Article 7 A fund development plan and the annual directory of funded projects shall be formulated by the fund management organ in light of the plan for national economic and social development, the plan for scientific and technological development as well as the circumstance of scientific and technological development. The fund development plan shall detail the fields to be developed with precedence, and the annual directory of funded projects shall indicate the scope of projects to be supported with precedence. Exclusive funds shall be set up under National Natural Science Funds for cultivating young science and technology talent.
The formulation of a fund development plan and the annual directory of funded projects by the fund management organ shall widely heed the opinions from the higher education institutions, scientific research institutions, academic groups, as well as related state organs and enterprises, and organize related experts for scientific demonstrations. The annual directory of funded projects shall be announced 30 days before the receipt of the applications for funded projects.

Article 8 The higher education institutions, scientific research institutions or any other public welfare institution that has the independent legal person qualification and develops basic research within the territory of the People's Republic of China may make registration at the fund management organ as supporting institutions.
Where a supporting institution that has existed before the implementation of these Regulations requires to be registered as a supporting institution, the registration shall be made by the fund management organ.
The fund management organ shall make public the names of registered supporting institutions.

Article 9 In the management work of fund granting, a supporting institution shall perform the duties as follows:
(1) It shall organize applicants to apply for the subsidies of National Natural Science Funds;
(2) It shall examine the authenticity of the materials as submitted by applicants or project principals;
(3) It shall provide the conditions for implementing the funded projects, and safeguard the time for project principals and participants to carry out funded projects;
(4) It shall follow up the implementation of funded projects, and surveil the use of fund subsidies;
(5) It shall cooperate with the fund management organ in surveiling and examining the implementation of funded projects.
The fund management organ shall guide and surveil the management work of supporting institutions related to the granting of funds.