Science and Technology Centers: Integrative Partnerships | 24 594

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the NSF Science and Technology Centers (STC): Integrative Partnerships program?

The NSF STC: Integrative Partnerships opportunity funds large, long-term research and education centers designed for ambitious efforts that are too large or complex for typical grant programs. The program focuses on high-risk, high-reward work intended to reshape fields, create new scientific paradigms, launch new disciplines, or produce transformative technologies with broad scientific or societal benefits.

What kinds of projects is this program meant to support?

This program supports center-scale projects that require sustained effort, major coordination across teams and organizations, and long-term planning. It is designed for work that benefits from an integrated, networked center model rather than smaller, single-investigator or short-duration awards.

Are STCs limited to certain scientific fields?

STCs can be proposed in any area of science or engineering supported by NSF. The program emphasizes research that crosses disciplinary boundaries or introduces unusually innovative approaches within a discipline.

What makes an STC different from a typical NSF grant?

STCs are intended to operate at a scale and duration that enables sustained, coordinated work across multiple organizations. They are structured as integrated networks and are designed to support research and education activities that are too large or complex to fit within typical grant programs.

What is meant by “integrative partnerships” in this opportunity?

The program expects deep, structured partnerships. While one eligible university serves as the lead, STCs are designed to function as integrated networks that connect multiple types of organizations and participants in a shared research, education, and training environment.

Who can serve as the lead organization for an STC proposal?

A single eligible U.S.-based institution of higher education serves as the lead. Eligibility is limited to U.S.-based institutions of higher education (including U.S. territories and possessions) that have doctoral degree-granting research and education programs in NSF-supported areas.

What types of partner organizations can be included in an STC?

Typical partners can include other universities and colleges, national laboratories, research museums, private-sector R&D organizations, and state or local government labs. The center is intended to operate as an integrated network across these organizations.

Are international collaborations allowed or encouraged?

International collaborations are encouraged when they strengthen the center’s ability to meet its goals.

What are the expectations for integrating research and education?

STCs are expected to integrate research and education in a way that strengthens both. Centers should build a rich training environment for students, postdoctoral researchers, and faculty, and connect learning directly to inquiry and discovery. Education and workforce development are expected to be embedded into the center’s research activities rather than treated as add-ons.

Who is expected to benefit from the training environment created by an STC?

The program specifically highlights training environments for students, postdoctoral researchers, and faculty, with learning connected directly to the center’s discovery and research activities.

How important is broadening participation in STEM for this program?

Broadening participation in STEM is a central expectation of the STC program. NSF encourages involvement from the full spectrum of talent, including underrepresented and underserved communities, and expects participation by individuals from groups historically underrepresented in science, engineering, and mathematics at every level of the center (faculty, staff, students, and postdocs).

What kinds of approaches are expected for broadening participation?

Centers are expected to act as leaders in broadening participation and to use evidence-based approaches or thoughtfully designed innovative approaches to recruitment, retention, success, and career advancement.

What is “knowledge transfer” in the context of an STC?

Knowledge transfer is a required component and refers to intentional activities that move ideas, results, and capabilities beyond the center into wider use. NSF frames it as exchanging scientific and technical information to support broad dissemination and utilization across multiple sectors.

What are examples of knowledge transfer activities mentioned in the opportunity description?

Examples include technology transfer, sharing scientific insights with policymakers, building connections that help research outcomes influence industry practice, and translating advances from one scientific domain into another.

Who can be the Principal Investigator (PI) for an STC proposal?

The PI must be a full-time faculty member at an eligible institution and should have a demonstrated track record of leading research teams, reflecting the management and coordination demands of running a large, multi-organization center.

Is the application process single-stage or multi-stage?

The process includes preliminary proposals, and full proposals are submitted only by those invited after the preliminary stage.

Which federal agency is offering this opportunity?

The agency is the National Science Foundation (NSF).

What type of funding instrument is used for this opportunity?

The instrument is a grant.

What is the opportunity number for this NSF STC solicitation?

The opportunity number is 24-594.

What is the maximum award amount listed for this opportunity?

The listed award ceiling is $6,000,000.

What is the original closing date shown for this opportunity?

The original closing date shown is 2025-06-02.

How is this opportunity categorized?

The opportunity is categorized under Science and Technology and other Research and Development.

Are there CFDA numbers associated with this opportunity?

Yes. The posting indicates CFDA numbers that align with NSF’s major research directorates and activities.

What is the overall goal of funding STCs at this scale?

The goal is to enable sustained, coordinated teams to take intellectual risks and pursue discoveries that may not be possible through smaller projects, with the potential to reshape fields and deliver broad scientific or societal benefits.