Simons Collaborations in Mathematics and the Physical Sciences – Request for Applications 2028: How to Apply

• The collaboration director (referred to in SAM as the Spokesperson PI) must submit the LOI —be sure that the director’s profile in SAM is associated with their current institution.
• If the LOI is approved, a full proposal application will be created for each PI designated as a Principal Investigator (Collaboration) role at the LOI stage and must be submitted to the Spokesperson PI’s application for submission to the foundation.
• The director is the designated contact for the collaboration and will be responsible for coordinating the submission of PI applications and the project narrative, as outlined below.
• If the collaboration proposal is awarded, each PI in the Principal Investigator (Collaboration) role and the director will receive their own award, and their institution will be paid separately.
• Multiple PIs at the same institution can either receive individual awards or reside on one award via one proposal budget. This is entirely at the discretion of the director.
• The director now has the ability to view the budget details for each PI once their application is in a Submitted to Spokesperson PI status by clicking on the View button in the Budget tab of each PI application record. Note that the salary information is masked for confidentiality.

LOI and proposal attachments should be single spaced and in a common typeface and font size no smaller than 10 points. Margins must be at least half an inch in all directions.

The applicant’s name and institution will appear in this section. The institution will default to the applicant’s primary affiliation in their SAM profile. Please ensure the listed institution is the one to which funds must be administered if selected for funding. If the institution or applicant must be changed, refer to the SAM Frequently Asked Questions for assistance.

• Applicant Details:
  • Complete all required fields, including academic rank, position/title and ORCID iD
  • This information should be completed in the applicant’s profile. The applicant may use the Edit Profile button to update their information as needed.
  • To add your ORCID iD, navigate to the ORCID tab of the user profile, and select the Create or Connect Your ORCID iD button to link to your ORCID profile.
  • Applicants must complete their profiles by clicking the Complete Profile button on the user profile in order to submit.
• Degrees: Enter applicant degrees (optional).
• Application Details: Enter the title of the LOI application. The title must follow this nomenclature: Simons Collaboration on [Insert subject matter].
• Proposal – Upload required files as follows:
  • Letter of Intent Narrative (three-page limit, plus up to one page for references and figures, which can be embedded within the text): The narrative must outline the topic and scientific approach and explain the logistics of the collaboration and any relevant preliminary results.
  • Personnel Biosketches: Upload a PDF of the biosketch for each individual in the Additional PI and co-Investigator (co-I) role, including the director. Biosketches must be in SciENcv, NIH, or NSF-style format or a two- to three-page CV. Please name each PDF as Last Name_First Name_Biosketch.
• Indicate the extent to which, if any, generative AI technology was used and how it was used to develop your proposal.

Refer to the instructions provided in SAM.

• Institution Administrative Contacts: While a Signing Official and Financial Officer are not required to submit an LOI, it is possible your institutional officials would request to be added at this stage.
• Under Project Personnel, indicate all PIs and co-Is, other than the spokesperson PI/director.
  • At the LOI stage, it is not necessary to include other personnel, such as subcontract PIs, collaborators, consultants, postdoctoral research associates and graduate students. Designated PIs and co-Is are individuals who contribute to the scientific development or execution of a project in a substantive, measurable way, whether or not they request salaries or compensation. Note that the Simons Foundation does not use the role type co-PI.
  • All PIs who will receive their own award must be added in the role of Principal Investigator (Collaboration) under the Multi-Site or Collaboration Personnel section. If the LOI is approved, for all key personnel added as Principal Investigator (Collaboration), a full application proposal will be created.
    • Will there be multiple sites? Indicate Yes.
    • Click the Add/Modify button to add each individual PI, excluding the director, in the role Principal Investigator (Collaboration). Each PI will receive a notification informing them that they have been added as a Collaboration PI.
    • Click the Save Draft button in order for the newly added personnel to display in the table.
  • Other PIs or co-Is must be added in Project Personnel section in a Project Personnel – With or Without Application Access role; then, once the application has been saved, click on the Add More Detail button and select either Additional Principal Investigator or Co-Investigator.

