Opportunity Information: Apply for 17 594
The National Science Foundation's Research Coordination Networks (RCN) program is designed to help research and education communities move faster and in smarter directions by funding the coordination work that makes strong, field-shaping collaboration possible. Instead of paying for new experiments or primary research, RCN supports the connective tissue of science: structured communication, shared planning, joint training activities, synthesis efforts, and community-building that allow investigators to align what they are already doing (or are planning to do) and turn those parallel efforts into something more coherent, impactful, and forward-looking. The overall purpose is either to advance an established area by improving coordination and integration, or to open up new directions by bringing together people, methods, and perspectives that do not typically interact.
A central emphasis of the program is networking across boundaries. NSF explicitly encourages proposals that connect investigators across disciplines, institutions, geographic regions, and international borders, with the idea that major advances often come from bridging communities that use different tools, data types, or conceptual frameworks. The solicitation highlights particular interest in fresh approaches to networking and collaboration, including creative use of collaborative technologies, intentional training components (especially those that help develop a shared skill base in a community), activities that broaden participation, and efforts to develop community standards for data and metadata. In practice, that means an RCN might focus on setting shared protocols for data collection and documentation, building interoperable data practices, organizing working groups and workshops, creating shared training materials, or developing roadmaps and research agendas that help a field converge on high-value questions and methods.
RCN awards are meant to catalyze new connections rather than subsidize networks that are already established and functioning. NSF is clear that proposals should not simply support the routine operations of existing networks or ongoing collaborations that are already well formed. The program also draws a bright line around not funding primary research; the value proposition is coordination and synthesis, not generating the underlying datasets through new research projects. Successful RCN concepts typically have a clear rationale for why the network needs dedicated support now, what barriers to coordination exist, and how the proposed activities will lead to measurable community-level outcomes such as new collaborations, shared infrastructure or standards, improved training pathways, or broader integration across subfields.
To keep the network coherent, NSF expects proposals to be organized around a unifying theme. That theme can be a broad research question, a particular methodology or technology, a shared data challenge, or an emerging interdisciplinary area that needs a coordination push to mature. The theme functions like a backbone for the network, ensuring that meetings, working groups, and products are not just a series of disconnected events but instead build toward common goals and deliverables that advance science or education at the community level.
The program is supported across multiple NSF directorates and disciplines. Participating units include Biological Sciences (BIO), Computer and Information Science and Engineering (CISE), Geosciences (GEO), Education and Human Resources (EHR), Engineering (ENG), and Social, Behavioral and Economic Sciences (SBE). Because fit matters and because RCN proposals can overlap in scope with other NSF solicitations, principal investigators are encouraged to discuss their idea with the relevant program officer, and this contact is required for proposals going to CISE. NSF also notes that some other NSF solicitations can accept RCN-type proposals or otherwise support networking activities when appropriate, so early communication with the right Program Director is strongly recommended to avoid misalignment.
From an administrative standpoint, this is a discretionary NSF grant opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number 17-594) with proposals accepted at any time rather than tied to a single annual deadline. The award ceiling listed is $500,000, and NSF anticipates making around 25 awards. The opportunity is categorized under science and technology and other research and development, with CFDA numbers including 47.041, 47.050, 47.070, 47.074, 47.075, 47.076, and 47.083. Eligibility is listed broadly as "others" with further clarification in the solicitation's eligibility section, which is typical for NSF programs where eligibility depends on institution type and proposal specifics.
Finally, NSF points to evidence that these kinds of interdisciplinary networking investments can produce meaningful scholarly impact, citing Porter et al. (2012) in BioScience, which examines links between funded interdisciplinary networking and research influence. That citation reinforces the program's basic argument: when coordination is done intentionally and creatively, it can reshape how a community works, accelerate discovery, and strengthen education and training even without directly funding the underlying research itself.Apply for 17 594
- The National Science Foundation in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Research Coordination Networks (RCN)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 47.041, 47.050, 47.070, 47.074, 47.075, 47.076, 47.083.
- This funding opportunity was created on Aug 29, 2017.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Proposals accepted anytime. (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 $500,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 25 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ): NSF Research Coordination Networks (RCN)
What is the NSF Research Coordination Networks (RCN) program?
The National Science Foundation's Research Coordination Networks (RCN) program funds the coordination work that helps research and education communities collaborate more effectively. The focus is on building and strengthening the connections that allow investigators to align efforts, share approaches, and move a field forward together.
What is the main goal of an RCN award?
The goal is to help communities move faster and in smarter directions by supporting structured communication, shared planning, joint training activities, synthesis efforts, and community-building. RCN is meant to turn parallel work across many investigators into a more coherent, impactful, and forward-looking effort.
Does RCN fund new experiments or primary research?
No. RCN does not fund primary research or new experiments aimed at producing the underlying datasets through new research projects. The program supports coordination and synthesis rather than generating new research results directly.
