Cybersecurity Innovation for Cyberinfrastructure

The National Science Foundation (NSF), through its Directorate for Computer and Information Science and Engineering (CISE) and the Office of Advanced Cyberinfrastructure (OAC), invites proposals under the Cybersecurity Innovation for Cyberinfrastructure (CICI) program. This funding opportunity aims to enhance the security, integrity, and usability of cyberinfrastructure (CI) systems that support modern scientific discovery. Recognizing the critical role of data, networking, and AI in science, the CICI program targets the development and transition of cybersecurity solutions that ensure trust, usability, and resilience in scientific workflows, datasets, and collaborations. The CICI initiative supports applied research and the practical deployment of cybersecurity mechanisms tailored to the unique needs of scientific CI. The program consists of four focused tracks: Usable and Collaborative Security for Science (UCSS), Reference Scientific Security Datasets (RSSD), Transition to Cyberinfrastructure Resilience (TCR), and Integrity, Provenance, and Authenticity for Artificial Intelligence Ready Data (IPAAI). UCSS supports work that addresses human-centered design of security systems for scientists, including collaborative tools like Security Operation Centers (SOCs), particularly in under-resourced institutions. RSSD emphasizes creating reproducible, labeled security datasets derived from operational CI, encouraging ethical data collection, sharing via FAIR principles, and long-term accessibility. TCR funds projects that validate and transition research-based cybersecurity into real-world scientific infrastructure, prioritizing system hardening, reproducibility, and operational integration. IPAAI centers on protecting AI workflows through robust data validation, ensuring provenance and the ability to track or isolate compromised datasets. The program offers awards across its four tracks with different funding ceilings: up to $600,000 each for UCSS and RSSD projects, up to $1,200,000 for TCR, and up to $900,000 for IPAAI projects. Awards are anticipated to last up to three years. Overall program funding ranges from $8 million to $12 million, subject to federal appropriations. NSF expects to make 12 to 20 awards across the four tracks in total. Cost sharing is not allowed, and there are no indirect cost limitations. Applicants must ensure that any curated datasets are publicly shared via community platforms and meet FAIR standards. Travel costs should be included for annual principal investigator meetings. Proposals are welcome from accredited U.S.-based institutions of higher education (including community colleges), and nonprofit, non-academic organizations such as research labs, professional societies, and museums. There are no limits on the number of proposals per organization; however, individuals may be involved in no more than two proposals as PI, co-PI, or senior/key personnel. Collaborations must be structured as single proposals with subawards rather than separate collaborative submissions. Eligibility is inclusive, and NSF encourages diverse participation in all tracks. Applications must be submitted through Research.gov or Grants.gov and comply with the latest NSF Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG). Required proposal components include a project description, budget, sustainability plan, ethical considerations, and in some cases, letters of collaboration. UCSS and IPAAI proposals should also explain usability or integrity verification mechanisms. Proposals must be titled according to the solicitation format (e.g., “CICI:UCSS:Project Title”) and clearly describe the scientific CI infrastructure involved, targeted threats, software licensing, and benefits to broader science domains. The CICI program uses a merit-based peer review process based on intellectual merit and broader impacts, including specific criteria for data openness, stakeholder collaboration, and sustainability. The application deadlines are April 2, 2025, and January 21, 2026. The program recurs annually on the third Wednesday of January. Award notifications typically follow six months after the submission deadline, and projects generally span up to three years. Contacts for program inquiries include Daniel F. Massey ([email protected]) and Kevin Thompson ([email protected]).

Clearly align project with one of the four program areas; demonstrate commitment to reproducibility and FAIR data principles; include sustainability plan and partnerships.