priorities, refining and maturing the technical approach, establishing project governance and partnerships, and producing a well-developed full proposal for Stage 2.

Can a team apply directly to Stage 2 without receiving Stage 1 funding?

No. Only teams that receive a Stage 1 planning grant are eligible to apply for Stage 2 (the full implementation phase).

How many Stage 2 awards are expected, and what is the maximum budget and project length?

Stage 2 anticipates about 20 full awards. Stage 2 proposals can request up to $1,000,000 for up to 12 months.

What do Stage 2 proposals need to explain?

Stage 2 proposals must explain in concrete terms how the team will execute the research-centered pilot in the community and how results will be evaluated. The program emphasizes both lasting impact in the partner community and transferability to other places.

What is the expected pilot timeline for demonstrating outcomes?

CIVIC expects teams to move on a short timeline and demonstrate real outcomes within a 12-month pilot period during Stage 2.

What are "communities of practice" in CIVIC?

CIVIC connects teams nationally through communities of practice organized around shared problem areas. The goal is to exchange lessons, methods, and tools across sites so projects are not operating in isolation.

Who provides support and structure for the communities of practice?

The MetroLab Network, as the NSF award recipient supporting this effort, provides structure for the communities of practice through virtual and in-person activities intended to strengthen capacity-building, collaboration, networking, and the development of solutions that can scale or be adapted elsewhere.

Which federal agencies and NSF directorates support this opportunity?

The opportunity is jointly supported by multiple NSF directorates, including Computer and Information Science and Engineering (CISE), Engineering (ENG), Geosciences (GEO), Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences (SBE), and Biological Sciences (BIO), along with federal partners at the Department of Energy (DOE) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

What is the funding opportunity number for this solicitation?

The listed funding opportunity number is 24-534.

What is the award type (instrument) for CIVIC?

The award instrument is a discretionary grant.

What category does this opportunity fall under?

The opportunity sits in the science and technology research and development category.

What is the award ceiling?

The listed award ceiling is $1,000,000 (associated with Stage 2 implementation awards).

How many total awards are expected across both stages?

The solicitation anticipates roughly 60 awards across Stage 1 and Stage 2 combined.

Who is eligible to apply as the applicant organization?

Eligible applicants are limited to two categories:

• US-based nonprofit, non-academic organizations directly tied to educational or research activities (such as independent museums, observatories, research labs, and professional societies).
• Accredited US institutions of higher education, including two-year and four-year colleges (community colleges included).

Are community colleges eligible?

Yes. Accredited US institutions of higher education include both two-year and four-year colleges, and community colleges are explicitly included.

Are there restrictions on who can serve as Principal Investigator (PI)?

No. The solicitation states there are no restrictions on who may serve as principal investigator.

Can the project include an international branch campus of a US institution?

If a proposal involves funding for an international branch campus of a US institution (including through subawards or consultants), the applicant must clearly explain why that overseas activity is necessary, what benefit it brings, and why the work cannot be done at the US campus.

What is the deadline listed for this solicitation?

The original closing date listed for this solicitation was May 1, 2024.

Is CIVIC focused on research outcomes, real-world outcomes, or both?

Both. CIVIC requires a research-centered approach grounded in state-of-the-art work, but it places strong emphasis on transitioning innovations into real-world use, piloting in communities, and evaluating measurable outcomes.

How does CIVIC address scaling or transferability of solutions?

Stage 2 proposals are expected to consider transferability to other places, and CIVIC reinforces this through nationally connected communities of practice where teams can share lessons, methods, and tools that may help solutions scale or be adapted elsewhere.