NSF Research: Foundations

The National Science Foundation, through its Directorate for Mathematical and Physical Sciences and Division of Mathematical Sciences, administers the Foundations program. The Foundation is an independent federal agency created to promote the progress of science and advance national health, prosperity, and welfare. Within this mission, the Foundations program supports fundamental research in mathematical logic and the foundations of mathematics, focusing on areas such as proof theory, recursion theory, model theory, set theory, and infinitary combinatorics. This program plays a key role in advancing rigorous mathematical inquiry that underpins both theoretical and applied sciences. The program scope extends to both individual research projects and community-based activities, including conferences, workshops, and seasonal schools. For conference and workshop proposals, applicants are directed to review the dedicated solicitation “Conferences and Workshops in the Mathematical Sciences” to ensure compliance with requirements for these activities. Proposals of this type are expected to be submitted at least eight months before the proposed start date, reflecting the planning timeline required for NSF review and support. Eligibility for participation in this program follows the general NSF guidelines outlined in the Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG). This means a wide range of entities may apply, including public and private institutions of higher education, nonprofit organizations, and other entities eligible under NSF standards. Individual principal investigators are also eligible to submit proposals, provided their submissions comply with the relevant NSF policies in effect at the time of the due date. All proposers must ensure their submissions meet NSF’s requirements; early submission does not exempt applicants from compliance with the stated rules. Applications must be submitted through Research.gov or Grants.gov, depending on the proposer’s preferred platform, following the appropriate submission guide. Full proposals must adhere to the formatting, content, and process requirements outlined in the PAPPG or the NSF Grants.gov Application Guide. Proposals are evaluated by NSF through its standard merit review criteria of intellectual merit and broader impacts, and adherence to updated research security policies is mandatory. These policies, updated in July 2025, include new training requirements, certifications regarding foreign talent recruitment programs, and prohibitions on certain international institutional affiliations. The program’s current proposal deadline is set for September 22, 2026, which is the fourth Tuesday in September. This date also marks the recurring annual submission deadline, continuing in subsequent years on the same cycle. There are no pre-application deadlines specified for this program. Applications are accepted beginning when the solicitation is active, and the program operates on a recurring, annual basis. As such, future cycles are expected to follow the same annual timeline. Program contacts are available for prospective applicants. The program is co-directed by Tomek Bartoszynski, Program Director, reachable at tbartosz@nsf.gov or (703) 292-4885, and Stefaan G. De Winter, Program Director, reachable at sgdewint@nsf.gov or (703) 292-2599. Both are part of the Division of Mathematical Sciences within the Directorate for Mathematical and Physical Sciences. Applicants are strongly encouraged to contact program directors with questions about fit or scope prior to submission. NSF’s headquarters is located at 2415 Eisenhower Avenue, Alexandria, Virginia, and general inquiries can be directed to the main NSF phone line at (703) 292-5111. This program represents an ongoing federal investment in mathematical logic and foundations, ensuring that the underlying structure of mathematical theory continues to evolve. Through both research grants and support for community engagement activities, NSF advances knowledge in ways that have implications across scientific and technological domains. Applicants are encouraged to carefully prepare proposals that align with NSF’s standards and deadlines, taking advantage of the support offered for rigorous mathematical foundations research.