Congressionally-Identified Projects
Active
- Assistance listing
- 11.617
- Agency
-
National Institute of Standards and Technology
Department of Commerce
- Grant awards
- 284 $1,399,522,357 in federal obligations
Program facts
- Assistance types
-
- Project Grant
- Cooperative Agreement
- Treasury accounts
-
- 13-0515-0-1-376
- 13-0500-0-1-376
- More information
Program details come from SAM.gov Assistance Listings. Updated . Grant award figures come from USAspending.gov.
About this program
The Department of Commerce National Institute of Standards and Technology is awarding Congressionally-Identified Project grants (CFDA 11.617) to organizations specified by Congress in agency appropriations legislation, with the most recent award issued October 1, 2026.
Grant activity remains robust. The program has issued 284 awards totaling $1.4 billion in federal dollars since 2001. Award volume accelerated sharply in recent years—from 18 awards in 2022 to 119 in 2024—though 2025 and 2026 show only 5 and 4 awards respectively as of early October. All awards are Project Grants (96 percent, 274 awards) or Cooperative Agreements (4 percent, 10 awards). NIST is the sole funding agency across the entire portfolio.
The program funds university and institution-based infrastructure, research capacity, and workforce development in advanced manufacturing, semiconductors, cybersecurity, clean energy, materials science, and emerging technologies. Representative recent awards include: University of Alabama Huntsville's $4.2 million AI Research Facility for aerospace and national security sectors with high-performance computing and training capabilities (October 2026); University of Arkansas at Little Rock's $3 million Center for Integrative Nanotechnology Sciences instrumentation upgrade serving academic and regional industrial partners (September 2026); and Arkansas State University's $10 million Advanced Steel Research Center to support the steel industry through alloy design, fabrication, and property analysis (October 2024). Other recent awards support biopharmaceutical manufacturing equipment ($7.25 million to University of Delaware), semiconductor fabrication cleanroom upgrades ($2 million to University of Dayton), cybersecurity workforce development and training infrastructure across multiple institutions, wind engineering testing capabilities ($4.05 million to Florida International University), and electric vehicle battery testing facilities ($3 million at Oakland University).
Eligible applicants are organizations specifically identified by Congress in Department of Commerce appropriations legislation. Renewals depend on future Congressional funding. No recent grant opportunities are currently posted for this program; funding flows through Congressional appropriations rather than open solicitation.
Objective and description
- Objective
To assist various organizations identified by Congress to achieve objectives specified by Congress.
Eligibility
- Applicant eligibility
Organizations specifically identified by Congress in agency appropriations legislation.
- Beneficiary eligibility
Beneficiaries are those served by the organizations receiving awards.
- Uses of assistance
Assistance is provided to implement specific projects identified by Congress.
How to apply
- Application procedure
Submit all standard forms (SF-424 Series Forms), project proposal and budget following the format specified by the Department of Commerce.
- Award procedure
Applications are reviewed by NIST and awards are issued by the Grants and Agreements Management Division.
- Renewals
Renewals are contingent upon future Congressional funding.
Grant awards
Latest 10 of 284 listed here. See the rest on GovTribe.
Top recipients by federal obligations
| Rank | Recipient | Federal obligations | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University Of Alabama | $104,550,000 | 7% |
| 2 | University Of South Alabama | $89,400,000 | 6% |
| 3 | University Of Maine System | $47,144,000 | 3% |
| 4 | The University Of Southern Mississippi | $44,842,560 | 3% |
| 5 | University Of Kansas Medical Center Research Institute, Inc. | $37,720,000 | 3% |
| 6 | Marion Military Institute | $34,650,000 | 2% |
| 7 | Kansas State University | $32,422,500 | 2% |
| 8 | The Regents Of The University Of Colorado | $26,375,796 | 2% |
| 9 | University Of Missouri System | $26,300,000 | 2% |
| 10 | Missouri State University | $24,750,000 | 2% |
10 of 174 recipients listed here. See the rest on GovTribe.
Federal obligations by fiscal year
| Fiscal year | Federal obligations |
|---|---|
| FY2026 | $11,751,511 |
| FY2025 | $5,398,254 |
| FY2024 | $299,392,264 |
| FY2023 | $535,300,387 |
| FY2022 | $72,795,988 |
| FY2015 | -$55,859 |
| FY2014 | -$125,356 |
| FY2013 | -$244,955 |
| FY2012 | -$5,801 |
| FY2011 | -$1,334 |
| FY2010 | $57,000,000 |
| FY2009 | $69,500,000 |
| FY2008 | $52,155,000 |
| FY2006 | $137,265,856 |
| FY2005 | $51,883,579 |
| FY2004 | $34,532,726 |
| FY2003 | $41,160,898 |
Show all 17
Quick answers
What is Assistance Listing 11.617?
Assistance Listing 11.617 is Congressionally-Identified Projects, a federal grant program run by National Institute of Standards and Technology (Department of Commerce).
What is the CFDA number for Congressionally-Identified Projects?
Its CFDA number is 11.617: Assistance Listing numbers were called CFDA numbers before 2018.
How much funding has Assistance Listing 11.617 awarded?
284 grant awards under 11.617 have obligated $1,399,522,357 in federal funds to 174 recipients.
Who receives the most funding from 11.617?
The recipients obligated the most under Congressionally-Identified Projects are University Of Alabama ($104,550,000), University Of South Alabama ($89,400,000) and University Of Maine System ($47,144,000).
How much did 11.617 obligate in fiscal year 2025?
Grants under 11.617 obligated $5,398,254 in federal funds in fiscal year 2025.
On GovTribe
See this program's full record
- Every grant award and opportunity under it
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