NSF 26-515: Engineering (ENG): Civil, Mechanical, and Manufacturing Innovation (CMMI)

Program Solicitation NSF 26-515

U.S. National Science Foundation Directorate for Engineering      Division of Civil, Mechanical and Manufacturing Innovation

Full Proposal Deadline(s) (due by 5 p.m. submitting organization's local time):

     Proposals Accepted Anytime

Important Information and Revision Notes

Proposals must be prepared in accordance with the NSF Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG). Use the version of the guide that is in effect on the proposal's due date.

Summary of Program Requirements

General Information

Program Title:

Engineering (ENG): Civil, Mechanical, and Manufacturing Innovation (CMMI)

Synopsis of Program:

The U.S. National Science Foundation Directorate for Engineering (NSF ENG) supports foundational research projects for civil, mechanical, and manufacturing innovation through the following programs:

• The Advanced Manufacturing, Design, and Operations (AMDO) program supports foundational research on advanced manufacturing, materials and service processes; their integration into facilities, supply chains, and other systems; and the optimal operation and design of these systems.
• The Engineering for the Built Environment (EBE) program supports foundational research on civil infrastructure and civil infrastructure systems, from materials to network sciences, for prosperous, resilient, and safe communities.
• The Intelligent and Interactive Dynamic Systems (IIDS) program supports foundational research to advance the science and engineering of intelligent dynamic systems, including engineered systems that interact with people.
• The Mechanics of Advanced Materials Systems (MAMS) program supports foundational research on deformation and failure in engineered and biological materials.

NSF ENG anticipates a portfolio of ENG: Civil, Mechanical, and Manufacturing Innovation (CMMI) awards with a range of budgets and durations. Estimated program budget, number of awards, and average award size/duration are subject to the availability of funds.

NSF ENG is particularly interested in intellectually ambitious and potentially transformative foundational research. Proposals need not promise a near-term product, deployment, or commercial outcome, nor need they address later-stage development to be competitive.

NSF Priorities

The U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) supports foundational research that leads to scientific breakthroughs and opens new frontiers of human knowledge. NSF investments in scientific discovery underpin technological innovation across industries, strengthening U.S. economic competitiveness, enhancing national security, and improving quality of life for all Americans.

NSF's priority under this funding opportunity is to advance foundational research, spanning both incremental advances that build systematically on prior scholarship and bold, high-risk inquiries capable of reshaping entire fields. NSF places particular emphasis on projects that challenge prevailing paradigms, ask important questions, develop new theories or methods, create research tools or datasets that enable further research, or open new lines of inquiry. Proposals need not promise a near-term product, deployment, or commercial outcome, nor must they address later-stage development in a named technology priority to be competitive. NSF further recognizes that the most consequential discoveries increasingly emerge at the boundary between disciplines, and it therefore strongly encourages proposals that forge novel connections across scientific domains.

Within this mandate, NSF is especially interested in intellectually ambitious and potentially transformative research; work that creates opportunities for exceptional early-career investigators; and proposals that leverage emerging technologies, including AI, advanced computation, and automation, to make new modes, methods, or scales of science possible. The use of these tools should be scientifically justified rather than incidental. Beyond accelerating existing workflows, such tools open fundamentally new scientific questions, reveal patterns invisible to prior methods, and enable experimental and analytical capabilities.

To support this vision, NSF seeks proposals spanning a wide range of funding levels and project durations. NSF is working to expand opportunities at both ends of this spectrum, including rapid grants that allow researchers to quickly test exploratory ideas and longer, larger awards that provide sustained support for ambitious, transformative research. For preliminary or time-sensitive work, NSF encourages investigators to use mechanisms such as Planning Proposal, RAPID, EAGER, and RAISE (see Chapter II.F of the PAPPG for more information). Where longer awards would benefit the pursuit of ambitious, transformative research and reduce administrative burden on investigators, NSF encourages proposals requesting up to five years of support. Investigators may consider the options above, and others, outside of the project sizes and durations specified in this funding opportunity.

