Centers of Research Excellence in Science and Technology

The Centers of Research Excellence in Science and Technology (CREST Centers) program is administered by the National Science Foundation through the Directorate for STEM Education, Division of Equity for Excellence in STEM. The program is designed to strengthen the research capacity of Minority-serving institutions (MSIs) and institutions primarily serving students with disabilities. These institutions must offer graduate degrees in NSF-supported STEM areas and demonstrate that at least 50 percent of their student population consists of individuals from groups underrepresented in advanced STEM degrees. The CREST initiative is central to NSF’s mission of broadening participation in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics by supporting institutions that can integrate education and research, while preparing students, faculty, and postdoctoral researchers for national research competitiveness. The purpose of the CREST program is to establish centers that foster the development of new knowledge and enhance faculty research productivity, while also expanding opportunities for underrepresented students in STEM. Institutions applying for Phase I or Phase II Center awards must submit preliminary proposals, with only invited applicants moving forward to submit full proposals. Each CREST Center must focus on a unifying research theme of national significance and support three to five subprojects under a central administrative core. The program requires centers to demonstrate evidence-based strategies for recruitment, retention, mentorship, and workforce development, with an emphasis on achieving sustained competitiveness and securing long-term funding beyond the CREST award. Funding under the program is provided through standard or continuing grants. A CREST Center award may provide up to $1.5 million annually, with a maximum of $7.5 million across five years. Institutions may only hold one active CREST Center award at any time, and Phase II applications may only be pursued by centers nearing the end of their initial five-year award. Partnership Supplements are also available, with awards up to $100,000, to promote collaborations between active CREST Centers and other nationally or internationally recognized research entities, including NSF-supported research centers, private sector laboratories, and educational organizations such as K-12 schools and museums. All awards are contingent upon availability of funds and the merit of submitted proposals. Eligibility for participation is strictly defined. Only MSIs with qualifying enrollment demographics or institutions that primarily serve students with disabilities may apply. The principal investigator must hold a full-time faculty appointment at the proposing institution, and only one preliminary proposal per institution per cycle is allowed. Partner institutions may only be included as subawardees, and funding allocated to them cannot exceed 10 percent of the primary institution’s award. Institutions with active Phase I awards must submit Phase II preliminary proposals prior to the expiration of their existing award to avoid interruptions in funding. Additionally, individuals may serve as a principal investigator or co-principal investigator on only one proposal at a time. The submission process requires a preliminary proposal through Research.gov, with full proposals submitted either through Research.gov or Grants.gov by invitation. The preliminary proposal must include a project summary, project description, and identification of personnel and partner institutions. Supplementary documents, including letters of institutional support and collaboration, are mandatory. Non-compliance with submission guidelines may result in proposals being returned without review. Proposals must also include an evaluation plan with clear benchmarks and outcomes, and institutions are expected to provide evidence of long-term sustainability and organizational commitment to capacity building. Proposals are reviewed using the NSF’s merit review criteria of intellectual merit and broader impacts, with additional program-specific requirements focusing on integration of education and research, potential for national competitiveness, institutional commitment, and sustainability. Centers are expected to establish both external advisory committees and internal steering committees to provide oversight and guidance. Awardees must comply with reporting requirements, including annual and final project reports submitted through Research.gov, and must acknowledge NSF CREST support in all publications and presentations. Key deadlines for this solicitation include a required preliminary proposal deadline of December 1, 2023, with recurring deadlines on the first Friday of December every other year thereafter. Supplement proposals are due annually on the first Friday of December. Full proposals are due by invitation only, with the next deadline on December 6, 2024, and every other year thereafter on the first Friday in December. General inquiries can be directed to crest@nsf.gov or by phone at (703) 292-8634. Additional program details are available through NSF’s official program page and the Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide.

Applicants should align proposals with institutional strategic goals demonstrate organizational commitment and design robust evaluation plans. Ensure compliance with formatting or risk return without review.