Equipment Funding Opportunities
Below is a list of funding opportunities specifically related to obtaining research equipment and instrumentation.Subscribe to the biweekly Eberly College Research Newsletter to be notified about new funding opportunities and other research-related news, and check back frequently for updates to this page and other funding opportunity webpages.
NSF Funding Opportunities:
Equipment Proposals
A proposal for specialized equipment may be submitted by an organization for: individual
investigators; groups of investigators within the same department; several departments;
organization(s) participating in a collaborative or joint arrangement; any components
of an organization; or a region. One individual must be designated as PI. Investigators
may be working in closely related areas, or their research may be multidisciplinary. See Chapter II.D.10 of the
NSF PAPPG
for more information.
Deadline: Varies based on solicitation.
Deadline: Varies based on solicitation.
Advanced Technologies and Instrumentation for the Astronomical Sciences (ATI)
The Advanced Technologies and Instrumentation for the Astronomical Sciences (ATI)
program provides individual investigator and collaborative research grants for
development of new technologies and instrumentation for astronomy and astrophysics.
The program supports overarching science objectives of the Division of Astronomical
Sciences. Development of innovative, potentially transformative technologies are
encouraged, even at high technical risk. Supported categories include but are not
limited to: advanced technology development, concept feasibility studies,
and specialized instrumentation to enable new observations that are difficult or
impossible to obtain with existing means. Proposals may include hardware and/or
software development and/or analysis to enable new types of astronomical observations.
Access to the ATI supported technology and instrumentation development efforts
by the US astronomical community is viewed as an important metric of success. An
annual Principal Investigators meeting is planned to disseminate information between
the funded research efforts.
Deadline: Proposals may be submitted between October 1 and November 15 (annually).
Earth Sciences: Instrumentation and Facilities (EAR/IF)
The Instrumentation and Facilities Program in the Division of Earth Sciences (EAR/IF)
supports meritorious requests for infrastructure that promote research and education
in areas supported by the Division EAR/IF will consider proposals for:
-
Acquisition or Upgrade of Research Equipment that will advance laboratory and
field investigations and student research training opportunities in the Earth
sciences. The maximum request is $500,000. The maximum request for
upgrade of research group computing facilities remains $75,000.
-
Development
of New Instrumentation, Techniques or Software that will extend current research
and research training capabilities in the Earth sciences. The maximum
request is $500,000.
-
Community Facility Support to make complex and expensive instruments, systems
of instruments or services broadly available to the Earth science research
and student communities. There are no maximum request limitations but potential
proposers of new Community Facilities must contact cognizant Program Officers
before submission.
Deadline: Full proposals are accepted anytime.
Oceanographic Facilities and Equipment Support
Oceanographic facilities and equipment are supported by the Integrative Programs
Section (IPS) of
the Division of Ocean Sciences (OCE), Directorate for Geosciences (GEO). These
awards are made for the procurement, conversion and/or up-grade, enhancement
or annual operation of platforms in the ocean, coastal, near-shore and Great
Lakes. Awards are generally directed specifically to support facilities that
lend themselves to shared use within the broad range of federally-supported research
and education programs. Most of these platforms and facilities also receive partial
support from federal agencies other than NSF. This includes state and local governments
and private sources on a proportional basis usually through a daily rate mechanism.
The primary objective of these awards is to ensure the availability of appropriate
facilities for federally-funded investigators and educators. Individual project-based
facilities and instrumentation, limited to one, or a small group of investigators,
should be supported through appropriate research programs as opposed to the IPS
programs listed herein.
The individual programs covered within this solicitation include:
1. Ship Operations (Ship Ops)
2. Oceanographic Technical Services (OTS)
3. Oceanographic Instrumentation (OI)
4. Shipboard Scientific Support Equipment (SSSE)
5. Ship Acquisition and Upgrade (SAU)
6. Other Facility Activities (OFA)
Anticipated Funding Amount: $5,000 to $8,500,000
The minimum funding threshold applies to awards under all programs but most typically
takes effect for individual proposals for Oceanographic Instrumentation and Shipboard
Scientific Support Equipment, such that annual amounts below the minimum would
be covered under the respective Ship Operations or Technical Services programs,
as stated in the solicitation. The maximum funding threshold also applies
to awards under all programs but is expected to most typically relate to individual,
annual proposed amounts for Ship Operations.
Deadline: January 10 (annually).
Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) Program
The Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) Program serves to increase access to multi-user
scientific
and engineering instrumentation for research and research training in our Nation's
institutions of higher education and not-for-profit scientific/engineering research
organizations. An MRI award supports the acquisition or development of a multi-user
research instrument that is, in general, too costly and/or not appropriate for
support through other NSF programs. MRI provides support to acquire critical research instrumentation without which
advances in fundamental science and engineering research may not otherwise
occur. MRI also provides support to develop next-generation research instruments
that open new opportunities to advance the frontiers in science and engineering
research. Additionally, an MRI award is expected to enhance research training
of students who will become the next generation of instrument users, designers
and builders. 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.