NSF welcomes submissions from all researchers, particularly those earlier in their careers and those working in the foundational research areas highlighted in the Administration's FY28 Research and Development Budget Priorities Memorandum. NSF also expects the highest standards of scientific rigor, transparency, reproducibility, research integrity, and adherence to tenets of Gold Standard Science in proposals, as appropriate for the field of science and research modality.

Cognizant Program Officer(s):

Please note that the following information is current at the time of publishing. See program website for any updates to the points of contact.

• AMDO Program Team, telephone: (703) 292-8360, email: cmmi-amdo@nsf.gov
• EBE Program Team, telephone: (703) 292-8360, email: cmmi-ebe@nsf.gov
• IIDS Program Team, telephone: (703) 292-8360, email: cmmi-iids@nsf.gov
• MAMS Program Team, telephone: (703) 292-8360, email: cmmi-mams@nsf.gov

Applicable Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number(s):

• 47.041 - Engineering

Award Information

Anticipated Type of Award: Standard Grant or Continuing Grant

Estimated Number of Awards: 225 to 275

Anticipated Funding Amount: $100,000,000

Proposal Preparation and Submission Instructions

A. Proposal Preparation Instructions

• Letters of Intent: Not required
• Preliminary Proposal Submission: Not required

• Full Proposals:

  • For proposals submitted via Research.gov, PAPPG guidelines apply.
  • For proposals submitted via Grants.gov, NSF Grants.gov Application Guide guidelines apply.

B. Budgetary Information

• Cost Sharing Requirements:

  Inclusion of voluntary committed cost sharing is prohibited.

• Indirect Cost (F&A) Limitations:

  Not Applicable

• Other Budgetary Limitations:

  Not Applicable

C. Due Dates

• Full Proposal Deadline(s) (due by 5 p.m. submitting organization's local time):

       Proposals Accepted Anytime

Proposal Review Information Criteria

Merit Review Criteria:

National Science Board approved criteria apply.

Award Administration Information

Award Conditions:

Standard NSF award conditions apply.

Reporting Requirements:

Standard NSF reporting requirements apply.

I. Introduction

The NSF Engineering (ENG): Civil, Mechanical and Manufacturing Innovation (CMMI) solicitation supports foundational engineering research that advances civil, design, mechanical, industrial, systems, manufacturing, and materials engineering. ENG: CMMI investments help revitalize domestic manufacturing capabilities and methods and lead to innovative engineering materials and building technologies, resilient civil infrastructure, next-generation tools and systems for decision-making, robotics, and controls.

In alignment with the Administration's Fiscal Year 2028 Research and Development Budget Priorities Memorandum, ENG: CMMI supports the discovery of new knowledge for the design, transformation and efficient use of engineered materials, including new alloys and composites for applications in space systems, fusion energy, and other extreme environments. The solicitation invests in foundational engineering research on advanced manufacturing and resilient supply networks, which are needed to strengthen U.S. production leadership and regional industry. The solicitation also supports foundational research for the materials, design, operation and control of robotics, and resilient infrastructure. ENG: CMMI's support for the modeling, diagnostics, and control of complex dynamical systems, including those that involve human interaction with embodied artificial intelligence, are core building blocks for robotics, autonomous production, and other real-world applications.

This solicitation supports foundational, early-stage research on manufacturing, supply chains, autonomous systems, and other areas that are highlighted in the Administration's Fiscal Year 2028 Research and Development Budget Priorities Memorandum.

NSF support for foundational, early-stage research in civil, mechanical, and manufacturing engineering has resulted in transformative results. NSF-supported engineering research on constructing objects directly from digital models led to selective laser sintering, a foundational 3D-printing process now used to manufacture complex polymer and metal parts without dedicating tooling. NSF's investments in the foundational engineering and manufacturing of metamaterials, which exhibit properties not found in nature, are producing new and higher-performing optical, electronic, and acoustic devices used in advanced communications, defense, and imaging. NSF-funded foundational engineering research has also led to the development and adoption of the first building standards for withstanding tornado winds.

The ENG: CMMI solicitation is managed by the NSF Directorate for Engineering.

