Division of Environmental Biology (core programs) (DEB) | 24 543

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): NSF DEB Core Programs (Funding Opportunity 24-543)

1) What is this funding opportunity?

This is a National Science Foundation (NSF) Division of Environmental Biology (DEB) Core Programs opportunity that supports basic research and research training in ecology and evolutionary biology. It is a discretionary NSF grant opportunity listed under Funding Opportunity Number 24-543 and CFDA 47.074.

2) What kinds of science does DEB Core Programs support?

DEB Core Programs supports projects that deepen understanding of ecological and evolutionary processes across many levels of biological organization. Projects may focus on populations, species, communities, ecosystems, and broader patterns across macrosystems and biogeographic regions, including how life interacts with the environment across space and time.

3) What is the overall scientific emphasis of the program?

The emphasis is on fundamental research that helps explain both the unity of life (shared principles and mechanisms) and the diversity of life (how and why organisms and systems differ). The program is geared toward basic ecological and evolutionary questions rather than narrow, topic-specific one-time competitions.

4) What research approaches are allowed?

DEB is intentionally broad about acceptable approaches as long as they are grounded in strong scientific questions and methods. Proposals may include field studies, laboratory studies, or research based on biological collections.

5) Are observational studies eligible, or does NSF only fund experiments?

Both are welcomed. The program supports observational research as well as manipulative experiments.

6) Does the program support synthesis work using existing data?

Yes. DEB supports synthesis efforts that integrate existing data or ideas to generate new insights, including data-driven analyses that combine multiple datasets.

7) Are modeling and theory projects in scope?

Yes. The opportunity includes theoretical work, including analytical, statistical, and computational modeling, as well as projects that develop new modeling frameworks.

8) Does DEB support phylogenetic discovery or biodiversity/systematics work?

Yes. Acceptable directions explicitly include phylogenetic discovery projects and systematics and biodiversity-focused science, depending on the proposal's aims and the cluster chosen.

9) What are the DEB core program clusters I need to choose from?

Applicants are expected to submit proposals to one of four DEB core program clusters based on scientific focus: Ecosystem Science, Evolutionary Processes, Population and Community Ecology, and Systematics and Biodiversity Science.

10) How do I decide which cluster to submit to?

The submission should align with the proposal's primary scientific focus. The clusters are organized by theme (ecosystems, evolutionary mechanisms, population/community dynamics, and systematics/biodiversity science), and proposals are expected to be routed accordingly.

11) Are interdisciplinary proposals encouraged?

Yes. DEB explicitly encourages interdisciplinary proposals that cross traditional conceptual boundaries, such as linking evolution and ecology, connecting processes across multiple biological scales (for example, genes to ecosystems), or linking local studies to continental patterns.

12) Does DEB favor projects that span multiple scales of space or time?

Projects that genuinely bridge levels of organization or connect multiple spatial and temporal scales are described as a good fit, as long as the project remains centered on fundamental ecological and evolutionary questions.

13) Can projects include long-term ecological studies or evolutionary experiments?

Yes. The solicitation description indicates that applicants can propose a wide range of project types, including long-term ecological studies, evolutionary experiments, and integrative analyses.

14) How should marine research proposals be handled?

NSF provides specific routing guidance for marine-related work. If the primary focus is ecology and ecosystem science in marine environments, proposals should generally be directed to the Biological Oceanography Program within the Division of Ocean Sciences.

15) Can marine organism evolution or systematics proposals still go to DEB?

Yes. If the work is about evolution and systematics in marine organisms, NSF indicates proposals should be routed to DEB (specifically to Evolutionary Processes or Systematics and Biodiversity Science, depending on the aims).

16) Why does it matter where marine proposals are submitted?

The opportunity text frames this as guidance to help applicants choose the correct NSF "home" for marine-related projects, which can affect how proposals are reviewed and what set of proposals they are compared against.

17) Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility is limited to certain types of U.S.-based organizations. Eligible applicants include U.S. nonprofit, non-academic organizations directly tied to educational or research activities (such as independent museums, observatories, research laboratories, and professional societies), and U.S. Institutions of Higher Education (two-year and four-year colleges and universities, including community colleges) that are accredited and have a campus located in the United States and submit on behalf of their faculty.

18) Are non-academic nonprofits eligible, and what examples are given?

Yes. The opportunity specifically lists examples of eligible U.S. nonprofit, non-academic organizations tied to education or research, including independent museums, observatories, research laboratories, and professional societies.

19) Are community colleges or two-year institutions eligible?

Yes. The eligibility description includes accredited two-year and four-year colleges and universities (including community colleges) with a campus located in the United States.

20) Can an international branch campus be involved?

U.S. institutions with international branch campuses may involve those campuses, but there is a specific requirement: if any requested funding will support work at an international branch campus (including through subawards or consultants), the proposal must clearly explain why doing the work at the international campus benefits the project and why the activities cannot be performed at the U.S. campus.

21) Does the branch-campus requirement apply to subawards and consultants?

Yes. The requirement applies if any requested funding will support work at an international branch campus, including via subawards or consultants.

22) What is the maximum award size mentioned in the metadata?

The posted opportunity metadata lists an award ceiling of up to $5,000,000.

23) Is this a one-time competition or an ongoing/core program?

It is presented as a long-running/core program-style solicitation rather than a one-time, topic-specific competition.

24) What is the funding agency and program location within NSF?

The funding agency is the National Science Foundation (NSF), and the opportunity is within NSF's Division of Environmental Biology (DEB) Core Programs, with additional routing guidance for certain marine projects to the Biological Oceanography Program in the Division of Ocean Sciences.