Opportunity Information: Apply for 22 604
The National Science Foundation (NSF) opportunity called Launching Early-Career Academic Pathways in the Mathematical and Physical Sciences (LEAPS-MPS) is a discretionary grant program designed to help pre-tenure faculty in the Mathematical and Physical Sciences (MPS) establish strong, independent research trajectories. The core idea is to provide an early boost to investigators who are building their labs, research groups, or scholarly programs at institutions that have not historically received large amounts of NSF-MPS funding. The solicitation specifically points to settings such as certain minority-serving institutions (MSIs), predominantly undergraduate institutions (PUIs), and Carnegie Research 2 (R2) universities, where teaching loads, limited research infrastructure, or fewer internal supports can make it harder for new faculty to rapidly gain momentum and compete in the most established NSF funding programs.
A central theme of LEAPS-MPS is advancing excellence through diversity. NSF signals that strengthening the MPS workforce requires broader participation, and the program explicitly aims to expand opportunities for individuals from groups that have been historically excluded and are currently underrepresented in the mathematical and physical sciences. The description highlights groups including Blacks and African Americans, Hispanics and Latinos, Native Americans, Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians, and other Native Pacific Islanders. In practical terms, this emphasis means the program encourages proposals from principal investigators who align with NSF's broader commitment to diversity and inclusion and who can articulate how their work and professional pathway connect to these goals, alongside the scientific or scholarly merit of the research itself.
LEAPS-MPS is positioned as a launchpad rather than an endpoint. The funding is intended to help a principal investigator reach the stage where they can successfully compete for more traditional NSF opportunities that already exist, such as standard individual investigator programs within MPS divisions and the NSF CAREER program. In other words, LEAPS-MPS supports the early work needed to demonstrate feasibility, generate preliminary results, build collaborations, train students, and establish a compelling longer-term research direction. NSF's stated expectation is that a LEAPS-MPS award will be followed by subsequent competitive submissions that build directly on what was initiated during the LEAPS period, helping the investigator transition into a sustainable, externally funded research program.
The award structure is relatively focused and time-bounded. Grants run for 24 months, with a maximum award amount of up to $250,000 in total costs (including both direct and indirect costs). NSF anticipated making about 48 awards under the solicitation. The opportunity is administered by NSF under CFDA number 47.049, with the funding activity category listed as science and technology and other research and development. While the eligibility line in the source data is stated broadly as "Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification)," the narrative makes clear that the primary intended applicants are pre-tenure faculty in MPS fields, particularly those at institutions with lower historic NSF-MPS funding profiles.
Programmatically, proposals must be submitted to the appropriate program within one of the five NSF MPS divisions, meaning applicants need to align their project with the correct disciplinary home inside MPS rather than treating LEAPS as a stand-alone topic area. The opportunity was created on June 16, 2022, and the original closing date listed is January 26, 2023, indicating this specific solicitation window has passed, though the summary and structure are still useful for understanding the program and watching for future re-issues or related mechanisms.Apply for 22 604
- The National Science Foundation in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Launching Early-Career Academic Pathways in the Mathematical and Physical Sciences (LEAPS-MPS)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 47.049.
- This funding opportunity was created on Jun 16, 2022.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jan 26, 2023. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $250,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 48 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
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LEAPS-MPS (NSF) Grant Opportunity FAQs
What is the NSF LEAPS-MPS program?
Launching Early-Career Academic Pathways in the Mathematical and Physical Sciences (LEAPS-MPS) is a discretionary National Science Foundation (NSF) grant program intended to give pre-tenure faculty in the Mathematical and Physical Sciences (MPS) an early boost as they establish independent research trajectories.
What is the main purpose of LEAPS-MPS funding?
The program is designed to help early-career investigators build momentum in their research by supporting the early work needed to launch or strengthen a lab, research group, or scholarly program. It is meant to help investigators reach a stage where they can compete more strongly for longer-term, traditional NSF opportunities.
Who is the program primarily intended to support?
