Chemical Catalysis (CAT)

The Chemical Catalysis (CAT) program supports basic research aimed at the discovery of new and/or more efficient catalytic transformations through fundamental understanding of the intrinsic, underlying chemistry. This understanding typically involves evaluation of the energetics, kinetics and mechanism, and characterization at the atom/bond level. Both homogeneous and heterogeneous catalytic processes lie within the program scope; however, note the exclusions described below. The CAT Program encompasses, but is not limited to, the following representative areas: organometallic-, inorganic-, and organocatalysis, electrocatalysis, photocatalysis, polymerization catalysis, single site/atom catalysis, and biologically inspired catalysis. Applications of modeling, theory, simulation, surface science, and advanced characterization techniques to fundamental catalysis are also relevant.

The CAT program also encourages proposal submissions in the following topical areas: Catalysis research proposals that incorporate new and emerging data and AI tools (machine learning, cheminformatics, robotics and high throughput experimentation, etc.) in conjunction with experimental validation, hypothesis testing, and characterization are in scope. Catalysis projects that address important societal challenges or national priorities are welcome and further encouraged to include discussion as to how the project advances the field toward the solution of the targeted problem. For example, this could take the form of benchmarking to the current state of the art, summarizing the performance metrics required to achieve needed and ultimate goals, and discussing how the proposed fundamental research, if successful, would narrow this knowledge gap and transform the field. Grant Opportunities for Academic Liaison with Industry (GOALI) proposals, where advances involve collaborative research with an industrial partner, are welcome and supported by CAT.

The CAT program encourages PIs to monitor current funding priorities identified by the Foundation and to highlight relevant synergies in their project summaries and project descriptions.

Research topics that are not of interest to the CAT program:

· Heterogeneous catalysis research projects that do not provide fundamental understanding at the atomic/bond level (e.g., the scope encompasses ensembles and statistical averages over longer scales) are not appropriate for CAT. The CAT Program does not support applied catalysis research involving engineering aspects of catalysis such as scale-up, processing, heat/energy or mass transport dynamics, reactor/cell design and development, or long-term stability. Researchers contemplating proposals in these areas should contact the NSF Directorate for Engineering.

· Catalyst discovery projects based solely on empirical data mining using AI, machine learning, and/or other computational techniques and without the fundamental scientific understanding and benchmarking/evaluation that characterizes the Chemical Catalysis program should consult with program officers in the following NSF organizations: Directorate for Engineering, Directorate for Computer and Information Science and Engineering, or Materials Research within the Directorate for Mathematical and Physical Sciences.

· Research projects with immediate objectives in synthesis using established catalysts should be submitted to the Chemical Synthesis (SYN) Program.

· Research where understanding catalytic reaction mechanism(s) is the primary project goal is most appropriate for submission to the Chemical Mechanism, Function, and Properties (CMFP) Program.

· Researchers focused on enzymatic or cellular catalysis should also consider the Chemical Synthesis (SYN) and Chemistry of Life Processes (CLP) program in MPS-Chemistry or, if genetic engineering or directed evolution are involved, the NSF Directorate for Engineering.

· Principal Investigators unsure of program fit for their projects should send a single email, copied to all potentially relevant programs, for feedback and to schedule further discussion if warranted.

Proposals to the CAT program are welcome at any time, starting September 1, 2026. All proposals submitted to this program (including individual and collaborative proposals, GOALIs) must be submitted to the CHE Disciplinary Research Programs solicitation (NSF 22-605), except for:

· RUI proposals must be submitted to the Facilitating Research at Predominantly Undergraduate Institutions: (RUI and ROA-PUI) program.

· Proposals submitted in response to another solicitation should follow the solicitation guidelines e.g. (CAREER).

· Early-concept Grants for Exploratory Research (EAGER), Rapid Response Research (RAPID), or Research Advanced by Interdisciplinary Science and Engineering (RAISE) proposals must be discussed with a program officer before submission and then should only be submitted as instructed.

MPS Chemistry occasionally supports forward-looking workshops to inform future research needs and directions relevant to chemical science. We are not generally able to support research symposia, including those at either special or recurring meetings and conferences. Workshop proposals must be discussed with a program officer before submission.

For recent awards made by the program, search NSF award database with the Program Element Code 688400.

• What Has Been Funded (Recent Awards Made Through This Program, with Abstracts)
• Map of Recent Awards Made Through This Program