Instrumentation Funding Opportunities

Please note this is for informational purposes only, and much of this is based on previous solicitations. Please check with the specific agencies for the most updated information and deadlines.

Updated September 15, 2023.

Advanced Technologies and Instrumentation for the Astronomical Sciences (ATI)

The ATI program provides individual investigator and collaborative research grants for the development of new technologies and instrumentation for use in ground-based astronomy and astrophysics. The program supports achieving the science objectives of the Division of Astronomical Sciences. The development of innovative, potentially transformative, technologies and instruments are sought, even at high technical risk. Supported categories include (but are not limited to): advanced technology development, concept feasibility studies, and specialized instrumentation to enable new observations that are difficult or impossible to obtain with existing means. Proposals may include hardware and/or software development and/or analysis to enable new types of astronomical observations. Access to the ATI supported technology and instrumentation development efforts by the US astronomical community is viewed as an important metric of success.

• Submission deadline: November
• Award amount: in FY23, 10 awards out of $8M total

Capacity: Biological Field Stations and Marine Laboratories (FSML) 

Supports major improvements to biological field stations or laboratories in any terrestrial, marine, estuarine, or freshwater environment for research and education. 

• Award amount: in FY21, 50-75 awards from $18M-$20M budget 
• Submission deadline: Proposals accepted anytime

Earth Sciences, Instrumentation and Facilities 

The Instrumentation and Facilities Program in the Division of Earth Sciences (EAR/IF) supports meritorious requests for  infrastructure that promotes research and education in areas supported by the Division. EAR/IF will consider proposals for  the acquisition or upgrade of research equipment that will advance laboratory and field investigations, and student  research training opportunities in the Earth sciences. 

• Award amount: $500,000, 30-50 awards 
• Submission deadline: Proposals accepted anytime

Facility and Instrumentation Request Process (Atmospheric and Geospace Sciences) 

The Facility and Instrumentation Request Process (FIRP) solicitation describes the mechanism by which the research  community can propose projects that require access to instrumentation and facilities sponsored by the Facilities for  Atmospheric Research and Education (FARE) Program in the Division of Atmospheric and Geospace Sciences (AGS). FARE  provides funding support to a variety of organizations to make specialized instrumentation and facilities available to the  atmospheric science research community through the Lower Atmosphere Observing Facilities (LAOF) and the Community  Instruments and Facilities (CIF) programs. FIRP allows for parallel evaluation of intellectual merit and broader impacts along  with the feasibility of the proposed project. 

• Award amount: in FY21, 5-15 awards from $10M-$20M budget 
• Submission deadline: January 

Infrastructure Capacity for Biological Research (Capacity) 

The Capacity Program focuses on building capacity in research infrastructure that is broadly applicable to a wide range  of researchers in three programmatic areas: Cyberinfrastructure, Biological Collections, and Biological Field Stations and  Marine Laboratories. This program will also accept proposals for planning activities or workshops to facilitate  coordination that may be necessary in building capacity in infrastructure that meets the needs of a research community. Award amount: FY2021, 50-75 awards made from a total budget of $18-$20M million 

• Award amount: The size and duration of any individual request should be justified by the amount and complexity of the work to be accomplished. As a rule, the larger the budget, the greater the expected impact on the biological research community.
• Submission deadline: Proposals accepted anytime

Infrastructure Innovation for Biological Research Program (Innovation)

Infrastructure Innovation for Biological Research (Innovation) supports research to design novel or greatly  improved research tools and methods that advance contemporary biology in any research area supported by the  Directorate for Biological Sciences at NSF. The Innovation Program focuses on research infrastructure that is broadly  applicable to researchers in three programmatic areas: Bioinformatics, Instrumentation, and Research Methods.  Infrastructure supported by this program is expected to advance biological understanding by improving scientists’  abilities to manipulate, control, analyze, or measure critical aspects of biological systems, which can be essential for  addressing important fundamental research questions. 

