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The Research Infrastructure in the Social and Behavioral Sciences Program (RISBS) supports projects that create computational tools and data to facilitate basic research in the social and behavioral sciences that can lead to improved health, prosperity and security. Projects should be aimed at creating computational tools and data to enable research by social scientists. Examples include, but are not limited to, data collection or assembly efforts that result in new resources for a community of researchers or software platforms that facilitate data collection efforts by others. RISBS does not support research by PIs except in service of creation of the infrastructure. Innovation is especially encouraged. RISBS directly supports three key longitudinal surveys and panel studies that provide researchers with data on how American society functions and changes over time (and in 2010 were recognized as among the 60 most significant "discoveries or advances that... have had a large impact or influence on every American’s life... call[ed] the ‘Sensational 60’, in honor of NSF’s 60th anniversary”): The American National Election Study, which started in 1948 and has been funded by NSF since 1977, provides “gold standard” data on voting, public opinion, and political participation in U.S. national elections. The General Social Survey, a nationally representative interview survey of the U.S. adult population, collects data on a wide range of topics and has been funded by NSF since its inception in 1972. The Panel Study of Income Dynamics, a longitudinal survey of a nationally represent...

Materials Research is the field of science where physics, chemistry, materials science, and engineering naturally converge in the pursuit of the fundamental understanding of the properties of materials and the phenomena they host. Materials are abundant and pervasive, serving as critical building blocks in technology and innovation. Materials Research impacts life and society, as it shapes our understanding of the material world and enables significant advances spanning the range from nanoelectronics to health-related fields. The development and deployment of advanced materials are major drivers of U.S. economic growth. Research supported by the Division of Materials Research (DMR) focuses on advancing the fundamental understanding of materials, materials discovery, design, synthesis, characterization, properties, and materials-related phenomena. DMR awards enable understanding of the electronic, atomic, and molecular structures, mechanisms, and processes that govern nanoscale to macroscale morphology and properties; manipulation and control of these properties; discovery of emerging phenomena of matter and materials; and creation of novel design, synthesis, and processing strategies that lead to new materials with unique characteristics. These discoveries and advancements transcend traditional scientific and engineering disciplines. Projects supported by DMR are not only essential for the development of future technologies and industries that address societal needs, but also for the preparation of the next generation of materials researchers. Additional Information Eligibi...

The Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) is designed to fulfill the mandate of the National Science Foundation (NSF) to promote scientific progress nationwide. NSF EPSCoR facilitates the establishment of partnerships among academic institutions, government, industry, and non-profit sectors that are designed to promote sustainable improvements in an EPSCoR-eligible jurisdiction’s research infrastructure, Research and Development (R&D) capacity, and R&D competitiveness. Eligibility to participate in NSF EPSCoR funding opportunities, including the EPSCoR Workshop Opportunities program, is described on the EPSCoR website (see criteria for eligibility link). EPSCoR welcomes proposals for workshops only from institutions within EPSCoR-eligible jurisdictions (i.e. states, territories, commonwealths). These workshops must focus on innovative ways to address multi-jurisdictional efforts on themes of regional or national importance with relevance to the goals and mission of NSF and EPSCoR.

MCB supports research that promises to uncover the fundamental properties of living systems across atomic, molecular, subcellular, and cellular scales. The program gives high priority to projects that advance mechanistic understanding of the structure, function, and evolution of molecular, subcellular, and cellular systems, especially research that aims at quantitative and predictive knowledge of complex behavior and emergent properties. MCB encourages research exploring new concepts in molecular and cellular biology, while incorporating insights and approaches from other scientific disciplines, such as chemistry, computer science, engineering, mathematics, and physics, to illuminate principles that govern life at the molecular and cellular level. MCB also encourages research that exploits experimental and theoretical approaches and utilizes a diverse spectrum of model and non-model animals, plants, and microbes across the tree of life. Proposals that pursue potentially transformative ideas are welcome, even if these entail higher risk. This solicitation calls for proposals in research areas supported by the four MCB core clusters, including: (i) structure, dynamics, and function of biomolecules and supramolecular assemblies, especially under physiological conditions (Molecular Biophysics); (ii) organization, processing, expression, regulation, and evolution of genetic and epigenetic information (Genetic Mechanisms); (iii) cellular structure, properties, and function across broad spatiotemporal scales (Cellular Dynamics and Function); and (iv) systems and/or synthetic biolo...

