TechAccess: AI-Ready America

The TechAccess: AI-Ready America initiative, led by the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF), is a national program designed to build infrastructure, readiness, and deployment capabilities to ensure that every state and territory in the United States can effectively engage in and benefit from the evolving Artificial Intelligence (AI) economy. This effort is a joint collaboration across multiple federal partners including the Directorate for Technology, Innovation and Partnerships, STEM Education, and Computer and Information Science and Engineering at NSF, along with the Department of Labor, the U.S. Small Business Administration, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture. The goal is to prepare communities and organizations to implement AI by supporting coordinated planning, practical workforce development, and strategic deployment across sectors. The program is structured around three primary funding areas: (1) State/Territory Coordination Hubs, which are the focal point of this specific solicitation; (2) a National Coordination Lead, which will be funded separately; and (3) AI-Ready Catalyst Award Competitions, which will be issued in future announcements. Coordination Hubs are intended to serve as strategic, state-level convening entities, capable of uniting stakeholders across education, workforce development, industry, and local government. Their key responsibilities include maintaining a publicly accessible AI resource inventory, developing a statewide AI readiness strategic plan, supporting hands-on AI deployment for small businesses and local organizations, coordinating AI readiness training, and organizing collaboration within critical economic sectors. Each Coordination Hub award will be funded at approximately $1 million per year for a three-year period, with the possibility of a one-year extension if a compelling case is made. The total anticipated program funding ranges from $168 million to $224 million, supporting up to 56 Coordination Hubs—one in each U.S. state, the District of Columbia, and U.S. territories. Hubs will be selected over three rounds, with deadlines staggered accordingly. A mandatory Letter of Intent is due for the first round by June 16, 2026, followed by the full proposal due on July 16, 2026. Future rounds have deadlines set for December 15, 2026 (LOI) and January 15, 2027 (proposal) for round two, and June 1, 2027 (LOI) and July 1, 2027 (proposal) for round three. Applications must be submitted via Research.gov or Grants.gov following NSF’s Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG). Letters of Intent are required and must include detailed partner and personnel information, a one-page synopsis, and cannot include supplemental documents beyond what is specified. Full proposals must not exceed 15 pages and must follow a five-section structure that includes the applicant’s vision, organizational background, current state of AI readiness, work plan and milestones, and resource mobilization strategies. Additional required documents include a data management plan and letters of collaboration from all partners. Proposals are reviewed using both NSF’s standard merit criteria and solicitation-specific criteria, emphasizing coordination capacity, sector alignment, and measurable outcomes. Coordination Hubs must actively collaborate with the forthcoming National Coordination Lead, particularly on knowledge sharing, national dashboards, and deployment corps alignment. Awardees will be expected to provide regular reporting aligned with NSF’s standard conditions, including performance metrics such as individuals trained, technical assistance delivered, and AI adoption outcomes. Contact for inquiries is directed to the AI-Ready America Program Directors at [email protected]. The program’s goals support national priorities like AI literacy, equitable workforce development, and cross-sector innovation, ensuring a cohesive, inclusive AI future.

Ensure proposals include a clear statewide coordination strategy, performance metrics, and evidence of ability to execute cross-sector partnerships.