Sustainable Regional Systems Research Networks | 20 611

Opportunity Information: Apply for 20 611

The National Science Foundation (NSF) opportunity titled Sustainable Regional Systems Research Networks (SRS RNs) is designed to push forward research and education focused on how interconnected urban and rural places function together as a single regional system. The core idea is that cities and rural communities are tightly linked through flows of food, energy, water, materials, labor, markets, health services, and infrastructure, and they are also bound together by ecological processes that both shape and respond to human decisions. NSF is seeking projects that can help regions deliberately transform how these coupled systems operate so that outcomes improve in measurable ways for both people and the environment, with equity treated as a central part of what "improvement" means.

The solicitation emphasizes "convergent" work, meaning teams are expected to integrate multiple disciplines and ways of knowing rather than running parallel efforts. Projects should blend science and engineering with social and behavioral sciences, and they should be built around collaboration among multiple organizations. The expectation is that meaningful progress on sustainable regional systems requires networks that can span institutions and sectors, such as universities and colleges working alongside practitioners, nonprofit organizations, local governments, industry partners, and community groups. The work is meant to be ambitious enough that it would be difficult to accomplish through a single organization or a typical small NSF collaboration.

NSF outlines several technical and conceptual elements that strong networks are expected to develop. These include generating new datasets, methods, and models that explain interactions across natural systems, the built environment, and social systems; producing clearer understanding of interdependencies and feedback loops across urban and rural areas; and analyzing mutual benefits as well as trade-offs among different wellbeing outcomes for humans and for ecosystems. In addition, projects are expected to contribute generalizable "theories of change" that explain how and why certain interventions or transformations lead to more sustainable regional outcomes, not just in one place but in ways that can transfer to other regions. A major thread throughout is the co-production of knowledge, meaning stakeholders outside academia are not simply consulted but actively engaged in shaping questions, interpreting results, and applying insights. The solicitation also explicitly calls for exploring social equity across spatial and temporal scales, highlighting that sustainability work must account for who benefits, who bears costs, and how impacts differ across communities over time.

The program offers two funding tracks. Track 1, Full Scale Awards, supports comprehensive networks doing fundamental, interdisciplinary research plus education and outreach. These projects can cover a wide range of fields, including engineering; environmental sciences such as biology, chemistry (including sensing, chemical analytics, and recyclable plastics), atmospheric science, hydrology, and geology; computer and data sciences; and social and behavioral sciences. Full Scale projects can request up to $15 million total over a five-year period, reflecting the expectation of large, multi-partner efforts with significant integration and broader impacts activities. Track 2, Planning Grants, are shorter one-year awards meant to build capacity and partnerships and help teams prepare competitive Full Scale proposals; these are capped at $150,000 total.

From an administrative standpoint, this is an NSF discretionary grant opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number 20-611) categorized under science and technology and other research and development. It lists multiple CFDA numbers associated with NSF programs (47.041, 47.049, 47.050, 47.070, 47.074, 47.075, 47.076, 47.079, 47.083). The original posting indicates a creation date of September 15, 2020 and an original closing date of January 11, 2021, with an expected 23 awards, subject to funding availability and proposal quality. The eligibility field points applicants to additional NSF guidance, but the solicitation itself makes clear that successful efforts are expected to be multi-organizational and stakeholder-connected, reflecting the networked structure at the heart of the program.

Overall, the opportunity is aimed at building regional research networks that can deliver both foundational advances (new models, data, and theory) and practical, actionable insights that guide real-world decisions across connected urban and rural communities. The intended impact is not only better understanding of regional sustainability challenges, but also credible pathways for societal action that improve resilience, wellbeing, and environmental outcomes in equitable ways.

• The National Science Foundation in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Sustainable Regional Systems Research Networks" 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, 47.050, 47.070, 47.074, 47.075, 47.076, 47.079, 47.083.
• This funding opportunity was created on Sep 15, 2020.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Jan 11, 2021. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 23 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).

Apply for 20 611

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