National Science Board policy prohibits voluntary committed cost sharing.
Deadline: Proposals may be submitted between October 15 and November 14, 2025.
Infrastructure Capacity for Biology (ICB)
The Infrastructure Capacity for Biology (ICB) supports the development, expansion,
or improvement of infrastructure that will enable fundamental research within the
biological sciences. Infrastructure supported under this solicitation may include
cyberinfrastructure, instrumentation, biological collections, living stocks, field
stations, marine labs, or other resources that are shared and openly accessible.
Proposals submitted to the ICB solicitation must make a compelling case that the
proposed infrastructure will advance or transform research in areas of science
that are supported by the Directorate for Biological Sciences (BIO) at the National
Science Foundation. While other programs in the Division of Biological Infrastructure
(DBI) focus on innovative research leading to new infrastructure or sustained operation
of mature infrastructure, this solicitation focuses on supporting projects that
seek to deliver, enable access to, or substantially improve infrastructure that
will advance the capacity today scientific community to conduct leading edge research.
The impacts of the activities funded by awards made through this solicitation will
be reflected not just in the quality of their products, but by the novel and transformative
science outcomes that will be achieved by the users of these resources. Infrastructure
projects that will advance any field of research supported by the Directorate for
Biological Sciences are eligible for support.
Deadline: Full proposals are accepted anytime.
Infrastructure Innovation for Biological Research
The Infrastructure Innovation for Biological Research Program (Innovation) supports
research to design novel or greatly improve research tools and methods that advance
contemporary biology in any research area supported by the Directorate for Biological
Sciences at NSF. The Innovation Program focuses on research infrastructure that
is broadly applicable to researchers in three programmatic areas: Bioinformatics,
Instrumentation, and Research Methods. Infrastructure supported by this program
is expected to advance biological understanding by improving scientists’ abilities
to manipulate, control, analyze, or measure critical aspects of biological systems,
which can be essential for addressing important fundamental research questions.
Proposals submitted to these programmatic areas can do one of three things to advance
or transform research in biology: develop novel infrastructure, significantly redesign
existing infrastructure, or adapt existing infrastructure in novel ways. Projects
are expected to have a significant application to one or more biological science
questions and have the potential to be used by a community of researchers beyond
a single research team.
Approximately $18-20 Million is expected to be available for new awards in FY21.
The size and duration of any individual request should be justified by the amount
and complexity of the work to be accomplished. As a rule, the larger the budget,
the greater the expected impact on the biological research community.
Deadline: Full proposals are accepted anytime.
National Facilities
The National Facilities program supports the operation of national user facilities:
National Facilities are research facilities with specialized instrumentation
available to the scientific research community in general and the materials research
community in particular. These facilities provide unique research capabilities
that can be located at only a few highly specialized laboratories in the Nation.
They provide open user service for scientists and engineers from a broad range
of disciplines including biology, chemistry, geosciences, materials research.
and physics. They include facilities and resources for research using high magnetic
fields, ultraviolet and x-ray synchrotron radiation, neutron scattering, and
nanofabrication. They serve as science and technology-related resources and experiences
for students. They conduct student and teacher education, general public awareness
activities, curriculum development, and educational research.
Deadline: Full proposals are accepted anytime.
Facility and Instrumentation Request Process (FIRP)
The Facility and Instrumentation Request Process (FIRP) solicitation describes the mechanism by which the research community can propose projects that require access to instrumentation and facilities sponsored by the Facilities for Atmospheric Research and Education (FARE) Program in the Division of Atmospheric and Geospace Sciences (AGS). FARE provides funding to a variety of organizations to make specialized instrumentation and facilities available to the atmospheric science research community through the Lower Atmosphere Observing Facilities (LAOF) and the Community Instruments and Facilities (CIF) programs. FIRP allows for parallel evaluation of intellectual merit and broader impacts along with the feasibility of the proposed project. See the full solicitation (linked above) for more details.
Deadline: Full proposals are accepted anytime.
Community Infrastructure for Research in Computer and Information Science and Engineering (CIRC)
The Community Infrastructure for Research in Computer and Information Science and Engineering (CIRC) program drives discovery and learning in the core disciplines of the three participating CISE divisions [Computing and Communication Foundations (CCF), Computer and Network Systems (CNS), and Information and Intelligent Systems (IIS)] of the Directorate for Computer and Information Science and Engineering (CISE) by funding the creation and enhancement of world-class research infrastructure. This research infrastructure will specifically support diverse communities of CISE researchers pursuing focused research agendas in computer and information science and engineering. This support involves developing the accompanying user services and engagement needed to attract, nurture, and grow a robust research community that is actively involved in determining directions for the infrastructure, as well as management of the infrastructure. This should lead to research infrastructure that can be sustained through community involvement and community leadership, and that will enable advances not possible with existing research infrastructure. Further, through the CIRC program, CISE seeks to ensure that researchers from a diverse range of institutions of higher education (IHEs), including minority-serving and predominantly undergraduate institutions, as well as researchers from non-profit, non-academic organizations, have access to such infrastructure.
