Funding Opportunities
NSF funds brain research via several flexible, multidisciplinary funding mechanisms. Contact an NSF program director to see how your research fits.
New Request for Information on Future Needs for Advanced Cyberinfrastructure to Support Science and Engineering Research
NSF requests input from the research community on science challenges and associated cyberinfrastructure needs over the next decade and beyond. Contributions to this request for information will be used during the coming year to inform the Foundation's strategy and plans for advanced cyberinfrastructure investments. NSF invites bold, forward-looking ideas that will provide opportunities to advance the frontiers of science and engineering well into the future. Deadline for submissions is April 5, 2017 5 p.m. ET.
New Integrative Strategies for Understanding Neural and Cognitive Systems
To support potentially transformative research in neural and cognitive systems, NSF awarded 16 grants in 2015 and 18 more in 2016 to multidisciplinary teams from across the U.S. The 2017 solicitation is out with letters of intent due Jan. 9, 2017, with four integrative research themes: neuroengineering and brain-inspired concepts and designs; individuality and variation; cognitive and neural processes in realistic, complex environments, and data-intensive neuroscience and cognitive science.
New Dear Colleague Letter: Stimulating Integrative Research in Computational Cognition (CompCog)
NSF is interested in receiving proposals to existing programs that explore computational models of human cognition, perception and communication and that integrate considerations and findings across disciplines. This Dear Colleague Letter is intended to enhance the scientific and societal impact of the field by encouraging active dialogue across the cognitive and computational communities, facilitating bidirectional cross-fertilization of ideas, and nurturing emerging areas of transdisciplinary research.
Developing a National Research Infrastructure for Neuroscience (NeuroNex)
NSF intends to foster the development of a national research infrastructure for neuroscience (NSF 16-047) to support collaborative and team science for achieving a comprehensive understanding of the brain. As part of this effort, NSF released a NeuroNex solicitation (NSF 16-569), which called for two types of proposals: Neurotechnology Hubs and Theory Teams.
Dear Colleague Letter: Innovative Computational Infrastructure for Understanding the Brain
NSF aims to support initial exploratory activities toward the creation of comprehensive shared computational infrastructure solutions that are designed to transform the practice of collaborative neuroscience and enable systematic and grand-scale investigations of the brain and nervous system.
Dear Colleague Letter: Fundamental Research to Improve STEM Teaching and Learning, and Workforce Development for Persons with Disabilities within the EHR Core Research Program
NSF intends to foster efforts to develop foundational knowledge in STEM teaching and learning for persons with disabilities in both formal and informal contexts from the earliest developmental stages of life through participation in the workforce.
Integrative Strategies for Understanding Neural and Cognitive Systems
To support potentially transformative research in neural and cognitive systems, NSF awarded 16 grants in 2015 to multidisciplinary teams from across the U.S. A solicitation for 2016 includes four integrative research themes: neuroengineering and brain-inspired concepts and designs; individuality and variation; cognitive and neural processes in realistic complex environments, and data-intensive neuroscience and cognitive science. Watch the webinar.
Dear Colleague Letter: Supplements to connect CISE, EHR and ENG projects to neural and cognitive systems
Major advances in understanding the brain have depended on fundamental contributions from many different disciplinary communities, often engaging with neural and cognitive questions in creative and surprising ways. Supplements may be requested for new or existing projects in CISE, EHR or ENG to connect them to significant new integrative opportunities.
Dear Colleague Letter: National Brain Observatory: A phased approach for developing a national research infrastructure for neuroscience
NSF intends to foster the development of a national research infrastructure for neuroscience, a National Brain Observatory, to support collaborative and team science to achieve a comprehensive understanding of the brain in action and context. NSF plans to release refined guidance and specific funding opportunities in the future.
Dear Colleague Letter: International Collaboration Opportunities related to the NSF Investments in Understanding the Brain
NSF is interested in promoting international scientific cooperation that links scientists and engineers from a range of disciplines and organizations across international borders.
Dear Colleague Letter: Stimulating Integrative Research in Computational Cognition
NSF welcomes proposals to encourage active dialogue across the cognitive and computational communities, facilitate bidirectional cross-fertilization of ideas, and nurture emerging areas of transdisciplinary research.
Collaborative Research in Computational Neuroscience
Through the CRCNS program, NSF, the National Institutes of Health, the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research, the French National Research Agency, and the United States-Israel Binational Science Foundation support collaborative activities that will advance the understanding of nervous system structure and function, mechanisms underlying nervous system disorders, and computational strategies used by the nervous system.
Visit our program pages for additional opportunities:
Biological and Chemical Technologies
Communications, Circuits, and Sensing-Systems
Computing and Communication Foundations
Computing Research Infrastructure
Condensed Matter and Materials Theory
Critical Techniques and Technologies for Advancing Big Data Science & Engineering
Cyberlearning and Future Learning Technologies
Electronics, Photonics, and Magnetic Devices
Energy, Power, and Adaptive Systems
Environmental Health and Safety of Nanotechnology
General & Age-Related Disabilities Engineering
Information and Intelligent Systems
Particulate and Multiphase Processes
Petascale Computing Resource Allocations
Any opinions, findings, conclusions or recommendations presented in this material are only those of the presenter grantee/researcher, author, or agency employee; and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.