The following programs provide funding or support specifically for equipment or instrumentation. Consult each program’s web page for more detailed information and current deadlines.
Find more opportunities by using Pivot and selecting “Equipment or Materials Acquisition” under “Funding Type.”
| Program |
Deadline |
Program Synopsis |
| Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) Program |
campus limited submission: approximately November |
MRI provides organizations with opportunities to acquire major instrumentation that supports the research and research training goals of the organization and that may be used by other researchers regionally or nationally. |
| Advanced Technologies and Instrumentation (ATI) |
November 15 |
The ATI program provides grants to support the development and construction of state-of-the-art astronomical detectors and instruments for the visible, infrared, submillimeter, and radio regions of the spectrum. |
| Archaeometry Awards, SBE Archaeology and Archaeometry |
December 1 |
The Archaeology Program recognizes three broad classes of archaeometric proposals: proposals to support laboratories which provide archaeometric services; proposals to develop and refine archaeometric techniques; proposals to apply existing analytic techniques to specific bodies of archaeological materials. Laboratory support awards provide “core” funding that permits laboratories to increase analytical capacity through the addition and/or replacement of equipment and retention of key personnel. |
| Chemistry Research Instrumentation and Facilities (CRIF) |
to be determined |
CRIF provides funds to research institutions and consortia thereof for the purchase of multi-user instruments and for the establishment and support of multi-user research facilities in the chemical sciences. NSF has temporarily suspended the CRIF program. |
| CISE Community Research Infrastructure (CRI) |
second Wednesday in November |
The CRI program drives discovery and learning in the core CISE disciplines of the three participating CISE divisions by supporting the creation and enhancement of world-class research infrastructure that will support focused research agendas in computer and information science and engineering. |
| Earth Sciences: Instrumentation and Facilities (EAR/IF) |
open |
This program supports: Acquisition or Upgrade of Research Equipment; Development of New Instrumentation, Analytical Techniques or Software; Support of National or Regional Multi-User Facilities; Support for Early Career Investigators. |
| Improvements in Facilities, Communications, and Equipment at Biological Field Stations and Marine Laboratories (FSML) |
open |
FSMLs support environmental and basic biological research and education by preserving access to study areas and organisms, by providing facilities and equipment in close proximity to those study areas, and by fostering an atmosphere of mutual scientific interest and collaboration in research and education. |
| Instrumentation Capacity for Biological Research (ICBR) |
open |
ICBR will expand access to new or existing instrumentation that supports a significant segment of the biological research community conducting research in areas supported by the NSF Biological Sciences Directorate. |
| Mid-scale Research Infrastructure-1 (Mid-scale RI-1), Mid-scale Research Infrastructure-2 (Mid-scale RI-2) |
varies |
The Mid-scale Research Infrastructure Big Idea funds experimental research capabilities in the mid-scale range between the Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) program and Major Research Equipment and Facilities Construction (MREFC) thresholds. |
| Oceanographic Facilities and Equipment Support |
varies |
These 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. |
| Sustained Availability of Biological Infrastructure (SABI) |
open |
SABI supports the continued operation of extant infrastructure that will advance basic biological research. |