Cultural Anthropology Program Senior Research Awards | 25 502

Opportunity Information: Apply for 25 502

The National Science Foundation (NSF) Cultural Anthropology Program Senior Research Awards fund basic, theory-driven research that deepens scientific understanding of human social and cultural diversity. The program is focused on fundamental cultural anthropology, meaning projects should be designed to generate and test theory and to produce new, empirically grounded knowledge about the causes, consequences, and complexities of variation in human societies and cultures. NSF is looking for research that goes beyond a single case study by producing findings that can be generalized or that meaningfully contribute to broader anthropological debates and the cumulative development of anthropological science.

Proposals are welcomed from any sub-field of cultural anthropology and can be conducted at any temporal or geographic scale. The program is methodologically open, and applicants can use a wide range of research approaches as long as they are appropriate to the questions being asked. Examples explicitly included are ethnographic fieldwork, survey research, remote sensing, collection of biomarkers, experimental studies in or out of labs, archival work, analysis of museum or other materials collections, use of existing datasets, and mathematical or computational modeling. The common expectation across methods is that the work is systematic and scientifically rigorous, with a clear plan for producing evidence that speaks to larger theoretical questions in cultural anthropology.

A key boundary of this opportunity is that NSF will not support projects whose primary goal is applied outcomes such as improving clinical practice, implementing policy, or delivering immediate solutions to social or medical problems. Projects can be "use-inspired" only if the central purpose remains theory advancement in cultural anthropology. In other words, practical relevance is not disqualifying, but the proposal must clearly foreground theory testing or theory building; proposals that mainly use anthropological tools to solve a problem without a strong, explicit contribution to anthropological theory are likely to be returned without review.

Eligibility to submit is limited to specific types of U.S.-based organizations. Applicants may include non-profit, non-academic organizations such as independent museums, observatories, research laboratories, professional societies, and similar entities located in the United States and directly tied to education or research. Accredited U.S. institutions of higher education (two-year or four-year, including community colleges) may apply on behalf of their faculty, provided they have a campus in the United States. Federally recognized Tribal Nations are also eligible, including American Indian and Alaska Native tribes, bands, nations, pueblos, villages, or communities recognized under the Federally Recognized Indian Tribe List Act of 1994. If a proposal routes any funding to an international branch campus of a U.S. institution (including via subawards or consultants), the application must explain why work at that branch campus benefits the project and why the activities cannot be performed at the U.S. campus.

From the posted opportunity details, this is a discretionary NSF grant under the Science and Technology and other Research and Development category (CFDA 47.075). The funding opportunity is titled "Cultural Anthropology Program Senior Research Awards" (Funding Opportunity Number 25-502). The original closing date is January 15, 2025, and NSF anticipates making about 40 awards. The award ceiling is not specified in the provided listing.

• The National Science Foundation in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Cultural Anthropology Program Senior Research Awards" 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 2024-10-08.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2025-01-15. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 40 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others.

Apply for 25 502

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