This announcement seeks revolutionary research ideas, and technology demonstrators that offer potential for advancement and improvement of NSWC Crane’s primary mission areas.NSWC Crane is a field activity of the Naval Sea Systems Command. NSWC Crane supports a wide range of government agencies in the interest of national security. NSWC Crane may publish BAAs and other solicitations in response to specific needs. This BAA is issued to seek innovative solutions and ideas for topics not covered via other means. It is strongly encouraged that potential proposers review existing NSWC Crane solicitations to avoid duplication of effort and to contact the identified points of contact for each BAA topic to discuss specific details of the needs.The mission of NSWC Crane is to provide research, development, test and evaluation, acquisition engineering, in-service engineering and technical support in its assigned technical capabilities for the United States Navy, Department of Defense components and agencies, and other federal agencies and components engaged in national security. NSWC Crane also works to apply component and system-level product and industrial engineering to surface sensors, strategic systems, special warfare devices and electronic warfare systems, as well as to execute other responsibilities as assigned by the Commander, Naval Surface Warfare Center.The focus of NSWC Crane is “Harnessing the Power of Technology for the Warfighter.” Crane specializes in total lifecycle support in three broad focus areas: Expeditionary Warfare, Strategic Missions, and Electronic Warfare,...

The Plant Genome Research Program (PGRP) supports genome-scale research that addresses challenging questions of biological, societal and economic importance. PGRP encourages the development of innovative tools, technologies, and resources that empower a broad plant research community to answer scientific questions on a genome-wide scale. Emphasis is placed on the scale and depth of the question being addressed and the creativity of the approach. Data produced by plant genomics should be usable, accessible, integrated across scales, and of high impact across biology. Training, broadening participation, and career development are essential to scientific progress and should be integrated in all PGRP-funded projects. Two funding tracks are currently available: RESEARCH-PGR TRACK: Genome-scale plant research to address fundamental questions in biology, including processes of economic and/or societal importance. TRTech-PGR TRACK: Tools, resources, and technology breakthroughs that further enable functional plant genomics.

The Division of Integrative Organismal Systems (IOS) Core Programs Track supports research to understand why organisms are structured the way they are and function as they do. Proposals are welcomed in all of the core scientific program areas supported by the Division of Integrative Organismal Systems (IOS). Areas of inquiry include, but are not limited to, developmental biology and the evolution of developmental processes, development, structure, modification, function, and evolution of the nervous system, biomechanics and functional morphology, physiological processes, symbioses and microbial interactions, interactions of organisms with biotic and abiotic environments,plant and animal genomics, and animal behavior. Proposals should focus on organisms as a fundamental unit of biological organization. Principal Investigators are encouraged to apply systems approaches that will lead to conceptual and theoretical insights and predictions about emergent organismal properties. The IntBIOTrackinvites submission of collaborative proposals totackle bold questions in biology thatrequire an integrated approach to make substantive progress. Integrative biological research spans subdisciplines and incorporates cutting-edge methods, tools, and concepts from each to produce groundbreaking biological discovery that is synergistic, such that the whole is greater than the sum of the parts. The research should produce a novel, holistic understanding of how biological systems function and interact across different scales of organization, e.g., from molecules to cells, tissues to organisms, s...

The Division of Environmental Biology (DEB) Coresupports research and training on evolutionary and ecological processes acting at the level of populations, species, communities, ecosystems, macrosystems, and biogeographic extents. DEB encourages research that elucidates fundamental principles that identify and explain the unity and diversity of life and its interactions with the environment over space and time. Research may incorporate field, laboratory, or collection-based approaches; observational or manipulative studies; synthesis activities; phylogenetic discovery projects; or theoretical approaches involving analytical, statistical, or computational modeling. Proposals should be submitted to the core clusters (Ecosystem Science, Evolutionary Processes, Population and Community Ecology, and Systematics and Biodiversity Science). DEB also encourages interdisciplinary proposals that cross conceptual boundaries and integrate over levels of biological organization or across multiple spatial and temporal scales.Research addressing ecology and ecosystem science in the marine biome should be directed to the Biological Oceanography Program in the Division of Ocean Sciences; research addressing evolution and systematics in the marine biome should be directed to the Evolutionary Processes or Systematics and Biodiversity Science programs in DEB.

