NSF Small Business Innovation Research / Small Business Technology Transfer Phase I, Phase II, Fast-Track Programs: A Pilot Emphasis on Scientific Instrumentation

NSF invests in scientific discoveries, technological breakthroughs, and transformative innovations that strengthen economic growth, enhance security, and improve the lives of Americans and people around the world. Our ability to support that mission requires a robust scientific and engineering (S&E) enterprise in the United States that allows scientists to innovate at the frontier. In addition to funding scientists, America needs next-generation scientific instrumentation that allows scientists to pursue new innovations. In many fields, it is critical that this new scientific instrumentation is developed in the United States. In support of this mission, NSF is initiating a pilot emphasis area for its SBIR/STTR programs to invest in startups and small businesses that are specifically developing enabling technologies that include next-generation instrumentation, novel experimental platforms, and other scientific equipment to advance the frontiers of scientific discovery and strengthen the American scientific and engineering enterprise. This encompasses novel instrumentation necessary for the coming era of AI-driven discoveries. This pilot will prioritize investing in the necessary infrastructure to support entirely new fields of scientific discovery, making new technological breakthroughs and transformative applications possible. Through this approach, NSF will continue to lead in propelling the scientific enterprise to new frontiers. This pilot emphasis area for the NSF SBIR/STTR programs funds across enabling technology areas and market sectors in alignment with the above goals; the programs do not solicit specific technologies for the purpose of procuring goods and services for the agency from startups and small businesses. NSF will continue to invest in other deep-tech ventures through the historic NSF SBIR/STTR programs available here. Funding opportunities are available through the NSF SBIR/STTR programs: Phase I, Phase II, Fast-Track, and Supplements. Each company can receive up to $2.0 million for R&D. Separately, NSF welcomes Strategic Breakthrough proposals, upon recommendation from the Program Officer, for Phase II awardees. NSF takes no equity and awardees keep full ownership of their company and intellectual property. Expanding Participation in STEM and Gold Standard Science: NSF prioritizes cutting-edge discovery science and engineering research, advancing technology and innovation, and creating opportunities for all Americans. NSF also expects the highest standards of scientific rigor, integrity and adherence to tenets of Gold Standard Science in proposals, as appropriate for the field of science and research modality.

Eligibility

*Who May Serve as PI: Who May Serve as PI: The primary employment of the Principal Investigator (PI) must be with the small business at the time of award and for the duration of the award, unless a new PI is named. Primary employment is defined as at least 51 percent employed by the small business. NSF normally considers a full-time work week to be 40 hours and considers employment elsewhere greater than 19.6 hours per week to conflict with this requirement. Occasionally, deviations from this requirement may occur, and must be approved in writing by the Funding Agreement program officer after consultation with the agency SBIR/STTR program manager/coordinator. The PI must have a legal right to work for the proposing company in the United States, as evidenced by citizenship, permanent residency, or an appropriate visa. The PI does not need to be associated with an academic institution. There are no PI degree requirements (i.e., the PI is not required to hold a Ph.D. or any other degree). A PI must devote a minimum of one calendar month of effort per six months of performance to an NSF SBIR/STTR Phase I project.   The PI must devote the following levels of effort: For Phase I: a minimum of one calendar month per six months of performance For Phase II: a minimum of one calendar month per six months of performance For Fast-Track: a minimum of three calendar months per six months of performance. 

Others (see text field entitled "Additional Information on Eligibility" for clarification)

Application requirements

1Apply through Grants.gov (SAM.gov registration required).

How to apply

Apply online at https://www.grants.gov/search-results-detail/362551 via Grants.gov. Agency contact: U.S. National Science Foundation — [email protected].

Similar opportunities

grant

Geological Survey

Cooperative Agreement for Affiliated Partner with the Colorado Plateau Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU)