II. Program Description

This solicitation covers submissions to the following ENG: CMMI programs. Research proposals that fit within a single program and multidisciplinary research that spans more than one of these programs are welcome.  

Please see the individual program webpages linked below for more information on what is within scope for these ENG: CMMI programs:

• The Advanced Manufacturing, Design, and Operations (AMDO) program supports foundational research on manufacturing processes, systems, and services. AMDO supports the integration of processes and information into systems and supply chains; it also supports the secure, effective, and efficient operation and design of these systems at different scales. The program invests in foundational engineering research for early-stage manufacturing, an area highlighted in the Administration's FY 2028 Research and Development Budget Priorities.
• The Engineering for the Built Environment (EBE) program supports foundational research on engineered and natural infrastructure elements, systems, and systems-of-systems. EBE aims to enhance the adaptability and resilience of the built environment.
• The Intelligent and Interactive Dynamic Systems (IIDS) program supports foundational research that advances the science and engineering of intelligent dynamic systems to ensure functionality, safety, reliability, and resilience. IIDS projects may investigate novel dynamic phenomena and new methods for modeling, simulation, analysis, inference, and control.
• The Mechanics of Advanced Materials Systems (MAMS) program supports foundational research on how engineered and biological materials change in shape or size under internal and external forces. MAMS supports research related to material response and to structural element response.

NSF ENG anticipates a portfolio of ENG: CMMI awards with a range of budgets and durations. Project budgets and durations must be commensurate with the scope of the proposed work. Estimated program budget, number of awards, and average award size/duration are subject to the availability of funds.

Proposals should advance one or more of the following measures of success:

• Publications from research or other scholarly outputs.
• Data sets established or expanded.
• Patents developed.
• New technologies or techniques established.
• Undergraduates, graduates, and postdoctoral fellows supported.
• Undergraduate and graduate students trained in a specific critical area.

Proposers are strongly encouraged to email a one-page project summary to the Cognizant Program Director(s) before submitting a full proposal for guidance on whether the proposed research topic falls within the scope of the program. It is strongly encouraged and expected that investigators discuss their ideas and potential fit with a Program Director well in advance of proposal submission. Communication with Program Directors does not constitute review or influence funding decisions. Contact information for each program is listed below under Agency Contacts.

To speed discovery and innovation, NSF partners with federal agencies, industry, international groups, and others. For partnership opportunities that are relevant to the ENG: CMMI program, please see NSF ENG Partnerships. Partnerships do not imply that new requirements will be introduced outside of the solicitation.

This program advances NSF's mission as given in the NSF organic statute (42 U.S.C. 1861, et seq.).

III. Award Information

Estimated program budget, number of awards and average award size/duration are subject to the availability of funds.  

IV. Eligibility Information

Who May Submit Proposals:

The categories of proposers eligible to submit proposals to the National Science Foundation are identified in the NSF Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG), Chapter I.E. Unaffiliated individuals are not eligible to submit proposals in response to this solicitation.

Who May Serve as PI:

There are no restrictions or limits.

Limit on Number of Proposals per Organization:

There are no restrictions or limits.

Limit on Number of Proposals Per PI or Co-PI:

There are no restrictions or limits.

V. Proposal Preparation and Submission Instructions

A. Proposal Preparation Instructions

Full Proposal Preparation Instructions: Proposers may opt to submit proposals in response to this Program Solicitation via Research.gov or Grants.gov.

You must prepare your proposal according to Chapter II.D.2 of the PAPPG, unless this solicitation specifies different instructions. Always use the version of the PAPPG in effect on your proposal's due date.

• For proposals submitted via Research.gov, PAPPG guidelines apply.
• For proposals submitted via Grants.gov, NSF Grants.gov Application Guide guidelines apply.

In determining which method to utilize in the electronic preparation and submission of the proposal, please note the following:

Collaborative Proposals. All collaborative proposals submitted as separate submissions from multiple organizations must be submitted via Research.gov. PAPPG Chapter II.E.3 provides additional information on collaborative proposals.

