How to Login to Research.gov

How Do I Log In?

Many of the services available on Research.gov, including SEE Innovation and Research Spending & Results, are available to the general public without registering for a Research.gov account. Additionally, there are four types of Research.gov accounts which provide role-based access to specific Research.gov services and features, so that applicants, grantees, NSF staff and members of the general public can personalize their Research.gov experience:

• NSF User: Applicants and awardees can access grants management services from NSF and its partner agencies on Research.gov using their FastLane login and password. Access to services will be determined based on their FastLane role and permissions.
• NSF Visitor: Any member of the public can sign up for this free account to personalize his or her Research.gov experience.Additionally, anyone with an NSF Visitor account can now login using a Yahoo account.
• InCommon User: Applicants and grantees from InCommon member organizations who have requested InCommon Federation partnership with Research.gov can access grant management services on Research.gov using their organization-issued user ID and password.
• NSF Staff: NSF staff can use their NSF LAN ID and password to access the Research.gov Desktop and the tools and resources they need to support their program work.

NSF User

An NSF User account gives applicants and grantees access to grants management services from NSF and its partner agencies to help them monitor proposal status, manage awards, and meet reporting requirements. Depending on your FastLane role (i.e. Principal Investigator (PI), Sponsored Program Officer (SPO), etc.) you will have access to:

• Project Reports – PIs can complete and submit the NSF-specific reporting requirements including Final, Annual, Interim and Project Outcomes Reports.
• Proposal Status – Enables SPO, PIs, and Project Directors (PD) to check the status of proposals submitted to NSF. User Management – Allows Institution Administrators to add users and manage their profiles.

To access Research.gov, you and your organization must be registered in NSF’s FastLane system:

1. If you and your organization are already registered in NSF's FastLane system, you are automatically registered in Research.gov and can log in with your NSF FastLane ID and password.
2. If your organization is already registered in FastLane or Research.gov and you are not, you will need to be registered as a user. Notify your organization's Institution Administrator to add you as a FastLane user.
3. If your organization is not registered in FastLane, the Institution Administrator can register at https://www.fastlane.nsf.gov/a0/about/registration.htm. The Institution Administrator should register himself or herself as the FastLane Contact. The institution registration information will be available on Research.gov the next day.

Once you are registered as a FastLane or Research.gov user, you can log into Research.gov to access grant management services:

1. Click on Log In , located in the upper right-hand corner of the site.
2. You will be redirected to a page where you will enter your last name, NSF ID, and password and click Login.

Login As NSF User

NSF Visitor

The NSF Visitor account allows anyone to create a free Research.gov account, which can be used to personalize your Research.gov experience. Services that are publicly available, such as Research Spending & Results and Science, Engineering & Education Innovation (SEE Innovation) do not require an account to access. However, an NSF Visitor account allows you to submit videos/images to NSF via the Media Upload Form. Additionally, NSF Visitor account users can login using their Yahoo accounts.

To register for and log in using an NSF Visitor account:

1. Click on Log In, located in the upper right-hand corner of the site.
2. Click on the Log In for NSF Visitors link from this page.
3. Click on the Register Now link from the Visitor Log in page.
4. On the Register for a Visitor Account page, create a user ID and password, as well as a secret question and answer for security purposes (in case you forget your password). Note: A valid email address is required in order to create a login. Entering additional information, such as your contact information, congressional district, and company/organization, is optional but will allow us to better identify information, news and events that may be of interest to you.
5. Click Save at the bottom of the form to complete the registration process.
6. To use your login, repeat Steps 1-2 and enter the user ID and password you created on the Visitor Log in page.

To login using your Yahoo account:

1. Click on Log In, located in the upper right-hand corner of the site.
2. Click on the Log In for NSF Visitors link from this page.
3. On this page, click on the link “You can also login using your existing Yahoo! account.”
4. On the next page select either the Yahoo icon to login to Research.gov as a Visitor.
5. On the next page, click the allow button and login using your Yahoo credentials to finalize the login process.

Login As Visitor

NSF Staff

NSF Staff can log in using their NSF ID and password to access the NSF Research.gov Desktop. The Desktop is an online workspace for NSF staff to access the resources needed to support their program work. Note: You must either be on the NSF internal network or connected remotely via Access NSF to log in.

To log in as NSF Staff:

1. Click on Log In, located in the upper right-hand corner of the site.
2. Click on the Log In for NSF Staff link from this page.
3. Log InEnter your NSF ID and password (if you have forgotten your ID or password, please contact the NSF Help Desk  at 703-292-HELP or Rgov@nsf.gov) in the appropriate fields.
4. Click on the Log In button.

Login As NSF Staff

InCommon User

NSF Users from InCommon member institutions can access grant management services from NSF using their organization-issued user ID and password. InCommon member organizations must partner with Research.gov in order to become members of Research.gov’s InCommon Integration. To register for the program, email Research.gov at feedback@research.gov.

If you are already an InCommon User, and your organization has joined Research.gov’s InCommon Integration, you can log into Research.gov to access grant management services using your organization-issued user ID and password:

1. Click on Log In, located in the upper right-hand corner of the site.
2. You will be redirected to a page where you select your organization and you will be taken to your organization’s login page.
3. At your organization’s login page, login with your organization-issued user ID and password; you will then be transferred to Research.gov.

If this is your first time logging in as an InCommon user, please follow the following set of additional steps:

1. Once you are logged in, click on the Activate Now link in the Account Activation section of Research.gov.
2. Read the Rules of Behavior and click the Activate button.
3. Enter your last name, NSF ID, and password in the appropriate fields and select submit.
4. You will then receive a message stating that activation has been submitted successfully and you are successfully logged into Research.gov.

Login as an InCommon User