The National Science Foundation’s Major Research Instrumentation Program aims to enhance research and research training by providing access to shared scientific instruments for educational institutions and research organizations. It supports the acquisition or development of single research instruments that are too costly for funding through other NSF programs. Organizational cost-sharing is required for some institutions, and proposals can range from $100,000 to $4 million in funding. The program does not support the acquisition of instrument suites for independent research. Proposals can be submitted for instrument acquisition or development, with a focus on fostering research and education integration in learning environments. Deadline information can be found in the solicitation text.
Opportunity ID: 208034
General Information
| Document Type:: | Grants Notice |
| Funding Opportunity Number:: | 13-517 |
| Funding Opportunity Title:: | Major Research Instrumentation Program |
| Opportunity Category:: | Discretionary |
| Opportunity Category Explanation:: | |
| Funding Instrument Type:: | |
| Category of Funding Activity:: | Science and Technology and other Research and Development |
| Category Explanation:: | |
| Expected Number of Awards:: | 175 |
| Assistance Listings Number(s):: | 47.041 — Engineering Grants |
| Cost Sharing or Matching Requirement:: | Yes |
| Version:: | Synopsis 3 |
| Posted Date:: | Nov 23, 2012 |
| Last Updated Date:: | Aug 13, 2014 |
| Original Closing Date for Applications:: | Feb 21, 2013 |
| Current Closing Date for Applications:: | |
| Archive Date:: | Aug 13, 2014 |
| Estimated Total Program Funding:: | $ 90,000,000 |
| Award Ceiling:: | $4,000,000 |
| Award Floor:: | $ |
Eligibility
| Eligible Applicants:: | Others (see text field entitled “Additional Information on Eligibility” for clarification) |
| Additional Information on Eligibility:: | See full solicitation for details |
Additional Information
| Agency Name:: | National Science Foundation |
| Description:: | The Major Research Instrumentation Program (MRI) serves to increase access to shared scientific and engineering instruments for research and research training in our Nation’s institutions of higher education, and not-for-profit museums, science centers and scientific/engineering research organizations. This program especially seeks to improve the quality and expand the scope of research and research training in science and engineering, by supporting proposals for shared instrumentation that fosters the integration of research and education in research-intensive learning environments. Each MRI proposal may request support for the acquisition (Track 1) or development (Track 2) of a single research instrument for shared inter- and/or intra-organizational use; development efforts that leverage the strengths of private sector partners to build instrument development capacity at MRI submission-eligible organizations are encouraged.To accomplish the program’s goals, the MRI program assists with the acquisition or development of a shared research instrument that is, in general, too costly and/or not appropriate for support through other NSF programs. The instrument is expected to be operational for regular research use by the end of the award period. For the purposes of the MRI program, a proposal must be for either acquisition (Track 1) or development (Track 2) of a single instrument or for equipment that, when combined, serves as an integrated research instrument (in contrast to requests for multiple instruments that enable research in a common or focused research domain, which MRI does not support). The MRI program does not support the acquisition or development of a suite of instruments to outfit research laboratories/facilities or that will be used to conduct independent research activities simultaneously. Instrument acquisition or development proposals that request funds from NSF in the range $100,000-$4 million may be accepted from any MRI-eligible organization. Proposals that request funds from NSF less than $100,000 may also be accepted from any MRI-eligible organization for the disciplines of mathematics or social, behavioral and economic sciences and from non-Ph.D.-granting institutions of higher education for all NSF-supported disciplines. Cost-sharing of precisely 30% of the total project cost is required for Ph.D.-granting institutions of higher education and for non-degree-granting organizations. Non-Ph.D.-granting institutions of higher education are exempt from cost-sharing and cannot include it. National Science Board policy is that voluntary committed cost sharing is prohibited.Please see the solicitation text for definitions of organizational types used by the MRI program. |
| Link to Additional Information:: | |
| Grantor Contact Information:: | If you have difficulty accessing the full announcement electronically, please contact: |
Version History
| Version | Modification Description | Updated Date |
|---|---|---|
| Synopsis 3 | This opportunity has been archived. | Aug 13, 2014 |
| Synopsis 2 | updated 4.26.13–rc; | |
| Synopsis 1 |
Package Status
Below are CLOSED Opportunity Package(s) no longer available for this Funding Opportunity:
Package No: 1
| Assistance Listings: | 47.076 |
| Competition ID: | |
| Competition Title: | |
| Opportunity Package ID: | PKG00155650 |
| Opening Date: | Nov 23, 2012 |
| Closing Date: | Jan 23, 2014 |
| Agency Contact Information:: | Kathleen McCloud |
| Who Can Apply:: | Organization Applicants |
| mendatory_forms |
SF424 (R & R) [V1.2] Project/Performance Site Location(s) [V1.4] Research And Related Other Project Information [V1.3] Research And Related Senior/Key Person Profile (Expanded) [V1.2] Research & Related Personal Data [V1.2] Research & Related Budget [V1.1] NSF Cover Page [V1.3] |
| optional_forms |
R & R Subaward Budget Attachment(s) Form [V1.2] NSF Deviation Authorization [V1.1] NSF Suggested Reviewers [V1.1] NSF FastLane System Registration [V1.3] |
Packages
| Assistance Listings | Competition ID | Competition Title | Opportunity Package ID | Opening Date | Closing Date | Actions | Who Can Apply: | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 47.076 | PKG00155650 | Nov 23, 2012 | Jan 23, 2014 | View | Kathleen McCloud | Organization Applicants |