NSF has many funding opportunities to support the co-production of knowledge and include Indigenous people and organizations in Arctic research. We have listed opportunities below that may be of interest to potential Principal Investigators who want to pursue this type of research. Each opportunity has cognizant Program Officers listed who can answer questions about submitting a proposal. Please contact the cognizant Program Officer(s) for more information prior to submitting a proposal or to discuss serving as a reviewer in NSF’s merit review process.

NSF 21-077 Dear Colleague Letter: Update on NSF's Efforts to Improve the Inclusion of Local and Indigenous Voices in Arctic Research

Accelerating Research through International Network-to-Network Collaborations (AccelNet)
Advancing Informal STEM Learning (AISL)
Arctic Natural Sciences Program (ANS)
Arctic Observing Network (AON)
Arctic Social Sciences Program (ASSP)
Arctic System Science (ARCSS) Program
Arctic Doctoral Dissertation Research Improvement Grants (Arctic DDRIG) Arctic Social Sciences, Arctic System Sciences, and Arctic Observing Network (DDRIG)
Build and Broaden 2.0: Enhancing Social, Behavioral and Economic Science Research and Capacity at Minority-Serving Institutions (B2 2.0)
Coastlines and People Hubs for Research and Broadening Participation (CoPe)
Dear Colleague Letter: Potential Support for Community Hubs for Collaborations Between NSF-funded Arctic Researchers and Arctic Residents
Dear Colleague Letter: Support for Engaging Students and the Public in Polar Research
Dear Colleague Letter: Supporting Data and Sample Reuse in Polar Research
Discovery Research PreK-12 (DRK-12)
Dynamic Language Infrastructure - Documenting Endangered Languages (DLI-DEL)
Dynamic Language Infrastructure - Doctoral Dissertation Research Improvement Grants (DLI-DDRI)
Dynamics of Integrated Socio-Environmental Systems (DISES)
Ethical and Responsible Research (ER2)
Improving Undergraduate Science Education: Education and Human Resources (IUSE:EHR)
Improving Undergraduate STEM Education: Pathways into the Earth, Ocean, Polar and Atmospheric & Geospace Sciences (IUSE:GEOPAths)
Inclusion across the Nation of Communities of Learners of Underrepresented Discoverers in Engineering and Science (NSF INCLUDES)
Navigating the New Arctic (NNA)
NSF Research Traineeship (NRT)
Office of Polar Programs Postdoctoral Research Fellowships (OPP-PRF)
Science and Technology Studies (STS)
Tribal Colleges and Universities Program (TCUP)

Accelerating Research through International Network-to-Network Collaborations (AccelNet) - AccelNet fosters science and engineering in grand challenge areas by proving opportunities for U.S. and international research networks to cooperatively identify and coordinate efforts to address knowledge gaps and research needs, rather than supporting fundamental research as the primary activity. AccelNet goals are to accelerate the process of scientific discovery and prepare the next generation of U.S. researchers for multiteam international collaborations. One of the hallmarks of successful proposals is that broadening participation is inherent to the projects, and AccelNet encourages proposals from a diverse range of proposers and engagement of stakeholders.

Advancing Informal STEM Learning (AISL) - The Advancing Informal STEM Learning (AISL) program has a long history of supporting educational research and development efforts related to the Artic and geosciences across various contexts (e.g., exhibitions, youth programs, television programming). This work was supported in alignment with the AISL mission which is to new approaches to and evidence-based understanding of the design and development of STEM learning opportunities for the public in informal environments; provide multiple pathways for broadening access to and engagement in STEM learning experiences; advance innovative research on and assessment of STEM learning in informal environments; and engage the public of all ages in learning STEM in informal environments (including community engagement).

Arctic Natural Sciences Program (ANS) - The Arctic Natural Sciences (ANS) program supports novel and creative research that is focused on disciplinary and/or interdisciplinary investigations to advance understanding of Arctic processes, including how those processes are shifting in a rapidly changing Arctic. The program encourages proposals that test hypotheses leading to new understanding of the Arctic, including those that synthesize and analyze existing data. ANS welcomes projects that include community engagement that provide insights into scientifically and societally relevant problems.

Arctic Observing Network (AON) - The Arctic Observing Network (AON) program encourages proposals to make long-term scientific and community-based observations to detect and understand Arctic system change. When appropriate, AON aims to foster direct engagement and involvement of local and Indigenous Knowledge holders in the planning, design, analysis, interpretation, reporting, and use of observing networks and data systems.

Arctic Social Sciences Program (ASSP) - ASSP welcomes proposals from scholars and expert knowledge holders to conduct research and/or organize workshops and conferences on any aspect of Arctic social and cultural systems, past and present. The program encourages proposal submission from Indigenous scholars and scholars employing Indigenous methodologies, community-based participatory research and knowledge co-production frameworks.

