Grant Proposals

Below you will find LaTeX help for writing NSF proposals. Please start by reading the instructions in the Guide to Using the NSFmaster Template.

Important Note 1: NSF Fastlane is trying to minimize font problems by requiring that proposal writers use only certain type fonts, namely: "Use of only the approved typefaces identified below, a black font color, and a font size of 10 points or larger must be used:

  • For Windows users: Arial, Helvetica, Palatino Linotype, or Georgia
  • For Macintosh users: Arial, Helvetica, Palatino, or Georgia
  • For TeX users: Computer Modern"

Important Note 2: All pages of the proposal must be numbered, including the 1 page summary. You may no longer use the previously posted NSFsummALT.tex, which removed the page number of the summary page to give a little extra space.

Download NSFmaster template (5 .tex files):

Frequently Asked Questions

I am using documentclass amsart. How do I make references come out the same size as the text?

In the preamble, use the command \renewcommand{\bibliofont}{\normalsize}.

Note: If you opt to use the amsart documentclass, please use this alternative version of NSFmaster.tex.

My page numbers disappeared! How do I get them back?

Most often the command \renewcommand{\thepage}{} or equivalently \def\thepage{} was issued somewhere to eliminate a page number (this usually happens for the one-page summary). It is best not to change \thepage like this. Instead, use \thispagestyle{empty} to turn off the page numbering of the current page. Note: The most recent guidelines require page numbers for every page of the proposal (so you shouldn't need to be turning off page numbers anyway).

The template uses 11pt font. Can I use a different size?

You may use 12pt font but not 10pt. (The 11pt font is the minimum font size that I suggest.)

Explanation: The NSF states that the minimum requirement is 10pt, but I have found that proposals formatted at 10pt will sometimes get shrunk down if converted to pdf, or while being checked by the Compliance Checker. The NSF also states that while 10pt is acceptable, the readability of the proposal is of paramount importance. Therefore, the minimum font size that I recommend is 11pt.

For additional assistance, please contact:

Dan Nicholas
Financial Administrator
MIT Department of Mathematics
Building 2, Room 236
E-mail: dnicholas@math.mit.edu