B. Budgetary Information

Cost Sharing:

Inclusion of voluntary committed cost sharing is prohibited.

C. Research.gov/Grants.gov Requirements

You can submit proposals in response to this solicitation through Research.gov or Grants.gov, unless otherwise noted.

Information on how to prepare and submit proposals is available on the Submitting Your Proposal page on NSF.gov.

VI. NSF Proposal Processing and Review Procedures

Information on NSF's proposal processing and review procedures is available on the Overview of the NSF Proposal and Award Process page on NSF.gov.

A. Merit Review Principles and Criteria

All NSF proposals are evaluated through use of the two National Science Board-approved merit review criteria:

• Intellectual Merit, which encompasses the potential to advance knowledge.
• Broader Impacts, which encompass the potential to benefit society and contribute to the achievement of specific, desired societal outcomes.

Information on NSF's merit review principles and process can be found on the How We Make Funding Decisions page on NSF.gov.

B. Review and Selection Process

Proposals submitted in response to this program solicitation will be reviewed by

Ad hoc Review and/or Panel Review.

After a proposal passes an initial compliance check, it will be reviewed by an NSF Program Officer. In most cases, three or more external experts will also review it (either as ad hoc reviewers, panelists or both).

Visit the Overview of the NSF Proposal and Award Process page for more information on the proposal review and selection process.

In alignment with Executive Order 14332 (Improving Oversight of Federal Grantmaking), all else being equal after merit review, NSF may give preference to institutions with lower indirect cost rates.

VII. Award Administration Information

A. Notification of the Award

Notification of an award is made to the submitting organization by an NSF Grants and Agreements Officer.

B. Award Conditions

Information on NSF award conditions can be found on the Award Terms and Conditions page on NSF.gov and Chapter VII of the PAPPG.

Administrative and National Policy Requirements:

Information on administrative and national policy requirements can be found on the National Policy Requirements for Recipients of NSF Awards page on NSF.gov.

Consistent with the requirements specified in 2 CFR § 200.332, recipients of NSF awards must adhere to the requirements for pass-through entities in establishing and managing subawards issued ensuring alignment with Administration and NSF policies and priorities.

In alignment with Executive Order 14332 (Improving Oversight of Federal Grantmaking), proposers should be aware that NSF awards offered under this funding opportunity may include termination for convenience provisions.

C. Reporting Requirements

Unless your award notice says otherwise, NSF requires the principal investigator of every grant to submit annual project reports and a project outcomes report for the general public. For complete reporting requirements, see Chapter VII of the PAPPG.

VIII. Agency Contacts

For questions related to the use of NSF systems contact:

• Research.gov: NSF IT Service Desk at rgov@nsf.gov or 1-800-381-1532. The Service Desk is open from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Eastern time, Monday through Friday (except for federal holidays).

For questions relating to Grants.gov contact:

• Grants.gov: The Grants.gov Contact Center at support@grants.gov or 1-800-518-4726. (Contact if the Authorized Organizational Representative (AOR) has not received a confirmation message from Grants.gov within 48 hours of submitting an application.)

The contact information below is accurate at the time of publishing. See the program page linked at the top of this solicitation for up-to-date contacts, as they may have changed.

General inquiries regarding this program should be made to:

• AMDO Program Team, (703) 292-8360, email: cmmi-amdo@nsf.gov
• EBE Program Team, (703) 292-8360, email: cmmi-ebe@nsf.gov
• IIDS Program Team, (703) 292-8360, email: cmmi-iids@nsf.gov
• MAMS Program Team, (703) 292-8360, email: cmmi-mams@nsf.gov

IX. Other Information

For information on NSF directorates, programs and funding opportunities, go to NSF.gov.

About the National Science Foundation

The U.S. National Science Foundation is an independent federal agency created by the "National Science Foundation Act of 1950." More information about NSF can be found on NSF.gov.

Privacy Act and Public Burden Statements

The information requested on proposal forms and project reports is solicited under the authority of the "National Science Foundation Act of 1950," as amended. More information can be found on the Privacy Act and Public Burden Statements page on NSF.gov.