Cybersecurity Innovation for Cyberinfrastructure

The Cybersecurity Innovation for Cyberinfrastructure (CICI) grant program, offered by the U.S. National Science Foundation, aims to significantly enhance the cybersecurity posture of cyberinfrastructure supporting scientific research and discovery. The program reflects NSF's ongoing commitment to the advancement of secure, collaborative, and reproducible science across disciplines. With a strong foundation in promoting cutting-edge research and education, the NSF recognizes the increasing complexity, scale, and interconnectivity of modern scientific workflows and the critical need for integrated cybersecurity solutions tailored to these unique environments. CICI focuses on securing scientific data, computational processes, and collaborative workflows through four defined program areas. These include Usable and Collaborative Security for Science (UCSS), which supports research on integrated and user-friendly cybersecurity solutions; Reference Scientific Security Datasets (RSSD), which promotes the development of reference datasets to facilitate reproducible research; Transition to Cyberinfrastructure Resilience (TCR), which supports the adaptation of research into practical and robust infrastructure solutions; and Integrity, Provenance, and Authenticity for Artificial Intelligence Ready Data (IPAAI), which addresses concerns around the quality and trustworthiness of scientific datasets used in AI systems. Funding of up to $12 million will be distributed across approximately 20 awards, with individual awards capped at $1.2 million. There is no matching or cost-sharing requirement. The grant is open to U.S.-based institutions of higher education (including community colleges) and non-profit, non-academic organizations such as observatories, research labs, and professional societies. Proposals that involve international branch campuses must justify the need for international engagement over domestic options. This inclusive eligibility highlights NSF's intent to reach a wide range of research-focused entities while maintaining a high bar for scientific impact and operational necessity. Applications must be submitted via Grants.gov by January 21, 2026. The program was last updated on December 12, 2025, and proposals are now actively being accepted. There are no pre-application gating mechanisms such as letters of intent or concept papers mentioned. Awards are expected to be announced on a rolling basis post-application, though specific award or notification dates are not listed. The application window opened on January 4, 2025, and recurring language is absent, indicating that the current opportunity may not be part of a scheduled annual cycle. Evaluation criteria are grounded in advancing cybersecurity solutions that are directly beneficial to scientific endeavors, particularly those that are collaborative, reproducible, and scalable. Given the strategic importance of AI in research, the new IPAAI area reflects NSF’s future-facing stance on data integrity and responsible use of AI. The announcement does not specify evaluation rubrics but implies rigorous assessment of scientific merit, usability, and potential for integration into cyberinfrastructure. Applicants encountering issues in accessing or linking to the full announcement are directed to contact NSF Grants.gov support at [email protected]. There is no named program officer or phone number provided. The NSF maintains a centralized approach to grant inquiries, ensuring that all applicants receive consistent and timely responses regarding submission processes and eligibility clarification.