The Office of Research Development (ORD) presents an annual series about the National Science Foundation (NSF) Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) program to support pre-tenure faculty in strengthening their CAREER proposals.

This year, ORD is providing several workshops to support NSF CAREER applicants:

Best Practices for Resubmitting an NSF CAREER Grant – Tuesday, March 24, 2 - 3:30 p.m. Eastern Time (virtual) 

Led by Maureen Bonnefin from Affinity Grants Insights, this presentation will provide guidance for applicants planning to resubmit a proposal to the National Science Foundation's (NSF) CAREER program. Topics covered include: (1) an overview of best practices for resubmission, including targeted tips for meeting with NSF program officers; (2) guidance on how resubmissions move through the NSF CAREER review process; (3) best practices for interpreting reviewer comment and and writing for new review panel members; and (4) strategies for how to address changing NSF priorities in your resubmission.

Register for the Best Practices for Resubmitting an NSF CAREER Grant workshop.

Insights from NSF CAREER Awardees and the Office of Sponsored Programs – Thursday, April 2, 2 - 3:30 p.m. Eastern Time (virtual)

Join the Office of Research Development for a moderated panel discussion with previous NSF CAREER awardees who will present their projects and answer audience questions. A guest speaker from the Office of Sponsored Programs will also review the submission process for CAREER proposals at UML, including an overview of UML’s internal deadlines and budgeting tips for a smooth submission.

Register for the Insights from NSF CAREER Awardees and the Office of Sponsored Programs panel.

Note: Additional resources are available to help you prepare an NSF CAREER award:

  • UMass Lowell CAREER Resource Library - ORD maintains a collection of example proposals from past UML CAREER awardees, template outlines for several common CAREER proposal documents, recordings and materials from our office's previous CAREER-focused events, and other CAREER resources. Access with your UML log-in credentials.
  • NSF CAREER Short Course materials - In 2025, Maureen Bonnefin, lead grants consultant at Affinity Grant Insights LLC, led a small group training on key strategies for assembling a successful CAREER proposal. UML faculty have access to the materials from her sessions.
  • Proposal reviews – As bandwidth permits, ORD offers reviews of NSF CAREER proposals by internal or external grant consultants. Review time is prioritized for faculty that reach out far ahead of the CAREER deadline. Email: RD@uml.edu as early as possible in your CAREER preparation process to discuss scheduling a review.
  • NSF Directorate-specific CAREER assistance – Some NSF directorates offer specialized CAREER preparation events each spring. For example, NSF’s Engineering and STEM Education directorates both offered half or full-day CAREER workshops in previous years, and other directorates offered CAREER-specific office hours with program directors. Visit NSF’s CAREER page to see upcoming programming.