  Note: Applicant PIs do NOT need to be added in this section.

• Publications: Provide a list of up to 10 relevant publications for the director only via their SAM profile or PDF upload. If selecting from the SAM profile, the director can import data from other publication databases such as ORCID, PubMed or OpenAlex. Please name the PDF as Last Name_First Name_Publications.
• Other Support: Follow instructions for providing current and pending support for the director only via PDF upload or via SAM profile:
  • Provide all current and pending external PI or co-PI support, which includes all financial resources, whether federal or nonfederal, available in direct support the director and their research. It is not necessary to include internal funding or this current application.
  • If providing via SAM profile, select Yes. Then select the Select Other Support from Profile option. Click the Assign Other Support for This Proposal button to add other support to this application. This will display all other support related to the applicant that was previously added to their SAM profile. Reporting overlap is required to submit an application. While overlap is not a consideration for funding in this program, click on the Report Overlap button for each entry and select Yes or No as appropriate.
  • If using PDF upload, NSF format is sufficient and should at least provide the award number, source of funding, title of award, dates of project and total costs for each support item listed. Please name the PDF as Last Name_First Name_Support.

Click the Check Application Progress button to check for any missing required information or files. All missing required information will be listed at the top of the screen and must be corrected before the application can be submitted.

When the LOI application is complete, click on the Submit Application button to submit to the foundation. A confirmation page will appear once the application is successfully submitted. The applicant/director will also receive an email confirming its submission. Note that a LOI cannot be submitted if the deadline has passed. A submitted LOI will appear in the Submitted queue of the Awards and Applications table on your SAM home page.

A notification will be sent to the director inviting them to submit a full proposal in SAM. If an LOI is approved, the status changes to In Progress and the record appears in the Draft column of the Applications and Awards table. Click on the record to gain access to the full proposal application.

For all key personnel who were added as a Principal Investigator (Collaboration) in the LOI proposal, a full proposal application will have been created and will reside under the Awards and Applications table. All Principal Investigator (Collaboration) proposals must be submitted first to the Spokesperson PI (Director) application for submission to the foundation. A spokesperson/director can add more Principal Investigator (Collaboration) key personnel during the full proposal application stage. Please see the instructions below under the Contacts & Personnel section.

The applicant’s name and institution will appear in this section. The institution will default to the applicant’s primary affiliation in their SAM profile. Please ensure the listed institution is the one to which funds must be administered if selected for funding. If the institution or applicant must be changed, refer to the SAM Frequently Asked Questions for assistance.

• This section gives a summary of all collaboration applications. For the Collaboration Director only, before submitting to the foundation, please confirm that the total collaboration budget does not exceed $8M over four years.
• Note: This section will not appear until after at least one project personnel in a Principal Investigator (Collaboration) role is added (see Contacts & Personnel tab instructions below).

• Applicant Details
  • Complete all required fields, including academic rank, position/title and ORCID iD.
  • This information should be completed in the applicant’s profile. The applicant may use the Edit Profile button to update their information as needed.
  • To add the applicant’s ORCID iD, navigate to the ORCID tab of the user profile, and select the Create or Connect Your ORCID iD button to link to the applicant’s ORCID profile.
  • Applicants must complete their profiles by clicking the Complete Profile button on the user profile in order to submit.
• Degrees: Enter applicant degrees (optional).
• Application Details:
  • The title of the spokesperson/director full proposal application will be the same as in the LOI proposal. If appropriate, the director of the collaboration can update the title for the full proposal application, as long as the title is substantially similar to the LOI title. The title must follow this nomenclature: Simons Collaboration on [Insert subject matter]. All PI application titles should match exactly the title the director has specified.
  • The collaboration start and end dates will be pre-populated on both the director and PI applications. These dates are fixed. All collaborations will start January 1, 2028.
• Proposal – Upload required files as follows:
  • Proposal Narrative: Director application only (12-page limit, plus up to two pages for references and figures, which can be embedded within the text): Provide a summary of the scientific questions and research goals of the collaboration, including an outline of relevant previous work of each PI and others involved, as well as a description of the planned research, including preliminary results (if relevant) and an explanation of how the research of the different PIs will be coordinated.
  • Personnel Biosketches: Upload a PDF of the biosketch for each individual in the applicant PI, Additional PI and co-I role on each collaboration application, as applicable (e.g., PI #1 includes their biosketch and biosketches for project personnel on their award only). Biosketches must be in SciENcv, NIH, or NSF-style format or a two- to three-page CV. Please name each PDF as Last Name_First Name_Biosketch.
  • Other Upload: Use this optional upload for additional budget justification related documentation (e.g., equipment quotes and tables). This upload should not substitute for justification entered in the budget, which is required for every line item entered.
• Indicate the extent to which, if any, generative AI technology was used and how it was used to develop your proposal.
• Indicate whether the PI or any project personnel listed on the application are affiliated with the Simons Foundation or the Flatiron Institute as a Visiting Scholar / Independent Contractor or Employee.
• Data & Renewable Reagents: If applicable, indicate your plan for generating and sharing data and/or renewable reagents.

