Important: All applicants must submit a complete copy of the declined proposal as originally submitted and the reviewer comments received during the NSF review process.

Applications are accepted on a rolling basis until April 1. 

• If a proposal is declined before April 1, the application is due by April 1.
• If a proposal is declined after April 1, the college must apply within 30 days of the decline notice.

Deferral Option: In any case, colleges may choose to defer participation until the following year if the proposal remains viable for resubmission. The Application should still be submitted using the deadlines listed in the year the proposal was declined. The PI of Mentor-Connect can approve exceptions.

Mentor-Connect will provide mentoring—via email, phone calls, and virtual meetings—for colleges whose proposals meet the following criteria:

• The original proposal’s purpose is still valid and remains essentially unchanged in the revised version.
• The college administration supports resubmission of the proposal.
• The Principal Investigator (PI) of the revised proposal will be the PI, a Co-PI, or another member of the senior personnel from the declined proposal.

Mentoring Scope:     

Selected colleges will receive approximately 15 hours of mentoring support, which includes:

• Review of the declined proposal and reviewer feedback.
• Discussions with the PI, Co-PIs, and/or grant professional regarding proposed revisions.
• Ongoing availability for questions and guidance.
• Advice throughout the revision process.
• A final review of the submission-ready proposal, to be completed at least two weeks before the NSF deadline.

Participation Expectations in Second Chance Mentoring:

• Engage fully in the mentoring process.
• Participate in evaluation activities, including surveys and/or individual interviews to assess the mentoring program’s impact.

Need help? Contact us. Mentor-Connect will help you in completing the online application.