UM ORSP Announcement: NSF Smart and Connected Communities (S&CC) 2021

ORSP Research Development (RD) will facilitate a combined virtual Information Session and Networking Session on January 8, from 1-3 p.m., to stimulate interest in, and team formation for, Planning Grant and/or Integrative Grant proposals to the NSF Smart and Connected Communities (S&CC) program.  Proposals for this opportunity are due to NSF February 24, but there may be subsequent NSF solicitations related to this topic over the next year or two; teams organizing for interdisciplinary proposals to this opportunity may qualify for additional research development services.

UM personnel interested in this opportunity are encouraged to:

·      read the NSF Smart and Connected Communities (S&CC) program solicitation[1]
·      read the (old) FAQ[2]  (keeping in mind that some things have changed since then)
·      view the S&CC Webinar[3] (also old—things have changed [e.g., no preproposals phase now])
·      sign up[4] for the ORSP Information & Networking Session. Attendees will receive an overview of the funding opportunity, have the opportunity to give optional, short (1-3 minute) ‘elevator pitches’ on their capabilities and ideas for leading or collaborating on proposals, and engage in virtual networking with other participants to explore collaborative potential.  Detailed instructions will be provided to registered participants leading up to the session.  

The goal of the NSF Smart and Connected Communities (S&CC) program solicitation is to accelerate the creation of the scientific and engineering foundations that will enable smart and connected communities to bring about new levels of:

• economic opportunity and growth
• safety and security
• health and wellness
• accessibility and inclusivity, and
• overall quality of life.

For the purposes of this solicitation, communities are defined as having geographically-delineated boundaries—such as towns, cities, counties, neighborhoods, community districts, rural areas, and tribal regions—consisting of various populations, with the structure and ability to engage in meaningful ways with proposed research activities.

A ‘smart and connected community’ is, in turn, defined as a community that synergistically integrates intelligent technologies with natural and built environments, including infrastructure, to improve the social, economic, and environmental well-being of those who live, work, learn, or travel within it.

The S&CC program encourages researchers to work with community stakeholders to identify and define challenges they are facing, enabling those challenges to motivate use-inspired research questions. For this solicitation, community stakeholders may include some or all of the following: residents, neighborhood or community groups, nonprofit or philanthropic organizations, businesses, as well as municipal organizations such as libraries, museums, educational institutions, public works departments, and health and social services agencies. The S&CC program supports integrative research that addresses fundamental technological and social science dimensions of smart and connected communities and pilots solutions together with communities.

This S&CC solicitation will support research projects in the following categories:

• S&CC Integrative Research Grants (SCC-IRG) Tracks 1 and 2. For fundamental integrative research that addresses technological and social science dimensions of smart and connected communities and pilots solutions together with communities.
  • Track 1: $1,500,001 to $2,500,000 awards for 4-year projects
  • Track 2: Up to $1,500,000 awards for 3-year projects
• S&CC Planning Grants (SCC-PG). For preparing project teams to propose future well-developed SCC-IRG proposals. Up to $150,000 for 1-year projects

S&CC is a cross-directorate program supported by NSF’s Directorates for Computer and Information Science and Engineering (CISE), Education and Human Resources (EHR), Engineering (ENG), and Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences (SBE)