National Science Foundation Grants

Open National Science Foundation grants

• Engineering Research Centers

  Up to $104Mopen

  Engineering Research Centers is a flagship program from the National Science Foundation (NSF) that funds large-scale, university-led research consorti...

  basic_researchconvergence_researchengineeringresearch centersmanufacturing

• Science and Technology Centers: Integrative Partnerships (STC)

  Up to $30Mopen

  Science and Technology Centers: Integrative Partnerships (STC) is sponsored by National Science Foundation. Funds large-scale interdisciplinary center...

  ai_sciencequantum_computingmaterials_scienceinterdisciplinaryquantum technologies

• Physics Frontiers Centers (PFC)

  Up to $25MDeadline: Aug 1, 2026open

  Physics Frontiers Centers (PFC) is a grant from the National Science Foundation that funds university-based research centers and institutes advancing ...

  quantum_computingmaterials_sciencequantum physicsquantum computingmaterials science

• NSF AI Research Institutes – Mental Health Assistants

  Up to $20Mopen

  NSF AI Research Institutes – Mental Health Assistants is sponsored by National Science Foundation. One institute targets science for safe AI assistant...

  ai_healthcaremental_healthai_sciencehuman_computer_interactionartificial_intelligence

• Category I: Bridges-3: Integrating AI, Data & HPC to Advance American Scientific Leadership

  Up to $10MDeadline: May 31, 2027open

  Bridges-3 is the continuation of PSC’s long standing role in providing production quality national cyberinfrastructure through the NSF Advanced Comput...

• Category I: Expanse 2 - Continuing to Serve the Long Tail of Science and AI Innovation with New Technologies

  Up to $10MDeadline: May 31, 2028open

  The San Diego Supercomputer Center (SDSC) at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) acquires and deploys Expanse2, a multi-Petaflop/s supercom...

• Category II: BRIDGE: A National Center to Democratize Multi-disciplinary Data Science and AI for Research Labs and Communities

  Up to $9.0MDeadline: Jun 30, 2029open

  This project will establish the BRIDGE National Center to broaden access to modern data science and artificial intelligence for scientists across many...

• NSF Accelerating Research Translation (ART) Hub – Seed Funding

  Up to $8.0Mopen

  NSF Accelerating Research Translation (ART) Hub – Seed Funding is sponsored by National Science Foundation. Supports translational research including ...

  biotechnologyinnovationtranslational researchbiotechtechnology commercialization

• NSF Advanced Technological Education (ATE)

  Up to $7.5MDeadline: Oct 1, 2026open

  NSF Advanced Technological Education (ATE) is a grant from the National Science Foundation that funds the education and training of skilled technician...

  education_researchtechnician educationprofessional traininged-techstem

• The NANOGrav Physics Frontiers Center

  Up to $6.0MDeadline: Nov 30, 2027open

  This award to the North American Nanohertz Observatory for Gravitational Waves (NANOGrav) supports their goal of characterizing the low-frequency grav...

• NSF Global Centers: Use-Inspired Research addressing Global Challenges through International Collaboration

  Up to $5.0Mopen

  NSF Global Centers: Use-Inspired Research Addressing Global Challenges through International Collaboration is a grant program from the National Scienc...

  climate_changeclean_energy

• NSF Foundational Research in Robotics for AI-Integrated Robotic Systems

  Up to $5.0Mopen

  The NSF Foundational Research in Robotics FRR program solicitation PD 20-144Y jointly led by the CISE and ENG Directorates supports foundational resea...

  roboticsembodied_aihuman_robot_interactionautonomous_systemsai_perception

• NSF AI Institute for Artificial Intelligence and Fundamental Interactions (IAIFI)

  Up to $5.0MDeadline: May 31, 2031open

  This grant renews funding for NSF's Institute for Artificial Intelligence and Fundamental Interactions (IAIFI) for the next five-year period. IAIFI is...

• Research Infrastructure: Category II: MESA (Multidisciplinary Environment for Scientific Advancement)

  Up to $4.6MDeadline: May 31, 2029open

  The goal of project MESA (Multidisciplinary Environment for Scientific Advancement) is to build a shared, open-source platform in which scientific dat...

• Centers for Chemical Innovation

  Up to $4.0Mopen

  Centers for Chemical Innovation is sponsored by National Science Foundation. Centers for Chemical Innovation (CCI) is a grant from the National Scienc...

  basic_researchconvergence_researchmaterials_sciencechemistrychemical_research

• Improving Undergraduate STEM Education (IUSE)

  Up to $3.0MDeadline: Jul 15, 2026open

  Improving Undergraduate STEM Education (IUSE) is sponsored by National Science Foundation. Supports projects that improve STEM teaching and learning f...

  stem_educationhigher_education

• NSF Trailblazer Engineering Impact Award for AI Robotics and Advanced Manufacturing Research

  Up to $3.0MDeadline: Jul 24, 2026open

  NSF Trailblazer Engineering Impact Award for AI Robotics and Advanced Manufacturing Research is sponsored by National Science Foundation. The NSF Trai...

  ai_roboticsai_foundation_modelsai_sciencematerials_scienceengineering research

• NSF Trailblazer Engineering Impact Award for AI Robotics and Advanced Manufacturing Research

  Up to $3.0MDeadline: Jul 24, 2026open

  The NSF Trailblazer Engineering Impact Award supports individual investigators who propose novel research projects with potential to catalyze new indu...

  ai_roboticsadvanced_manufacturingengineering_researchautonomous_systemstransformative_ai

• NSF National Robotics Initiative 3.0

  Up to $3.0Mopen

  NSF National Robotics Initiative 3.0 is a grant from National Science Foundation that funds research on the development and use of collaborative robot...

  artificial_intelligenceai_roboticsai_foundation_modelsai_sciencerobotics

• NSF National Robotics Initiative 3.0

  Up to $3.0Mopen

  NSF National Robotics Initiative 3.0 is sponsored by National Science Foundation. The National Robotics Initiative 3. 0 (NRI-3. 0) supports fundamenta...

  roboticsautonomous_systemshuman_robot_interactionartificial_intelligenceembodied_ai

Where National Science Foundation grants go

Recent grant recipients are concentrated in these states. Funders sometimes fund outside their primary states for high-fit projects, so don't self-eliminate solely on geography — check each opportunity's stated eligibility.

What National Science Foundation funds

Top program areas based on GrantMind's analysis of recent National Science Foundation awards:

How to apply for National Science Foundation grants

Most National Science Foundation applications require: an organizational profile with mission and programs, a project proposal aligned with the funder's stated priorities, a project budget, and supporting attachments (IRS determination letter, board list, recent financials). Federal applicants additionally need a SAM.gov UEI and an active Grants.gov account.