NSF CAREER Program
The Office of Faculty Research Development (FRD) maintains a list of funding opportunities for early career faculty, including the National Science Foundation Faculty Early Career Development Program (NSF CAREER).
This page is a work in progress. If you identify any other early career opportunities not included below, please email us at Scholarly.Awards@utsa.edu.
All funding opportunities should comply with institutional pre-award administration.
Pre-Award Administration
The Office of Sponsored Projects reviews authorizes, and submits all NSF CAREER proposals. In addition to conducting detailed reviews of each proposal, College Research Administrators can assist with budget development, Research.gov, and Cayuse routing. Administrators request that all CAREER applicants follow the 15/5 Rule to ensure quality proposals are submitted on time. Please notify the College Research Administrator staff that you plan to apply by submitting a Notice of Intent form.
NSF CAREER
The 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.
Application Deadline
July 23, 2025
Fourth Wednesday in July, Annually Thereafter
Read: Solicitation 22-586
NSF CAREER ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA
Proposers must meet all of the following eligibility requirements as of the annual deadline:
- Hold a doctoral degree in a field supported by NSF;
- Be engaged in research in an area of science, engineering, or education supported by NSF;
- Hold at least a 50% tenure-track (or tenure-track-equivalent) position as an assistant professor (or equivalent title);
- Be untenured; and
- Have not previously received a CAREER award. (Prior or concurrent Federal support for other types of awards for non-duplicative research does not preclude eligibility.)
To better assist you in the support you may need for your NSF CAREER proposal, please complete the Interest and Support Survey linked here.
Faculty Research Development encourages and supports faculty planning to submit a CAREER proposal by offering workshops and access to numerous resources (e.g., templates, grant-smithing and editorial services, project management support, technical review coordination, acquiring external consultants, and more).
Please complete the 2025 Interest and Support Survey linked here.
Upcoming Webinars/Workshops:
- February 12th 10:30 AM-12:00 PM Developing Your Pitch presented by Dr. Mary Dixson (in-person workshop) at the John Peace Library | Assembly Room | 4.04.22
- Register Here: https://tinyurl.com/FDFEB12REG
- February 19th 10:30 AM-12:00 PM Communicating to a Lay Audience presented by Global Proposal Solutions via Zoom
- Register Here: https://tinyurl.com/FDREGFEB19
- February 21st 10:30 AM-12:30 PM Developing Strong Education Outreach Plans for NSF CAREER’s Broader Impacts presented by Academic Research Funding Strategies via Zoom
- Register Here: https://tinyurl.com/FDFEB21REG
- March 17th 10:30 AM-12:00 PM Proposal “Post-Mortem”: Objectively Assessing Declined Proposals presented by Global Proposal Solutions via Zoom
- Register Here: https://tinyurl.com/FDMAR11REG
You can find additional workshops & webinars that may assist you in your proposal development on the FRD calendar linked here.