The National Science Foundation (NSF) has released a new strategic plan --  Empowering the Nation Through Discovery and Innovation - NSF Strategic Plan for Fiscal Years (FY) 2011-2016 -- which sets the Foundation’s direction for the next five years.  

The Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA) (Public Law 103-62) requires Federal agencies to develop strategic plans setting forth missions, long-term goals, and means to achieving those goals, and ensure the effectiveness of agency programs through the integration of planning, budgeting, and performance measurement.
“Empowering the Nation Through Discovery and Innovation: NSF Strategic Plan for Fiscal Years (FY) 2011-2016” updates and replaces “Investing in America’s Future: NSF Strategic Plan FY 2006-2011.”  The new plan follows the 60th anniversary of the establishment of NSF by the NSF Act of 1950 (Public Law 81-507).

To develop this new plan, NSF formed a working group consisting of office and directorate deputies and others.  This working group received input from NSF staff and from NSF’s many advisory committee members representing the science and engineering community. The plan will be updated in FY2013 in accordance with the new requirements of the GPRA Modernization Act of 2010 (Public Law 111-352).