Re-entry to Active Research Program | 20 586

Opportunity Information: Apply for 20 586

The National Science Foundation (NSF) Re-entry to Active Research (RARE) Program is a discretionary grant opportunity run jointly by two NSF divisions: the Division of Chemical, Bioengineering, Environmental, and Transport Systems (CBET) and the Division of Chemistry (CHE). Its central purpose is to help highly qualified scientists and engineers restart and strengthen their academic research careers after a significant break from active research. In practical terms, the program is designed to create on-ramps back into competitive, publishable, fundable research for people whose careers were interrupted, while also supporting broader participation in the academic workforce and valuing diverse career paths and life circumstances.

RARE focuses on investigators who are working toward advancement within the academic tenure system, either by returning to pursue or secure a tenure-track role or by moving from one academic rank to a higher tenured rank after time away. NSF frames this as a way to reinvest in the country’s existing talent pool of trained researchers, recognizing that a hiatus can leave otherwise strong investigators at a disadvantage when competing against uninterrupted publication and funding records. Proposals submitted to RARE are expected to describe potentially transformative research that clearly fits within the scope of the participating CBET or CHE programs, meaning applicants should align their project aims with the research priorities and topic areas these divisions already support.

The program is organized into two distinct tracks, each aimed at a different type of re-entry need. Track 1 is meant for investigators who are ready to reengage directly in a full research project but whose application record shows an unavoidable gap due to the hiatus. This track functions like a standard competitive research proposal, except it explicitly provides room for reviewers and program staff to consider the context of a disrupted research timeline. Budgeting under Track 1 follows the normal budget rules of the applicable CBET unsolicited research programs or the CHE Disciplinary Research programs, so applicants should plan proposals similarly to other NSF research submissions in those areas.

Track 2 is built for situations where time away from research created a skills or methods gap that must be addressed before the investigator can return to fully competitive research activity. In this track, the emphasis is on retraining and updating technical capabilities, and the proposal must explain how the specific techniques or training being sought will position the investigator to launch or relaunch a competitive research program relevant to CBET or CHE. The Track 2 budget is restricted to costs directly tied to retraining and re-entry preparation rather than supporting a broad multi-year research effort. Allowable expenses include travel to workshops or conferences, registration fees, a retraining sabbatical arrangement, and limited seed funding to generate preliminary data, including items such as salary support, equipment usage fees, materials, and supplies when they are necessary for the retraining or preliminary data collection purpose.

From an administrative standpoint, this is an NSF grant (Funding Instrument Type: Grant) in the science and technology research and development category, listed under CFDA numbers 47.041 and 47.049. The opportunity has an award ceiling of $300,000 and anticipated awards of about four, indicating it is relatively selective. Proposals are accepted at any time rather than on a single fixed annual deadline, which can make it easier for applicants to time submissions around hiring cycles, sabbaticals, retraining opportunities, or other career transition points. Eligibility is listed broadly as "Others" with additional clarification expected in the full eligibility text of the solicitation, so applicants should confirm they meet NSF’s specific criteria for this program and track before preparing a submission.

For questions, NSF directs applicants to contact RAREquestions@NSF.GOV or to reach out to the RARE program officers listed in the official solicitation.

• The National Science Foundation in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Re-entry to Active Research Program" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 47.041, 47.049.
• This funding opportunity was created on Jul 22, 2020.
• 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 $300,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 4 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).

Apply for 20 586

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