NSF requires mentoring and individual development plans for postdoctoral researchers and graduate students who are supported on projects. A one-page (maximum) mentoring plan must be included for each project proposal. PIs certify that the individual development plans are updated annually and in the final annual report. Cornell offers guidance and resources for writing and implementing these plans.
Submitted with the Proposal: NSF Mentoring Plan Requirements
- Applies to all proposals submitted on or after May 20, 2024
- Maximum one page length.
- Describe mentoring provided to all postdoctoral scholars or graduate students supported by the project.
- Separate plans not required for postdoctoral scholars and graduate students.
- Specify how different components will be enacted for the two types of researchers. Examples components include, but are not limited to:
- Develop your career
- Design rigorous and reproducible research
- Find funding
- Experiment, analysis, and data
- Write and publish
- Share research findings and outcomes
- Teaching and mentoring
- Collaborating in diverse teams
- Responsible and ethical conduct of research
Certify Annually and in the Final Annual Report: NSF Individual Development Plans
After the project is awarded, faculty will use the mentoring plan submitted with the proposal to create individual development plans (IDPs) for postdoctoral scholars and graduate students who receive substantial NSF support. These plans are required and faculty must certify annually that they have been updated. Requirements for IDPs include the following:
- Map the educational goals, career exploration, and professional development of each individual.
- PIs must certify that the plan has been updated annually in both annual and final annual reports.
- Substantial NSF support defined:
- 1 person-month per year.
- ~1/2 semester at full support associated with 20 hours/week commitment.
- ~1 semester at half support associated with 10 hours/week commitment.
- 1 person-month per year.
- Support may be provided in the form of a stipend and/or tuition.
Resources
Use the following resources to craft mentoring plans and IDPs for NSF. Remember, the mentoring plan is one page maximum and covers all postdocs and grad students for all institutions involved with the project.
At Cornell
The Cornell Faculty Advancing Inclusive Mentoring (FAIM) Resource Center is a collaboration of the Cornell Graduate School and the Provost’s Office of Faculty Development and Diversity. FAIM provides a framework to support faculty in developing and advancing mentee-centered and equity-minded mentoring practices within graduate education and the professoriate.
Within FAIM, inclusive mentorship is defined as a co-constructed and reciprocal relationship between a mentor and mentee who take a strengths-based and identity-informed approach to working together to support their mutual growth, development, and success (NASEM, 2019; Windchief, 2019).
| Resource | Overview | Source |
|---|---|---|
| FAIM Practical Toolkit for Mentoring in Graduate Education | Tools and resources to support mentor and mentee pairs as they collaboratively establish, communicate, and refine mutual expectations within their mentoring relationships. Includes a template Mentoring Expectations Agreement Plan. Also includes resources for creating an Individual Development Plan and a Mentor Network Map. | Cornell’s FAIM Resource Center |
| Want NSF Funding? You'll need to submit a grad student mentoring plan | Article describing requirements for mentoring plans and IDPs. | AAAS Science |
| Webinar (4/23/2024) | Overview of the mentoring plan and IDP requirements. Hosted by the Council of Graduate Schools (CGS) and NSF. | Council of Graduate Schools and NSF |
| Online, self-paced curriculum | The NCFDD is a national organization supporting faculty development. This core curriculum is offered to teach the 10 key skills necessary to thrive in the academy. | NCFDD |
| Toolkit Additional Resources | Toolkit designed to engage mentors in deeper thinking about how mentoring relationships in graduate education can embody equity-mindedness. The exercises in the Equity-minded mentoring toolkit are designed to help establish shared understandings of mentoring expectations and facilitate conversations about equity in mentoring relationships. | Equity in Graduate Education Resource Center |
| The Science of Effective Mentoring in STEMM | Interactive guidance and tools to develop and maintain strong and effective mentorship. | The National Academy of Science, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) |
References
- NSF (24-1) Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG)
- 2 CFR § 200.4661 (Uniform Guidance) and institutional policies
- Section 7008(a) of the America COMPETES Act of 2022 (42 U.S.C. § 1862o-1. Responsible Conduct of Research)
- RCR Mentoring Requirements: Section 7009 of the America Creating Opportunities to Meaningfully Promote Excellence in Technology, Education, and Science (COMPETES) Act (42 USC 1862o–1).