The National Facilities program supports the operation of national user facilities: National Facilities areresearch facilities with specialized instrumentation available to the scientific research community in general and the materials research community in particular.These facilities provide unique research capabilities that can be located at only a few highly specialized laboratories in the Nation. They provide open user service for scientists and engineers from a broad range of disciplines including biology, chemistry, geosciences, materials research. and physics. Theyinclude facilities and resources for research using high magnetic fields, ultraviolet and x-ray synchrotron radiation, neutron scattering, and nanofabrication. Theyserve as science and technology-related resources and experiences for students. Theyconduct student and teacher education, general public awareness activities, curriculum development, and educational research.

National Facilities

Synopsis

The National Facilities program supports the operation of national user facilities: National Facilities are research facilities with specialized instrumentation available to the scientific research community in general and the materials research community in particular. These facilities provide unique research capabilities that can be located at only a few highly specialized laboratories in the Nation. They provide open user service for scientists and engineers from a broad range of disciplines including biology, chemistry, geosciences, materials research. and physics. They include facilities and resources for research using high magnetic fields, ultraviolet and x-ray synchrotron radiation, neutron scattering, and nanofabrication. They serve as science and technology-related resources and experiences for students. They conduct student and teacher education, general public awareness activities, curriculum development, and educational research.

Program contacts

Additional program resources

• Midscale Instrumentation for Quantum Materials Report
• 2012 International Neutron Scattering Instrumentation School (INSIS)
• Broadening Participation at DMR National Facilities
• The Center For High Resolution Neutron Scattering (CHRNS)
• ChemMatCars
• Cornell High-Energy Synchrotron Source
• National High Magnetic Field Laboratory
• The National Nanotechnology Coordinated Infrastructure (NNCI)

Awards made through this program

• Browse projects funded by this program

Organization(s)

• Directorate for Mathematical and Physical Sciences (MPS)
• Division of Materials Research (MPS/DMR)

Upcoming due dates

• Full proposal accepted anytime

Program guidelines

Apply to PD 05-1743 as follows:

• Full proposals submitted via Research.gov: NSF Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide proposal preparation guidelines apply.
• Full proposals submitted via Grants.gov: NSF Grants.gov Application Guide guidelines apply. See Grants.gov Proposal Processing in Research.gov for more information.

NSF's implementation of the revised 2 CFR

NSF Financial Assistance awards (grants and cooperative agreements) made on or after October 1, 2024, will be subject to the applicable set of award conditions, dated October 1, 2024, available on the NSF website. These terms and conditions are consistent with the revised guidance specified in the OMB Guidance for Federal Financial Assistance published in the Federal Register on April 22, 2024.

Important information for proposers

All proposals must be submitted in accordance with the requirements specified in this funding opportunity and in the NSF Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG) that is in effect for the relevant due date to which the proposal is being submitted. It is the responsibility of the proposer to ensure that the proposal meets these requirements. Submitting a proposal prior to a specified deadline does not negate this requirement.

Updates to NSF Research Security Policies

On July 10, 2025, NSF issued an Important Notice providing updates to the agency's research security policies, including a research security training requirement, Malign Foreign Talent Recruitment Program annual certification requirement, prohibition on Confucius institutes and an updated FFDR reporting and submission timeline.

Published: September 30, 2002