Learn about important changes in the revised Mid-Career Advancement (MCA) Program Solicitation (NSF 22-603)!

On By bioiosbloggersIn Announcement, Funding, Solicitation

Next Full Proposal Submission Window is February 1 – March 1, 2023

We would like to bring to your attention the release of the revised Mid-Career Advancement Solicitation. The MCA program offers an opportunity for scientists and engineers at the mid-career stage (see restrictions under Eligibility Information in the solicitation) to substantively enhance and advance their research program and career trajectory. The revised solicitation, 22-603, describes the details of how to apply. 

Some important changes to be aware of are: 

  1. A new track in BIO and GEO has been added that extends PI eligibility to include Full Professors (or equivalent) at Primarily Undergraduate Institutions (PUIs) only.
  2. The page limit of the Project Description has been reduced from 15 pages to 12 pages.
  3. A 2-page Impact Statement (IS) – uploaded as a Supplementary Document – is now required. The IS should provide information on past and/or current constraints on the PI’s time and resources available for research as well as clear evidence that the protected time and research/training opportunities provided by an MCA award will substantially enhance the PI’s research and career trajectory, enabling scientific and academic advancement not likely without such support.
  4. In addition to the PI, each Partner must complete the Collaborative and Other Affiliations (COA) template and upload the document as a Single Copy Document.
  5. Instead of a target date, there is a submission window of February 1 – March 1 annually.

The NSF-wide MCA working group will be developing new FAQs and other materials for outreach and proposal review in the near future that will be available on the MCA website.

There will be three separate BIO Virtual Office Hours (VOH) later this year discussing the MCA program and the revised MCA solicitation. The same information will be presented at each VOH so please feel free to register and attend the one that is most convenient for you.

  • MCB VOH on October 12, 2022 (register HERE)
  • IOS VOH on November 17, 2022 (register HERE)
  • DEB VOH on December 12, 2022 (register HERE)

Contact Information for MCA:

MCA Cognizant Program Officers  MCA.info@nsf.gov

Leslie Rissler lrissler@nsf.gov

For IOS specifically, Kathy Dickson kdickson@nsf.gov