Large-scale simulations and the ability to accumulate massive amounts of data have revolutionized science and engineering. The goal of the Computational and Data-enabled Science and Engineering (CDS&E) meta-program is to identify and capitalize on opportunities for major scientific and engineering breakthroughs through new computational and data-analysis approaches and best practices. The CDS&E meta-program supports projects that harness computation and data to advance knowledge and accelerate discovery above and beyond the goals of the participating individual programs. The intellectual drivers may be in an individual discipline or cut across more than one discipline in various Divisions and Directorates. A CDS&E proposal should enable and/or utilize the development and adaptation of advances in research and infrastructure in computational and data science. The CDS&E meta-program encourages research that pushes the envelope of science and engineering through computation and data, welcoming proposals in any research area supported by the participating divisions. A proposal may address topics that develop or enable interactions among theory, computing, experiment, and observation to achieve progress on hitherto intractable science and engineering problems. Areas of emphasis for CDS&E vary by program. PIs are advised to consult the "related programs" links below before submitting. The CDS&E meta-program is not intended to replace existing programs that support projects involving computation or the analysis of large or complex data sets using established methods. Rather, propo...

Many of the most pressing challenges in research and innovation require collaboration across national and disciplinary boundaries to achieve important advances. A growing number of topics are best addressed on a multilateral basis, building partnerships that leverage diverse expertise, data, infrastructure, and perspectives to advance understanding on critical topics of regional or global importance. At the same time, funders, research organizations, and researchers alike typically have limited experience with multilateral partnerships. The Office of International Science and Engineering’s MultiPLEx program seeks to support visionary, and ambitious international multilateral research partnerships that are required to hasten progress in addressing grand challenges by leveraging research excellence in the U.S. and around the globe. The program also seeks to advance understanding of effective multilateral collaboration. MultiPLEx welcomes proposals that Address urgent research and/or societal challenge of global importance (including but not limited to critical and emerging technology research) and require an inherently international multilateral approach to achieve impactful research results, partnering with at least two countries other than the U.S. Proposals that engage partners across distinct geographic regions are an area of interest. Make clear how the proposed international collaboration will enable research advances and broader impacts that go beyond what can be accomplished by a narrower team. Include a diverse group of U.S. institutions and/or individuals, leveragin...

AGS Infrastructure Cluster  The Atmospheric and Geospace Sciences (AGS) Infrastructure Cluster (IC) is responsible for the oversight of facilities that enable research in the atmospheric and geospace sciences. The IC primarily oversees the NSF National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR), but it also supports community-based instrumentation and facilities, and data storage and provisioning. NSF

The Atmosphere Cluster (AC)in the Division of Atmospheric and Geospace Sciences (AGS)supportsfundamental studies of atmospheric processes from the Earth’s surface to thestratosphere, and from timescales of nanoseconds to millennia. Core areas of research include the chemical, physical, and dynamical processes in the atmosphere thatimpactclouds, weather, climate, air quality, and the water cycle.Research methods include modeling, collecting observations, conducting experiments in the laboratory and field, and advancing analytical measurement techniques. General research topics that are supported by the AC include, andare not limited to: Chemical processes and mechanisms that explain how atmospheric gases and aerosols form, react,transformand interact with the surrounding environment. Processesand dynamics that governclimateand hydroclimate,includingtheir mean state, variability, response to external forcingandtheir role inthe establishment ofaglobal energy and water balance; coupled atmosphere-ocean interactions, land-atmosphere interactions and interactionsamongclouds, atmosphericcirculationand climate. Observational and modeling studies of past climate and its drivers and studies that developand synthesizepaleoclimate proxies and records. Physics and dynamics of atmospheric motions on all scales,from the planetary to the microscale, including the general circulation of the troposphere and stratosphere, planetary waves, synoptic and mesoscale systems, convection, gravity waves,turbulenceand planetary boundary layer dynamics. Physical meteorology including aerosol, cloud, an...

