The National Science Foundation is seeking applicants for Strengthening American Infrastructure (SAI), a fundamental research program integrating social, behavioral, or economic sciences with other disciplines to support use-inspired, potentially transformative research on specific infrastructure challenges; no application deadline is stated in the source.
Eligible applicants include U.S.-based institutions of higher education (two- and four-year, including community colleges), for-profit organizations with strong research or education capabilities, non-profit non-academic organizations directly associated with educational or research activities, and federally recognized Tribal Nations. Principal investigators must hold appointments at U.S.-based campuses or offices of eligible organizations; co-PIs, senior/key personnel, and consultants face no restrictions. Proposals including funding to international branch campuses of U.S. IHEs require justification of benefit and explanation of why activities cannot be performed at the U.S. campus.
SAI focuses on how fundamental knowledge of human reasoning, decision-making, governance, and social and cultural processes enables building and maintenance of effective infrastructure that improves lives and strengthens communities, spurs private-sector innovation, grows the economy, creates jobs, enhances national security, and fuels American leadership. Successful projects must represent convergence of expertise in one or more social, behavioral, or economic sciences deeply integrated with other disciplines to support substantial fundamental research applied to strengthening a specific focal infrastructure.
The program operates under multiple NSF assistance listings: Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences (47.075), Geosciences (47.050), Biological Sciences (47.074), Engineering (47.041), Mathematical and Physical Sciences (47.049), and STEM Education (47.076). No cost share, award ceiling, award floor, or number of expected awards are specified in the source. General inquiries should be directed to NSF-SAI@nsf.gov.