U.S. Geological Survey's (USGS), Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center (NOROCK), is offering a funding opportunity to improve assessments of floodplain connectivity and riverscape health. Current approaches to identify floodplain connectivity across the western United States rely on field data, limiting inference and spatial extent of data. However, existing lidar datasets through the USGS provide unique opportunities to develop approaches using lidar elevation data to provide robust estimates of floodplain connectivity. The ultimate use of these data would be to identify factors limiting healthy riverscapes across the Great Basin. The CESU partner in collaboration with NOROCK's research fisheries biologist will advance the ability to evaluate riverscape health by addressing one or more of the following considerations to improve assessments of riverscape health: Develop a workflow for using lidar to estimate floodplain connectivity within riverscapes in the Great Basin. Demonstrate the benefits this approach in comparison to existing methods. Quantify continuous estimates of floodplain connectivity across portions of the Great Basin. Results will be useful to the broader community working to assess and restore the health and ecosystem services of riverscapes in the Western US in relation to drought, land management activities, and fish and wildlife populations. Biologists and geomorphologists from NOROCK and the CESU Partner will collaborate with federal and state agencies and NGO partners to ensure their approach and data are accessible, scalable, and transferable to encourage the uptake by the broader scientific community involved with riverscape health assessments and restoration actions. This project focuses on using remote sensing products to efficiently direct resources to restoration of rivers and riparian areas. Using lidar data to map the health of riverscapes supports: SO 3435 - Implementation of the Expanding Public Lands Outdoor Recreation Experiences Act (June 25, 2025) SO 3442 - Land and Water Conservation Fund Implementation by the U.S. Department of the Interior (September 4, 2025) Improving methods beyond field data by leveraging available lidar data will provide continuous, robust measures of riverscape health, thus supporting and restoring Gold Standard Science approaches: EO 14303 – Restoring Gold Standard Science (May 23, 2025) SO 3441 Implementing the Requirements of Executive Order 14303, Restoring Gold Standard Science, May 23, 2025 (August 29, 2025) Restoring our riverscapes will inform Land and Water Conservation Fund Implementation by the U.S. Department of the Interior: and the lead to improved riverscape health that align with the Implementation of the Expanding Public Lands Outdoor Recreation Experiences Act. Further, the benefits of this project will provide cascading benefits to fish and wildlife, thus recovering populations and species. This falls in line with the goals outlined in: EO 14313 – Establishing the President's Make America Beautiful Again Commission (July 3, 2025) SO 3435 - Implementation of the Expanding Public Lands Outdoor Recreation Experiences Act (June 25, 2025) SO 3442 - Land and Water Conservation Fund Implementation by the U.S. Department of the Interior (September 4, 2025)

$1–$90,00024d left

grant

Individual

University / research

U.S. National Science Foundation

Science and Technology Centers: Integrative Partnerships

The Science and Technology Centers (STC): Integrative Partnerships program supports exceptionally innovative, complex research and education projects that require large-scale, long-term awards. STCs focus on creating new scientific paradigms, establishing entirely new scientific disciplines and developing transformative technologies which have the potential for broad scientific or societal impact. STCs conduct world-class research through partnerships among institutions of higher education, national laboratories, industrial organizations, other public or private entities, and via international collaborations, as appropriate. They provide a means to undertake potentially groundbreaking investigations at the interfaces of disciplines and/or highly innovative approaches within disciplines. STCs may involve any area of science and engineering that NSF supports. STC investments support the NSF vision of creating and exploiting new concepts in science and engineering and providing global leadership in research and education. Centers provide a rich environment for encouraging future scientists, engineers, and educators to take risks in pursuing discoveries and new knowledge. STCs foster excellence in education by integrating education and research, and by creating bonds between learning and inquiry so that discovery and creativity fully support the learning process. NSF expects STCs to both involve individuals who are members of groups that have been traditionally underrepresented in science and engineering at all levels within the Center (faculty, staff, students, and postdoctoral researchers) as well as be a leader in broadening participation in STEM. Individuals who may be underrepresented in STEM include those who identify as women, persons with disabilities, Blacks and African Americans, Hispanics and Latinos, American Indians, Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians, and Other Pacific Islanders. The terms for these racial and ethnic populations are derived from the US government's guidance for federal statistics and administrative reporting (OMB Statistical Policy Directive No. 15, Race and Ethnic Standards for Federal Statistics and Administrative Reporting). Although these social identities are listed separately, they do not exist in isolation from each other and the intersection of one of more of these social identities may need to be considered when designing plans for diversity, equity, and inclusion within the STC Center. Centers may use either proven, or innovative mechanisms based on the relevant literature, to address issues such as recruitment, retention, success, and career progression of all individuals in the Center. Centers must undertake activities that facilitate knowledge transfer, i.e., the exchange of scientific and technical information with the objective of disseminating and utilizing knowledge broadly in multiple sectors. Examples of knowledge transfer include technology transfer, providing key information to public policy-makers, or dissemination of knowledge from one field of science to another.