The Geospace Cluster (GC) in the Division of Atmospheric and Geospace Sciences (AGS) supports fundamental and solutions-oriented research, technology development and education related to the Earth's near-space environment (including the mesosphere, thermosphere, ionosphere, exosphere, magnetosphere and radiation belts) and the inner heliosphere and solar atmosphere. The GC advances knowledge of the Sun--Earth system, including how various parts of the system are coupled through dynamical, electrodynamical and chemical processes. The GC supports research on the societal impacts of these processes including space weather and upper atmosphere climate change, with the aim of increasing resilience to such natural hazards. The GC supports research that uses ground-based or space-based observational facilities and instruments as well as data centers and a broad range of theoretical, modeling, observational, data analyses and laboratory activities. General research topics that are supported by the GC include, but are not limited to: Aeronomy, including studies of wave dynamics, ionization, recombination, chemical reaction, photo emission and transport of energy and momentum within and between the mesosphere, thermosphere and ionosphere of the Earth; how this global system is coupled to the stratosphere below and magnetosphere above; and the plasma physics of phenomena manifested in the coupled ionosphere-magnetosphere system. Magnetospheric physics, including studies of the magnetosphere, or the cavity carved out of the solar wind by the Earth's magnetic field, its energization by....

The Life and Environments Through Time (LET) program supports research that advances knowledge about the patterns and processes relating to the origin and evolution of Earth’s climate, environments, life, and sedimentary record. This research takes place at the molecular, local, regional, and global scales from the Archean Eon through the Holocene epoch. LET-supported research can be useful for predicting and planning for future global change, and for the maintenance and security of ecosystem services and human societies.

The Water, Landscape, and Critical Zone Processes program supports research on the Earth’s near-surface environment and how that environment responds to change. The Program focuses on the complex interplay amongst and between hydrologic, geomorphic, and geochemical processes and how they regulate the structure and function of the Earth’s near surface. These processes drive weathering and soil development, control water availability and quality, and help regulate the Earth’s climate system, all of which are important for natural resource sustainability and mitigation of natural hazards. It is expected that the research funded in this program will advance fundamental knowledge in Earth surface processes, leading to transformational discoveries in Earth Sciences.

The Chemical Evolution of the Solid Earth and Volcanology (CESEV) program aims to advance fundamental knowledge about the origin and evolution of our home planet including its core, mantle, and continental crust. The program encourages a wide range of laboratory, field, experimental, theoretical, and/or computational studies that explore the continuous high-temperature igneous and metamorphic geochemical and petrologic processes that shape the Earth. Volcanology and magmatic processes, ore deposits and economic geology, and geochronology are all in the purview of this program. Research in these areas can help improve our understanding of volcanic and other natural hazards, and the distribution of mineral and other natural resources.

The Research in Undergraduate Institutions (RUI) and Research Opportunity Awards (ROA) funding opportunities support research by faculty members at predominantly undergraduate institutions (PUIs).  RUI proposals support PUI faculty in research that engages them in their professional field(s), builds capacity for research at their home institution, and supports the integration of research and undergraduate education. ROAs similarly support PUI faculty research, but these awards typically allow faculty to work as visiting scientists at research-intensive organizations where they collaborate with other NSF-supported investigators. Eligible PUIs are accredited colleges and universities (including two-year community colleges) that award Associate's degrees, Bachelor's degrees, and/or Master's degrees in NSF-supported fields, but have awarded 20 or fewer Ph.D./D.Sci. degrees in all NSF-supported fields during the combined previous two academic years. All NSF directorates may support RUI and ROA funding activities. Funding for these awards is contained within research and education program allocations and not held as a separate allocation. RUI and ROA proposals are evaluated and funded by NSF programs in the disciplinary areas of the proposed research and are funded at their discretion.  Prospective PIs should contact disciplinary program officers to identify specific NSF programs and to determine the feasibility and timing of RUI/ROA requests. General RUI/ROA points of contact are available through the website http://www.nsf.gov/crssprgm/rui_roa/contacts.jsp. 1. Research in Under...

