Faculty Early Career Development Program

The Faculty Early Career Development Program, known as CAREER, is administered by the National Science Foundation, an independent federal agency established to promote the progress of science and advance national health, prosperity, and welfare through research and education. The CAREER program represents the foundation’s most prestigious award for early-career faculty and is designed to support individuals who demonstrate strong potential as academic role models in both research and education. The program emphasizes the integration of these two components, encouraging applicants to build a long-term foundation for leadership in their fields and institutions. The primary purpose of the CAREER program is to provide stable, multi-year funding that enables early-career faculty to pursue innovative and impactful research while simultaneously developing effective educational initiatives. The program supports projects across a broad range of scientific, engineering, and educational disciplines that align with NSF’s mission. Proposals must demonstrate a cohesive plan that integrates research objectives with educational activities, such as curriculum development, outreach, mentoring, or broader public engagement. The program encourages creative approaches that link discovery with learning and dissemination of knowledge. Funding is provided through standard or continuing grants, typically covering a five-year period. Awards are expected to total a minimum of four hundred thousand dollars over five years, with higher minimums of five hundred thousand dollars for certain directorates such as Biological Sciences and Engineering. Funds may be used for a wide variety of allowable costs including personnel support, graduate and undergraduate students, equipment, travel, outreach activities, and evaluation. Cost sharing is explicitly prohibited, and proposals must adhere to NSF budget guidelines and policies. Eligibility is restricted to early-career faculty members who hold a doctoral degree, are engaged in research in an NSF-supported field, and occupy a tenure-track or equivalent position at least fifty percent time at a U.S.-based eligible institution. Applicants must be untenured and must not have previously received a CAREER award. Proposals must be submitted by eligible institutions on behalf of the principal investigator, and only one proposal per individual is permitted per annual competition. Non-academic nonprofit organizations associated with research or education may also submit proposals on behalf of eligible investigators. The application process requires submission of a full proposal through either Research.gov or Grants.gov in accordance with NSF’s Proposal and Award Policies and Procedures Guide. Required components include a project description outlining integrated research and education plans, a budget and justification, a biographical sketch, and supplementary documentation such as a departmental letter affirming institutional support and eligibility. Letters of intent and preliminary proposals are not required. Proposals are evaluated based on NSF’s merit review criteria, specifically intellectual merit and broader impacts, and are reviewed by program officers and external experts. The program operates on an annual submission cycle with a full proposal deadline set for the fourth Wednesday in July each year. The original referenced deadline was July 27, 2022, with the recurring schedule continuing annually thereafter. Proposals must be submitted by 5 p.m. local time of the submitting organization. NSF strongly encourages early submission to avoid technical issues and emphasizes strict adherence to deadlines, as late submissions are generally not accepted. Award decisions are made following a competitive peer review process, and successful applicants receive notification from NSF’s Division of Grants and Agreements. Awardees are required to submit annual and final reports documenting progress, outcomes, and impacts. The CAREER program also serves as a pathway for nomination to the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers, an honorary distinction awarded to select CAREER recipients based on exceptional performance and leadership potential. Overall, the CAREER program is a cornerstone of NSF’s strategy to cultivate the next generation of leaders in science and engineering.

Strongly integrate research and education; align proposal with NSF priorities; ensure compliance with PAPPG; submit early to avoid technical issues