Agreements
Parallel FAPESP and NSF Program Announcements for Catalyzing New International Collaborations
General information for the State of São Paulo, Brazil applicants to the FAPESP call for proposals parallel to the NSF Program on Catalyzing New International Collaborations (CNIC)
This announcement encourages the participation of Sao Paulo State, Brazil, and U.S. researchers and students in activities intended to catalyze new international collaborations. FAPESP and NSF will accept proposals for workshops and pilot projects not to exceed US$ 100,000 in support from each agency. These projects include, but are not limited to: planning visits, small workshops, initial data gathering activities, and the development of research coordination networks. The community is invited to propose innovative mechanisms and strategies for catalyzing new international collaborations to the stage that subsequent competitive research proposals can be submitted to relevant NSF and FAPESP programs for future on-going support of the project. Any well-justified activity that fulfills the goals of the program will be considered as, for instance, targeted workshops specifically designed to foster a new international collaboration that immediately precede or follow a larger-scale conference. Creative use of technology in promoting international collaboration is encouraged.
The focus of this initiative is to provide a counterpart for similar requests for funding submitted by the US partner to NSF under the NSF Catalyzing New International Collaborations (CNIC) Program.
FAPESP and NSF will inform their respective scientific communities about these parallel funding opportunities.
In the U.S. researchers may submit their proposals following the guidelines for the NSF Catalyzing New International Collaborations (CNIC) program which can be found at:www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=12815.
In the State of São Paulo proposals should be submitted to FAPESP as Regular Research Awards (www.fapesp.br/137) and must comply with the following additional conditions:
1. FAPESP will accept proposals for catalyzing new international collaborations with investigators in the U.S. prepared by researchers from universities and research institutions in the State of São Paulo, Brazil.
1.1 The proposers in São Paulo must already be Principal Investigators or co-PIs in ongoing projects in the following FAPESP lines: Regular Research Awards, Thematic Projects (PI or Co-PI), Young Investigators, or Research, Innovation and Dissemination Centers (CEPIDs/RIDCs) (PI or co-PI).
2. The proposal must have two Principal Investigators, one in São Paulo State and one in the U.S. who will be the central contacts for the management of the project regarding their respective agency.
3. Proposals will be evaluated according to the regular procedures used by FAPESP and NSF separately and the results will be announced by each agency.
4. Guidelines for proposal submission to FAPESP:
4.1 The proposals, to be developed in up to three (3) years, will be received at FAPESP until October 10th, 2011.
4.2 Required FAPESP submission documentation:
4.2.1 Research Proposal (submission) form and accompanying Researcher’s Registration form specific to this initiative. Files to be available at: www.fapesp.br/chamadas/nsf-cnic/proposal.docx and www.fapesp.br/chamadas/nsf-cnic/regist.doc.
4.2.2 Summary of the Curriculum Vitae of the Principal Investigators and collaborating researchers on both sides. Researchers form São Paulo must adhere to instructions available at www.fapesp.br/en/6351 and for their colleagues from the U.S. copies of the biosketches presented to the NSF will suffice.
4.2.3 Description of the research team in both countries. Form available at: www.fapesp.br/en/teamdescription.xls
4.2.3.a. Applicants to FAPESP must include a copy of the cover page of their counterpart’s submission to NSF.
4.2.4 A Research Proposal, following the format detailed in item 4.3.
4.2.5 Budget worksheets for each type of expense, specific for this initiative (please enclose detailed budget according to FAPESP standards). File available at:www.fapesp.br/chamadas/nsf-cnic/budget.xlsx
4.2.6 Project Budget Justification (one page maximum). Should explain and justify major cost items. Funds may be requested to support catalytic activities, such as visits to/of faculty, postdocs, and/or students to counterpart U.S. research groups, sharing of unique facilities or data, support for participants at workshops or special meetings, etc.
4.2.7 Supplementary Documentation. Letters of commitment from collaborating U.S. researchers and/or institutions. Evidence of prior communication and consultation (e.g. copy of an email or synopsis of a telephone conversation) with the relevant parties of the proposed activity for the Catalyzing New International Collaborations program.
4.3 The Research Proposal referred in item 4.2.4, must be submitted in English, and shall contain:
4.3.1 Proposal Cover Sheet
4.3.1.1 The proposal title must start with the text "FAPESP CNIC:” followed by an informative continuation.
4.3.1.2 Inform the name and affiliation of both FAPESP and NSF PIs and the project ID and title of the related ongoing project at FAPESP.
4.3.2 Project Summary (one page maximum). Include the names and institutional affiliations of key U.S. collaborators, and note their roles in the proposed activities. Intellectual merit anticipated from the international activity must be addressed in separate paragraphs.
4.3.3 Research Project description (with a maximum of ten (10) pages). It must relate to the proposal of the US investigators submitted to NSF and describe how the activity will promote and develop new collaborative research with foreign partners. Must include:
a) Underlying research objectives of the proposed project and schedule of activities;
b) Ways in which São Paulo students and early career researchers will be involved.
c) Strategies and plans for continuing the collaboration; the specific FAPESP and NSF programs to which a subsequent proposal would be submitted; and justification for why the proposed catalytic activity is necessary before submission of a subsequent proposal;
d) Description of which lines of activity of the related ongoing project of the PI in São Paulo will benefit from the exchange;
e) Description of which lines of activity of the ongoing and/or proposed project of the PI in the U.S. will benefit from the exchange;
f) Description of each researcher and institution involved on both São Paulo and U.S. sides;
g) Description of the expected academic gains for the project as a result of the proposed cooperation, emphasizing their singularity and specificity;
h) Details of the activities foreseen in the exchange, objectively described, including justification and relevance, and the definition of the corresponding performance indicators. The role of the technical team from the executing institution must be explained;
i) Description of infrastructure and financial resources available for developing the research project in São Paulo and in the U.S., excluding the mobility expenses requested in the proposal;
j) Actions to add to the impact of the exchange in the research activity in the State of São Paulo and in the US, by means of seminars, short courses, visits to other institutions that carry out research activities in related areas.
5. In case of approval, the research will be funded by each partnering agency to benefit its own community of researchers. Funding will be granted from the regular budgets of FAPESP and NSF.
6. All questions related to this initiative must be directed to the following email addresses. To insure a prompt reply, please use "FAPESP CNIC” as the email subject.
6.1 To FAPESP with Mr. Alexandre Roccatto: chamada-fapesp-nsf-cnic@fapesp.br
6.2 To NSF: intfl@nsf.gov