Active Government Funding Opportunities

NSF funds foundational astronomical sciences research and instrumentation to advance understanding of the universe, from discovering habitable planets to studying black holes. Support includes core research, advanced technologies, and transformative innovations with no requirement for near-term commercial outcomes.

NSF MPS supports fundamental materials research across biomaterials, ceramics, polymers, metals, and photonic materials. This program funds intellectually ambitious, foundational science that advances understanding of material properties without requiring near-term commercial outcomes.

NSF supports foundational chemistry research across nine specialized programs, from catalysis and synthesis to computational methods and life processes. Funding prioritizes intellectually ambitious, potentially transformative research without requiring near-term commercial outcomes.

NSF seeks proposals to develop AI and cybersecurity education programs and scholarships, addressing critical workforce shortages in these fields. Support includes both scholarship funding for students and innovation grants to enhance curricula, partnerships, and training methods.

NSF seeks innovative STEM education projects at two-year colleges that enhance student success and faculty capacity. Funding supports disciplinary, multi-department, and college-wide initiatives addressing foundational courses and academic pathways for both majors and non-majors.

Air Force seeks innovative AI/automation solutions for Human-Machine Teaming to enhance Battle Manager decision-making capabilities in command and control, supporting CJADC2 decision advantage objectives.

Market research to identify Insurance Advisors for Build America Bureau, supporting federal transportation infrastructure financing and advisory services.

This RFP seeks a networked telemetry signal synchronization system that simultaneously transmits correlated test signals to multiple ground stations. It solves the inability to pre-flight test integrated telemetry infrastructure end-to-end, enabling validation of receive sites, networks, and best-source selection systems before live missions.

This RFP seeks development of a computationally efficient engineering model to predict fluid jet formation from shaped-charge liners. The reduced-order model will enable faster warhead design iteration by accurately forecasting spurt characteristics while avoiding expensive hydrocode simulations.

This RFP seeks mature counter-UAS technologies addressing detection, identification, and defeat of Group 1-2 unmanned aerial systems threatening tactical forces and infrastructure. Solutions must operate in denied environments without permanent infrastructure, prioritizing passive sensing, non-radiating approaches, and on-platform processing.

This SBIR seeks scaled production of AFRL-patented UHTC preceramic polymers to support defense composite manufacturing. The initiative addresses supply chain needs by making ultra-high temperature ceramic materials available at production scale and competitive pricing for defense acquisition programs.

This RFP seeks development of a luminescence-based measurement technique to simultaneously capture pressure and temperature data in non-oxygen hypersonic wind tunnels. Current pressure-sensitive paint technology requires oxygen in the flow, limiting advanced facilities like nitrogen-based tunnels to discrete measurements.

The Air Force is seeking optimized, lightweight optical beam control systems for airborne high-energy lasers. Proposals should focus on compact internal packaging using advanced materials, ruggedized designs, and precision assembly techniques that prioritize alignment, maintainability, and contamination resistance.

The Navy seeks a redesigned Input-Output Unit (IOU) that consolidates signal processing for naval vessels using simplified, modular hardware instead of multiple proprietary circuit cards. This modernized approach reduces lifecycle costs while maintaining continuous operation across legacy and future shipboard systems.

AEDC seeks a high-speed hyperspectral imaging system to simultaneously measure surface temperature and emissivity on test articles during ground testing. The solution must achieve 4000 Hz capture rates across 0-1500°F with submillimeter spatial resolution and ±10°F accuracy.

This RFP seeks mature counter-UAS technologies to detect, identify, and defeat low-altitude unmanned aircraft threatening tactical forces and infrastructure. Solutions should operate independently in denied environments without requiring permanent infrastructure, cloud connectivity, or target RF emissions.

ERDC seeks engineering designs for an emergency closure system to rapidly halt uncontrolled water flow at Winfield Locks and Dam during primary gate failure. The unique challenge: deploying a deployable barrier via barge-mounted crane under active flow conditions while respecting existing infrastructure constraints and load limits.

NSF seeks small businesses to develop next-generation scientific instrumentation and experimental platforms that enable breakthrough discoveries. This pilot program funds innovative tools and AI-driven research infrastructure to advance the U.S. scientific enterprise.

NSF supports foundational physics research across multiple domains—from quantum systems and particle physics to cosmology and living systems. This opportunity funds intellectually ambitious, potentially transformative research without requiring near-term commercial outcomes.

Navy seeks engineering and software development support for submarine C4I systems, featuring hardware prototypes, SUBSAFE compliance, and CMMI Level 3 development over five years.

USSOCOM seeks innovative solutions for SOF combat diving communications, diver propulsion systems, and maritime domain awareness sensors integrated on unmanned surface vehicles.

NSF seeks to transform open-source tools into secure, sustainable ecosystems addressing national challenges in AI, cybersecurity, and critical infrastructure. Funding supports establishing governance structures, expanding promising projects, and enhancing safety and security across distributed developer communities.

NSF FINDERS FOUNDRY supports K-12 educators, technologists, and researchers collaborating to develop AI-integrated learning solutions and tools. Teams co-design evidence-based technologies addressing real challenges identified by students and educators to prepare the workforce for an AI-driven future.

Support early-career scientists conducting dissertation research on Arctic environmental and social systems change. Funding advances fundamental understanding of rapid Arctic transformation and builds STEM workforce capacity in polar sciences.

NSF seeks research on how engineers develop professional skills across education, training, and workplace contexts. Projects should integrate engineering and social science expertise to build pathways creating ethical, globally-competent engineers ready for evolving technical careers.