Sustainable Regional Systems Research Networks | 20 611

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) - NSF Sustainable Regional Systems Research Networks (SRS RNs)

What is the NSF Sustainable Regional Systems Research Networks (SRS RNs) opportunity?

Sustainable Regional Systems Research Networks (SRS RNs) is a National Science Foundation (NSF) funding opportunity focused on research and education about how interconnected urban and rural places function together as a single regional system. The goal is to support networks that can help regions intentionally transform how these coupled systems operate so outcomes improve in measurable ways for both people and the environment, with equity treated as central to what "improvement" means.

What is the core idea behind "sustainable regional systems" in this program?

The program is built on the idea that cities and rural communities are tightly linked through flows of food, energy, water, materials, labor, markets, health services, and infrastructure. These human systems are also connected by ecological processes that shape, and are shaped by, human decisions. SRS RNs projects are expected to address these connections at the regional scale rather than treating urban and rural areas as separate systems.

What kinds of outcomes is NSF looking for?

NSF is looking for projects that can demonstrate measurable improvements for both people and the environment. The solicitation emphasizes that equity must be a core part of defining and evaluating improvement, including attention to who benefits, who bears costs, and how impacts differ across communities and over time.

What does NSF mean by "convergent" work in this solicitation?

"Convergent" work means teams are expected to integrate multiple disciplines and ways of knowing rather than running separate efforts in parallel. Projects should blend science and engineering with social and behavioral sciences, and the research should be designed around real integration across the participating disciplines and partners.

Is this opportunity intended for single organizations or collaborations?

This opportunity is designed for multi-organizational, stakeholder-connected networks. NSF emphasizes that meaningful progress on sustainable regional systems requires collaboration across institutions and sectors, and that the work should be ambitious enough that it would be difficult to accomplish through a single organization or a typical small collaboration.

What types of partners are expected to be involved in an SRS RN?

The solicitation highlights networks that span institutions and sectors, such as universities and colleges working alongside practitioners, nonprofit organizations, local governments, industry partners, and community groups. The program stresses collaboration among multiple organizations as a defining feature of competitive projects.

What technical and conceptual elements are strong networks expected to develop?

NSF describes several expected elements, including: generating new datasets, methods, and models that explain interactions across natural systems, the built environment, and social systems; developing clearer understanding of interdependencies and feedback loops across urban and rural areas; and analyzing mutual benefits and trade-offs among different wellbeing outcomes for humans and for ecosystems.

What does the solicitation mean by "theories of change"?

Projects are expected to contribute generalizable theories of change that explain how and why certain interventions or transformations lead to more sustainable regional outcomes. The intent is for insights to extend beyond a single location and be transferable to other regions, not limited to one-off case studies.

What is "co-production of knowledge" in the context of this program?

Co-production of knowledge means stakeholders outside academia are not just consulted. They are actively engaged in shaping research questions, interpreting results, and applying insights. This approach is presented as a major thread throughout the solicitation.

How is equity addressed in SRS RNs projects?

The solicitation explicitly calls for exploring social equity across spatial and temporal scales. It highlights that sustainability work must account for who benefits, who bears costs, and how impacts differ across communities over time, treating equity as central rather than optional.

What funding tracks are available under this opportunity?

NSF offers two tracks: Track 1 Full Scale Awards and Track 2 Planning Grants. Full Scale Awards support comprehensive networks conducting fundamental, interdisciplinary research plus education and outreach. Planning Grants are shorter awards intended to build capacity and partnerships and to prepare competitive Full Scale proposals.

How much funding is available for Track 1 Full Scale Awards, and for how long?

Track 1 Full Scale Awards can request up to $15 million total over a five-year period. This funding level reflects the expectation of large, multi-partner efforts with significant integration as well as education, outreach, and broader impacts activities.

How much funding is available for Track 2 Planning Grants, and for how long?

Track 2 Planning Grants are one-year awards capped at $150,000 total. They are intended to help teams build partnerships and capacity and prepare for a competitive Full Scale proposal.

What disciplines and research areas can be included in Track 1 Full Scale projects?

Full Scale projects may 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. The solicitation emphasizes integrated, interdisciplinary approaches spanning these areas.

What types of activities beyond research are expected in Full Scale Awards?

Track 1 Full Scale Awards are described as supporting fundamental, interdisciplinary research plus education and outreach. The solicitation also emphasizes broader impacts activities consistent with the scale and integration expected of a network.

What is the Funding Opportunity Number for this NSF program?

The Funding Opportunity Number listed for this opportunity is 20-611.

How is this opportunity categorized administratively?

The opportunity is described as an NSF discretionary grant opportunity categorized under "science and technology and other research and development."

What CFDA numbers are associated with this opportunity?

The posting 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.

When was this opportunity originally posted, and what was the original closing date?

The original posting indicates a creation date of September 15, 2020 and an original closing date of January 11, 2021.

How many awards were expected under this solicitation?

The original posting indicates an expected 23 awards, subject to funding availability and proposal quality.

What does NSF say about eligibility for applicants?

The eligibility field points applicants to additional NSF guidance. The solicitation itself emphasizes that successful efforts are expected to be multi-organizational and stakeholder-connected, consistent with the networked structure at the heart of the program.

What makes a project a good fit for SRS RNs versus a smaller NSF collaboration?

Based on the solicitation language, a good fit is a project that requires a network to span institutions and sectors and that integrates multiple disciplines and ways of knowing. The program is positioned for ambitious, region-scale work that would be difficult to accomplish through a single organization or a typical small collaboration.

What kinds of regional linkages should projects consider?

The opportunity highlights flows and connections that link urban and rural areas, including food, energy, water, materials, labor, markets, health services, and infrastructure, along with ecological processes that interact with human decisions.

What is the overall intended impact of the SRS RNs program?

The intended impact is to build regional research networks that deliver foundational advances (such as new models, data, and theory) alongside practical, actionable insights to guide real-world decisions across connected urban and rural communities. The program aims to improve resilience, wellbeing, and environmental outcomes in equitable ways.