Division of Chemistry: Disciplinary Research Programs

The National Science Foundation’s Division of Chemistry supports fundamental discovery, invention, and innovation in the chemical sciences through its Disciplinary Research Programs (CHE-DRP). This solicitation covers six core areas within the division—Chemical Catalysis (CAT), Chemical Measurement and Imaging (CMI), Chemical Mechanism, Function and Properties (CMFP), Chemical Synthesis (SYN), Environmental Chemical Sciences (ECS), and Macromolecular, Supramolecular and Nanochemistry (MSN). Projects funded under these programs expand the frontiers of chemistry, deepen understanding of molecular structures and transformations, and generate the theoretical and instrumental foundations needed for emerging technologies in sustainability, quantum systems, biotechnology, artificial intelligence, and advanced manufacturing. The CHE-DRP solicitation enables researchers to propose individual or small-team projects aimed at designing and characterizing molecules, catalysts, surfaces, and nanostructures; developing new tools for data-driven chemical discovery; elucidating reaction mechanisms; and advancing understanding of environmental chemical processes. Proposals must conform to the NSF Proposal and Award Policies and Procedures Guide (PAPPG) and be submitted electronically through Research.gov or Grants.gov by the appropriate submission window. Submissions received outside the specified windows are returned without review except for limited categories such as CAREER, RUI/ROA, GOALI, EAGER, RAPID, RAISE, conference, and supplemental funding requests. Applications are accepted annually in two windows: September 1–30 for CAT, CMFP, and SYN; and October 1–31 for CMI, ECS, and MSN. Each window repeats annually thereafter. All proposals are evaluated through NSF’s merit-review process based on Intellectual Merit and Broader Impacts. Reviewers assess a proposal’s potential to advance knowledge and benefit society, its creativity, soundness of approach, and the qualifications and resources of the team. Recommendations are made to Division Directors and funding decisions are communicated within approximately six months of the closing window. Approximately 245 awards are anticipated each year, subject to available funds, with a combined program budget of about $105 million. Awards may be standard or continuing grants issued under standard NSF conditions. Proposers may serve as PI, Co-PI, or senior/key personnel on no more than two CHE DRP proposals per year, at least one of which must be collaborative or multi-investigator. Cost sharing is prohibited, and Build America, Buy America requirements apply to any construction materials used in funded projects. Eligible organizations include U.S. institutions of higher education (two- and four-year, including community colleges) and nonprofit, nonacademic organizations such as independent museums, observatories, research laboratories, and professional societies engaged in research or education. International branch campuses of U.S. institutions must justify performance abroad. Individuals, for-profit entities, and foreign organizations are not eligible to apply directly. Applications must include a complete project description, budget justification, data management and mentoring plans, and standard forms per the PAPPG. Principal Investigators submit annual reports and a final outcomes summary through Research.gov. Program contacts include Kenneth G. Moloy (CAT), Kelsey D. Cook (CMI), Tingyu Li (CMFP), George Richter-Addo (SYN), Anne-Marie Schmoltner (ECS), and Suk-Wah Tam-Chang (MSN). Help desks for Research.gov and Grants.gov provide technical assistance. The program is nationwide in scope and recurs annually, with the next cycle opening September 2026 for CAT, CMFP, and SYN and October 2026 for CMI, ECS, and MSN.