Infrastructure Innovation for Biological Research

The Infrastructure Innovation for Biological Research Program, offered by the National Science Foundation (NSF), is designed to support the creation and significant enhancement of research tools and methodologies that advance contemporary biological science. Operating under the Directorate for Biological Sciences and specifically managed by the Division of Biological Infrastructure, this program supports proposals that can broadly impact the biological research community. It specifically targets innovations in three areas: bioinformatics, instrumentation, and research methods. The goal is to equip scientists with infrastructure that enables new discoveries by improving their ability to manipulate, observe, and understand biological systems. Eligible proposals may develop entirely new infrastructure, significantly redesign existing platforms, or apply current technologies in novel ways. This flexibility allows researchers to address critical gaps and bottlenecks in biological investigations. The NSF encourages submissions that are bold and high-risk/high-reward in nature, provided that there is a potential for transformative outcomes. The program expects that the supported infrastructure will be usable by a community of researchers, not just a single group, ensuring broad applicability and impact. Funding may be allocated through standard grants, continuing grants, or cooperative agreements depending on the scope and complexity of the project. The program anticipates distributing between $16 million and $18 million, with an expected 20 to 40 awards. Proposal budgets should align with the scale of the innovation and its intended community impact. While no minimum or maximum award limits are fixed, larger budgets must demonstrate proportionately greater impacts. Proposals must adhere to NSF's policies and guidelines, including those regarding cost sharing—voluntary cost sharing is not permitted under this solicitation. Institutions of higher education located in the United States, as well as certain nonprofit organizations directly associated with education or research, are eligible to apply. There are no limits on the number of proposals an organization or individual may submit. Applications must be submitted via Research.gov or Grants.gov and follow the detailed preparation guidance outlined in the NSF Proposal & Award Policies and Procedures Guide (PAPPG). A Safe and Harassment-Free Fieldwork (SAHF) Plan is required for projects involving off-campus or field-based research. Proposals are accepted on a rolling basis with no specific deadlines, allowing applicants to submit at any time. However, given the competitive nature of NSF funding, applicants should ensure that their submissions clearly articulate the relevance of their proposed infrastructure to biological research, provide a comprehensive development and management plan, and include measurable outcomes. Contact emails are provided for each programmatic area, including DBIBioinformatics@nsf.gov, DBIInstrumentation@nsf.gov, and DBIInnovationMethods@nsf.gov. Proposals undergo rigorous merit review based on intellectual merit and broader impacts criteria, and decisions are typically communicated within six months of submission.

Highlight innovation, high-risk/high-reward potential, community impact beyond the proposing team, and alignment with basic biological research areas.