• Award amount: 20-40 awards made from a total budget of $18-$20M million 
• Submission deadline: Proposals accepted anytime

Major Research Instrumentation (MRI)

The MRI Program serves to increase access to shared instrumentation for scientific and engineering research and research training. This program especially seeks to improve the quality and expand the scope of research and research training in science and engineering by supporting proposals for shared instrumentation that fosters the integration of research and education in research-intensive learning environments. Harvard may submit only three proposals for the NSF MRI competition. If three proposals are submitted, at least one of the proposals must be for instrument development (i.e., no more than two proposals may be for instrument acquisition).

• Award amount: Track 1: $100,000 - $1M; Track 2: $1M to $4M
• Submission deadline: January

Mid-scale Research Infrastructure-1 (Mid-scale RI-1)

Within Mid-scale RI-1, proposers may submit two types of projects, "Implementation" and "Design". Design and Implementation projects may comprise any combination of equipment, infrastructure, computational hardware and software, and necessary commissioning. Design includes planning (preliminary and final design) of research infrastructure with an anticipated total project cost that is appropriate for future Mid-scale RI-1, Mid-scale RI-2 or MREFC-class investments. Mid-scale RI-1 uses an inclusive definition of implementation, which can include traditional stand-alone construction or acquisition and can include a degree of advanced development leading immediately to final system acquisition and/or construction. Implementation projects may support new or upgraded research infrastructure.

• Award amount: $600k - $20M
• Submission deadline: January 2023 (every two years)

Mid-scale Research Infrastructure-2 (Mid-scale RI-2)

The NSF Mid-scale RI-2 program supports implementation of projects that comprise any combination of equipment, instrumentation, computational hardware and software, and the necessary commissioning and human capital in support of implementation of the same. Mid-scale RI-2 projects will directly enable advances in any of the research domains supported by NSF, including STEM education. Mid-scale RI-2 will support projects in high states of readiness for implementation, i.e., those that have already matured through previous developmental investments. Projects may also include upgrades to existing research infrastructure.

• Award amount: $20M - $70M
• Submission deadline: February 2023 (every two years)

Oceanographic Facilities and Equipment Support

Oceanographic facilities and equipment awards are made for the procurement, conversion and/or up-grade, enhancement or annual operation of platforms in the ocean, coastal, near-shore and Great Lakes. Awards are generally directed specifically to support facilities that lend themselves to shared use within the broad range of federally-supported research and education programs. Individual project-based facilities and instrumentation, limited to one or a small group of investigators, should be supported through appropriate research programs, including: Ship Operations, Oceanographic Technical Services, Oceanographic Instrumentation, Shipboard Scientific Support Equipment, Ship Acquisition and Upgrade, and Other Facility Activities.

• Award amount: $5k-$8.5M, 10 to 75 awards
• Submission deadline: December 15 annually

Sustaining Infrastructure for Biological Research (Sustaining) 

The Sustaining Infrastructure for Biological Research (Sustaining) Program supports the continued operation of existing  research infrastructure that advances contemporary biology in any research area supported by the Directorate for  Biological Sciences (BIO) at NSF. The Sustaining Program focuses primarily on sustaining critical research infrastructure  that is cyberinfrastructure or biological living stocks and that is broadly applicable to a wide range of researchers.  Projects are expected to ensure continued availability of existing, mature resources that will enable important science  outcomes achieved by users representing a broad range of research supported by BIO and its collaborating  organizations. 

