National Science Foundation (NSF)

Overview

Funds competitive grants for research, education, and training, supporting science and engineering organizations and partnerships across U.S. states, territories, and international collaborators.

Part of the Washington ecosystem

Related

• DARPABuilds research programs and funds proof-of-concept breakthroughs to create and prevent technological surprise for U.S. national security agencies and defense partners.
• Georgetown CSETPublishes data-driven research and hosts expert events to help policymakers and public audiences assess emerging technologies' implications for national and global security.
• In-Q-TelBuilds a nonprofit investment platform that identifies strategic technology startups and adapts their technologies to meet current and future government partner mission needs.
• In-Q-Tel LabBuilds an investment platform that identifies startups, evaluates their technologies for government mission needs, and helps adapt them for national security customers.
• NSF Engineering Research CentersMakes grants for science and engineering research, partnerships, education, and training, serving colleges, industry, nonprofits, government, and diverse participants in the U.S. and globally.
• NSF I-CorpsProvides seven-week experiential entrepreneurship training helping scientists and engineers evaluate commercialization pathways for research projects moving from the laboratory toward marketplace implementation.
• NSF SBIRFunds early-stage startup R&D to develop deep technologies, evaluating applicants by technical novelty, commercial potential, and societal impact, with pitch and guidance support.
• 8VCBuilds and invests in technology companies, partnering with entrepreneurs to develop platforms addressing areas such as healthcare, zero-emission aircraft, privacy enforcement, and urban tunneling.
• HHMI Janelia Research CampusDevelops advanced imaging tools and neuroscience research, including electron microscopy connectome analysis of fruit fly neural circuits to study behaviorally relevant brain activity.
• Naval Research Laboratory (NRL)Conducts multidisciplinary scientific research and advanced technology development for maritime, ocean, atmospheric, and space applications supporting Navy and Marine Corps needs.
• NIH BRAIN InitiativeBrain Research through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies — large-scale NIH program (with DARPA, NSF, IARPA, and FDA collaboration) funding tools and technology to map the human brain. Funds neural recording technology, brain-machine interfaces, computational neuroscience, and large-scale connectomics. Coordinated from NIH campus in Bethesda MD.
• University of MarylandProvides teaching, research, and service, educating students, advancing knowledge, addressing major societal challenges, and promoting environmental responsibility through academics, research, operations, and public service.