Accountable Institutions and Behavior

The Accountable Institutions and Behavior (AIB) Program is a research grant opportunity managed by the National Science Foundation (NSF) under the Directorate for Social, Behavioral and Economic Sciences, Division of Social and Economic Sciences (SBE/SES). The NSF is an independent federal agency that supports fundamental research and education across all fields of science and engineering. AIB is designed to support basic scientific research that advances understanding of governance-related attitudes, behaviors, and institutions. This includes a focus on democratic and non-democratic settings and research topics such as preference formation, voting behavior, elections, public administration, and policy decision-making. The program specifically seeks theoretically motivated, conceptually precise, methodologically rigorous, and empirically oriented research. Topics of interest span individual and group decision-making, political institutions (appointed or elected), attitude and preference formation, electoral processes, and the implementation and effectiveness of public policy. Proposals may focus on a single case study or use a comparative approach across different geographic or temporal contexts. Applied research is not supported; the program's focus is on basic scientific inquiry rather than immediate practical application. In addition to research, the AIB program supports infrastructure-building activities in the social sciences. This includes methodological innovations and the inclusion of undergraduate students in research experiences. It encourages collaboration and knowledge-sharing across related NSF programs such as Law and Science (LS), Security and Preparedness (SAP), and Research Infrastructure in the Social and Behavioral Sciences (RISBS). The application process for AIB requires submission through Research.gov or Grants.gov, in compliance with the NSF Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG) or the NSF Grants.gov Application Guide. Applicants must ensure proposals are aligned with the specified guidelines. Although there are currently no upcoming due dates listed, the program is recurring and accepts proposals aligned with specific funding windows once posted. Evaluation criteria for the AIB program are in line with NSF standards, emphasizing intellectual merit and broader impacts. The program directors are Jan E. Leighley and Lee D. Walker, both of whom can be contacted via email or phone for inquiries. The program does not currently list an active solicitation (PD 19-120Y is awaiting a new publication), indicating that potential applicants should monitor the NSF site for updates on future cycles and submission timelines. While the program listing currently indicates no upcoming deadlines, researchers interested in applying are encouraged to prepare materials in advance and remain alert for updates. The performance period and funding scope are determined based on individual proposal merit and NSF review. The AIB program continues to support a core element of NSF’s mission—advancing scientific knowledge in ways that enhance society's understanding of governance, behavior, and institutional accountability.