# 2026-12725: NSF Seeks Comments on Routine Funding Paperwork Update

2026-12725, Agency Information Collection Activities: Comment Request; National Science Foundation Proposal/Award Information-NSF Guidance on Financial Assistance, is a Federal Register notice from National Science Foundation published 2026-06-24, effective Written comments on this notice must be submitted by August 24, 2026 to be considered.; PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-07-01).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-12725
- As of: 2026-07-01
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Document number: 2026-12725
- Title: Agency Information Collection Activities: Comment Request; National Science Foundation Proposal/Award Information-NSF Guidance on Financial Assistance
- Type: Notice
- Agencies: National Science Foundation
- Citation: 91 FR 38030
- Published: 2026-06-24
- Effective: Written comments on this notice must be submitted by August 24, 2026 to be considered.
- Comments close: 2026-08-24
- Significant: no
- Touches household money: yes
- Regulation identifier numbers: none
- Last updated: 2026-07-01

## In one line

NSF Seeks Comments on Routine Funding Paperwork Update

## Summary

The National Science Foundation (NSF) is updating how it collects info about its financial help for research projects. They want your thoughts on the new rules by August 24, 2026, before making changes official for up to three years. This affects researchers and organizations applying for NSF funding and aims to make the process clearer and easier to follow.

## Abstract

The U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) is announcing plans to renew and revise its collection for its financial assistance policies and procedures. In accordance with the requirements of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, NSF is providing the opportunity for public comment on this action. After obtaining and considering public comment, NSF will prepare the submission requesting Office of Management and Budget (OMB) clearance of this collection for no longer than three years.

## Effects PRIA read

- Large Time Burden per Proposal: cost, high. If you submit an NSF proposal, NSF estimates you spend an average of 120 hours preparing each proposal. NSF expects about 43,000 proposals and a total of 5,160,000 public burden hours annually.
- High Competition for NSF Awards: cost, medium. If you apply to NSF, note that NSF receives more than 43,000 proposals each year but makes about 8,300 financial assistance awards. That means many applicants will not receive funding.
- NSF Guidance Revised for Clarity: benefit, low. NSF is revising its Proposal and Award Policies and Procedures Guide and renaming it the NSF Guidance on Financial Assistance (GFA). The new GFA will use plain language, clarify wording, separate policies from procedures, remove policies no longer relevant, and incorporate mandated statutory, regul…

## Related documents

- [2026-20332](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-20332): Proposal Review Committee Name Changes, 2026-10-05
- [2026-20339](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-20339): Agency Information Collection Activities: Comment Request, 2026-10-05
- [2026-20236](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-20236): Agency Information Collection Activities: Comment Request, 2026-10-02
- [2026-18351](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-18351): Agency Information Collection Activities: Comment Request, 2026-09-09
- [2026-17556](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-17556): Notice of Intent To Reinstate Information Collection, 2026-08-28
- [2026-17415](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-17415): Agency Information Collection Activities: Request for Comment Regarding Common Disclosure Forms for the Biographical Sketch and Current and…, 2026-08-26

## Sources
- [2026-12725 on federalregister.gov](https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/06/24/2026-12725/agency-information-collection-activities-comment-request-national-science-foundation-proposalaward)
- [2026-12725 as published (PDF)](https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2026-06-24/pdf/2026-12725.pdf)

## Related
- [Previous: 2026-12724, Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the Office of Managemen…](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-12724)
- [Next: 2026-12726, National Roundtable on Childhood Drowning Prevention; Notice of Public Meeting…](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-12726)
- [All Federal Register documents](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-12725 (as of 2026-07-01).