Cultural Anthropology Program Senior Research Awards | 23 581

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is this grant opportunity?

This opportunity is the National Science Foundation (NSF) Cultural Anthropology Program Senior Research Awards, Funding Opportunity Number 23-581. It is a discretionary grant opportunity that supports basic, theory-driven research in cultural anthropology.

What is the main purpose of the NSF Cultural Anthropology Senior Research Awards?

The central aim is to fund fundamental and systematic studies and training efforts that deepen scientific understanding of (1) why human societies and cultures vary, (2) how that variability is produced, and (3) what consequences that variability has across different settings.

What kinds of research does NSF want to support through this program?

NSF is looking for rigorous, empirically grounded cultural anthropology research that is clearly connected to theory. Projects should be designed to build, refine, challenge, or adjudicate cultural anthropological theory and produce insights that matter beyond a single case.

Is this opportunity only for certain sub-fields within cultural anthropology?

No. The program is open to researchers working in any sub-field of cultural anthropology.

Are projects limited to certain geographic regions or populations?

No. The program explicitly welcomes projects conducted at any spatial scale, from small communities to broad regional or global analyses.

Are projects limited to contemporary research topics?

No. Projects can be conducted at any temporal scale, ranging from contemporary ethnographic questions to historically oriented or long-term comparative work.

What research methods are considered acceptable?

The program broadly accepts methods as long as they fit the research questions and support rigorous, empirically grounded findings. Examples of acceptable approaches include ethnographic fieldwork, surveys, remote sensing, collection of biomarkers, experimental research (laboratory or non-laboratory), archival research, analysis of museum or materials collections, analysis of existing datasets, and mathematical or computational modeling.

Does NSF require a specific research tradition or methodology?

No. Proposals are not confined to any single tradition. The emphasis is on using appropriate tools to produce strong evidence and analysis, aligned with the research questions.

What does NSF mean by "basic, theory-driven" research in this context?

In this program, basic science means research centered on generating, testing, or strengthening cultural anthropological theory and producing generalizable knowledge. It is not primarily about delivering immediate applied solutions, even if the findings may later be relevant to applied concerns.

What does NSF mean by "generalizable knowledge" and "cumulative science"?

NSF is emphasizing that funded projects should contribute to knowledge that extends beyond a single site or case. Rather than producing only a rich case study for its own sake, proposals should use specific cases to generate or test broader concepts, mechanisms, or theoretical expectations about human social life and cultural processes, strengthening anthropology as a cumulative science.

Are single-site case studies eligible?

A single-site study can fit, but the proposal should clearly show how that case is used to generate or test broader theory, concepts, or mechanisms, and why the findings will be relevant beyond that single population or location.

What types of projects are not appropriate for this program?

Because NSF's mandate is basic science, projects whose primary purpose is applied outcomes are not appropriate if they are not centered on theory-generating or theory-testing contributions. Examples mentioned include projects focused mainly on improving clinical practice, delivering immediate policy solutions, or directly implementing interventions without a clear theoretical contribution.

Can use-inspired or practically relevant research be funded?

Yes, use-inspired work can still fit, but only when theory-advancing aims are clearly the core of the proposal and any applied or practical relevance is secondary.

Can a proposal be rejected without review under this program?

Yes. Proposals that mainly use anthropological methods to solve practical social, medical, or other applied problems, without a clear plan to expand or test cultural anthropological theory, can be rejected without review.

Who runs this grant opportunity?

The opportunity is run by the National Science Foundation (NSF) through its Cultural Anthropology Program.

What is the CFDA number associated with this opportunity?

The listing identifies CFDA 47.075.

Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility is listed as "unrestricted," meaning it is broadly open to applicants, subject to any specific clarifications NSF may include in the full solicitation text.

Is there a specified maximum award amount?

The listing shows an award ceiling of $0, which typically indicates that a fixed maximum is not specified in the summary. Applicants are expected to rely on the full solicitation details and NSF program norms when developing budgets.

How many awards does NSF expect to make?

NSF anticipated making about 40 awards under this opportunity.

When was this opportunity created and what was the original closing date?

The opportunity was created on April 22, 2023, with an original closing date of August 15, 2023.

Who is this program best suited for?

This opportunity is best suited for senior researchers proposing rigorous, theoretically focused cultural anthropology research that produces empirically supported insights with relevance beyond a single site or population.

What should a strong proposal clearly explain?

Based on the program description, a strong proposal should clearly articulate how the research will build, refine, challenge, or adjudicate cultural anthropological theory, and how the results will contribute to broader understanding of human culture and society (not only to a specific local context).