Funding Ideas – Symbiota

Want to improve Symbiota?
Include it in your next grant.

Improvements to Symbiota are primarily supported by grant-based funding. Therefore, if you are planning a collections improvement, digitization, or research project that includes the use of one or more portals, the Support Hub encourages you to consider including funding for Symbiota development in your proposal. Because the Symbiota code is shared amongst all portals, contributions made by your project can have wide-reaching broader impacts for the community of Symbiota users. Contact the Hub early in the proposal preparation process to discuss the options. See our statement on Sustaining Symbiota Services for related information.

Some funding opportunities of particular relevance are listed below.

US National Science Foundation

Capacity: Biological Collections

Goal: To support major improvements to or digitization of biological collections and collection-based information increasing the broader applicability of collections
- Replaces ADBC and CSBR in supporting TCN and PEN activities
Deadline: none (rolling)
- Proposals are reviewed 3-4x per year (~6-month turnaround time)
Amount: variable
Funding duration: variable
Priorities:
- To enhance, secure, and improve existing research collections
- To improve the accessibility of collection-related data
- To develop capacity for curation and collection management
- To transfer ownership of collections
Types of collections supported:
- Non-federal collections (federal collections may be included as unfunded partners
- Living stock/culture (e.g. botanical gardens)
- Natural history voucher collections

Additional NSF programs of relevance:

Biological Sciences (BIO) Programs

Computer & Information Science & Engineering (CISE) Programs

CISE Core Programs

Geosciences (GEO) Programs

Geosciences Open Science Ecosystem (GEO OSE)
Geoinformatics (GI)
All GEO Programs here

Interdisciplinary Programs

Supplemental Funding

All supplemental funding (Dear Colleague Letters) here

Getting started

Review current funding opportunities (some relevant options are listed above).
Search NSF’s database for previously funded projects that are similar to what you have in mind, e.g. “digitization AND collections”. Note that these results can be downloaded in a spreadsheet format for easier sorting and review.
If you identify a program of interest and want to make sure it’s an appropriate fit for your proposal, contact the Program Officer with questions. If you’ve already been in touch with the Program Officer, you can send them a one-page summary of your ideas formatted to reflect a Project Summary (be sure to include an Overview, Intellectual Merit, and Broader Impacts section) for additional feedback.
Attend Office Hours for the relevant directorate (e.g., BIO, GEO) and, if available, review the Directorate’s blog for helpful tips. See NSF’s events calendar and NSF’s BIO Directorate blog.
Carefully review the PAPPG, as well as submission criteria specific to the solicitation you’re responding to (usually in Section 6a), before you begin preparing your proposal.
Contact the Support Hub early in the process for advice on how to most appropriately integrate support for your portal and related improvements into your proposal.

Recordings

Funding opportunity updates

Presentation made by the National Science Foundation for iDigBio’s Biodiversity Digitization Conference on September 28, 2022 outlining funding opportunities for US-based collections (first ~17 mins) followed by a discussion on the CHIPS Act (see Sec. 10355 on page 198).

Presentation made by the National Science Foundation on October 4, 2021 outlining funding opportunities for US-based collections.

Recent procedural updates

Presentation covering updates to the Biographical Sketch requirement of NSF proposals on January 19, 2023.

NSF RESOURCE CENTER

US Institute for Museum & Library Services

Museums for America: Collections Stewardship & Access

Goal: To advance the management and care of collections and their associated documentation
- To support cataloging, inventorying, and registration; collections information management; and collections planning
- To support conservation and environmental improvement and/or rehousing; conservation surveys; and conservation treatment.
- To support database management, digital asset management, and digitization
Deadline: November
- Awardees notified in the following August
- Projects begin Sept. 1
Amount: $5,000-250,000
- Amount above includes direct and indirect costs
- Budget must include 1:1 non-federal cost share from your institution
Funding duration: 1-3 years
Types of collections supported:
- Natural history voucher collections
- Botanical gardens, arboretums, nature centers, aquariums, zoological parks
- And more (see: Funding Eligibility Requirements)

Getting started

Review current funding opportunities.
Search IMLS’s database for previously funded projects that are similar to what you have in mind, e.g. Program = “Museums for America”. Note that these results can be downloaded in a spreadsheet format for easier sorting and review.
If you identify a program of interest and want to make sure it’s an appropriate fit for your proposal, contact a Program Officer or Program Specialist with questions. Before meeting with them, outline some clear ideas and intended goals for your proposed project.
Attend or rewatch relevant IMLS-hosted events and webinars.
Carefully review the PAPPG, as well as submission criteria specific to the solicitation you’re responding to (usually in Section 6a), before you begin preparing your proposal.
Carefully review the Notice of Funding Opportunity for the program you intend to apply to, as well as review criteria specific to the solicitation you’re responding to (usually in Section E), before you begin preparing your proposal.
Contact the Support Hub early in the process for advice on how to most appropriately integrate support for your portal and related improvements into your proposal.