The solicitation narrative indicates the primary intended applicants are pre-tenure faculty in MPS fields, especially those working at institutions that have not historically received large amounts of NSF-MPS funding.
What kinds of institutions does LEAPS-MPS emphasize?
The description points to institutional settings where new faculty may face barriers such as heavier teaching loads, limited research infrastructure, or fewer internal supports. Examples specifically mentioned include certain minority-serving institutions (MSIs), predominantly undergraduate institutions (PUIs), and Carnegie Research 2 (R2) universities.
What does NSF mean by "advancing excellence through diversity" in LEAPS-MPS?
A central theme of LEAPS-MPS is broadening participation in the MPS workforce. NSF frames diversity as part of strengthening excellence in the field, and the program explicitly aims to expand opportunities for individuals from groups historically excluded and currently underrepresented in the mathematical and physical sciences.
Which underrepresented groups are specifically highlighted in the opportunity description?
The description highlights Blacks and African Americans, Hispanics and Latinos, Native Americans, Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians, and other Native Pacific Islanders as examples of groups that have been historically excluded and are currently underrepresented in MPS.
Does LEAPS-MPS require proposals to address diversity and inclusion?
Based on the description provided, the program explicitly emphasizes advancing excellence through diversity and encourages proposals that align with NSF's broader commitment to diversity and inclusion. The narrative suggests applicants should be able to explain how their work and professional pathway connect to these goals alongside the scientific or scholarly merit of the proposed research.
Is LEAPS-MPS meant to be a long-term funding program?
No. LEAPS-MPS is positioned as a launchpad rather than an endpoint. NSF describes it as a mechanism to help investigators generate early momentum and then transition into sustained programs by pursuing subsequent competitive submissions.
What does NSF expect investigators to do after a LEAPS-MPS award?
NSF states an expectation that a LEAPS-MPS award will be followed by additional competitive submissions that build directly on the work initiated during the LEAPS period, helping the investigator transition into a sustainable, externally funded research program.
What NSF opportunities are mentioned as logical "next steps" after LEAPS-MPS?
The description mentions standard individual investigator programs within MPS divisions and the NSF CAREER program as examples of traditional NSF opportunities that LEAPS-MPS awardees may be better positioned to pursue afterward.
What kinds of activities can LEAPS-MPS support, according to the description?
The funding is described as supporting early-stage activities such as demonstrating feasibility, generating preliminary results, building collaborations, training students, and establishing a compelling longer-term research direction.
How long is the LEAPS-MPS award period?
LEAPS-MPS awards run for 24 months.
What is the maximum award amount for LEAPS-MPS?
The maximum award amount is up to $250,000 in total costs, which includes both direct and indirect costs.
About how many awards did NSF anticipate making under this solicitation?
NSF anticipated making about 48 awards under the solicitation.
What is the CFDA number for this NSF opportunity?
The opportunity is administered by NSF under CFDA number 47.049.
What is the funding activity category listed for LEAPS-MPS?
The funding activity category is listed as science and technology and other research and development.
How is eligibility described in the source data versus the narrative?
The eligibility line in the source data is broadly stated as "Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification)." However, the narrative makes clear the primary intended applicants are pre-tenure faculty in MPS fields, particularly at institutions with lower historic NSF-MPS funding profiles.
Do proposals go to LEAPS-MPS as a stand-alone program, or to an NSF disciplinary program?
Proposals must be submitted to the appropriate program within one of the five NSF MPS divisions. Applicants need to align their project with the correct disciplinary home inside MPS rather than treating LEAPS as a stand-alone topic area.
When was this LEAPS-MPS opportunity created?
The opportunity was created on June 16, 2022.
What was the closing date for the solicitation window described here?
The original closing date listed is January 26, 2023.
Is this specific solicitation window still open?
No. Based on the provided information, the closing date (January 26, 2023) indicates this specific solicitation window has passed. The program summary and structure may still be helpful for understanding LEAPS-MPS and monitoring for future re-issues or related mechanisms.
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