Major Research Instrumentation Program: (MRI)
Open Posted
- Opportunity number
- 27-500
- Agency
-
National Science Foundation
- Applications due
- Award size
- $100,000 to $4,000,000
Opportunity facts
- Assistance listings
-
- 47.083 Integrative Activities
- 47.075 Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences
- 47.049 Mathematical and Physical Sciences
- 47.070 Computer and Information Science and Engineering
- 47.079 Office of International Science and Engineering
- 47.078 Polar Programs
- 47.084 NSF Technology, Innovation, and Partnerships
- 47.076 STEM Education (formerly Education and Human Resources)
- 47.041 Engineering
- 47.074 Biological Sciences
- Funding instrument
- Grant
- Category
-
- Science and Technology and other Research and Development
- Eligible applicants
-
- Other
- Points of contact
- Full announcement
Opportunity details come from Grants.gov. Updated .
About this opportunity
The National Science Foundation is soliciting applications for the Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) Program, which funds multi-user scientific and engineering instruments, with proposals due January 29, 2027. Eligibility is restricted to three applicant types: accredited two- and four-year institutions of higher education (including community colleges) with a campus located in the US, acting on behalf of their faculty members; US-located, non-profit, non-academic organizations directly associated with educational or research activities, such as independent museums, observatories, research laboratories, and professional societies; and federally recognized American Indian or Alaska Native tribes. Proposals that include funding for an international branch campus of a US institution must explain the project benefits of performance there and justify why the activities cannot be performed at the US campus.
Awards support direct purchase of a multi-user research instrument from a vendor, or the personnel and components needed to develop an instrument with new capabilities. The program targets instruments that are generally too costly or not appropriate for other NSF programs. It encourages proposals from early-career researchers, from all geographic regions including EPSCoR jurisdictions, and from emerging research institutions where MRI can significantly build research capacity. The program especially welcomes instruments that advance one or more national R&D priority areas, including capability for scientifically justified integration with SI-enabled workflows.
Applications must be submitted through Grants.gov, which automatically transfers them to NSF's Research.gov system. NSF recommends initiating submission at least five business days before the deadline. Project descriptions are limited to fifteen pages and budget justifications to five pages, and all attachments must be PDF files with embedded fonts and no encryption.
The opportunity is assigned to eleven NSF parent programs with Assistance Listing numbers 47.041, 47.049, 47.050, 47.070, 47.074, 47.075, 47.076, 47.078, 47.079, 47.083, and 47.084.
Synopsis
The Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) Program (MRI Website) increases access to multi-user scientific and engineering instrumentation for research and training in the operation of the proposed equipment. An MRI award supports the acquisition of a multi-user research instrument through direct purchase from a vendor, or for the personnel and components required to develop an instrument with new capabilities that opens new opportunities to advance the frontiers in science and engineering research. MRI instruments are generally too costly and/or not appropriate for support through other NSF programs.
MRI encourages proposals from early-career researchers, from all geographic regions, including EPSCoR jurisdictions, and from emerging research institutions, where MRI can significantly build capacity for research. The program especially welcomes proposals for instruments that will advance discovery in one or more national R & D priority areas, including capability for scientifically justified integration with SI-enabled workflows.
Eligibility
*Who May Submit Proposals: Proposals may only be submitted by the following: -Institutions of Higher Education (IHEs): Two- and four-year IHEs (including community colleges) accredited in, and having a campus located in the US, acting on behalf of their faculty members. Special Instructions for International Branch Campuses of US IHEs: If the proposal includes funding to be provided to an international branch campus of a US institution of higher education (including through use of sub-awards and consultant arrangements), the proposer must explain the benefit(s) to the project of performance at the international branch campus, and justify why the project activities cannot be performed at the US campus.Non-profit, non-academic organizations: Independent museums, observatories, research laboratories, professional societies and similar organizations located in the U.S. that are directly associated with educational or research activities.Tribal Nations: An American Indian or Alaska Native tribe, band, nation, pueblo, village, or community that the Secretary of the Interior acknowledges as a federally recognized tribe pursuant to the Federally Recognized Indian Tribe List Act of 1994, 25 U.S.C. §§ 5130-5131.
Files
| File | Type | Posted |
|---|---|---|
| PKG00294541.pdf |
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