The Collections in Support of Biological Research (CSBR) Program provides funds: 1) for improvements to secure and organize collections that are significant to the NSF BIO-funded research community; 2) to secure collections-related data for sustained, accurate, and efficient accessibility to the biological research community; and 3) to transfer ownership of collections.
The CSBR program provides for enhancements that secure and improve existing collections, improves the accessibility of digitized specimen-related data, and develop better methods for specimen curation and collection management. Requests should demonstrate a clear and urgent need to secure the collection, and the proposed activities should address that need. Biological collections supported include established living stock/culture collections, vouchered non-living natural history collections, and jointly-curated ancillary collections such as preserved tissues and DNA libraries.
There are 3 competitive areas:
Competitive Area 1. Natural History Collections
Funds are provided to make improvements in established vouchered natural history collections for sustained, accurate, and efficient accessibility of the collection to the biological research community. Such improvements include, but are not limited to, securing and organizing specimens and related data and developing methods to improve specimen curation and collection management. Collections supported include those housing natural history specimens and their ancillary data such as preserved tissues and/or other physical samples (e.g., DNA libraries and digital images). The CSBR Program encourages digitization activities that help to secure collections and requires that funded activities interface with iDigBio, including sharing data through tools such as the Integrated Publishing Toolkit (www.gbif.org/ipt) developed by the Global Biodiversity Information Facility.
Competitive Area 2. Living Stock Collections
Funds are provided to secure and improve existing collections of living organisms (including viruses and bacteriophages) used in the basic biological research funded by NSF BIO. Awards will be made that lead to innovative handling of living stocks or to well-defined improvements in existing collections. A strategic plan for the long-term financial support of the collection should be submitted. Support for establishing new collections, collecting specimens, or growing existing collections is not allowable.
Competitive Area 3. Transfer of Ownership of Collections
Funding may be requested to move valuable established collections to a new institutional home or to consolidate or combine collections. Requests for moving or consolidating must include an explicit plan for the activity. Proposals in this competitive area may target either Living Stock or Natural History collections.
General Information for Applicants in All Competitive Areas
Funds may be provided for digitization efforts in association with other activities that secure a collection, such as curation improvement and infrastructure enhancement. Specialized items that are components of a large system (e.g., specimen cabinets and compactors) are considered as equipment under the CSBR program guidelines - please refer to Section V.A. Special Information and Supplementary Documents section for additional guidance. Research to develop improved curatorial practices or more efficient collection management practices may also be supported.
CSBR does not provide support to: 1) Defray ordinary operating expenses of natural history collections; 2) Purchase specimens; 3) Conduct field work, collect specimens, or increase the size of collections; 4) Create or establish a new collection; or 5) Improve libraries or archives. Organizations receiving specimens collected through other research activities (e.g., Dimensions of Biodiversity or programs within the Systematics and Biodiversity Science Cluster (SBS) in the NSF's Division of Environmental Biology) should reach an agreement with the researcher(s) prior to voucher deposition so that specimens are prepared in a format compatible with the standards (including digitization and georeferencing) of the receiving collection.
Required for the Penn State Downselect:
1). The name and brief description of the collection.
2). Which competitive area that covers the collection - "CSBR: Natural History:", "CSBR: Living Stocks", or "CSBR: Ownership Transfer".
3). Five page project description that includes:
The description should state how the value of the collection will be enhanced by support from the CSBR Program and how its contributions will further advances in the biological sciences.
Urgency for support should be clear.
Value of the collection for scientific research and resource management should be provided.
A discussion of the broader impacts of the proposed activities.
A management plan.
Results of Prior Support: Briefly describe the outcome and accomplishments of any support of the collection by the NSF in the last five years, irrespective of the PI or organization that received the support. State the title, amount of funds received, and duration of the prior award.