Advanced Technological Education

The National Science Foundation is an independent federal agency established in 1950 to promote the progress of science and advance national health, prosperity, and welfare by supporting research and education in all fields of science and engineering. Within the NSF, the Directorate for STEM Education and the Division of Undergraduate Education administer the Advanced Technological Education program. This program is focused on strengthening the education of technicians in high-technology fields that support the nation’s economy. With an emphasis on two-year institutions of higher education, the program also engages four-year institutions, secondary schools, industry, and economic development agencies to address workforce needs. Partnerships are encouraged with national organizations such as the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s Manufacturing Extension Partnerships and the Manufacturing USA Institutes, which provide critical alignment between education and industry. The purpose of the ATE program is to enhance and expand educational opportunities for science and engineering technicians. Funded projects support curriculum development, faculty and teacher professional development, career pathways for students and incumbent workers, and applied research on technician education. All courses developed or updated through the program must be credit-bearing, contributing toward an academic credential. The scope of projects includes fields such as advanced manufacturing, biotechnology, agricultural technologies, energy and environmental technologies, information technologies, micro- and nanotechnologies, security technologies, geospatial technologies, autonomous technologies, and emerging areas like artificial intelligence and quantum sciences. The program also emphasizes strategies for engaging underrepresented communities, rural areas, veterans, and students with disabilities. The solicitation describes multiple funding tracks, including small-scale projects, standard projects, consortia for innovations, and centers. Small-scale projects support institutions or principal investigators with limited prior experience in the ATE program and may serve as pilots for larger initiatives. Standard projects can receive up to one million dollars over three years and address broad areas of technician education. Consortia projects are designed to support collaborative work among two-year colleges and industry, with award sizes ranging from 1.2 to 3 million dollars. Centers receive long-term funding of up to 7.5 million dollars over five years to address systemic issues in technician education across specific technology areas. All applicants are encouraged to adapt and build upon existing materials and to use open licensing when creating new learning resources. Eligibility is broad and includes two- and four-year U.S. institutions of higher education, nonprofit organizations, for-profit organizations including small businesses, state and local governments, and federally recognized tribal nations. Proposals led by four-year institutions must include community college faculty as co-principal investigators, and secondary school proposals must demonstrate clear pathways to two-year technician programs with community college faculty as co-principal investigators. For Track 3 consortia, leadership must come from two-year institutions, and principal investigators cannot simultaneously hold leadership roles in existing ATE centers. No cost-sharing is required, and indirect cost limitations do not apply. Applications must be submitted through either Research.gov or Grants.gov following the NSF Proposal and Award Policies and Procedures Guide. Letters of intent and preliminary proposals are not required. The deadline for full proposals is October 3, 2024, with the program recurring annually on the first Thursday in October. Proposals are reviewed based on NSF’s intellectual merit and broader impacts criteria, as well as program-specific considerations such as alignment with workforce needs, evidence of institutional and industry support, and potential for dissemination and adaptation. All funded projects must include external evaluation, sustainability planning, and provisions for archiving digital deliverables with ATE Central. The program expects to distribute approximately 45 to 80 new awards annually, totaling about 74 million dollars in fiscal year 2025. Award sizes and durations vary by track, with small-scale projects capped at 475,000 dollars, standard projects at 1,000,000 dollars, consortia between 1,200,000 and 3,000,000 dollars, and centers receiving 7,500,000 dollars over five years. Projects are expected to demonstrate measurable impact on workforce readiness and institutional practices, with long-term sustainability plans to ensure continuation beyond NSF funding. The annual ATE Principal Investigators Conference serves as a requirement for dissemination and accountability. For questions, applicants may contact the ATE program officers by email at ate-prog@nsf.gov or by phone at 703-292-7253. Technical support for Research.gov and Grants.gov submissions is also available through designated help desks. The program’s CFDA number is 47.076 for STEM education. Proposals should be carefully prepared to meet all solicitation and NSF policy requirements, with attention to evaluation, sustainability, and dissemination as critical review factors. Applications that do not follow instructions may be returned without review.