• Please refer to the instructions provided in SAM for adding Institution Administrative Contacts. At least one Signing Official and one Financial Officer must be added to this section.
• For the Director application:
  • Select Yes to “Will there be multiple sites?”
  • Click the Add/Modify button to add or modify Principal Investigator (Collaboration) personnel only. Individuals in these roles should not be duplicated in Project Personnel. All other Project Personnel should be added in the Project Personnel section below. Collaboration PIs who will receive their own award must be added as a Principal Investigator (Collaboration) tto be able to access their own full proposal application.
  • Select Yes or No to “Will there be a subcontract?” (as applicable for the director application only, to be added/modified as needed).
  • Under Project Personnel, indicate all other project personnel for the director application only, including additional PIs, co-Is, collaborators, consultants, postdoctoral research associates and others. The other project personnel on the director’s application should reflect only those project personnel specific to the director’s project and not that of any PI in the Principal Investigator (Collaboration) role.
• For Principal Investigator (Collaboration) applications:
  • Select Yes or No to “Will there be a subcontract?” (as applicable for the PI’s application only, to be added/modified as needed).
  • Under Project Personnel, indicate all other project personnel for the PI’s application only, including additional PIs, co-Is, collaborators, consultants, postdoctoral research associates and others. Applicant PIs do NOT need to be added in this section.

Note: Other PIs or co-Is who are on the Director or Principal Investigator (Collaboration) applications must be added in either the Subcontract Personnel section or Project Personnel section in a “Subcontract Lead – With or Without Application Access” or “Project Personnel – With or Without Application Access” role, respectively; then, once the application has been saved, click on the Add More Detail button and select either Additional Principal Investigator or Co-Investigator.

Project personnel include individuals who contribute to the scientific development or execution of a project in a substantive, measurable way, whether or not they request salaries or compensation. Note that the Simons Foundation does not use the role type co-PI.

Click the Edit/Modify button to add a detailed, four-year budget in USD and corresponding justification. Refer to the allowable expenses outlined in the RFA.