Infrastructure systems comprise complex connections between physical components, organizational structures and operational methods that support the needs of people and communities at the local, regional, national, and global scales. Such systems form the backbone of society, providing essential services as well as ensuring public health and welfare, economic prosperity and national security, and are expected to function under all operational conditions. Meanwhile, infrastructure systems are capital intensive and vulnerable to disruptions from extreme events, including natural disasters, social crises, and malicious attacks. Disruptions in one system can have cascading impacts on others in space and over time. Moreover, short- versus long-term trade-offs, unintended consequences, and maladaptation are not often accounted for. How systems function at the “extreme,” which can be due to disruptors from the introduction of innovation, the convergence of technologies, sudden changes to their utilization and access, dramatic changes in operating environments, and changes to demand during crises are of particular interest. To ensure the efficiency, sustainability, resilience, and fair use of infrastructure systems, it is important to continuously improve and optimize their design, operations, system monitoring and performance assessment in dynamic, uncertain and sometime unknown environments. While functioning at extremes is of interest, the program also supports infrastructure systems research under the full range of operating conditions, across a variety of hazards, and in urban,...

The Science of Science:Discovery, Communication and Impact (SoS:DCI) program is designed to advance theory and knowledge about increasing the public value of scientific activity. Science of Science draws from multiple disciplinary and field perspectives to advance theory and research about scientific discovery, communication and impact. SoS:DCI welcomes proposals applying rigorous empirical research methods to advance theory and knowledge on: The social and structural mechanisms of scientific discovery. Theories, frameworks, models and data that improve our understanding of scientific communication and outcomes. The societal benefits of scientific activity and how science advances evidence-based policy making and the creation of public value. The SoS:DCI program, which expands upon the formerScience of Science and Innovation Policy (SciSIP)program, funds research that builds theoretical and empirical understanding of the social science of science. SoS:DCI welcomes proposals to conduct research at the individual, organizational and institutional levels or from micro, meso and macro scales and complex system levels. SoS:DCI encourages multiple disciplinary perspectives, interdisciplinary research and diverse methodological approaches in the pursuit of new knowledge to advance the science of science and evidence-based policy making. With these goals in mind, proposals should: Draw from and advance theory, knowledge and frameworks on the science of science. Develop models, data, indicators and associated analytical tools that constitute and enable transformative advances rather...

The Mind, Machine, and Motor Nexus (M3X) program supports fundamental research that enables intelligent engineered systems and humans to engage in bidirectional interaction in a physics-based environment, to enhance and ensure safety, productivity, and well-being. For the purpose of this program an intelligent engineered system is a human-designed system — physical, virtual, or a combination of both — that interacts with its environment to achieve specific goals. These systems collect data, analyze it to make informed decisions, and take actions that enhance safety, efficiency, and well-being. They may operate autonomously or collaboratively with humans, adapting their actions based on the data they collect. A key requirement for the M3X program is that these systems must function within a physics-based environment, whether physical or virtual, where interactions exhibit recognizable physical behaviors, such as those associated with gravity, friction, force, and inertia. Intelligent engineered systems are becoming increasingly integrated into our daily lives, interacting with humans across diverse environments and through different modalities (for example, visual, haptic, auditory). M3X aims to deepen the understanding of such interactions, particularly in complex and dynamic settings such as elder care, disaster response, and dynamic workplaces. The program encourages explorations into the physical or cognitive principles that enable or constrain human-machine collaboration, advancing foundational theories, interaction modeling, and technological innovations that enhance a...

NSF is committed to securing the nation's research enterprise as part of its core mission. The Research on Research Security (RoRS) program will advance the understanding of the full scope, potential, challenges, and nature of the research on research security field through scholarly evidence. Background The following activities provide background and context for developing proposals to submit to the RoRS program. The foundational legislative and policy documents include National Security Presidential Memorandum-33 (NSPM-33)and its associated supporting documents, as well as research security provisions in CHIPS and Science Act 2022. In 2022 NSF asked JASON to consider what a research program on research security might entail and how it would be defined.The findings are summarized in the report (JSR-22-08), Research Program on Research Security. The 2024 NSF-funded workshop, Responsible Collaboration Through Appropriate Research Security: A Workshop To Discuss and Study the Emergent Discipline of Research on Research Security, identified current themes, major issues, and challenges in research security. Program Description Collectively, the research that RoRS funds will foster a broad community that builds collaborations between the STEM research community, research security researchers, and research security practitioners. Interdisciplinary approaches are encouraged, and proposers should address how they will leverage the range of expertise, theories, and methods of the team to engage in evidence-based research on research security. Proposers are encouraged to identify col...

