FastLane Components of NSF Proposals

May 2015

Below are the major components of NSF proposals that you will need to keep in mind as you develop your proposal. Many of these components are actually forms filled out online in FastLane. See the Grant Proposal Guide (GPG) ()for full guidance on these proposal components. The section of the GPG that addresses each section listed below is also referenced.

Note: if the program guidelines indicate any variations from the NSF GPG, the program guidelines supersede the NSF GPG.

  • Cover Sheet (II.C.2.a., GPG)—You will fill this form out in FastLane. Make sure to identify the program solicitation number correctly, which is located on the first page of the program solicitation. Also, always include a detailed title for your project that conforms to specific program guidelines.
  • Project Summary (II.C.2.b., GPG)—Consists of three text boxes: Overview, Intellectual Merit, and Broader Impacts. The Overview should be a description of the proposed activity. It should be written in third person and include a statement of the objectives and methods to be employed. The Intellectual Merit should describe the potential to advance knowledge. The Broader Impacts should describe the benefit to society and contribution to the achievement of specific societal outcomes.The total character limit for all three sections is 4,600 characters.
  • Table of Contents (II.C.2.c., GPG)—The Table of Contents is automatically generated for the proposal by the FastLane system. You cannot edit this form.
  • Project Description (II.C.2.d., GPG)—See the full GPG for suggested content, if the program solicitation does not provide guidance on specific information to include.
  • Page limit: 15 pages
  • Number all pages
  • Font size: 10 point or larger using Arial, Courier New, or Palatino LinotypeOR 11 point or larger using Times New Roman or Computer Modern family of fonts
  • No more than 6 lines of type within a vertical space of 1 inch (thus, single-spaced)
  • Margins 1 inch in all directions
  • If you have received NSF funding within the last five years, you must also include a section on “Results from Prior NSF Support” (5 page limit to be included as part of the 15-page project description). See the full GPG for information to be provided.
  • References Cited (II.C.2.e., GPG)—You will upload your references cited as a separate document than the project description. There is no page limit on the references cited.Be sure to include page numbers on this document.
  • Biographical Sketches (II.C.2.f., GPG)—You must provide a 2-page biographical sketch for the PI and Co-PIs and senior personnel who will work on the project. You must conform to NSF’s format for these biographical sketches (see attached guidance).
  • Budget Forms (II.C.2.g., GPG)—You will fill out budget forms on FastLane. (I’ve attached a template to help you fill these forms out in FastLane.) Please keep in mind that no match is required and we must use the full F&A rate, which is 48% of salaries and wages.
  • Budget Justification (II.C.2.g., GPG)—In addition to completing the FastLane budget forms, you must also complete a detailed budget justification for your request, which you can upload into FastLane. The budget justification is limited to 3 single spaced pages and must follow the standard formatting requirements for proposals (font type & size, etc.). Also include page numbers.
  • Current and Pending Support (II.C.2.h., GPG)—You will fill out these forms in FastLane for the PI, the Co-PI, and other senior personnel (anyone you complete a Bio-Sketch for). Make sure to list the proposal you are submitting as “pending.”
  • Facilities, Equipment, and Other Resources (II.C.2.i., GPG)—You will fill out this form in FastLane to describe the organizational resources available to be used for the project OR you can upload a file using the template created by the Office of Grants and Research.
  • Supplementary Documentation (II.C.2.j., GPG)—NSF limits the type of information you can include in the supplementary documents section, and you must follow instructions in the program solicitation as applicable (see GPG for full details). Letters of commitment documenting collaborative relationships should be uploaded in this section, but general letters of support or endorsement are not allowed (unless requested by a program solicitation). See full GPG for additional details.
  • Data Management Plan (II.C.2.j., GPG)–Proposals must include a supplementary document of no more than two pages labeled “Data Management Plan”. This supplement should describe how the proposal will conform to NSF policy on the dissemination and sharing of research results (see AAG Chapter VI.D.4).
  • List of Suggested Reviewers (optional) (II.C.1.c., GPG)— You will have the option of filling out this form in FastLane. If you have any particular individuals in mind who would be especially qualified to review your proposal (such as researchers in your area), you can include their names. You may also include names of individuals you would not want to review your proposal.