The National Science Foundation (NSF) is a United States government agency that supports fundamental research and education in all the non-medical fields of science and engineering. Its medical counterpart is the National Institutes of Health. With an annual budget of about US$7.0 billion (fiscal year 2012), the NSF funds approximately 24% of all federally supported basic research conducted by the United States' colleges and universities. In some fields, such as mathematics, computer science, economics, and the social sciences, the NSF is the major source of federal backing. 

The NSF's director and deputy director are appointed by the President of the United States, and confirmed by the United States Senate, whereas the 24 presidentially appointed members of the National Science Board (NSB) do not require Senate confirmation. The director and deputy director are responsible for administration, planning, budgeting and day-to-day operations of the foundation, while the NSB meets six times a year to establish its overall policies. The current NSF director, confirmed in March 2014, is astronomer France A. Córdova, former president of Purdue University. 

The NSF seeks to fulfill its mission chiefly by issuing competitive, limited-term grants in response to specific proposals from the research community. The NSF also makes some contracts. Some proposals are solicited, and some are not; the NSF funds both kinds. The NSF does not operate its own laboratories, unlike other federal research agencies, notable examples being the NASA and the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
What is NSF yearly budget?
what does NSF stand for?
how does it fulfill its mission?
does it run its own labs?
what precent of research do they fund?
who is there medical counterpart?
who picks the leaders?
what is the NSB?
how often does the NSB meet to discuss policies?
who is the current NSF director?
when did he start?
what did he do before?
where was he president?
what fields is NSF the major source of money for?
$7.0 billion
With an annual budget of about US$7.0 billion (fiscal year 2012), the NSF funds approximately
National Science Foundation
The National Science Foundation (NSF) 
by issuing grants
The NSF seeks to fulfill its mission chiefly by issuing competitive, limited-term grants in response to specific proposals from the research community
No
The NSF does not operate its own laboratories, unlike other federal research agencies, notable examples being the NASA and the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
24%
, the NSF funds approximately 24% of all federally supported basic research conducted by the United States' colleges and universities. In some fields, such as mathematics, computer science, economics, and the social sciences, the NSF is the major source of federal backing. 
NIH
 Its medical counterpart is the National Institutes of Health. 
the President

The NSF's director and deputy director are appointed by the President of the United States
the National Science Board
 the National Science Board (NSB
6 times a year
while the NSB meets six times a year to establish its overall policies.
France A. Córdova
The current NSF director, confirmed in March 2014, is astronomer France A. Córdova, former president of Purdue University. 
2014
 The current NSF director, confirmed in March 2014, is astronomer France A. Córdova, former president of Purdue University. 
He was an astronomer
The current NSF director, confirmed in March 2014, is astronomer France A. Córdova, former president of Purdue University. 
Purdue University
ormer president of Purdue University. 
One is mathematics
In some fields, such as mathematics, computer science, economics, and the social sciences, the NSF is the major source of federal backing.