Computer and Information Science and Engineering (CISE): Future Computing Research

The Computer and Information Science and Engineering: Future Computing Research (Future CoRe) program is a funding opportunity issued by the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF), through the Directorate for Computer and Information Science and Engineering (CISE). The program encompasses a broad array of research areas within computing and information science, supporting projects that advance the foundational, theoretical, and practical aspects of computing systems. The solicitation, identified as NSF 25-543, was posted on July 25, 2025, and supersedes prior solicitations including NSF 24-589, NSF 24-581, and NSF 25-527. The NSF is a federal agency tasked with advancing the national welfare through support of research and education in science and engineering, including through competitive grantmaking. The Future CoRe program supports a diverse range of thematic research areas under the CISE umbrella, such as Algorithmic Foundations, Communications and Information Foundations, Computing Education Research, Cyber-Physical Systems Foundations, Human-Centered Computing, and more. Each of these subprograms has distinct aims but shares a common objective of fostering foundational and interdisciplinary computing research. The initiative also supports proposals that integrate multiple areas, encouraging collaboration across disciplines. CISE explicitly welcomes proposals from underrepresented geographic and institutional regions, including EPSCoR-eligible jurisdictions. The funding opportunity allows proposals for research projects with a maximum budget of $1,000,000 and a duration of up to 4 years. The typical award ranges from $150,000 to $250,000 annually, spanning 3 to 4 years. Projects should not exceed $300,000 in any single year. This solicitation anticipates issuing between 400 and 600 awards, contingent upon availability of up to $280 million in funding. The funding mechanism can be either standard grants or continuing grants. No cost-sharing or matching is required for participation, and indirect cost limitations do not apply. Proposals may be submitted by U.S.-accredited institutions of higher education, including community colleges, non-profit research entities, tribal nations, and similar organizations that support research or education. There are no restrictions on who may serve as Principal Investigator (PI), but individuals may only participate as PI, co-PI, or Senior/Key Personnel on a maximum of two proposals per 12-month period under the Future CoRe umbrella. This limit does not include proposals submitted to previous solicitations or other NSF programs. The solicitation features two annual target dates for submission: the second Thursday in September and the first Thursday in February each year. While proposals are accepted at any time, applicants are strongly encouraged to submit by these dates to ensure timely review. Full proposals must be submitted through either Research.gov or Grants.gov, following the applicable NSF Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG). Collaborative proposals and proposals from Research in Undergraduate Institutions (RUI) must follow special title formatting conventions. Each proposal must include a supplementary document listing all project personnel and partner organizations. The merit review process will evaluate submissions based on intellectual merit and broader impacts, consistent with National Science Board-approved criteria. Final award decisions are made by NSF Grants and Agreements Officers following administrative and programmatic review. Applicants may contact specific program officers for each subprogram by email or phone, such as the Algorithmic Foundations team at cise-af@nsf.gov or the Human-Centered Computing team at cise-hcc@nsf.gov. All contact numbers are provided on the NSF website and within the solicitation. For technical support during submission, Research.gov and Grants.gov offer dedicated helpdesks. Notifications of awards and declinations are provided electronically to the submitting organization, and reporting requirements are outlined via Research.gov.

Title formatting and team eligibility must be verified; collaborative proposals must be submitted through Research.gov.