Opportunity Information: Apply for PD 19 120Y
The National Science Foundation (NSF) Accountable Institutions and Behavior (AIB) Program is a discretionary grant opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number PD 19 120Y; CFDA 47.075) that funds basic scientific research aimed at improving foundational understanding of how attitudes, behavior, and institutions interact in areas tied to public policy and the delivery of public services. The program is positioned squarely in the science and technology and other research and development category, and it is open to unrestricted eligible applicants. The opportunity listed an original closing date of 2024-08-15.
AIB is centered on theory-driven, empirically grounded research rather than implementation or operational problem-solving. NSF signals that competitive proposals should be theoretically motivated, conceptually precise, methodologically rigorous, and empirically oriented. In practice, this means projects should clearly articulate the conceptual framework and mechanisms being tested, connect those ideas to existing scholarly debates, and use strong research designs and evidence to advance generalizable knowledge rather than produce an immediate applied product or program evaluation for a specific agency. The program explicitly notes that it does not fund applied research, so proposals framed primarily around direct service improvements, near-term program rollouts, or narrowly local solutions without broader theoretical payoff are typically a poor fit.
The substantive scope is broad, covering many core topics in political behavior, governance, and public administration. Examples of areas within scope include individual and group decision-making as it relates to politics and policy, the design and functioning of political institutions whether appointed or elected, how attitudes and preferences form and how people express them, electoral processes and voting behavior, the workings of public administration, and the development, adoption, and consequences of public policy. Research can be focused on a single case when that case is used to test or refine theory, but the program also welcomes comparative work, whether comparisons are across places, across institutions, across groups, or across time. Both cross-sectional studies and longitudinal designs are described as appropriate, which leaves room for experiments, observational studies, field research, historical-institutional analyses, survey-based work, and other empirically grounded strategies, so long as they meet the program's expectations for conceptual clarity and methodological strength.
Beyond standard research projects, AIB also supports research experiences for undergraduate students, which can include structured opportunities for undergraduates to participate in the research process and build research skills in a meaningful way. In addition, the program supports infrastructural activities, including methodological innovations. This can include work that improves the tools, data, measurement approaches, or analytic methods that researchers use to study accountable governance and political behavior, provided those innovations advance scientific capacity rather than serve a purely operational or applied purpose.
Finally, NSF encourages prospective applicants to look at related NSF programs, specifically the Law and Science (LS) program and the Security and Preparedness (SAP) program, suggesting that some projects may align better with those portfolios depending on whether the core contribution sits at the intersection of law and legal institutions, or focuses on security, risk, resilience, and preparedness questions. This is a hint that applicants should pay close attention to program fit and position their work where the intellectual contribution most clearly belongs.Apply for PD 19 120Y
- The National Science Foundation in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Accountable Institutions and Behavior" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 47.075.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2019-08-30.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2024-08-15. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Eligible applicants include: Unrestricted.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): NSF Accountable Institutions and Behavior (AIB) Program
What is the NSF Accountable Institutions and Behavior (AIB) Program?
The National Science Foundation (NSF) Accountable Institutions and Behavior (AIB) Program is a discretionary grant opportunity that supports basic scientific research on how attitudes, behavior, and institutions interact, especially in areas tied to public policy and the delivery of public services.
What is the funding opportunity number and CFDA number for this program?
The Funding Opportunity Number is PD 19 120Y, and the CFDA number is 47.075.
What type of work does AIB fund?
AIB funds theory-driven, empirically grounded basic research. Competitive projects are expected to be theoretically motivated, conceptually precise, methodologically rigorous, and empirically oriented, with the goal of advancing generalizable knowledge about governance, political behavior, and institutions.
What does NSF mean by "theory-driven" research in this program?
In AIB, "theory-driven" means the project clearly identifies a conceptual framework and the mechanisms being tested, connects the work to existing scholarly debates, and uses evidence to refine, test, or build theory rather than focusing on immediate operational outcomes.
Does AIB fund applied research or implementation projects?
