MPS Materials Research Programs (MPS Materials)

Synopsis

The U.S. National Science Foundation Directorate for Mathematical and Physical Sciences (NSF MPS) supports multiple materials research programs that advance fundamental understanding of materials, their properties, and their potential applications.

The programs covered by this solicitation are:

Biomaterials
Ceramics
Condensed Matter and Materials Theory
Condensed Matter Physics
Electronic and Photonic Materials
Metals and Metallic Nanostructures
Polymers
Solid State and Materials Chemistry

Other materials research funding opportunities are covered by separate NSF solicitations, such as the NSF Materials Research Science and Engineering Centers and Designing Materials to Revolutionize and Engineer our Future.

NSF MPS 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.

Program contacts

Name	Email
Biomaterials (BMAT)	bmat@nsf.gov
Ceramics (CER)	cer@nsf.gov
Condensed Matter Physics (CMP)	cmp@nsf.gov
Electronic and Photonic Materials (EPM)	epm@nsf.gov
Metals and Metallic Nanostructures (MMN)	mmn@nsf.gov
Polymers (POL)	pol@nsf.gov
Solid State and Materials Chemistry (SSMC)	ssmc@nsf.gov
Condensed Matter and Materials Theory (CMMT)	cmmt@nsf.gov

Awards made through this program

Browse projects funded by this program

Map of recent awards made through this program

Upcoming due dates

Full proposal accepted anytime

Please check the section ‘program description’ for information about preferred proposal submission period within the federal fiscal year.

Program guidelines

Award information

Anticipated funding amount is subject to the availability of funds.

Estimated number of awards

200 to 300

Proposals may only be submitted by certain types of PIs. Please see solicitation for details.

Limit on number of proposals per PI or Co-PI

There are annual limits on the number of submitted proposals that can list the same individual as either principal investigator (PI) or co-PI per fiscal year. Beginning October 1 of each year, no more than one proposal per fiscal year may list the same individual as either PI or co-PI. Additionally:

That limit applies collectively to all proposals submitted per fiscal year across the eight materials research programs covered by this solicitation (other than the exceptions below).
NSF will return without review any subsequent proposals submitted during the same fiscal year that list the same individual as PI or co-PI, as described above.
This restriction also applies to proposals submitted to the following funding opportunities:
- Grant Opportunities for Academic Liaison with Industry (GOALI)
- Facilitating Research at Predominantly Undergraduate Institutions: (RUI and ROA-PUI)
- Computational and Data-Enabled Science and Engineering (CDS&E)
- International collaborative research programs

There are no such limits for faculty associates, as defined in PAPPG Exhibit II-3.A.2. The same individual may be included as a faculty associate in multiple proposals submitted during the same fiscal year.

Exceptions:

In rare cases involving continued funding of two current materials research projects that are expiring in the same fiscal year, NSF may make an exception after consultation with the cognizant program officer(s).

The proposal types listed below are not subject to these limitations and may be submitted at any time after consultation with and approval from the cognizant NSF program officer(s):

Conferences
Supplemental funding requests to existing grants
EArly-Concept Grants for Exploratory Research (EAGER)
Rapid Response Research (RAPID)
Research Advanced by Interdisciplinary Science and Engineering (RAISE)

Proposals of these types will be returned without review if not approved by a program officer prior to submission.

Proposals submitted to other NSF solicitations are also not subject to these limitations.

Withdrawn proposals do not count against the submission limit.

Proposers should contact the relevant program email alias listed in this solicitation with any submission eligibility questions.

Review full program guidelines and learn how to submit a proposal in the latest solicitation. Read the solicitation NSF 26-521

MPS Materials Research Programs (MPS Materials)

View guidelines

Important information for proposers and award recipients

Synopsis

Program contacts

Awards made through this program

MPS Materials Research Programs (MPS Materials)

View guidelines

Important information for proposers and award recipients

Synopsis

Program contacts

Funded as part of this Program

Awards made through this program

Related programs

Organization(s)