• Award amount: 40-80 awards made from a total budget of $40 million 
• Submission deadline: Proposals accepted anytime

Defense University Research Instrumentation Program (DURIP) 

DURIP is designed to improve the capabilities of U.S. institutions of higher education to conduct research and to educate  scientists and engineers in areas important to national defense, by providing funds for the acquisition of research  equipment. This award provides support to purchase instrumentation in support of research in areas of interest to the DoD.  The program is administered by the Army Research Office (ARO), the Office of Naval Research (ONR), and the Air Force  Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR). Each year, ARO, ONR, AFOSR publish separate FOAs, please check grants.gov 

• Award amount: $50,000-$1,500,000 
• Deadline for submission: May  

DoD Research and Education Program for HBCUs/MSIs Equipment/Instrumentation  

This solicitation invites applications (also referred to as “proposals”) for acquisition of equipment/instrumentation to be  used in research areas of interest to the Agencies and to enhance the education of students in areas of science, technology,  engineering and mathematics (STEM) that correlate with the Agencies’ research interests. 

• Award amount: $100,000-$600,000 
• Submission deadline: August 

Laboratory Equipment Donation Program (LEDP)

The Laboratory Equipment Donation Program (LEDP) was established by the United States Department of Energy (DOE) to grant surplus and available used laboratory equipment to full-time faculty at universities and colleges in the United States for use in energy-oriented Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) educational programs. This program is managed by the Office of Workforce Development for Teachers and Scientists (WDTS). The listing of equipment available through LEDP is updated as new equipment is identified. It is available at no cost for a limited time and is granted on a first-received qualified application basis.

Submission deadline: Rolling

Office of Nuclear Energy (NE) Scientific Infrastructure Support for Consolidated Innovative Nuclear Research Funding Program

The Infrastructure Program is administered by the Nuclear Science User Facilities (NSUF). The program supports two areas for U.S. universities to apply for funding:  University Reactor Upgrades Infrastructure Support and General Scientific Infrastructure Support for Universities. This infrastructure program was established to continue to strengthen U.S. competitiveness in nuclear R&D and ensure that American universities have the best equipment and tools available to educate the next generation of industry leaders. 

• Award amount: up to $1M
• Submission deadline: August

Planetary Science Enabling Facility (PSEF) (formerly Planetary Major Equipment and Facilities (PMEF))

The Planetary Science Enabling Facilities (PSEF) program element allows proposals for experimental and analytical research facilities to be made available to the community that does research under the programs supported by the Planetary Science Division (PSD) in the Science Mission Directorate of NASA. Proposals must clearly articulate the scientific value of the research facilities that would be made available, as well as demonstrate that there is a significant need and user base for the facility within the community.

• Award amount: No award ceiling provided; requests must exceed $50,000
• Submission deadline: FY22 Step 1 deadline was in April (solicitation released in even years)

Instrument Incubator Program

The Instrument Incubator Program funds novel instruments offering new or improved ways to observe Earth. The program takes new ideas and helps develop them into validated demonstrations. These new instruments, including lasers, spectrometers and radars, among others, are smaller, more affordable, and seek to include enabling new component technologies and architectures. The instruments incorporate greater onboard intelligence to take advantage of the tremendous strides in algorithm development and processing power. Projects take on greater, more calculated risks than past efforts, offering the potential to advance technology and science.

• Award amount: Approx. $1.5M/year for up to 3 years for Instrument Development and Demonstration (IIP-IDD) awards; $500-750k/year for up to 1.5 years for Instrument/Measurement Concept Demonstration (IIP-ICD) awards
• Submission deadline: In FY21, NOIs were due in May (solicitation is released every 2-3 years)

Heliophysics Instrument Development for Science (H-TIDeS)

The Heliophysics Instrument Development for Science (H-TIDeS) program supports the development and application of innovative new instruments, technologies and capabilities to enhance the ability to achieve significant progress toward the scientific and technical challenges in heliophysics.

• Award amount: varies by topic area
• Submission deadline: FY23 proposals were due in August

NASA Planetary Instrument Concepts for the Advancement of Solar System Observations (PICASSO)

The Planetary Instrument Concepts for the Advancement of Solar System Observations (PICASSO) Program supports the development of spacecraft-based instrument systems that show promise for use in future planetary missions. The goal of the program is to conduct planetary and astrobiology science instrument feasibility studies, concept formation, proof of concept instruments, and advanced component technology development (technology readiness levels (TRL) 1 – 3) to the point where they may be proposed in response to the Maturation of Instruments for Solar System Exploration (MatISSE) Program.