Through this Disaster NOFO, EDA will award investments in regions experiencing severe economic distress or other economic harm resulting from hurricanes, wildfires, tornadoes, floods, and other natural disasters occurring in calendar years 2023 and 2024. EDA’s goal under this NOFO is to assist communities recovering from a disaster by realizing opportunities to recover and change the economic trajectory of the community for the better. In other words, EDA funding seeks to help communities recover and set them on a path to exceed their previous pre-disaster baseline. EDA seeks projects that are responsive to community needs post-disaster by engaging all aspects of the community, with special focus on private industry partners. This Disaster NOFO provides funding through three pathways: Readiness Path – Standalone non-construction projects designed to increase a community’s readiness to apply for or implement disaster recovery funding from private and public sources including, but not limited to, future EDA NOFOs and the Implementation or Industry Transformation Paths under this NOFO. Projects will fund strategy development, capacity building, and/or predevelopment costs necessary for future recovery projects. Implementation Path – Standalone construction or non-construction projects designed to address the economic challenges faced by a community recovering from a natural disaster and improve economic trajectories beyond pre-disaster economic conditions. Industry Transformation Path – Led by a coalition of regional stakeholders, a portfolio of large-scale, multicomponent con...

Recognizing the importance of international collaborations in promoting scientific discoveries, the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (German Research Foundation, DFG) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on research cooperation. The MoU provides an overarching framework to enhance opportunities for collaborative activities between US and German research communities and sets out the principles by which jointly supported activities might be developed. To facilitate the support of collaborative work between US researchers and their German counterparts under this MoU, the Division of Chemistry (CHE) and the Division of Chemical, Bioengineering, Environmental and Transport Systems (CBET) at NSF and the Divisions of Physics and Chemistry (PC) and Engineering Sciences (ING 1) at DFG are pleased to announce a Lead Agency Opportunity for Collaborative Research in Chemistry and Chemical Process and Transport Systems. The goal of this Lead Agency Opportunity is to reduce barriers to working internationally by allowing US and German researchers to submit a single collaborative proposal that will undergo a single review process while funding organizations maintain budgetary control over their awards. Proposals eligible for funding consideration through this Lead Agency Opportunity should review the CHE, CBET, PC, and ING 1 program descriptions for research supported through these divisions/organizations. Proposals are expected to adhere to typical proposal budgets and durations for the relevant CHE, CBET, PC, and ING 1 programs from wh...

The NSF STEM K-12 program in the Division of Research on Learning in Formal and Informal Settings (DRL) in the Directorate for STEM Education (EDU) supports fundamental, applied, and translational research that advances STEM teaching and learning and improves understanding of education across the human lifespan and a range of formal and informal settings.

The U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) continues to develop and nurture a national innovation ecosystem that guides the output of scientific discoveries closer to the development of technologies, products, processes, and services that benefit allAmericans. The goals of the NSF I-Corps™program are to spur translation of foundational research to the marketplace, to encourage collaboration between academia and industry, and to train NSF-funded faculty, students and other researchers in innovation and entrepreneurship skills. The NSF National I-Corps programutilizes experiential learning of customer and industry discovery, coupled with first-hand investigation of industrial processes, to quickly assess the translational potential of inventions. The NSF National I-Corps programis designed to support the commercializationof "deep technologies,” those revolving around foundationaldiscoveries in science and engineering. The NSF National I-Corps programaddresses the skill and knowledge gaps associated with the transformation of basic research into deep technology ventures (DTVs). The purpose of the NSF National I-Corps Teams program is to provide NSF-funded researchers additional support in the form of entrepreneurial education, mentoring, and funding to accelerate the translation of knowledge derived from foundational research into emerging products, processes, and services that may attract subsequent third-party funding.The outcomes of NSFNational I-Corps Teams' projects are threefold: 1) a decision on a clear path forward based on an assessment of the business model, 2) subst...