What are NSF’s Evaluation Criteria?
NSF uses two broad criteria of scientific merit in the selection of research projects for funding. These two criteria are the intellectual merit and the broader impacts of the proposed activities. Intellectual Merit is interpreted by the program as having three components: • Importance of the project in advancing conceptual understanding within economics or allied fields of social science. • Research competence, or the qualifications of the investigator to conduct the project, as shown by the quality of prior work. • Research design and methodology, or the ability of the specific activities described to actually advance our knowledge. The Broader Impacts criterion refers to the project’s ability to benefit society at large. For Economics projects, the major broader impact is often better understanding of important public policy issues, and guidance for future policy decisions. Other broader impacts include enhancing scientific understanding through broad dissemination; promoting teachi