Arctic System Science (ARCSS) Program - ARCSS supports projects that study systems of the Arctic operating at multiple temporal and spatial scales, systems that can inform our understanding of Arctic processes, and the relationship of Arctic systems to other global and regional systems. For ARCSS, the “Arctic system” is defined very broadly to encourage creative proposals. ARCSS also accepts proposals that contribute to better understanding of the interactions and feedbacks between humans and the environment.

Arctic Doctoral Dissertation Research Improvement Grants (Arctic DDRIG) Arctic Social Sciences, Arctic System Sciences, and Arctic Observing Network (DDRIG) - The Arctic DDRIG solicitation supports dissertation-level research to enhance our understanding of the Arctic, from advancing fundamental disciplinary understanding of important Arctic processes, to complex interdisciplinary studies of couplings among social, biological, physical, and geochemical components of the Arctic system and the changing connections between the Arctic and lower latitudes. Of special interest is research focused on understanding processes relevant to social and environmental change.

Build and Broaden 2.0: Enhancing Social, Behavioral and Economic Science Research and Capacity at Minority-Serving Institutions (B2 2.0) - The Build and Broaden program supports cutting-edge research in the social, behavioral and economic sciences at minority-serving institutions (MSIs), including historically Black colleges and universities, Hispanic-serving institutions and Tribal colleges and universities. Indigenous and Arctic scholars located within MSIs are encouraged to apply.

Coastlines and People Hubs for Research and Broadening Participation (CoPe) - Scientific research into complex coastal systems and the interplay with coastal hazards is vital for predicting, responding to and mitigating threats in these regions. The Coastlines and People program supports diverse, innovative, multi-institution awards that are focused on critically important coastlines and people research that is integrated with broadening participation goals. The objective of this solicitation is to support Coastal Research Hubs, structured using a convergent science approach, at the nexus between coastal sustainability, human dimensions, and coastal processes to transform understanding of interactions among natural, human-built, and social systems in coastal, populated environments.

Dear Colleague Letter: Potential Support for Community Hubs for Collaborations Between NSF-funded Arctic Researchers and Arctic Residents - Through increasing investment in Arctic research in recent years, NSF has created greater opportunities for researchers to work in the Arctic, to build strong partnerships with Arctic residents, and to create projects in collaboration with northern communities. Through this DCL, the Arctic Sciences Section wishes to support the development of additional research capacity of Arctic residents and local and regional organizations to strengthen communication and to enhance partnerships with the academic community that NSF typically supports.

Dear Colleague Letter: Support for Engaging Students and the Public in Polar Research - The Division of Research on Learning (DRL), the Division of Undergraduate Education (DUE) and the Office of Polar Programs (OPP), encourage proposals that will leverage the extensive NSF investment in polar sciences and infrastructure, and STEM education research and development, to promote an informed citizenry and the next generation of scientists. In order to advance polar science educational opportunities, DRL, DUE and OPP will accept and review proposals for research and development projects that facilitate access to polar research efforts in (1) undergraduate education, (2) informal science education or (3) formal PreK-12 science or math education.

Dear Colleague Letter: Supporting Data and Sample Reuse in Polar Research - With this DCL, NSF encourages submission of proposals that reuse and rescue existing data, physical samples, and non-physical samples (e.g., films, recordings, etc.), as well as those that facilitate the reuse and rescue of existing data. NSF also encourages the Arctic research community to make Arctic data as fully compliant as possible with the FAIR principles (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable) and CARE Principles for Indigenous Data Governance. NSF aims to support the Arctic research community to drive science forward while encouraging more inclusive participation in Arctic research and capitalizing on NSF's previous research investments.

Discovery Research PreK-12 (DRK-12) - DRK-12 seeks to significantly enhance the learning and teaching of science, technology, engineering, mathematics and computer science (STEM) by preK-12 students and teachers, through research and development of STEM education innovations and approaches. Projects in the DRK-12 program build on fundamental research in STEM education and prior research and development efforts that provide theoretical and empirical justification for proposed projects. DRK-12 welcomes projects that engage the work of formal STEM education in and in partnership with Indigenous communities in the Arctic.

Dynamic Language Infrastructure - Documenting Endangered Languages (DLI-DEL) - DLI-DEL is a funding partnership between NSF and the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) to develop and advance knowledge about language structure and language use in the context of endangered human languages spoken in Indigenous communities. Projects can involve fieldwork and/or other activities relevant to the digital recording, documentation and analysis of Indigenous languages, as well as the archiving of endangered language data, including the preparation of lexicons, grammars, text samples, and databases. DLI-DEL supports projects that contribute to the development of the next generation of researchers, especially from the speaker communities, and encourages proposal submission by Indigenous scholars and collaboration with tribal communities.

Dynamic Language Infrastructure - Doctoral Dissertation Research Improvement Grants (DLI-DDRI) - DLI-DDRI awards support doctoral dissertation research on endangered Indigenous languages. Fellowship support is available through a separate funding opportunity administered by the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH).

