Accelerating Research Translation (ART)

The U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) seeks to increase the scale and pace of advancing discoveries resulting from academic research into tangible solutions that benefit the public. The overarching goal for the Accelerating Research Translation (ART) program is to advance the U.S. scientific and economic leadership by building capacity and increasing the number of robust translational research ecosystems in Institutions of Higher Education (IHEs) that span across the full geography of our nation. Innovations can occur anywhere and can be opportunities for creating sustained impacts in every single region of the United States. Achieving translational outcomes as a mechanism to drive sustained economic impacts is the primary aim of the "Accelerating Research Translation" (ART) program.

Led by NSF’s Directorate for Technology, Innovation and Partnerships (TIP) and in collaboration with other NSF directorates and the Office of Integrative Activities, the ART program seeks proposals involving institutional leadership; research translation programs, institutes or centers; technology transfer offices; units responsible for managing research intellectual property (IP); entrepreneurial training teams; and researchers from all scientific, technological and engineering fields in collaboration with one or more of the other target categories mentioned below.  This updated ART solicitation expands and builds upon its previous version, NSF 23-558, by implementing Tracks that address varying stages of capacity to accelerate research translation.

The ART program is aimed at providing resources that will ultimately facilitate a wide range of IHEs to achieve research translation, accelerate technology transfer, and create sustained economic and collective impacts across the U.S. It is understood that, like technology readiness levels (TRLs), there is no one measure or a combination of measures that can be used to describe the capacity of or measure the research translation readiness level (RTRL) for an IHE.  Some indicators that reflect on RTRL include volume of sustained basic and applied research as measured by research expenditures, robust technology transfer and entrepreneurship related activities (e.g. invention disclosures, patents, licenses, royalties, partnerships with industry, non-profits etc.).  Number of start-ups, resources for entrepreneurial and innovation education and training, the presence of a dedicated technology transfer office are also some of the other indicators that reflect on the RTRL.

Some of the criteria that may help identify the RTRL for an IHE are shown in Figure 1.  Typically, an IHE with low RTRL is likely to have very few patent, licensing, or start-ups related activities, while as these activities will be at a higher level for an IHE with a medium RTRL, whereas an IHE with high RTRL would likely have established tech transfer office with an an extensive record of technology transfer activities including patenting, licensing and creation of  startups, as well as extensive education, training, networking opportunities related to tech transfer and entrepreneurship. For the purpose of this solicitation, the illustration below provides some descriptors that may be useful in deciding which Track may be the best fit for a proposing organization. It is ultimately up to a proposing organization to determine which Track may present the best alignment for their submission.  

 Fig 1: Research Translation Readiness Level

The ART program seeks proposals that have a blend of: (1) activities that will help build and/or strengthen the institutional infrastructure to sustainably grow the institutional capacity for research translation in the short and long terms; (2) educational/training opportunities, especially in engaged scholarship and experiential opportunities for students, postdoctoral researchers, and faculty, to become entrepreneurial leads (EL) and/or seek use-inspired- and/or technology transfer- and research translation-oriented careers in the public and/or private sectors; and (3) specific, research translation and technology transfer activities that offer immediate opportunities for transition to practice to create sustained economic and collective impacts. Importantly, NSF’s definitions of research translation and technology transfer go beyond a traditional focus on lab-to-market pathways leading to new startups and small businesses; rather, NSF aims to grow capacity at IHEs to achieve the full range of translational impacts emanating from research discoveries and innovations by including civic entrepreneurship; informing standards-setting, policy, and regulatory bodies; scaling rigorous and engaging curricula, instructional material, and pedagogies; and more.

The ART program framework is built around five distinct Tracks that are interconnected. These Tracks are differentiated by the RTRL. Track 1 is designed and intended for IHEs that currently have a low to medium RTRL. The IHEs responding to Track 1 are expected to have on-going research that has potential and opportunity for innovation translation but the infrastructure and the ecosystem for creating such opportunities for research translation are very limited.  On the other hand, Track 2 is designed and intended for IHEs with some modest infrastructure and ecosystem that has a high volume of research but overall low level of research translation. Tracks 3 and 4 are designed and intended for IHEs or non-profits that have a significantly higher RTRL (or equivalent experience) and can create and deliver entrepreneurship-, technology transfer related education and training materials and offer related services to IHEs that have a much lower RTRL. Track 5 is designed and intended for providing support to an IHE that can coordinate research translation-related activities for teams across all the other Tracks.  

