Decision, Risk and Management Sciences (DRMS)
NSF DRMS funds theory-grounded social and behavioral science research on decision making, risk, and management, including related DDRIGs, conferences, RAPID, and occasional EAGER projects.
⚑ Purely algorithmic management-science proposals should be submitted to NSF Operations Engineering (OE), not DRMS. · Includes RAPID awards for ephemeral data tied to disasters or other unanticipated events. · Also supports EAGER high-risk/proof-of-concept projects, DDRIGs, and conferences.
This is a strong fit for the team’s core survey/risk-perception/decision-making line, especially on public opinion, risk analysis, and communication around hazards, energy, and policy decisions. It is more of the field’s home program than a niche program for any single PI, but several members could credibly lead a DRMS project in their own research areas.
JUDGED AGAINST THE ROSTER'S PUBLICATION DOSSIER · GPT-5.4-MINI · 2026-07-07
Unit fits — one characterization, each unit's own rules
| IPPRA | 65 good | outside portfolio topics; signature methods: surveys longitudinal, policy analysis, community engaged; social/behavioral work is central; funds basic research; capped at 65 (limited social-science role) |
| Physical Sciences & Engineering (demo) | 55 good | technical depth: minor; funds basic research |
| Tom Love Innovation Hub | 5 none | no commercialization signal |
Description
The Decision, Risk and Management Sciences Program (DRMS) supports scientific research directed at increasing understanding and effectiveness of decision making by individuals, groups, organizations and society. DRMS supports research with solid foundations in theories and methods of the social and behavioral sciences. This social and behavioral science research should advance knowledge, address fundamental scientific and societal issues and have strong broader impacts. DRMS funds disciplinary and interdisciplinary research, doctoral dissertation research improvement grants (DDRIGs) and conferences in the following areas: judgment and decision making; decision analysis and decision aids; risk analysis, perception and communication; societal and public-policy decision making; management science and organizational design. The program supports the use of the RAPID funding mechanism for research that involves ephemeral data, typically tied to disasters or other unanticipated events. Much less frequently, the program also supports highly unusual, proof-of-concept, high-risk projects that are potentially transformational (Early Concept Grants for Exploratory Research – EAGER). For detailed information concerning RAPID and EAGER grants, please review Chapter II.E of the NSF PAPPG . All research must be grounded in theory and generalizable. Purely algorithmic management-science proposals should be submitted to the Operations Engineering (OE) Program rather than to DRMS.
Decision, Risk and Management Sciences offers Doctoral Dissertation Research Improvement Grants (DDRIGs) to improve the quality of dissertation research.For detailed guidelines on preparing a DDRIG proposal, consult the separate DRMS-DDRIG solicitation .
Apply
View on Grants.gov → CONTACT: U.S. National Science Foundation <grantsgovsupport@nsf.gov>
Proposal brief SEE AN EXAMPLE →
A one-page internal memo: fit assessment, submission requirements, document scaffold, and next steps dated back from the deadline — tailored to your project idea if you add one.
Proposal shell · National Science Foundation conventions SEE AN NSF EXAMPLE →
Funder-faithful document skeletons — National Science Foundation's document set with section headings, page limits, reviewer guidance, and writing prompts; add a project idea to get [DRAFT] starter bullets. Download as .md for Word or Overleaf.