Program Description
***The program is currently not accepting unsolicited proposals, but please contact us (info@midwestbigdatahub.org) if you have a concept!***
The NSF-funded regional Big Data Innovation Hubs were created in 2015 to facilitate data science opportunities around grand challenges. The Midwest Big Data Innovation Hub (MBDH) supports new community activities and initiatives via a competitive proposal process with our Community Development and Engagement (CDE) Program that is open to the 12-state Midwest stakeholder community.
We invite proposals for activities that will further develop the MBDH community in at least one of the following Priority Areas and/or Crosscutting Theme Areas of the Hub:
- 1. Smart & Resilient Communities – Bringing together community members and stakeholders from multiple sectors to explore data challenges and opportunities. Often closely aligned with other theme areas, such as health, water, agriculture, and education/workforce development.
- 2. Water Quality Exploring data challenges shared by all stakeholders in local, regional, and national watersheds, including academic scientists, municipal water managers, local community interests, and industry innovators.
- 3. Big Data in Health – Building translational collaborations between academic research, clinicians, health advocates, and industry.
- 4. Digital Agriculture – Building partnerships around data sharing, best practices, and new technologies, such as sensors and UAVs.
- 5. Data Science Education and Workforce Development – Building regional capacity in data science education, skills training, workforce development, and open curricula.
- 6. Cyberinfrastructure and Data Sharing – Sharing curated information, best practices, and access to open tools; developing communities and processes for sharing data.
We particularly encourage activities that bring together partners from academia, industry, government, NGOs/not-for-profit organizations, and community members, and that introduce new partners to data science, including historically underrepresented groups.
Individual investigator research projects are outside the scope of this call.
Information about supported projects from the 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023 proposal cycles can be found here.
Key Dates
| Activity | Date |
| Live informational webinar (recording | slides) | September 13, 2023, 2–3 p.m. CT |
| ***The program is currently not accepting unsolicited proposals, but please contact us (info@midwestbigdatahub.org) if you have a concept!*** This call has a rolling deadline for submissions via email. Please notify us that you intend to develop a proposal before submitting. | |
| Target date for notification of award/decline Awardees may initiate planning process with MBDH staff immediately | Within 30 days of proposal submission |
| Final reports due | Within 30 days of completion of the activity |
| Outcomes assessment | Following completion of each project |
- • Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about this program
Proposal Preparation and Submission
- 1. Complete call for proposals (PDF)
- 2. Proposal Template (.docx file)
- 3. Submission via email to info@midwestbigdatahub.org
Review Criteria
Reviewers are members of the MBDH Seed Fund Steering Committee. Steering Committee members are selected from the at-large MBDH stakeholder community, are not members of the Hub’s leadership team, and do not receive compensation. They operate independently, represent the diversity of Hub constituents and Hub areas of interest, and demonstrate independence of judgment and expertise in the area assigned to them.
Successful proposals will support community engagement via a well-defined activity that is intended to advance one or more of the Hub’s Priority Areas and/or Crosscutting Theme Areas.
The following criteria will be used by the MBDH Seed Fund Steering Committee to prioritize support:
- 1. Does the activity help advance one or more of the Priority Areas and/or Crosscutting Theme Areas of the Hub listed above?
- 2. Does the activity engage new participants, especially underrepresented groups and smaller institutions, in the Hub community?
- 3. Does the activity generate new partnerships with industry, government, and/or nonprofits?
- 4. Is the proposed timeline and budget realistic for the stated goals?
- 5. Does the project plan address sustainability where appropriate, such as identifying opportunities for future external funding from government agencies, foundations, or industry, and include plans for continued collaboration?
Learn More
Potential applicants may contact the Midwest Big Data Hub to learn more about the Community Development and Engagement Program and the Hub’s broader efforts to build a data science community in the region. Email: info@midwestbigdatahub.org