NSF CAREER Resources

NSF CAREER Resources

Next workshop: TBA

This year’s workshop took place on March 22, 2024. Please check later for details on next year’s workshop.


Your guide to writing a successful NSF CAREER proposal

As you prepare to apply to NSF CAREER, use this website as a guide to crafting a high-quality proposal. You will find documents below to help you brainstorm and write your proposal, including the outreach/education and broader impacts sections. There are links to more information on FSE education programs, academic support services, and evaluation services. Additionally, the templates and checklists will help ensure that you have all required supplementary documents in the correct format and that you follow all steps necessary to submitting the proposal.

Reading the solicitation provided by NSF is key to understanding how to be successful in your CAREER application. Review the solicitation.

Education programs overview

Review this document and watch the accompanying video to understand current Engineering education programs infrastructure. These overviews outline opportunities to engage with target audiences ranging from K-12 to undergraduate and graduate students. The education programs overview document also includes a context statement that can be modified and used in your proposal.

Note: If you need a letter of collaboration from the Engineering Education Office for your proposal, please contact Daniel Froid.

Download education programs overview

Resources and templates

Departmental letter

Use this template to get started on your departmental letter.

Download departmental letter template

Broader impacts

These discussion prompts can help guide your draft of the broader impacts section of your proposal.

Download broader impacts prompts

To-do list

Ensure you aren’t missing a step by reviewing and following timelines in this faculty to-do list.

Download to-do list

Submission checklist

It will not replace your RA, but this submission checklist will assist you in making sure boxes are checked.

Download submission checklist

Narrative checklist

Consider these prompts as you draft your project description and education plans.

Download narrative checklist

Writing tips

Review sample outlines and language tips on how to write your proposal.

Download writing tips

Academic support services

Learn about how you can get engaged with engineering tutoring, undergraduate teaching assistants and ASU 101 section leaders.

Download academic support services

Evaluation services

UOEEE Proposal Hub

Access UOEEE’s new Proposal Hub and view a series of webinars aimed at helping you strengthen your evaluation plans.

Evaluation plans slide deck

Review recommendations and best practices from CREST on how to draft strong and comprehensive evaluation plans.