Merit Review Process for Awarding of Federal Research Grants

摘要

The Subcommittee on Research and Science Education held a hear ing on July 27 to examine the Merit Review Process of the National Science Foundation (NSF) in an effort to better understand the strengths and potential weaknesses of the process for awarding federal grants. Nearly all NSF grant proposals are evaluated and rated by a group of outside subject matter experts who consider two criteria: intellectual merit and broader impacts. Final funding decisions rest with the Foundation. In Fiscal Year 2010 (FY10), NSF received 55,542 proposals and awarded 12,996 grants, a 23% funding rate.