No. The program explicitly notes that it does not fund applied research. Proposals that are primarily about implementing a program, rolling out a near-term service improvement, or solving a specific operational problem for a particular agency are typically a poor fit unless they clearly advance broader theory and generalizable scientific understanding.
How should a project demonstrate it will produce generalizable knowledge?
Based on the program description, proposals should show how the research will contribute beyond a single local context by testing mechanisms, refining concepts, engaging scholarly debates, and using strong research designs to produce insights that apply more broadly to the study of attitudes, behavior, institutions, and policy.
What topic areas are within AIB's scope?
The scope is broad and includes many core topics in political behavior, governance, and public administration. Examples named in the opportunity include:
- Individual and group decision-making related to politics and policy
- Design and functioning of political institutions (appointed or elected)
- Formation and expression of attitudes and preferences
- Electoral processes and voting behavior
- Public administration and how it works in practice
- Development, adoption, and consequences of public policy
Are studies focused on a single case allowed?
Yes. The program indicates that research can focus on a single case when that case is used to test or refine theory.
Does AIB encourage comparative research?
Yes. The program welcomes comparative work, including comparisons across places, across institutions, across groups, or across time.
What kinds of research designs and methods are appropriate?
The opportunity describes both cross-sectional and longitudinal designs as appropriate. It also indicates room for a wide variety of empirically grounded strategies, including experiments, observational studies, field research, historical-institutional analyses, and survey-based work, as long as the work meets expectations for conceptual clarity and methodological strength.
What does AIB emphasize about proposal competitiveness?
NSF signals that competitive proposals should be theoretically motivated, conceptually precise, methodologically rigorous, and empirically oriented. In practical terms, that means clear concepts, clearly specified mechanisms, strong research design, and evidence aimed at contributing to broader scientific debates rather than producing a narrow operational deliverable.
Can undergraduate students be included in AIB-funded projects?
Yes. AIB supports research experiences for undergraduate students, including structured opportunities for undergraduates to participate in the research process and build meaningful research skills.
Does AIB fund infrastructure or methods-focused work?
Yes. The program supports infrastructural activities, including methodological innovations. Examples described include efforts that improve tools, data, measurement approaches, or analytic methods used to study accountable governance and political behavior, as long as the innovations advance scientific capacity rather than serve a purely operational or applied purpose.
If my project is about improving a government service, is it a fit for AIB?
Projects framed primarily around direct service improvements, near-term program rollouts, or narrowly local solutions without broader theoretical payoff are described as a poor fit, because the program is centered on basic research rather than implementation or operational problem-solving.
How does AIB relate to public policy and public services?
AIB-funded research is aimed at improving foundational understanding of how attitudes, behavior, and institutions interact in areas tied to public policy and the delivery of public services. The emphasis is on foundational scientific understanding, not immediate operational fixes.
What category is this opportunity listed under?
The program is positioned in the science and technology and other research and development category.
Who is eligible to apply?
The opportunity is described as open to unrestricted eligible applicants.
What is the closing date listed for this opportunity?
The opportunity listed an original closing date of 2024-08-15.
Are there other NSF programs applicants should consider for better fit?
Yes. NSF encourages prospective applicants to look at related NSF programs, specifically the Law and Science (LS) program and the Security and Preparedness (SAP) program, noting that some projects may align better with those portfolios depending on the core intellectual contribution.
When might the Law and Science (LS) program be a better fit than AIB?
Based on NSF's guidance in the opportunity, a project may align better with the Law and Science (LS) program if the core contribution sits at the intersection of law and legal institutions.
When might the Security and Preparedness (SAP) program be a better fit than AIB?
Based on NSF's guidance in the opportunity, a project may align better with the Security and Preparedness (SAP) program if the central focus is on security, risk, resilience, or preparedness questions.
What does NSF mean by "program fit" for AIB?
NSF's description suggests applicants should position their work where the intellectual contribution most clearly belongs. For AIB, that generally means emphasizing theory, mechanisms, and generalizable empirical evidence about attitudes, behavior, institutions, and policy, rather than emphasizing operational deployment or a narrow agency-specific solution.
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