The U.S. National Science Foundation is an independent federal agency that supports science and engineering in all 50 states and U.S. territories. NSF was established in 1950 by Congress to promote the progress of science, advance the national health, prosperity and welfare, and secure the national defense.
The BoCP program aims to address the critical and complex issue of how biodiversity dynamics and functional biodiversity evolve amidst rapid environmental changes, including climate change. It encourages proposals that merge pattern- and process-focused research to delve into the ways biodiversity gains, losses, and reorganizations occur on a changing Earth. The program is keen on multidisciplinary approaches combining insights from climatic, geological, paleontological, ecological, organismal, phylogenetic, and evolutionary sciences. It emphasizes the importance of integrative research to delve into the intricate interplays between biological, geological, and climatic processes across various scales and timelines. The BoCP program distinguishes itself by prioritizing an integrative view over the singular perspectives usually addressed by core programs at NSF. It supports US-based projects as well as international collaborations with specific partner institutions in China, Brazil, and South Africa, aiming to enhance our predictive understanding of functional biodiversity across different temporal and spatial scales.