National Science Foundation Faculty Early Career Development Program

The National Science Foundation (NSF) Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Program is a Foundation-wide activity that offers the National Science Foundation's most prestigious awards in support of early-career faculty who have the potential to serve as academic role models in research and education and to lead advances in the mission of their department or organization. Activities pursued by early-career faculty should build a firm foundation for a lifetime of leadership in integrating education and research. NSF encourages submission of CAREER proposals from early-career faculty at all CAREER-eligible organizations and especially encourages women, members of underrepresented minority groups, and persons with disabilities to apply.

The U of I’s Research and Faculty Development (RFD) team offers proposal development support at all levels, from finding funding to contacting program officers, reviewing proposal documents, assisting with resubmissions, and coordinating large proposals. Fill out the Faculty Request for Proposal Development Assistance form to request RFD services.

Please consult the Resources list on this page for current guides, checklists and videos designed to increase the competitiveness of your CAREER proposal.

CAREER All Year is our year-long program that supports faculty applying to this unique NSF program.

Stay tuned for the CAREER All Year events planned for 2022-23. In the meantime, reach out to the RFD team with your questions or for more information.