Human-Environment and Geographical Sciences Program | 20 547

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) - NSF Human-Environment and Geographical Sciences (HEGS) Program (Opportunity 20-547)

What is the NSF Human-Environment and Geographical Sciences (HEGS) Program?

The National Science Foundation (NSF) Human-Environment and Geographical Sciences (HEGS) Program is a discretionary grant opportunity that supports basic scientific research in geography and spatial science. It funds research that explains the nature, causes, and consequences of how human activities and environmental processes are distributed across space and across different geographic scales.

What kinds of research questions is HEGS interested in?

HEGS is interested in questions such as why things happen where they happen, how spatial patterns form and change, and what those patterns mean for people, environments, and coupled human-environment systems. Proposals should focus on spatially explicit explanations and demonstrate the significance of geographic patterns across scales.

Is HEGS focused on basic research or applied projects?

HEGS funds basic scientific research. Proposals must clearly advance fundamental geographic knowledge by strengthening concepts, theories, and methods. At the same time, applicants should show how those advances can be applied to important societal problems and concerns.

What does HEGS expect in terms of theory, methods, and evidence?

HEGS places strong emphasis on research that is empirically grounded, theoretically engaged, and methodologically sophisticated. Competitive proposals are expected to start from well-articulated theoretical frameworks relevant to human-environment and geographical sciences, develop research questions that follow directly from the theory, and answer those questions using rigorous scientific methods.

Can a proposal be based on a single case study or a single place?

A case study can be used as the setting, but the contribution must extend beyond the immediate context. HEGS expects results that do more than describe a single place or case. Proposals should explain how the insights, models, or methods are generalizable and applicable to broader classes of places, processes, or populations.

What does it mean for a contribution to be "generalizable" in HEGS?

Within the HEGS context, generalizable findings are those that enhance, expand, or transform broader geographic theory and/or analytical methods in ways that can be applied beyond the specific study site. The proposal should clearly describe how the concepts, models, or methods developed will travel to other settings or help explain broader spatial processes.

Does HEGS fund interdisciplinary research?

Yes. HEGS recognizes that geography spans the natural sciences, social sciences, and the humanities, and it welcomes interdisciplinary work. Interdisciplinary proposals still need to clearly contribute to geographic and spatial scientific theory and/or methods development.

Are purely humanistic or non-scientific projects eligible for HEGS funding?

No. While HEGS welcomes interdisciplinary work, it does not fund projects that are solely humanistic or non-scientific in approach. Applicants must explicitly explain how the work contributes to geographic and spatial scientific theory and/or methods development using rigorous scientific methods.

Where does HEGS sit within NSF organizationally, and why does that matter?

HEGS is located within NSF's Social, Behavioral and Economic Sciences Directorate, specifically the Behavioral and Cognitive Sciences Division. Because of that placement, proposals must make a convincing case that the research is relevant and important to people and societies, even when the work also involves environmental processes, physical systems, or biophysical dynamics.

What does HEGS mean by "societal relevance"?

Based on the program description provided, societal relevance means the proposal should clearly connect the research to people and societies. Even if the project includes environmental or biophysical components, it should demonstrate why the work matters for human populations, social systems, or coupled human-environment outcomes.

What happens if a proposal does not align with HEGS expectations?

Proposals that do not align with HEGS expectations, particularly those that do not clearly connect to HEGS-relevant theory, scientific methods, and societal relevance, can be returned without review rather than sent out for peer evaluation.

What is the funding instrument for this opportunity?

The funding instrument is a grant administered by the National Science Foundation (NSF).

What is the CFDA number for this HEGS opportunity?

The CFDA number listed for this opportunity is 47.075.

What is the opportunity number for this HEGS program listing?

The opportunity number provided is 20-547.

When was this opportunity created, and what was the original closing date?

The creation date listed is February 20, 2020. The original closing date listed is August 18, 2020.

How many awards did NSF anticipate making under this opportunity?

NSF anticipated making about 40 awards under this opportunity.

Is there a maximum award amount (award ceiling) for HEGS?

The listing shows an award ceiling of 0. This typically indicates that budgets vary by project and are governed by program norms and NSF policy rather than a single fixed cap in the public listing.

Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility is listed as "Others," with additional eligibility details referenced elsewhere in the full announcement. Based on the information provided here, applicants should consult the full announcement for the specific eligibility rules and definitions.

What makes a project a good fit for HEGS, based on the description provided?

A strong HEGS fit is a project that develops and tests spatially explicit scientific explanations of human, environmental, and human-environment dynamics; clearly advances geographic theory and/or analytical methods; demonstrates empirical rigor and methodological sophistication; and connects the research to societal relevance and broader impacts.

Does HEGS require broader impacts, and what kinds are implied by the description?

The description emphasizes delivering clear broader impacts that benefit society. While specific broader impact requirements are not detailed in the provided text, the program framing suggests that proposals should articulate how the research can be applied to important societal problems and concerns and why it matters for people and societies.

What should applicants be careful to include so the proposal is not returned without review?

Applicants should clearly tie the proposal to HEGS-relevant theory, use rigorous scientific methods, demonstrate contributions to geographic/spatial science theory and/or methods, and make a convincing case for societal relevance. Proposals missing these elements may be returned without review.

Is HEGS limited to environmental science or human geography only?

No. HEGS supports research across human-environment and geographical sciences, which can include human activities, environmental processes, and coupled human-environment systems. The key is that the work remains grounded in spatial science, advances geographic theory/methods, and shows relevance to people and societies.