Strengthening American Infrastructure (SAI)
This funding opportunity supports interdisciplinary research projects that enhance U.S. infrastructure by integrating social, behavioral, and economic sciences with engineering and technology to promote community equity, resilience, and national security.
The Strengthening American Infrastructure (SAI) program is administered by the National Science Foundation (NSF), a federal agency promoting the progress of science and advancing national health, prosperity, and welfare. The NSF funds a wide array of scientific disciplines and is responsible for a significant portion of federally supported basic research in U.S. colleges and universities. This particular grant opportunity aligns with NSF’s broader goals by supporting transformative, interdisciplinary research intended to improve U.S. infrastructure through social, behavioral, and economic sciences integrated with other STEM fields. The SAI program seeks to stimulate human-centered, use-inspired, fundamental research that can significantly enhance the design, sustainability, development, and societal impact of infrastructure. The grant focuses on infrastructure’s role in promoting socioeconomic vitality, equity, resilience, and national security. It emphasizes a multidisciplinary approach, requiring integration between social sciences and engineering or technological disciplines to generate foundational knowledge that addresses practical infrastructure challenges. Funding through this opportunity is designed for research that integrates human reasoning, decision-making, governance, and socio-cultural understanding with technological and engineering advancements. Projects must demonstrate a convergence of disciplinary expertise and address how infrastructure systems can better serve communities equitably and effectively. Proposals should aim for significant, potentially pathbreaking contributions and must be deeply rooted in fundamental research. The estimated total funding available for this opportunity is up to $9.6 million, with approximately 15 awards expected. Funding is contingent upon the availability of funds and the quality of proposals submitted. Individual researchers may only participate in one proposal per annual deadline, whether as a PI, co-PI, or senior/key personnel. Violations of this limit will result in all but the earliest submission being returned without review. Proposals must adhere to the NSF Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG) and be submitted by March 6, 2026, by 5:00 PM local time of the submitting organization. There is no pre-application or letter of intent requirement specified. The opportunity is not on a rolling basis but appears to be recurring with annual cycles. For general inquiries, proposers can contact NSF via NSF-SAI@nsf.gov. Additional program contacts across multiple NSF directorates include Jeremy Koster (jkoster@nsf.gov), Joseph M. Whitmeyer (jwhitmey@nsf.gov), and others listed on the NSF website. All proposal materials and requirements can be found under solicitation NSF 25-534.
Award Range
Not specified - Not specified
Total Program Funding
$9,600,000
Number of Awards
15
Matching Requirement
No
Additional Details
Award information Up to $9.6 million pending the availability of funds and quality of proposals. Estimated number of awards 15 Estimated number of awards description- The number of awards is dependent upon the proposals received and the degree to which proposals meet the solicitation goals and NSF merit review criteria.
Eligible Applicants
Additional Requirements
"The following organizations are eligible to submit proposals to NSF: (a) Institutions of Higher Education (IHEs) Two- and four-year IHEs (including community colleges) accredited in, and having a campus located in the U.S., acting on behalf of their faculty members. IHEs located outside the U.S. fall under paragraph 2(c) below. Special Instructions for International Branch Campuses of U.S. IHEs If the proposal includes funding to be provided to an international branch campus of a U.S. IHE (including through use of subawards and consultant arrangements), the proposer must explain the benefit(s) to the project of performance at the international branch campus and justify why the project activities cannot be Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide I-6 NSF 24-1 performed at the U.S. campus. Such information must be included in the project description. The box for “Funding of an International Branch Campus of a U.S. IHE” must be checked on the Cover Sheet if the proposal includes funding for an international branch campus of a U.S. IHE. (b) Non-profit, Non-academic Organizations Independent museums, observatories, research laboratories, professional societies, and similar organizations located in the U.S. that are directly associated with educational or research activities. (c) Tribal Nations The term “Tribal nation” means an American Indian or Alaska Native tribe, band, nation, pueblo, village, or community that the Secretary of the Interior acknowledges as a federally recognized tribe pursuant to the Federally Recognized Indian Tribe List Act of 1994, 25 U.S.C. §§ 5130- 5131.
Geographic Eligibility
All
Application Opens
Not specified
Application Closes
March 6, 2026
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