Empowering and Educating Children to Thrive in a Digital Era
Invites proposal submissions to support and promote the well-being of children in the digital age through the use of safe and innovative advanced technologies, including Al and other emerging technologies, as well as through approaches that strengthen digital literacy.
Dear Colleague:
This Dear Colleague Letter (DCL) encourages proposal submissions that empower children to learn, grow, and thrive through the safe and innovative use of advanced technology. The U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) is interested in proposals that investigate and advance evidence-based strategies, technologies and approaches, including artificial intelligence (Al) and other emerging technologies, to strengthen children’s safety and privacy online, create and expand educational opportunities for children, support and promote their well-being in the digital age, and strengthen the capacity of educators, parents, caregivers and community stakeholders to protect children from online dangers. NSF is also interested in the design of advanced learning environments that help children learn, grow, and thrive in the future across formal and informal educational settings.
Background
Technologies are rapidly transforming how children learn, create, communicate and participate in society. Advanced technologies, including AI, present unprecedented opportunities to strengthen children’s safety and privacy online, enhance their well-being and expand opportunities for learning and development in the digital age.
At the same time, the ever-evolving digital landscape presents new challenges related to children’s online safety, privacy, protection, digital literacy and well-being in increasingly complex digital environments. Addressing these opportunities and challenges requires research, practical approaches, innovative tools and actionable strategies to ensure children can safely participate in and benefit from advanced technologies, including AI, and grow into the next generation of American innovators.
Call for Proposals
In response to these significant opportunities and challenges, NSF is accepting proposals to support and promote the well-being of children in the digital age through the use of safe and innovative advanced technologies, including Al and other emerging technologies, as well as through approaches that strengthen digital literacy. NSF encourages the community to respond to this challenge through the funding opportunities listed at the end of this DCL. Proposals must meet all the requirements of the corresponding funding program solicitations, including eligibility, applicable deadlines and budget guidelines.
Applicants are encouraged to engage with partners from industries, nonprofits and other organizations to strengthen the project outcomes. Strategies may include collaborations with supportive partners, educator professional development, and training and support for parents and other community stakeholders. Proposed innovations must be designed and implemented in age-appropriate ways that support children’s development and active participation in the digital age. Such innovations may include but are not limited to technology applications and tools (for example, AI-powered tutoring systems, virtual learning environments or youth online safety tools), digital literacy initiatives for children, families, and communities, and related approaches. Compelling proposals often involve interdisciplinary research and collaboration among educators, technologists, researchers, parents, and other stakeholders.
This DCL aligns with the First Lady Melania Trump’s "Fostering the Future Together" coalition to ensure children’s wellbeing in the digital age, and with Administration priorities that promote AI literacy and integration into education. It also supports efforts to sustain America’s global AI leadership, as articulated in recent executive orders, including Advancing Artificial Intelligence Education for American Youth and Removing Barriers to American Leadership in Artificial Intelligence.
Importantly, this DCL also aims to advance America’s AI Action Plan by promoting AI literacy in classrooms and communities and by coordinating AI skills development programs. When responding to this DCL, please consider including "Empowering Children to Thrive DCL:" at the beginning of the proposal title. Questions about this DCL should be directed to the program email aliases listed below.
Sincerely,
Erwin Gianchandani
Assistant Director for Technology, Innovation and Partnerships (TIP)
List of Participating Programs
NSF FINDERS Foundry, FindersFoundry@nsf.gov
The NSF Fostering Interdisciplinary Networks to Develop Emergent and Responsive Solutions Foundry (NSF FINDERS Foundry) program supports innovation in K-12 education by bringing together educators, technologists, and researchers to co-design solutions that address real challenges in learning and workforce development. These challenges are identified by K-12 students, families, and educators themselves. The program emphasizes active participation, technical literacy, and early exposure to emerging technologies like AI, helping students engage and flourish in a rapidly evolving digital economy.
NSF TechAccess: AI-Ready America, ai-ready@nsf.gov
NSF TechAccess: AI-Ready America (NSF AIRA) is a national-scale initiative to strengthen and coordinate AI-readiness and accelerate AI adoption across the U.S. This program seeks to establish state and territory coordination hubs, connect partners and resources, strengthen planning and deployment, and rapidly scale approaches that fill gaps and expand AI literacy and use. This program emphasizes practical implementation with hands-on assistance and upskilling, so that all Americans, including our Nation’s youth, can effectively apply and innovate with AI.