The National Science Foundation supports drilling-related research performed by U.S.-affiliated scientists. These grants usually focus on activities that are either larger than or beyond the scope of those supported by the U.S. Science Support Program. For more information about these opportunities, please visit the NSF website.

Site Surveys and Pre-Drilling Activities: NSF supports the development of downhole instruments and techniques, collection of site survey data, and investigations of potential drilling regions through the NSF program most appropriate to the research objective, such as Marine Geology and Geophysics, Earth Sciences, or Polar Programs.

Research During the Moratorium Period: The NSF Ocean Drilling Program (PD 14-5720) will provide support for small projects to be conducted during an expedition’s moratorium period. These projects will be funded to increase the scientific value of the expedition core, data, and associated samples. Limited support can also be provided for critical, expedition-specific shipboard or downhole instrumentation (not meant for large instrumentation projects like CORKS) and for data synthesis/reprocessing critical for expedition implementation.

Post-Expedition Research and Archived Data: Following the moratorium period, IODP samples are available openly to the scientific community for study. Proposals for support of these activities should also be submitted through the NSF program most appropriate to the research objective, such as Marine Geology and Geophysics, Earth Sciences, or Polar Programs.