Barbara,
I don't think your reading of the NSF font requirements is correct.  They
say:
*****
An Arial, Helvetica, Palatino (for Machintosh), Palatino Linotype (for
Windows), Computer Modern (TeX only), or Georgia typeface, a black font
color, and a font size of 10 points or larger must be used. (A Symbol font
may be used to insert Greek letters or special characters; however, the
font size requirement still applies.)
*****
I interpret this to mean that PC users can choose Arial, Helvetica,
Palatino Linotype, or Georgia; Mac users can choose Arial, Helvetica,
Palatino, or Georgia.  That gives more choices than you thought.

I hope I've interpreted the guidelines correctly!
Liz
-------------------------------------------------------
Liz Lieberman
Director, Office of Sponsored Research
Assistant Dean of the College
Wellesley College
106 Central Street
Wellesley, MA 02481-8203
Phone: (781) 283-3587;  Fax: (781) 283-3695
E-mail: xxxxxx@wellesley.edu

Research Administration Discussion List <xxxxxx@hrinet.org> on Monday,
May 21, 2007 at 5:01 PM -0500 wrote:
>All,
>
>Before y’all think that I must not have enough work to do, let me preface
>this by telling you that several years ago, one of my PIs had an NSF
>proposal rejected on characters per inch on an NSF submission after the
>pdf conversion software slightly shrunk the font size.  So I have some
>concern with the new NSF typeface instructions that will become effective
>on June 1.  My understanding is that specific fonts are now prescribed to
>“level the playing field.”  I am a PC/Word user and so I have
>experimented with the two possible typefaces (Georgia and Palatino
>Linotype).  In my experiment, I used a font size of 10, the minimum that
>NSF says it will accept.  Like most PIs, I was aiming to maximize the
>amount of text I could fit in the fifteen pages of narrative.
>
>I found it quite interesting that, using Georgia 10 point at the default
>line spacing setting (single-spaced), I could fit 56 lines of text on a
>page with the 1” margins.  I could only fit 48 lines of Palatino Linotype
>10 point on a page.  I’m not using a precision ruler, but six lines of
>the Palatino Linotype 10 point also appear to be a smidgeon greater than
>the allowable maximum of six lines per 1” vertical height.  Both type
>faces have the same “horizontal” measurements.  So if the PI doesn’t
>realize the default line spacing is different for the different type
>faces and opts to use Palatino Linotype, s/he ends up with 120 lines
>(more than two pages) of text fewer for the narrative than if s/he had
>selected the Georgia typeface.  (To correct, one would have to set the
>line spacing for Palatino Linotype at “exactly 11.5 points,” which also
>results in the six lines fitting within the 1” vertical measurement
>allowance.)
>
>And to make matters more complicated, both the Georgia 10 point and the
>Palatino Linotype 10 point had 16 characters per inch in my experiment,
>more than the allowable 15 characters per inch per the new GPG.  In order
>to hit the 15 characters per inch, one would need to use a 10.5 point
>font for the Georgia typeface.  I didn’t do this part of the experiment
>with Palatino Linotype, as two changes of default settings are just too
>much to deal with.
>
>I’m not a Mac user, so I don’t know if the same problems exist with the
>four approved Mac typefaces (Arial, Helvetica, Palatino, and Georgia).
>Perhaps a Mac user will volunteer to check out those four fonts in the
>same way.
>
>I think that, without guidance, most PIs will arbitrarily pick the font
>they think looks best and will not bother to pull out the ruler.  I’ve
>recommended that our PC-using PIs use Georgia because of the extra lines
>per page with the default line spacing.  But what, if anything do I need
>to advise PIs about font size?  Will the 10 point setting that results in
>16 characters per inch cause proposals to be declined?  Or can I assume
>that NSF will accept 10 point because they establish that as the minimum
>size font, even though it exceeds the stated characters per inch
>maximum?
>
>Does anyone else share my concerns that (1) the playing field doesn’t
>appear to be leveled for PC/Word users and (2) the instructions seem to
>conflict?
>
>The specific directions on formatting from the new GPG section of the
>combined policy and procedures manual is as follows:
>
>“Grant Proposal Guide II-2 NSF 07-140
>
>a. An Arial, Helvetica, Palatino (for Machintosh), Palatino Linotype (for
>Windows), Computer Modern (TeX
>
>only), or Georgia typeface, a black font color, and a font size of 10
>points or larger must be used. (A Symbol font
>
>may be used to insert Greek letters or special characters; however, the
>font size requirement still applies.)
>
>b. Type density, including characters and spaces, must be no more than 15
>characters per inch;
>
>c. No more than 6 lines of type within a vertical space of 1 inch; and
>
>d. Margins, in all directions, must be at least an inch.
>
>3. Page Formatting
>
>…The guidelines specified above establish the minimum type size
>requirements; however, PIs are advised that
>
>readability is of paramount importance and should take precedence in
>selection of an appropriate font for use in
>
>the proposal. Small type size makes it difficult for reviewers to read
>the proposal; consequently, the use
>
>of small type not in compliance with the above guidelines may be grounds
>for NSF to return the
>
>proposal without review. Adherence to type size and line spacing
>requirements also is necessary to ensure
>
>that no proposer will have an unfair advantage, by using smaller type or
>line spacing to provide more text in the
>
>proposal.”
>
>
>Thanks for your thoughts.
>Barbara
>
>Barbara H. Gray
>Director of Grants & Contracts
>Valdosta State University
>1500 North Patterson Street
>Valdosta, GA  31698-0429
>
>Telephone:  229-333-7837
>Fax:  229-245-3853
>Email:  xxxxxx@valdosta.edu
>
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