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NSF Cost Sharing Policy
Highlights
Since implementation of the NSF cost sharing policy established in 1999, it has not been clear if voluntary cost sharing swayed reviewers. The 1999 policy was reviewed again and NSF approved a revision to the cost sharing policy to stipulate:
- Cost sharing is now considered an eligibility
criterion rather than a review criterion. Cost sharing offered by
an organization in excess of
the required amount must not be a factor in the review of a proposal
and program officers must instruct reviewers not to use cost sharing
as a factor
in
their
evaluation.
- NSF requires only statutory cost sharing for unsolicited research
projects.
- Any negotiation with proposals as to the level or amount of
NSF required cost sharing will occur either prior to the review process
to establish
the project’s eligibility for consideration or after merit review
has been completed to adjust cost sharing to the agreed-upon dollar amount
in
the award.
- NSF program officers must follow the current guidance which states
that they may discuss with PIs the “bottom line” award amount,
but may not (re)negotiate or impose other institutional commitments.
- Major
Change: In budget negotiations, any reduction of 10% or more should
be accompanied by a corresponding reduction in the scope of the
project, unless the Program Officer, PI and institution clearly agree that
the project
as
proposed can be carried out at a lesser level of support
from NSF with no expectation of any uncompensated institutional contribution
beyond
that
formally
reflected as cost sharing.
These new revisions to the current policy strengthened the review process for solicitations that require cost sharing.
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