Deadline: September, 12, 2025
NIH Funding Opportunities:
Modern Equipment for Shared-use Biomedical Research Facilities: Advancing Research-Related Operations (S15 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
This Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) invites eligible academic or research institutions to apply for funding support to purchase latest scientific equipment that will enhance and modernize research-supporting operations of existing shared biomedical research facilities. Targeted are laboratory research core facilities, animal research facilities, and other similar shared-use research spaces. The goal of this NOFO is to strengthen research-auxiliary activities of biomedical research facilities and to enhance the efficiency of their operations. This NOFO does not support the purchase of scientific research instruments or their components, nor components of building-level infrastructure equipment that indirectly support research activities.
Deadline: September 25, 2026.
Utilizing Equipment to Study Environmental Extrinsic Factors and Enhance Rigor and Reproducibility of Animal Research (R24, Clinical Trials Not-Allowed)
Other Funding Opportunities:
NSF Sustaining Infrastructure for Biological Research (Sustaining)
The Sustaining Infrastructure for Biological Research (Sustaining) Program supports
the continued operation of existing research infrastructure that advances contemporary
biology in any research area supported by the Directorate for Biological Sciences
(BIO) at NSF. The Sustaining Program focuses primarily on sustaining critical
research infrastructure that is cyberinfrastructure or biological living stocks
and that is broadly applicable to a wide range of researchers. Projects are expected
to ensure continued availability of existing, mature resources that will enable
important science outcomes achieved by users representing a broad range of research
supported by BIO and its collaborating organizations.
Deadline: Full proposals accepted anytime
NIH Funding Opportunities:
NIMH Instrumentation Program (S10 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) Instrumentation Program encourages
applications from NIH-funded investigators to purchase or upgrade a single commercially
available instrument or a group of components to create an instrument that is
not commercially available. Examples of instruments that might be submitted under
this Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) include light microscopes, electron
microscopes, spectrophotometers, and biomedical imagers. The goal of this FOA
is to provide instruments to collect data rather than components for further
instrument/technology development. Instrument development applications should
be submitted to other FOAs on which NIMH participates or to appropriate BRAIN
Initiative FOAs. Applications will be accepted with an award budget between $200,000 and $600,000.
There is no maximum limit on the cost of the instrument, but the maximum award
is $600,000. S10 awards are only for the cost of the instrument, so indirect
costs cannot be requested. NIMH intends to commit a total of $5,000,000 to fund 11 awards in fiscal year
2023. Future year amounts will depend on annual appropriations.
Deadline: October 9, 2024.
Modern Equipment for Shared-use Biomedical Research Facilities: Advancing Research-Related Operations (S15 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
This Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) invites eligible academic or research institutions to apply for funding support to purchase latest scientific equipment that will enhance and modernize research-supporting operations of existing shared biomedical research facilities. Targeted are laboratory research core facilities, animal research facilities, and other similar shared-use research spaces. The goal of this NOFO is to strengthen research-auxiliary activities of biomedical research facilities and to enhance the efficiency of their operations. This NOFO does not support the purchase of scientific research instruments or their components, nor components of building-level infrastructure equipment that indirectly support research activities. Deadline: September 25, 2026.
Utilizing Equipment to Study Environmental Extrinsic Factors and Enhance Rigor and Reproducibility of Animal Research (R24, Clinical Trials Not-Allowed)
The Office of Research Infrastructure Programs (ORIP) invites grant applications from core facilities, resource centers, animal vivaria, or individual investigators of other shared resources to systematically study the roles of critical environmental extrinsic factors in biological, behavioral, and treatment studies using animal model species, with the objective of enhancing the rigor and reproducibility of animal research. The research area must be broadly applicable to the scientific interests of two or more NIH Institutes or Centers (ICs) and must evaluate the biological processes that impact multiple organ systems in order to align with the ORIP’s NIH-wide mission and programs. The program supports the acquisition or update of modern equipment for measuring, monitoring, recording, and reporting environmental, biological or biobehavioral variables. The equipment requested must be capable of recording and reporting multiple parameters simultaneously.
Deadline: September 25, 2026.
Deadline: September 25, 2026.
Other Funding Opportunities:
St. Baldrick's Foundation Infrastructure Grants
These grants are not for a specific research project, but rather for resources to
allow more research to be done. They support institutions with the potential for
more participation in childhood cancer clinical trials, but which currently lack
necessary resources (primarily support for Clinical Research Associates). Preference
is given to institutions with high needs and low philanthropic support in geographical
areas where St. Baldrick's funds are raised. Institutions which do not currently
receive other St. Baldrick's grants are also given preference. For infrastructure grants, the typical deadline for LOIs is early July, decisions are made by August, and full applications may then be submitted by late August or early September.
Average grants are $25,000 to $50,000.
Deadline: Full proposals are accepted anytime.