1. Each PI and director budget must be entered only in their respective applications.
2. Note: Please be cognizant of the notification and award start dates when preparing the budget, particularly in year one with regards to the timeline for the hiring of postdoctoral fellows.
3. Enter each PI on each proposal in the Personnel Costs section of that proposal budget even if not requesting salary in order to reflect the PI’s percent effort.
4. For PIs and co-Is requesting summer salary with a 9- or 10-month appointment, please only select Academic for the Appt Type (which refers to the individual’s institutional appointment) and the base salary corresponding to this appointment type. The percent effort should then be adjusted accordingly.
5. For PIs and co-Is requesting summer salary at non-U.S. institutions and/or those receiving 12 months of salary, the program allows them to request up to 1/12 of their calendar year salary as a contribution to research time on the project, only if an exception exists where their institution permits extra compensation for specific, separate activities outside of regular duties and provided that the summer salary request is not in violation of their institution’s policies of more than 100 percent effort per year. Please only select Annual for the Appt Type (which refers to the individual’s institutional appointment) and the base salary corresponding to this appointment type. The percent effort should then be adjusted accordingly.
6. Important: In order for known project personnel to display in the Personnel column drop-down list, you must add them as Project Personnel in the Contacts & Personnel tab of the application as well as add an application role to each personnel using the Add More Details button. You will need to close and reopen the budget for the changes to populate.
7. Do not select TBD in the Personnel drop-down list if personnel are known. They must be first entered in the Project Personnel section as outlined above.
8. Do not combine personnel on one budget line (e.g., multiple postdocs must be itemized individually).
9. Provide justification for each budget line item entered, including all Personnel Costs requested. Note that the budget justification should be detailed and appropriate for the funds being requested. An insufficient budget justification will result in the proposal not being considered further.
10. The addition of subcontract budgets is handled via the Project Personnel section in the Contacts & Personnel tab. Click on the Add/Modify Project Personnel button in that section for additional instructions.
11. Within each budget period, you have the ability to copy the budget and justification from the previous period and then make edits as needed. Important note: If content has already been entered in year 2 or 3, for example, copying from the previous year will not replace the content — it will only add the previous year’s content, potentially duplicating the budget the next year. Duplicated entries can only be deleted individually by line item.

1. Publications: Provide a list of up to 10 relevant publications for each PI and co-I for each application via PDF upload or SAM profiles. If selecting from the SAM profile, PIs can import data from other publication databases such as ORCID, PubMed, or OpenAlex. Please name each PDF as Last Name_First Name_Publications.
2. Other Support: Please follow instructions for providing current and pending support for each PI and co-I for each application via PDF upload or via SAM profiles.
   1. Provide all current and pending external Applicant and Additional PI support, which includes all financial resources, whether federal or nonfederal, available in direct support of the PIs and their research. It is not necessary to include internal funding or this current application.
   2. If providing via SAM profile, select Yes. Then select the Select Other Support from Profile option. Reporting overlap is required to submit an application. While overlap is not a consideration for funding in this program, please click on the Report Overlap button for each entry and select Yes or No as appropriate.
   3. If using PDF upload, NSF format is sufficient and should at least provide the award number, source of funding, title of award, dates of project and total direct costs for each support item listed. Please name each PDF as Last Name_First Name_Support.

Click the Check Application Progress button to check for any missing required information or files. All missing required information will be listed at the top of the screen and must be corrected before the application can be submitted.

When each application is complete, each PI and director must click on the Send for Sign-Off button on their respective application to send to their application’s designated signing official for signature. The Signing Official will receive an email from [email protected] notifying them that an application requires their signature. The Signing Official must electronically sign the application via the Submission tab of the application. Once their signature is entered and saved, the Signing Official must click the Submit Signature button. A confirmation page will appear for the Signing Official once the application has been signed. For the director, this will move their application to a status of Signed – Pending Submission and they will receive an email from [email protected] notifying them that the application has been signed but is still pending submission. For a PI, this will submit to the director’s application and move their application to a status of Submitted to Spokesperson PI. They will receive an email from [email protected] notifying them that the application has been submitted to the director/spokesperson PI.

1. For PIs: After the full proposal application is completed and signed by their signing official, a confirmation page will appear noting it has been successfully submitted to the director/spokesperson PI by the signing official.
2. For the Director: After the full proposal application is completed and signed by their signing official, a confirmation page will appear noting it has been successfully signed by the signing official. When the director’s application has a status of Signed – Pending Submission and all of the PI applications are completed, signed and have a status of Submitted to Spokesperson PI, the director/spokesperson must click on the Submit Application Package button to submit to the foundation. Please note that the director’s institutional official cannot submit the collaboration package to the foundation — this must be done by the director. A confirmation page will appear once the collaboration package is successfully submitted and the application will appear in the Submitted tab of the Applications and Awards table.
3. Note that you will not be able to submit any collaboration application or the collaboration package if the deadline has passed.

Once your application has been submitted, the Simons Foundation staff will be in touch if we require any additional information or revisions to your application.