$1,500,000–$6,000,000Rolling

grant

Benjamin J Goodman Senior Scientist

Space Technology Research Institutes

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Headquarters has released the solicitation “Space Technology Research Institutes (STRI26),” as an appendix to the Research and Technology Mission Directorate (RTMD) umbrella NASA Research Announcement (NRA) titled "Space Technology Research, Development, Demonstration, and Infusion 2026 (SpaceTech REDDI 2026).”. The solicitation is available by opening the NSPIRES homepage at https://nspires.nasaprs.com/, selecting “Open” under "Solicitations," and searching "Space Technology Research Institutes (STRI26)” under Keywords, or directly via https://solicitation.nasaprs.com/NNH26ZTR001N-26STRI_B3. Through STRI26, Space Technology Research Grants (STRG) Program within RTMD solicits proposals from U.S. institutions of higher education (IHEs) for IHE-led, early-stage, sustained, multidisciplinary space-technology research focused in strategic areas for transformative impact to future NASA and other civil-space applications. Proposals are sought on specific space technologies that are currently at low Technology Readiness Levels (TRLs). This Appendix exclusively seeks proposals that are responsive to the topic featured in the Appendix: Enabling Future Rotating Detonation Rocket Engine (RDRE) Design Capabilities. The overarching goal of this topic is to advance RDRE system-level performance beyond the state of the art for traditional chemical rocket engines operating under the same system constraints. Only U.S. IHEs are eligible to submit proposals to this Appendix. The Principal Investigator (PI) must be, as their primary appointment, a faculty member at the lead IHE. Teaming among U.S. IHEs is required, with a minimum of three participant IHEs. Teaming with industry and non-profit entities is permitted., subject to the restrictions described in the solicitation. The maximum award duration is five years and the maximum amount $13M total over the five-year period. Awards are planned to start in May 2027. NASA plans to make one award as a result of this STRI solicitation, subject to the receipt of meritorious proposals and the availability of funds. The actual number of awards will depend on the quality of the proposals received; NASA reserves the right to make no awards under this solicitation. All proposals must be submitted electronically through NSPIRES by an authorized organizational representative. Proposals are being solicited via a two-step process where preliminary proposals are mandatory and only those invited may submit a full proposal. Mandatory preliminary proposals are due on or before November 3, 2026, 5 pm Eastern, and the target deadline for invited full proposals is January 21, 2027, 5 pm Eastern. Detailed submission instructions and due dates are provided in the solicitation. Potential proposers and their proposing organizations are urged to familiarize themselves with the submission system, ensure they are registered in NSPIRES, and submit the required proposal materials well in advance of the deadline. Technical and programmatic comments and questions may be addressed by email to the Space Technology Research Grants Program Executive at [email protected]. Responses to inquiries will be answered by email and may also be included in the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) documents located on the NSPIRES page associated with the solicitation; anonymity of persons/institutions who submit questions will be preserved.

U.S. National Science Foundation

Community Infrastructure for Research in Computer and Information Science and Engineering (CIRC)

The Community Infrastructure for Research in Computer and Information Science and Engineering (CIRC) program drives discovery and learning in the core disciplines of the three participating CISE divisions [Computing and Communication Foundations (CCF), Computer and Network Systems (CNS), and Information and Intelligent Systems (IIS)] of the Directorate for Computer and Information Science and Engineering (CISE) by funding the creation and enhancement of world-class research infrastructure. This research infrastructure will specifically support diverse communities of CISE researchers pursuing focused research agendas in computer and information science and engineering. This support involves developing the accompanying user services and engagement needed to attract, nurture, and grow a robust research community that is actively involved in determining directions for the infrastructure, as well as management of the infrastructure. This should lead to research infrastructure that can be sustained through community involvement and community leadership, and that will enable advances not possible with existing research infrastructure. Further, through the CIRC program, CISE seeks to ensure that researchers from a diverse range of institutions of higher education (IHEs), including minority-serving and predominantly undergraduate institutions, as well as researchers from non-profit, non-academic organizations, have access to such infrastructure. The CIRC program supports four classes of awards: Planning Community Infrastructure (Planning) awards support planning efforts to engage research communities to develop new CISE community research infrastructures. Such an infrastructure could be eventually funded through the CIRC program (Planning-C) or the NSF Mid-scale Research Infrastructure (MsRI) program (Planning-M). For the scope of Mid-scale RI proposals, see the Mid-scale RI-1 and Mid-scale RI-2 program pages. Exploratory Development (Dev) awards support activities that involve the validation of one or more unproven infrastructure designs and/or technologies, which, if validated, could enable transformative community research infrastructure in the future. Successful projects are expected to provide the technical foundations necessary to pursue subsequent CIRC (New or Grand), Mid-scale RI-1, or Mid-scale RI-2 projects. Medium Community Infrastructure (Medium) awards support the creation of new CISE community research infrastructure or the enhancement of existing CISE community research infrastructure with integrated tools, resources, user services, and research community outreach to enable innovative CISE research opportunities to advance the frontiers of the CISE core research areas. The Medium award class includes New (New) and Enhance/Sustain (ENS) awards. Grand Community Infrastructure (Grand) awards support projects involving significant efforts to develop new CISE community research infrastructure or to enhance and sustain an existing CISE community research infrastructure to enable world-class CISE research opportunities for broad-based communities of CISE researchers that extend well beyond the awardee organization(s). Each CIRC Medium or Grand award may include support for operation of the infrastructure, ensuring that the awardee organization(s) is (are) well positioned to provide a high quality of service to CISE community researchers expected to use the infrastructure to realize their research goals.

$50,000–$5,000,000Sep 10, 2027