Track 1: Accelerating Technology Transfer (ACT)  

• This is an opportunity for only IHEs that have a low to medium level of overall research and can demonstrate potential for identifying and acting on opportunities for economic benefits by starting to build capacity for innovation translation. A Track 1 award is expected to be up to a total of $3 million for a duration of 3 years. The proposal must be led by and focused on outcomes of one IHE. Subject to availability of funds and quality of proposals, NSF plans to make up to 20 awards under the ACT Track. ACT awardees demonstrating strong performance, as demonstrated by successfully meeting evaluation criteria during the award may have an opportunity to receive renewal support for up to 2 more years and total funding up to $1 million, subject to the availability of funds.

Track 2: Growing Capacity for Research Translation (GROW)   

• This is an opportunity for only IHEs that currently have a high level of research with a modest research translation infrastructure in place but where the level of research translation remains relatively low. This Track 2 is aimed at IHEs that have a high potential and desire to substantially elevate the overall level of research translation to unleash innovation and create significant opportunities for sustained economic and collective impacts. The proposal must be led by and focused on outcomes of one IHE in partnership with one mentoring IHE with a high RTRL. A Track 2 award may be budgeted for up to a total of $6 million for a duration of 4 years. Subject to availability of funds and quality of proposals, NSF plans to make up to 10 awards under this Track.   

 Track 3: Technology Transfer Resource Centers (RESOURCE)   

• The ART program aims to leverage the experience and resources of IHEs or non-profits with strong research translation capacity (and/or experience) to launch a network of regional Technology Transfer Resource Centers (RESOURCE) that promote regional technology transfer and technology development activities available to multiple IHEs in a region with low or emerging research capacity and little or no dedicated technology transfer or research translation resources.  A Track 3 award for a RESOURCE is expected to provide guidance, training, education, and services to other IHEs in a region who have a low RTRL. A Track 3 award is expected to be up to a total of $8 million for a duration of 4 years. Subject to availability of funds and quality of proposals, NSF plans to make up to 5 RESOURCE awards. Some awardees demonstrating strong performance, as demonstrated by successfully meeting evaluation criteria during the award, including progress toward self-sustainability, may have an opportunity to receive renewal support for up to 4 more years and additional funding of up to $2 million, subject to the availability of funds. As noted above, the lead IHE for this Track is expected to be an IHE with a very high RTRL or a non-profit with significant expertise related to technology transfer, entrepreneurship and related areas leading to sustained economic impacts.      

 Track 4: Education and Training (ET)    

• This nationally focused Track invites proposals from IHEs or non-profits with any combination of either a strong, vibrant and established research translation ecosystem, and/or demonstrated experience to develop, evaluate, and deploy educational and training resources related to entrepreneurship, technology transfer and related activities. The beneficiaries for these education and training resources to be developed will be lower RTRL IHEs located anywhere in the United States (including but not limited to Track 1 and Track 2 awardees). Track 4 awards may be budgeted up to a total of $3 million for a duration of 3 years. Subject to availability of funds and quality of proposals, NSF plans to make up to 4 ET awards. Some awardees demonstrating strong performance, as demonstrated by successfully meeting evaluation criteria during the award, including progress toward self-sustainability, may have an opportunity to receive renewal support for up to 2 more years and additional funding up to $2 million (subject to the availability of funds), to scale up the deployment and adoption of the developed resources and training materials nationally.

Track 5: Coordinating Accelerating Research Translation (CART) 

• This Track invites proposals from IHEs or non-profits for the creation of a unifying center that will facilitate the development of an integrated platform for coordinating, evaluating, and monitoring the progress being made by teams that are supported under both Tracks 1 and 2. The CART awardee would also coordinate activities to be carried out under awards pursuant to Tracks 3 and 4. The Track 5 CART cooperative agreement award may be budgeted up to a total of $3 million for a duration of 5 years. Subject to availability of funds and quality of proposals, NSF plans to make up to 2 awards under the CART Track. Some awardees demonstrating strong performance, as demonstrated by successfully meeting evaluation criteria during the award, including progress toward self-sustainability, may have an opportunity to receive renewal for up to 5 more years and additional funding up to $3 million, subject to the availability of funds. Proposals for this Track must be led by one IHE with a high RTRL with significant expertise and experience in areas related to technology transfer, intellectual property management, entrepreneurship as well as initiatives and programs directed at sustained economic and collective impacts.