Security, Privacy, and Trust in Cyberspace

The National Science Foundation (NSF) has issued the Security, Privacy, and Trust in Cyberspace (SaTC 2.0) program solicitation. This initiative reflects the Foundation’s long-standing commitment to advancing fundamental research that strengthens the security and trustworthiness of the nation’s digital ecosystem. Building on the original SaTC program, SaTC 2.0 responds to an increasingly complex and interdependent cyber landscape, which spans hardware, software, networks, data, people, and institutions. NSF emphasizes trust as the program’s central theme, encompassing not only technical security and privacy protections but also social, economic, and educational dimensions necessary to build resilience and public confidence in cyberspace. The program supports proposals under three designations: Research (RES), Education (EDU), and Seedling (SEED). RES projects, limited to $1.2 million over up to four years, fund fundamental and multidisciplinary research into new theories, technologies, and methods for trustworthy cyber systems. Projects with budgets exceeding $600,000 must include a Broadening Participation in Computing plan, and may optionally incorporate a Transition to Education (TTE) component of up to $50,000 within the RES budget to translate research outcomes into educational materials. EDU projects, capped at $500,000 for three years, focus on advancing cybersecurity education and workforce development. Education-focused EDU proposals that integrate cybersecurity experts with education researchers may receive an additional $100,000. SEED projects, funded at up to $300,000 for two years, support exploratory work in special topic areas announced through Dear Colleague Letters. The scope of research under SaTC 2.0 is broad, covering computing and communication systems, foundations, human aspects, information ecosystems, and cybersecurity in relation to artificial intelligence. Proposals are encouraged to adopt forward-looking approaches that not only mitigate current threats but anticipate emerging risks. The program prioritizes generalizable and reproducible research outcomes, ensuring that new knowledge and tools have impact beyond narrow domains. NSF expects funded projects to integrate social, economic, and behavioral perspectives alongside technical advances, reflecting the multifaceted nature of trust in cyberspace. Eligibility is limited to accredited U.S. institutions of higher education and certain nonprofit, non-academic organizations such as museums, research laboratories, and professional societies. Principal Investigators must hold a tenured, tenure-track, or full-time research or teaching appointment at an eligible U.S. institution. Individuals with appointments at for-profit organizations or overseas campuses are not eligible. Each individual may participate in no more than four proposals per year: two RES, one EDU, and one SEED. Proposals that exceed these limits will be returned without review. Proposals must be submitted via Research.gov or Grants.gov, following NSF’s Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide. No letters of intent or preliminary proposals are required. Full proposals may be submitted at any time, but NSF encourages submission by one of two annual target dates: the last Monday in September and the last Monday in January. For the 2025 cycle, target dates are September 29, 2025, and January 26, 2026. Since the program is recurring annually, proposers who miss one target may prepare for the next cycle. Awards will be made as standard or continuing grants, with approximately 75 expected each year, totaling about $60 million depending on available funds. Proposals will be evaluated under NSF’s standard merit review criteria of Intellectual Merit and Broader Impacts, with additional attention given to alignment with the goals of SaTC 2.0. Reviewers will assess not only the technical strength of proposed research but also its broader societal relevance, reproducibility, and contribution to building trust in cyberspace. Special requirements apply for projects with large budgets, collaborative teams, or education components. Awardees must attend biennial Principal Investigator meetings and submit annual and final reports through Research.gov. Program inquiries may be directed to the SaTC program directors via the designated NSF email addresses provided in the solicitation. This funding opportunity represents a strategic national investment in securing a safer, more resilient, and trustworthy digital future.