NSF CAREER Grant UPDATE Thread

[danielkm]

Unfortunately, my CAREER proposal was declined by ECCS but the panel did recommended it for funding with an Excellent/Very Good, Very Good, Very Good/Good, and a Good. It was much better than my first submission, which received four "Good". Good luck everyone else still waiting!

[ghqwertt]

Unfortunately, my CAREER proposal was declined by ECCS but the panel did recommended it for funding with an Excellent/Very Good, Very Good, Very Good/Good, and a Good. It was much better than my first submission, which received four "Good". Good luck everyone else still waiting!

Sorry to hear that. Mind saying the program?

[danielkm]

Unfortunately, my CAREER proposal was declined by ECCS but the panel did recommended it for funding with an Excellent/Very Good, Very Good, Very Good/Good, and a Good. It was much better than my first submission, which received four "Good". Good luck everyone else still waiting!

Sorry to hear that. Mind saying the program?

ECCS EPMD

[aspiring.academic]

Unfortunately, my CAREER proposal was declined by ECCS but the panel did recommended it for funding with an Excellent/Very Good, Very Good, Very Good/Good, and a Good. It was much better than my first submission, which received four "Good". Good luck everyone else still waiting!

Wow that really blows. With those reviews it's clear that the pool was very competitive and funding was tight. The 3rd time will be the charm!

[aspiring.academic]

I guess, but they haven't actually said it's been recommended for funding. They also said that they're doing some sort of analysis. That is pretty different verbiage from what other people are getting.

Your proposal hasn't been recommended. If I read correctly, didn't the PD ask for additional information (e.g., responses to panelists, abstract, etc.)? Why would anyone recommend it until receiving and processing this information?

People are congratulating you because the PD reached out, which is generally a positive sign.

Until your PD tells you, "I'm recommending your proposal for funding", it is still considered pending.

Yeah, that's what I'm saying. Obviously they won't recommend until they get the abstract/C&P/response, the question is really whether it's close to a slam dunk (provided I give reasonable responses) or if it they sent this message to more people than they can fund.

Usually, it's not the latter since that would create budgetary headaches and unnecessary work for the PD for proposals they won't recommend for funding.

It's also not a slam dunk, but it's close. And being close is better than being denied outright.

To use your basketball analogy, you're at the stage where you've completed your two-step gather and jumped. When the PD tells you that they're recommending it for funding, you're in the air and about to dunk. Once you receive the award letter, then the ball is through the bottom of the net, and you've scored.

Until that award letter is received, there's still a chance, even if it's the slimmest of possibilities, that you get chased down by LeBron, and he smacks your dunk into the 3rd row. However, you're closer than you were in August when the tip-off was your submission.

I like this analogy. I may have to stick with it.

[ghqwertt]

October 28th - PM asked to clarify some issues raised by one of the referees. (no change in date or status)
December 8th - PM sent an email saying "recommended for funding" and asked for C&P and Abstract (status still pending no date change)

I guess there's a lot of variation by program. For me they want the response, C&P, and abstract all at once. I really hope I don't have to wait 40 more days though.

[Vid]

ghqwertt: congratulations. Is this your first try?

[aspiring.academic]

October 28th - PM asked to clarify some issues raised by one of the referees. (no change in date or status)
December 8th - PM sent an email saying "recommended for funding" and asked for C&P and Abstract (status still pending no date change)

I guess there's a lot of variation by program. For me they want the response, C&P, and abstract all at once. I really hope I don't have to wait 40 more days though.

It's fairly common for your response to then trigger an additional round of questions that require responses so be prepared for that if it comes your way. You're definitely not staring at a week or two turnaround.

[bluefooted]

Status did not change. I got the message on Friday at 4 pm EST, for what it's worth.

I do know that the chances are pretty good, I guess what I'm wondering is how good. Has anyone on here gotten the PO contact and then been declined?

Yes!  We had 2 rounds of questions and then the decline at the last stage of internal review.  My colleagues had said they never heard of this, so now I spread the word that questions are not a done-deal.  Until you have gone through Stage 9 with G&A.
https://www.nsf.gov/bfa/dias/policy/merit_review/

[ghqwertt]

Ooh, that must have sucked. Was that a CAREER? What were your panel scores?

[ghqwertt]

I think that part of the reason I'm worried is that the panel's questions were a tad off-base, and while I answered them thoroughly (and gently corrected the misconceptions), I have no clue who is reading my answers. It's not the panel, right?

Honestly I feel worse now than I did last week. The uncertainty is killing me.

[aspiring.academic]

I think that part of the reason I'm worried is that the panel's questions were a tad off-base, and while I answered them thoroughly (and gently corrected the misconceptions), I have no clue who is reading my answers. It's not the panel, right?

Honestly I feel worse now than I did last week. The uncertainty is killing me.

The PD is reading your replies.
However, if it's a particular panelist that had the questions then your responses are being shared with that person.
I've experienced the same issue when justifying theoretical approaches for which a reviewer or two disagreed.
All you can do is do your best. I sat on my responses for about a week and a half, circulated them, and softened them before sending them over.
I contributed to my own award delay but I'd rather be delayed than declined.

[ghqwertt]

Yeah, I really regret not sitting on it longer. I unnecessarily sent my response after just a few days (and was happy with it then), but now I find myself going over it and wanting to make changes.

Ugh, if I blew up months of simulation and my second CAREER attempt out of impatience...

[rzax]

Hi, wondering if anyone has heard from EPCN?

[ghqwertt]

In a different program, but I hear that a lot of people in ENG have gotten either rejections or status date changes this week. If your status date is unchanged you're in good shape.