The Research on Research Security Program
🏛 U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF)
✓ Free, no account · Source: Grants.gov · Last verified Jul 15, 2026
Can you apply?
This grant is for researchers and institutions seeking to advance evidence-based research on research security topics. Eligible applicants typically include universities, research institutions, and nonprofit organizations with research capacity. Proposals may be collaborative and can involve international partners. The program funds conferences, workshops, planning grants, and early-concept exploratory research (EAGER) projects.
Applicants should demonstrate rigorous empirical methods and commitment to building the emerging research security field. Projects addressing threats, risk mitigation, policy implications, or organizational change are encouraged. International collaboration is welcome when aligned with U.S. research security concerns.
NSF eligibility rules apply. Standard research qualifications and institutional affiliation are expected. No specific geographic restrictions are noted beyond NSF's general U.S. focus.
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Program description
NSF is committed to securing the nation’s research enterprise as part of its core mission. The Research on Research Security (RoRS) program will advance the understanding of the full scope, potential, challenges, and nature of the research on research security field through scholarly evidence.
Background
The following activities provide background and context for developing proposals to submit to the RoRS program.
- The foundational legislative and policy documents include National Security Presidential Memorandum-33 (NSPM-33)and its associated supporting documents, as well as research security provisions in CHIPS and Science Act 2022.
- In 2022 NSF asked JASON to consider what a research program on research security might entail and how it would be defined.The findings are summarized in the report (JSR-22-08), Research Program on Research Security.
- The 2024 NSF-funded workshop, Responsible Collaboration Through Appropriate Research Security: A Workshop To Discuss and Study the Emergent Discipline of Research on Research Security, identified current themes, major issues, and challenges in research security.
Program Description
Collectively, the research that RoRS funds will foster a broad community that builds collaborations between the STEM research community, research security researchers, and research security practitioners. Interdisciplinary approaches are encouraged, and proposers should address how they will leverage the range of expertise, theories, and methods of the team to engage in evidence-based research on research security. Proposers are encouraged to identify collaborators across a wide range of sectors, and to consider projects in collaboration with international partners that share U.S. concerns with research security, when appropriate.
RoRS encourages the following types of proposals to help build the emerging field of research on research security. (See the PAPPG for guidance on preparing specific proposal types.)
- Conferences and Workshops
- Planning Grants
- Early-concept Grants for Exploratory Research (EAGER)
Proposal topics may include, but are not limited to, the following:
- The nature and pervasiveness of research security threats.
- Methods for identifying research security risks, and strategies for preventing and mitigating them.
- Methods for strengthening research security protocol and approaches.
- The complex relationships between human behavior and research security policies.
- Research security policies and their implications.
- Research on organizational change around systemic and cultural factors as they pertain to research security.
- Research on research security in the context of a particular field or discipline, especially in high-risk areas.
- The international dimensions of research security.
Collectively, RoRS seeks to fund research projects with the following characteristics:
- Produce data, analysis, theory, and tools that inform current and future decision-making on U.S. research security.
- Use rigorous empirical methods to advance understanding of the factors that influence research security.
- Build upon established methodologies from diverse fields of study to ensure that RoRS develops quickly and efficiently into a robust, mature discipline with its own novel approaches.
- Develop innovative strategies to leverage previously unidentified, unconnected, and/or inaccessible sources of data.
Prospective PIs are strongly encouraged review NSF Research Security resources and to contact the cognizant RoRS program director(s) prior to submission. Proposals should be prepared and submitted following the guidance in the NSF Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG).
Who can apply
Eligible applicants
How to apply
Application links
Key dates & requirements
Required documents
- NSF standard forms (SF-424, SF-424 R/R, etc.)
- Project Narrative
- Budget and Budget Justification
- Biographical Sketches of key personnel
- Current and Pending Support
- Institutional Approval (if required)
Program contact
- 👤 U.S. National Science Foundation
- 📧 grantsgovsupport@nsf.gov
- 📞 703-292-4203
Funding track record
Recent awards under CFDA 47.075 from the last 3 years — real organizations that won funding through this same program.
Top 10 Largest Recent Awards
-
$38,357,018
-
$18,499,999
-
$13,999,656
-
$10,999,998
-
$8,043,354
-
$7,998,747
-
$5,500,000
-
$5,237,549
-
$5,200,000
-
$5,047,151
Top States by Funding
- MI 9 awards $94.1M
- DC 6 awards $20.0M
- AZ 7 awards $19.6M
- NY 9 awards $17.0M
- IL 4 awards $16.4M
Source: USAspending.gov — federal spending transparency. Data covers last 3 years.
Funding history
Annual funding for this program — Federal obligations (CFDA 47.075). How funding has trended year over year.
| 2024 | $292,390,000 | |
| 2025 | $219,410,000 | |
| 2026 est. | $92,200,000 |
FAQ
Who can apply to the Research on Research Security program?
Universities, research institutions, nonprofits, and other organizations with research capacity can apply. Collaborative teams and international partnerships are encouraged.
What types of projects does this program fund?
RoRS funds conferences, workshops, planning grants, and EAGER (Early-concept Grants for Exploratory Research) projects focused on research security.
What are the key research topics this program supports?
Topics include identifying security threats, risk mitigation strategies, policy implications, human behavior factors, organizational change, and international dimensions of research security.
Is there a rolling deadline?
Yes, this appears to be a rolling deadline program. Check NSF website for specific submission windows.
What methods does NSF expect to see?
NSF emphasizes rigorous empirical methods and evidence-based approaches. Interdisciplinary collaboration and established methodologies from diverse fields are valued.
💡 Tips for applicants
- Emphasize rigorous empirical methods and evidence-based research design from the start. Vague conceptual proposals are unlikely to be competitive.
- Build interdisciplinary teams that combine STEM researchers, research security experts, and practitioners. NSF rewards collaborative approaches.
- Clearly articulate how your project will produce data, analysis, or tools that inform U.S. research security decision-making.
- Address one or more specific RoRS topics explicitly. Don't assume reviewers will connect general research to program priorities.
- Consider proposing a conference, workshop, or planning grant if your team is early-stage. EAGER projects work for higher-risk, innovative approaches.
⚠️ Common mistakes
Proposals that lack clear empirical methods or rigorous research design are frequently rejected. Vague security concepts without actionable findings weaken competitiveness. Failure to engage diverse expertise or clarify how research informs actual policy decisions is a common gap.
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