Division of Physics: Investigator-Initiated Research Projects

The U.S. National Science Foundation is offering funding under the Division of Physics through the program titled Division of Physics: Investigator-Initiated Research Projects. The NSF is an independent federal agency that supports research across a wide spectrum of scientific and engineering fields, including fundamental work in physics. The Division of Physics is tasked with advancing physics knowledge, supporting investigators, and preparing future scientists at U.S. institutions of higher education and related organizations. The program supports experimental and theoretical projects across a wide range of subfields that span the study of matter and energy at all scales. The scope of this funding opportunity is broad, encompassing major areas of physics research. Supported fields include atomic, molecular and optical physics, elementary particle physics, gravitational physics, nuclear physics, particle astrophysics and cosmology, plasma physics, physics of living systems, and quantum information science. In addition, funding may support research at the information frontier and integrative activities in physics, including LIGO research support. The program encourages single proposal submissions that may be co-reviewed across relevant disciplinary programs, rather than multiple related submissions. Investigators with existing PHY awards or those considering multiple submissions are encouraged to consult program officers prior to submission. Funding for this program is discretionary and is structured as a grant. The estimated total program funding available for this solicitation is $120,000,000. The number of awards is not specified, and neither the award floor nor ceiling is provided. There is no cost sharing or matching requirement. Awards are expected to support individual investigator-initiated projects in alignment with the Division of Physics’ program areas. Allowable uses of funds include expenses necessary for conducting research and training students in the supported subfields. Eligibility is open to a wide range of institutions and organizations. U.S. institutions of higher education, including community colleges, are eligible to submit proposals on behalf of their faculty members. Nonprofit, nonacademic organizations such as observatories, museums, and professional societies may also apply. State and local governments, federally recognized tribal nations, and U.S.-based for-profit organizations with demonstrated research capacity are eligible. Other federal agencies and federally funded research and development centers (FFRDCs), including NSF-sponsored centers, are permitted with restrictions outlined in the NSF Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide. Proposals involving international collaborations are permitted, but NSF will only fund the U.S. portion of the collaboration. If international branch campuses of U.S. institutions are included, proposers must justify why activities cannot be conducted at the U.S. campus. The program operates on an annual cycle, with deadlines tied to specific subfields of physics research. For the 2025 cycle, deadlines vary: Plasma Physics applications are due on the third Monday in November; AMO Physics, Gravitational Physics, LIGO Research Support, and Integrative Activities are due the fourth Wednesday in November; Elementary Particle Physics and Particle Astrophysics (Experiment) applications are due the first Tuesday in December; and Nuclear Physics, Elementary Particle Physics (Theory), Particle Astrophysics and Cosmology (Theory), Physics of Living Systems, and Quantum Information Science are due the second Tuesday in December. For this announcement, the primary closing date listed is December 9, 2025, with field-specific deadlines referenced to the solicitation. The opportunity was posted on September 11, 2025, and the archive date is January 8, 2026. The program is recurring annually, with the next cycle expected in fall 2026. Applications must be submitted via Grants.gov according to NSF requirements. Proposals should adhere to the general NSF guidance in the Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide and relevant solicitation instructions. Applicants should carefully select the appropriate disciplinary program for submission, as co-review may be arranged. The program strongly encourages careful planning and pre-submission consultation with NSF program officers. All proposals are due by 5:00 PM local time of the applicant on the due date. Questions regarding electronic access should be directed to NSF Grants.gov support at grantsgovsupport@nsf.gov. No phone contact is provided in this notice.

NSF encourages submission of single proposals for possible co-review rather than multiple related proposals