What kinds of activities can RCN funds support?
RCN supports the "connective tissue" of science and education, such as structured communication, shared planning, workshops and working groups, joint training activities, synthesis activities, community-building, and efforts that help investigators integrate what they are already doing (or planning to do).
What are examples of deliverables or outcomes NSF expects from an RCN?
Successful RCNs typically lead to measurable community-level outcomes such as new collaborations, shared infrastructure or standards, improved training pathways, stronger integration across subfields, shared training materials, interoperable data practices, and community roadmaps or research agendas.
What does NSF mean by "coordination and integration" in this program?
Coordination and integration refer to purposeful activities that align investigators, methods, data practices, and plans across a community. This can include building shared protocols, harmonizing documentation practices, creating common training resources, and designing structures for ongoing collaboration and synthesis.
Can an RCN be used to support the routine operations of an existing network?
No. NSF states that RCN awards are intended to catalyze new connections rather than subsidize networks that are already established and functioning. Proposals should not simply support routine operations of existing networks or ongoing collaborations that are already well formed.
What is the program's emphasis on networking across boundaries?
A central emphasis is connecting investigators across disciplines, institutions, geographic regions, and international borders. NSF encourages proposals that bridge communities that do not typically interact, since major advances often come from connecting different tools, data types, or conceptual frameworks.
Does NSF encourage interdisciplinary and international participation?
Yes. The solicitation explicitly encourages networking that crosses disciplinary, institutional, geographic, and international boundaries as part of building stronger, field-shaping collaboration.
What "fresh approaches" does the solicitation highlight as especially interesting?
The solicitation highlights interest in creative use of collaborative technologies, intentional training components that help develop a shared skill base, activities that broaden participation, and efforts to develop community standards for data and metadata.
Can an RCN focus on data and metadata standards?
Yes. The opportunity specifically notes interest in efforts to develop community standards for data and metadata, including shared protocols for data collection and documentation and interoperable data practices.
Can an RCN focus on training and education activities?
Yes. Joint training activities and intentional training components are part of the program's emphasis, especially when they help a community develop a shared skill base and strengthen education and training at the community level.
How should an RCN proposal be organized to stay coherent?
NSF expects proposals to be organized around a unifying theme. That theme serves as the backbone for the network so that meetings, working groups, and products build toward common goals and deliverables rather than becoming a set of disconnected events.
What can serve as a unifying theme for an RCN?
A unifying theme can be a broad research question, a particular methodology or technology, a shared data challenge, or an emerging interdisciplinary area that needs a coordination push to mature.
What should a strong RCN concept explain to NSF reviewers?
Strong concepts typically explain why the network needs dedicated support now, what barriers to coordination currently exist, and how proposed activities will produce measurable, community-level outcomes such as new collaborations, shared standards, improved training pathways, or broader integration across subfields.
Which NSF directorates or units support the RCN program?
The program is supported across multiple NSF directorates and disciplines, including Biological Sciences (BIO), Computer and Information Science and Engineering (CISE), Geosciences (GEO), Education and Human Resources (EHR), Engineering (ENG), and Social, Behavioral and Economic Sciences (SBE).
Should applicants contact an NSF program officer before submitting?
Yes. NSF encourages principal investigators to discuss their idea with the relevant program officer because fit matters and because RCN proposals can overlap with other NSF solicitations.
Is contacting a program officer required for all submissions?
Contact is encouraged broadly, and it is required for proposals going to CISE (Computer and Information Science and Engineering).
Could another NSF solicitation be a better fit for networking activities?
Possibly. NSF notes that some other NSF solicitations can accept RCN-type proposals or otherwise support networking activities when appropriate, which is why early communication with the appropriate Program Director is strongly recommended.
What is the Funding Opportunity Number for this RCN program?
The Funding Opportunity Number is 17-594.
Is there a fixed deadline to apply?
No. Proposals are accepted at any time rather than being tied to a single annual deadline.
What is the maximum award amount (award ceiling)?
The listed award ceiling is $500,000.
How many awards does NSF expect to make?
NSF anticipates making around 25 awards.
How is this opportunity categorized?
It is categorized under science and technology and other research and development.
What CFDA numbers are associated with this opportunity?
CFDA numbers listed include 47.041, 47.050, 47.070, 47.074, 47.075, 47.076, and 47.083.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is listed broadly as "others," with further clarification in the solicitation's eligibility section. This is typical for NSF programs where eligibility depends on institution type and proposal specifics.
What is NSF's rationale for investing in research coordination networks?
NSF points to evidence that interdisciplinary networking investments can produce meaningful scholarly impact, citing Porter et al. (2012) in BioScience on links between funded interdisciplinary networking and research influence. The program's argument is that intentional, creative coordination can reshape how a community works, accelerate discovery, and strengthen education and training even without directly funding the underlying research.
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