• Award amount: up to $3M
• Submission deadline: none

USDA/NIFA Equipment Grant Program (EGP)

The Equipment Grant Program (EGP) serves to increase access to shared-use special purpose equipment/instruments for fundamental and applied research for use in the food and agricultural sciences programs at institutions of higher education, including State Cooperative Extension Systems. The program seeks to strengthen the quality and expand the scope of fundamental and applied research at eligible institutions, by providing them with opportunities to acquire one major piece of equipment/instruments that support their research, training, and extension goals and may be too costly and/or not appropriate for support through other NIFA grant programs.

• Award amount: $25,001 - $500,000
• Submission deadline: May

NSF-Supported Computing Resources and Allocation Programs

NSF ACCESS (Advanced Cyberinfrastructure Coordination Ecosystem: Services & Support) (formerly XSEDE)

ACCESS supports access to compute resources and cloud storage for NSF-funded research at supercomputing facilities across the US, including the National Center for Supercomputing Applications (NCSA) Delta, Pittsburgh Supercomputing Center (PSC) Bridges-2, San Diego Supercomputer Center (SDSC) Expanse, and Texas Advanced Computing Center (TACC) Stampede-2 clusters, among others.

• Submission deadline: any time for small to mid-size allocations; July for large allocations

Texas Advanced Computing Center (TACC) Frontera Allocations

TACC supports large allocations on its 39 petaflop Frontera cluster via the Leadership Resource Allocation (LRAC), Large-Scale Community Partnerships (LSCP), and Pathways programs.

• Submission deadline: January for LRAC, September for LSCP and Pathways

National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) Computing Allocations

NCAR provides large computing resources for university researchers in atmospheric, oceanic, and related sciences. NCAR hosts the Derecho (20 petaflops) and Cheyenne (5 petaflops) supercomputers.

• Submission deadline: any time for small allocations; March and September for large allocations

DOE-Supported Computing Resources and Allocation Programs

DOE supports high-performance computing at Oak Ridge, Argonne, and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.  Compute time is primarily requested via the INCITE and ALCC programs.  OLCF, ALCF, and NERSC also have limited Director’s Discretionary allocations.

Oak Ridge Leadership Computing Facility (OLCF)

OLCF computing resources include the Frontier (2 exaflops) and Summit (200 petaflops) supercomputing clusters, and the Quantum Computing User Program (QCUP) (https://www.olcf.ornl.gov/olcf-resources).

Argonne Leadership Computing Facility (ALCF)

ALCF computing resources include the Polaris (44 petaflops) and Theta/ThetaGPU (12 petaflops) supercomputing clusters; the Aurora (2 exaflops) supercomputer is expected to become available late 2023. (https://www.alcf.anl.gov/alcf-resources).

LBL National Energy Research Scientific Computing (NERSC) Center 

NERSC primarily supports allocations on its Perlmutter (71 petaflops) supercomputer. (https://www.nersc.gov/systems).

DOE INCITE (Innovative and Novel Computational Impact on Theory and Experiment) Program

The INCITE program allocates access to DOE's leadership-class supercomputers at the ALCF and OLCF to the scientific community.  Supports allocations on Frontier (OLCF), Aurora (ALCF), Summit (OLCF), Polaris (ALCF), and Theta (ALCF).

• Submission deadline: June

DOE ALCC (ASCR Leadership Computing Challenge) Program

The ASCR Leadership Computing Challenge (ALCC) is an allocation program for projects of interest to the Department of Energy (DOE).  Supports allocations on Frontier (OLCF), Aurora (ALCF), Polaris (ALCF), Theta (ALCF), and Perlmutter (NERSC).

• Submission deadline: November