Methodology, Measurement, and Statistics

The Methodology, Measurement, and Statistics (MMS) program, administered by the National Science Foundation (NSF), supports the development of innovative analytical and statistical methods for social, behavioral, and economic sciences. The program seeks proposals that are methodologically innovative, theoretically grounded, and applicable across multiple disciplines. MMS collaborates with a consortium of federal statistical agencies to advance research that enhances the production and application of official statistics. The program is structured to provide funding through various mechanisms, including Regular Research Awards, conference and community-development activity awards, Doctoral Dissertation Research Improvement (DDRI) Grants, and Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) Supplements. The primary objective of the MMS program is to fund research that improves methodologies for data collection, survey design, statistical modeling, and data dissemination in social sciences. The program welcomes interdisciplinary research that integrates advanced statistical techniques and analytical tools to address pressing methodological challenges. Special emphasis is placed on projects that develop new methods for measurement, survey design, small area estimation, inferential methodologies, and data improvement. The research should have broad implications for improving scientific inquiry and statistical precision in social and economic sciences. MMS awards funding through standard or continuing grants, with an estimated total annual funding amount of approximately $3.76 million. The number of anticipated awards ranges from 15 to 35, contingent upon the availability of funds. Additional funding may be provided by partnering federal statistical agencies for competitive proposals aligned with their interests. The program encourages budget proposals that align with the scale and complexity of the research being conducted. Eligible applicants for the MMS program include organizations identified in the NSF Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG), such as U.S.-based institutions of higher education and nonprofit organizations engaged in research. Unaffiliated individuals are not eligible to submit proposals. For DDRI grants, proposals must include a principal investigator who is the faculty advisor of the doctoral student, while the doctoral student must be designated as the co-principal investigator. There are no restrictions on the number of proposals an organization or investigator can submit. The application process requires submission via Research.gov or Grants.gov, and proposals must adhere to the guidelines outlined in the NSF PAPPG. Letters of Intent and preliminary proposals are not required. Key proposal submission deadlines include the last Thursday in August and the last Thursday in January, recurring annually. Applications undergo a rigorous review process based on NSF’s merit review principles, which evaluate intellectual merit and broader impacts. The selection criteria focus on the quality of the proposed research, its potential impact on the field, and the applicant's qualifications. Successful applicants must comply with NSF award conditions, including annual reporting requirements. Grantees conducting research with funding from federal statistical agencies may be invited to participate in meetings in Washington, D.C., to discuss their findings with federal stakeholders. The program strongly encourages collaboration across disciplines and emphasizes the importance of methodological advances that contribute to the integrity and utility of social, behavioral, and economic research.