Computer and Information Science and Engineering (CISE) Research Initiation Initiative | 22 598

Opportunity Information: Apply for 22 598

The National Science Foundation (NSF) Directorate for Computer and Information Science and Engineering (CISE) Research Initiation Initiative, often referred to as CRII, is a discretionary grant program designed to help early-career researchers establish genuine research independence in computing and information science. The core idea is to provide essential “startup-like” research support to people who are at a point in their careers where they are expected to build a funded research program, but who may not yet have the institutional backing, lab resources, or research infrastructure that are more common in highly resourced environments. In practical terms, the program is meant to help a new principal investigator (PI) generate preliminary results, publish early outcomes, recruit trainees, and lay the groundwork for larger NSF proposals in the future.

CRII is tightly focused on a specific eligibility window and on investigators who have not yet had the chance to build a federal funding track record as a PI. It is aimed at untenured faculty members, research scientists, or equivalent early-career academicians who are within their first three years in a primary academic position after earning the PhD. There is also a time-since-PhD requirement: for proposals submitted in 2022, the PI must be no more than six years past PhD completion; for proposals submitted after 2022, the limit is no more than five years past the PhD. A key restriction is that applicants must not have received any prior federal grants or contracts as the PI after the PhD, including NSF CAREER or any other federal program, regardless of award size, except for specific exceptions noted in the program’s official guidance. Importantly, being listed on federal awards in other roles does not disqualify someone: service as a co-PI, senior personnel, postdoctoral fellow, or other fellow is explicitly not counted against the “no prior PI federal funding” rule.

Another central goal of CRII is to broaden participation and expand the pool of investigators engaged in CISE research by directing support toward environments that may have fewer research resources. Because of that, institutional eligibility is limited. Applicants must be affiliated with either (1) an Institution of Higher Education that is not classified as a “very high research activity” R1 institution under the Carnegie Classification system, or (2) a non-profit, non-academic institution. This structure is meant to ensure the funds reach investigators who are less likely to have access to major research centers, extensive internal seed funding, large graduate programs, or established grant-support ecosystems typically found at top-tier research-intensive universities.

The program also explicitly recognizes the role of undergraduate-serving and two-year institutions in the research pipeline. Faculty at these institutions are allowed to use CRII funds to support undergraduate students working on research. They may also choose to use the NSF’s Research in Undergraduate Institutions (RUI) designation, which comes with extra required documentation, specifically an RUI Certification and an RUI Impact Statement. The optional RUI designation is intended to highlight how the proposed work will strengthen research and student involvement in settings where undergraduate education is central, while still producing meaningful CISE research outcomes.

In terms of what the grant can pay for, CRII is designed to provide the kinds of flexible, practical support that helps a new PI get a research program off the ground. The opportunity allows funds to be used for PI salary support, hiring or supporting postdoctoral scholars, travel, and research equipment, among other typical project expenses consistent with NSF rules. That flexibility is important because different investigators face different bottlenecks early on: some need protected time to write and publish, others need a postdoc to accelerate experimentation and paper production, and others need modest equipment or travel to collaborate and participate in the research community.

From the published opportunity details, the funding instrument is a grant under NSF’s broader research and development mission (CFDA 47.070). For the 2022 opportunity cycle, the award ceiling is listed as $175,000, with an expectation of around 60 awards. The opportunity was created on May 19, 2022, and the original closing date for that cycle was September 19, 2022. Overall, CRII is best understood as a launchpad program: it targets early-career CISE researchers who are still building their independent research identity, have not yet led a federally funded project as PI, and are based in institutions where additional NSF support can make a decisive difference in establishing a sustainable research trajectory.

• The National Science Foundation in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Computer and Information Science and Engineering (CISE) Research Initiation Initiative" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 47.070.
• This funding opportunity was created on May 19, 2022.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Sep 19, 2022. (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 $175,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 60 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).

Apply for 22 598

[Watch] Creating a grant proposal using the step-by-step wizard inside the applicant portal: