Budget and Performance

BUDGET

NSF FY 2009 Budget Request to Congress Table of Contents Cover image: The ATLAS Barrel Toroid Magnet, so enormous that a human is dwarfed at its center. More about this image. Credit: CERN

Additional budget information is available on the budget page.

PERFORMANCE AND ACCOUNTABILITY

FY 2008 Budget, Performance, and Financial Snapshot Posted December 15, 2008 FY 2008 Annual Financial Report Posted November 17, 2008 AC/GPA FY 2008 Report Posted August 12, 2008 FY 2007 Performance Report in the FY 2009 Budget Request to Congress (See Performance Information Chapter) Posted February 4, 2008 Additional Information for the FY 2007 Performance Report in the FY 2009 Budget Request to Congress FY 2007 Performance Highlights Posted February 1, 2008

The National Science Foundation has a long-standing practice of conducting a wide range of assessment activities.  NSF's leadership in advancing the frontiers of science and engineering research and education is demonstrated, in part, through internal and external performance assessments.  The results of our performance assessment process provide our stakeholders and the American taxpayer with vital information about the return on our investments.

Through its performance assessment process, NSF reports on the results of its strategic investments intended to achieve long-term outcomes and on specific measures of organizational effectiveness relate to the internal practices, operations, and processes that support the NSF mission.  Historically, NSF has relied upon external committees of experts to evaluate the long-term outcomes from research and education.  This is appropriate given the broad scope of science and engineering covered by NSF, and the critical and extensive use of merit review for selecting new awards.

Performance assessment at NSF is guided by the Foundation's Strategic Plan for FY 2006-2011; the Government Performance and Results Act of 1993 (GPRA); and the Performance Assessment Rating Tool (PART), designed by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).  The strategic plan outlines the Foundation's long-term strategic outcome goals of Discovery, Learning, Research Infrastructure, and Stewardship.  Under those goals are several investment priorities that the Foundation has identified for increased or renewed emphasis as it continues to support excellence in fundamental research and education.

The goal of this Performance Assessment website is to help you better understand the NSF process of evaluating the outcomes of its long-term and annual goals and to identify resources for additional information.  Sections of the website include:

• NSF Strategic Plan FY 2006-2011
• U.S. Government Performance Reporting
• Advisory Committee for GPRA Performance Assessment
• Directorate and Office Advisory Committees
• Committees of Visitors
• Annual Performance Reports
• Merit Review Reports
• Office of Inspector General (OIG)
• Workshop on Science Policy, November 2008