KEY PROGRAM FUNCTIONS AND GOALS-BASED 

 PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT 



The Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA) requires that performance be assessed in 

 terms of progress toward strategic goals The key program functions represent aspects of NSF's 

 portfolio that have varied performance objectives in support of those goals 



NSF's Goals and Core Strategies 



The NSF Strategic Plan, NSF in a Changing World, identifies a course of action in keeping with 

 the Foundation's tradition of excellence and its commitment to working in partnership with other 

 organizations dedicated to advancing science and engineering The plan sets forth three broad 

 goals to help guide the agency's investments 



• Enable the United States to uphold a position of world leadership in science, mathematics, 

 and engineering 



• Promote the discovery, integration, dissemination, and employment of new knowledge in 

 service to society 



• Achieve excellence in US science, mathematics, engineering, and technology education at 

 all levels 



The plan describes four core strategies through which the agency will address its goals These 

 core strategies provide a touchstone against which the agency tests its priorities in planning 

 programmatic activity. 



• Develop Intellectual Capital. NSF's investments in the Nation's intellectual capital, that is, in 

 people and the ideas they create, are essential to meeting the agency's goals. This means 

 looking for areas that are particularly ripe for advancement, identifying and supporting the best 

 ideas in research and education and the most capable people, and nurturing the systems that 

 engage future generations with science and engineering. 



• Strengthen the Physical Infrastructure. Creative, innovative ideas require resources for 

 their pursuit. The physical infrastructure is an enabling aspect of NSF's activities It helps 

 create an environment in which effective progress is possible NSF is promoting the 

 intelligent development of a versatile and adaptable infrastructure for the future 



• Integrate Research and Education. NSF's close involvement with academic institutions 

 gives it the ability to promote the closer coupling of research and education NSF aims to 

 engage researchers and educators in a joint effort to infuse education with the joy of 

 discovery and to bring an awareness of the needs of the learning process to research, 

 creating a rich environment for both. 



• Promote Partnerships. NSF does not itself perform research or education activities. Thus, 

 the Foundation cannot achieve its goals without partnerships. Success requires collaboration 

 with many different partners, including the academic community, industry, elementary and 

 secondary schools, other Federal agencies, state and local governments, and other 

 institutions involved in science and engineering. 



