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Funding Opportunities

NIST funds industrial and academic research in a variety of ways. The Small Business Innovation Research Program funds R&D proposals from small businesses. We also offer other grants to encourage work in specific fields: precision measurement, fire research, and materials science.

Grants/awards supporting research at industry, academic, and other institutions are available on a competitive basis through several different Institute offices. For general information on NIST grants programs, please contact Christopher Hunton at christopher.hunton@nist.gov and (301) 975-5718.

NIST Recovery Act Information—On February 17, 2009, President Obama signed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA). The act includes funding for the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). In the near future, this web page will include information about specific NIST programs to be funded through the act. For information on fellowships, grants, and other funding available from NIST, please monitor NIST's Recovery Act page.

Measurement Science and Engineering Research Grants Programs—Support NIST laboratories with research in fields such as: material measurement; physical measurement; engineering; fire research; information technology; neutron research; nanoscale science and technology; standards services; and law enforcement standards. This link will take you to the Full Announcement of this federal funding opportunity. To see a summary of the program, click on this link to the Grants.gov Synopsis. To apply for this grant electronically through Grants.gov, click on the Application box near the top of the Synopsis screen. This link will take you to a copy of the 2012 Measurement Science and Engineering Research Grants Program. Contact: Chris Hunton at christopher.hunton@nist.gov or (301) 975-5718.

Precision Measurement Grants—Support researchers in U.S. colleges and universities for experimental and theoretical studies of fundamental physical phenomena. Contact: Peter Mohr, (301) 975-3217.

Small Business Innovation Research Program—Solicits research and development proposals from small businesses that respond to specific technical needs that are described in the annual Solicitation. SBIR contracts are awarded for R&D that directly supports a NIST project and for R&D needed to extend technologies developed at NIST for the purpose of commercializing the NIST technology. No unsolicited proposals are accepted. Program information is available at http://www.nist.gov/tpo/sbir/index.cfm

Nanoelectronics—Supports research and innovation in nanoelectronics through a partnership between NIST and the Semiconductor Research Corp. (SRC). A news release is available with details on the NIST/SRC partnership. To apply for funding see the SRC’s Nanoelectronics Research Initiative Web site.

Technology Innovation Program—Provided cost-shared awards to industry, universities and consortia for research on potentially revolutionary technologies that address critical national and societal needs.

The NIST Center for Neutron Research (NCNR) Comprehensive Grant Program provides funding to eligible proposers to support research involving neutron research and spectroscopy specifically aimed at assisting visiting researchers at the NCNR, developing new instrumentation for neutron research, conducting collaborative research with NIST scientists, and to conduct other outreach and educational activities that advance the use of neutrons by U.S. academia and industrial scientists. To view the full announcement of the Federal Funding Opportunity, click here http://www.ncnr.nist.gov/news/2012_NCNR_FFO-FINAL.pdf. To see a summary of the program, click on this link (http://www07.grants.gov/search/search.do?&mode=VIEW&oppId=132293) to the Grants.gov Synopsis. To apply for funding under this program electronically through Grants.gov, click on the Application box near the top of the Synopsis screen. For assistance in applying electronically, contact Christopher Hunton at christopher.hunton@nist.gov or (301) 975-5718. For more information on the NCNR, see the NCNR website http://www.ncnr.nist.gov.

NIST Summer Institute for Middle School Science Teachers - Provides small grants to support the participation of middle school science teachers in a two week, hands-on workshop based on the cutting-edge measurement sciences and engineering research at NIST.  For eligible school districts and accredited private educational institutions to apply for funding on behalf of their qualifying teachers, please see the application process page or the FFO for 2012. 

NIST Research Experience for Teachers (RET) – Teachers who have successfully completed the NIST Summer Institute have an opportunity to further their understanding of how scientific research is performed by participating in the NIST RET program.  Selected teachers will work side-by-side for six weeks with NIST Gaithersburg research scientists on projects that combine research with direct applications tailored to developing, maintaining, advancing, and enabling the measurement system for the nation. Participation in this program is designed to encourage teachers to inspire their students to pursue careers in fields of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM).

SURF: Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowships - NIST provides funding for approximately 150 summer research fellowships. The fellowships are for undergraduate students majoring in any of the science, technology, engineering or mathematics areas. Supported by the National Science Foundation, the program provides 11 weeks of paid stipend and gives young scientists and engineers an opportunity to work in the NIST research laboratories alongside world leading experts in science and technology. Positions are available in both Gaithersburg, Md., and Boulder, Colo., from late May through early August. For more information on the SURF program, please visit www.nist.gov/surfgaithersburg or www.nist.gov/surfboulder.

For additional information on grant opportunities, visit www.grants.gov.