Dynamics of Integrated Socio-Environmental Systems (DISES) - The DISES Program supports research projects that advance basic scientific understanding of integrated socio-environmental systems and the complex interactions (dynamics, processes, and feedbacks) within and among the environmental (biological, physical and chemical) and human ("socio") (economic, social, political, or behavioral) components of such a system. DISES is strongly committed to broadening the diversity of scholars engaged in socio-environmental research, and broadly encourages researchers to engage stakeholders in the co-production of knowledge through community and participatory-based methods. DISES has supported, and continues to encourage proposal submissions by and collaborations with local and Indigenous Arctic communities.

Ethical and Responsible Research (ER2) - ER2 supports research that aims to produce knowledge about what constitutes or promotes responsible or irresponsible conduct of research, and how to best instill this knowledge into researchers and educators at all career stages. It includes research that studies ethical factors and practices of community engaged research with Indigenous peoples on Arctic science and research as well as what is responsible conduct of research for different communities and how to train STEM researchers to put it into practice for the benefit of the community.

Improving Undergraduate Science Education: Education and Human Resources (IUSE:EHR) - IUSE:EHR seeks to promote novel, creative, and transformative approaches to generating and using new knowledge about STEM teaching and learning to improve STEM education for all undergraduate students in all learning environments. This program also encourages replication of research studies at different types of institutions and with different student bodies to produce deeper knowledge about the effectiveness and transferability of findings. IUSE:EHR seeks to support projects that have high potential for broader societal impacts, including improved diversity of students and instructors participating in STEM education, professional development for instructors to ensure adoption of new and effective pedagogical techniques that meet the changing needs of students, and projects that promote institutional partnerships for collaborative research and development.

Improving Undergraduate STEM Education: Pathways into the Earth, Ocean, Polar and Atmospheric & Geospace Sciences (IUSE:GEOPAths) - IUSE:GEOPAths invites proposals that specifically address the current needs and opportunities related to education within the geosciences community through the formation of STEM Learning Ecosystems that engage students in the study of the Earth, its oceans, polar regions and atmosphere. The primary goal of the IUSE:GEOPAths funding opportunity is to increase the number of students pursuing undergraduate and/or postgraduate degrees through the design and testing of novel approaches that engage students in authentic, career-relevant experiences in geoscience. In order to broaden participation in the geosciences, engaging students from historically excluded groups or from non-geoscience degree programs is a priority.

Inclusion across the Nation of Communities of Learners of Underrepresented Discoverers in Engineering and Science (NSF INCLUDES) - NSF INCLUDES is aimed at enhancing U.S. leadership in discoveries and innovations by focusing on diversity, inclusion and broadening participation in STEM at scale. PIs are invited to access resources provided through the INCLUDES Network and to propose projects to transform education and career pathways to broaden participation in STEM activities in the Arctic.

Navigating the New Arctic (NNA) - NNA tackles convergent scientific challenges in the rapidly changing Arctic by supporting research outcomes that inform national security, economic development, and societal well-being, and enable resilient and sustainable Arctic communities. NNA goal is creation of new and enhanced research communities that are diverse, integrative, and well-positioned to carry out productive research on the interactions or connections between natural and built environments and social systems and how these connections inform our understanding of Arctic change and its local and global effects. NNA encourages proposal submissions by and collaborations with Arctic local and Indigenous peoples.

NSF Research Traineeship (NRT) - The NSF Research Traineeship (NRT) supports the development of model programs for graduate students to develop the skills, knowledge, and competencies needed to pursue a range of STEM careers. The program is dedicated to effective training of STEM graduate students in high priority interdisciplinary or convergent research areas through a comprehensive traineeship model that is innovative, evidence-based, and aligned with changing workforce and research needs. The NRT welcomes Arctic-themed projects that encourage collaboration with local communities and Indigenous scholars, scientists, and communities.

Office of Polar Programs Postdoctoral Research Fellowships (OPP-PRF) - OPP offers postdoctoral research fellowships (PRF) to provide opportunities for early career scientists, including social scientists and Indigenous scholars, to accomplish one or more of the following goals: expand their work across traditional disciplinary lines, develop new partnerships connecting the polar regions and/or non-polar research communities, and provide entry to researchers who have traditionally had limited access to polar research resources, sites and facilities. The fellowship program encourages the integration of new investigators who have not previously worked in polar regions and/or innovative techniques that have not previously been applied to polar science into polar research.

Science and Technology Studies (STS) - STS program supports research that aims to understand the many ways in which cultural, economic, historical, social and political contexts influence developments in science and technology, or how those developments reciprocally influence these societal contexts. Such research includes studies of how local and indigenous Arctic communities engage and co-develop with scientific and technological developments.

Tribal Colleges and Universities Program (TCUP) - TCUP provides support for eligible institutions of higher education to revitalize and increase their STEM instructional capacity by providing support for faculty, instrumentation, equipment, curriculum development, instructional resources, and students. Successful projects develop a transformational plan that has the commitment of the institution and engaged faculty. Projects may target lower division coursework, upper division coursework, research, design, and locally relevant instruction in a manner to increase the opportunities for students to pursue STEM studies or to better prepare for other fields that rely on strong STEM programming.