NSF initiative to make America AI-ready seeks national lead to coordinate readiness and accelerate deployment
The NSF TechAccess: AI-Ready America National Lead will provide overarching coordination for the initiative
The U.S. National Science Foundation and federal partners — the Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture, the Department of Labor and the Small Business Administration — announced a new funding opportunity to provide overarching coordination for the NSF TechAccess: AI-Ready America (NSF AI-Ready America) initiative. The NSF AI-Ready America National Coordination Lead (National Lead) will work alongside NSF to facilitate collaboration and knowledge sharing among a set of state and territory-based Coordination Hubs in which NSF is separately investing, identify and align priority economic sectors and inform national artificial intelligence strategies. NSF anticipates making one award at up to $5 million per year for up to five years.
AI-Ready America is a national-scale initiative that aims to accelerate AI readiness and adoption across the U.S. by strengthening coordination, leveraging partnerships and resources, filling gaps and scaling what works so that local and state priorities can shape an AI-driven economy that benefits all communities. This program will expand access to AI knowledge, tools, training and capacity building so all Americans can participate in and benefit from the AI economy. As a first step, NSF and federal partners released a funding opportunity in March to establish AI-Ready Coordination Hubs in every U.S. state and territory.
Informed by the White House AI Action Plan, the AI-Ready America initiative is designed to close the gap between the nation's AI capabilities and the workforce, businesses and communities that need to use them. The initiative targets three areas where that gap is widest: expanding AI literacy and applied skills across the American workforce; equipping small businesses and local governments with the tools and technical assistance to adopt AI; and building hands-on learning pathways, including internships and project-based programs, that translate AI skills into real-world application.
The initiative will operate through a network of state and territory-based Coordination Hubs — up to 56 in total, covering all U.S. states, territories and the District of Columbia — selected through multiple rounds of competition. Each hub will connect local partners, coordinate deployment and scale proven approaches based on the priorities of state and local stakeholders. NSF will invest up to $1 million annually per hub over three years, with the possibility of a fourth year for hubs demonstrating continued need. The National Lead will facilitate collaboration and knowledge sharing among the hubs.
The National Lead will be funded as an Other Transaction offered through the Other Transaction Agreement Solutions Offering being announced today. NSF also plans to issue AI-Ready Catalyst award competitions focused on a series of topics to pilot and scale innovative approaches that address critical AI readiness needs.
Proposals to apply to the National Lead funding opportunity are due by Tuesday, July 21, 5 p.m. submitter's time. Questions about the funding opportunity will be accepted through Monday, June 15. Questions must be submitted via email to ai-ready@nsf.gov using the subject line "AI-Ready America National Lead Questions". To learn more, register for an informational webinar on Wednesday, June 11, at 1 p.m. EDT. You may also visit the Tech Access: AI-Ready America webpage and read the funding opportunity.
Additionally, the AI-Ready America initiative seeks merit reviewers for proposals submitted to the State/Territory Coordination Hubs solicitation. If you are interested in serving as a reviewer, please fill out this reviewer interest survey. Responses will be accepted until June 19, 2026.
To learn more about the AI-Ready America initiative, sign up to receive NSF TIP emails.
About NSF TIP
The NSF Directorate for Technology, Innovation and Partnerships (NSF TIP) seeks to engage all Americans in accelerating critical and emerging technologies to advance U.S. competitiveness. The directorate partners across sectors to advance three strategies – accelerating critical and emerging technology, expanding the geography of American innovation and building a competition-ready workforce. For more information about NSF TIP, visit nsf.gov/tip/latest.