Open · 22-603 · CFDA 47.050;47.074;47.075;47.076;47.083 · Discretionary

Mid-Career Advancement

Federal grant opportunity posted by U.S. National Science Foundation, cataloged on Grants.gov.

Varies
Award range
Open
Status
215d
Days left
45
Expected awards

The verdict

Mid-Career Advancement is an open discretionary opportunity from U.S. National Science Foundation, offering Varies by applicant across 45 expected awards. Applications close in 215 days.

Varies
award range
Open
215 days left
45
expected awards
47.050;47.074;47.075;47.076;47.083
CFDA program

Opportunity snapshot. This Grants.gov announcement - Mid-Career Advancement - is cataloged under number 22-603 and tied to CFDA assistance listing 47.050;47.074;47.075;47.076;47.083, posted by U.S. National Science Foundation. Grants.gov currently shows the opportunity as open, first posted on June 11, 2022 and last updated on March 10, 2026. The funding category is Discretionary, delivered as a grant.

Award economics. The award range on file is Varies by applicant. The agency has projected $18.0 million in total estimated funding for this announcement. It expects to issue 45 awards. If the agency funds the expected 45 awards from the $18.0 million estimated pool, the average award works out to roughly $400,000. Cost sharing is not required, so applicants do not need to commit matching funds to be competitive on this opportunity. Federal award ranges are often upper bounds; actual allocations reflect program appropriations, the strength of the applicant pool, and the evaluation committee's scoring.

Deadline and action path. Applications close on March 1, 2027 - roughly 215 days from today. Every Grants.gov submission requires an active SAM.gov registration and a Unique Entity ID. Review the Eligibility section below carefully, federal eligibility categories (nonprofit, state or local government, tribal, individual, educational institution, small business) have distinct registration and reporting requirements. Pre-application outreach to the listed agency contact is permitted and often welcomed, it helps clarify scope and scoring priorities. Before acting on the deadline or award figures above, verify them directly on the official Grants.gov listing, amendments can change dates and amounts after this page was last refreshed.

Award Range

Varies by applicant

Close Date

March 1, 2027

Posted

June 11, 2022

Est. Total Funding

$18,000,000

Expected Awards

45

Instrument

Grant

Description

The MCA program offers an opportunity for scientists and engineers at the mid-career stage (see restrictions under Additional Eligibility Information) to substantively enhance and advance theirresearch program and career trajectory. Mid-career scientists are at a critical career transition stage where they need to advance their research programs to ensure long-term productivity and creativity but are often constrained by service, teaching, or other activities that limit the amount of time devoted to research. The MCA program provides protected time, resources, and the means to gain new skills through synergistic and mutually beneficial partnerships, typically at an institution other than the candidate's home institution. Partners from outside the Principal Investigator's (PI) own subdiscipline or discipline are encouraged, but not required, to enhance interdisciplinary networking and convergence across science and engineering fields. Research projects that envision new insights on existing problems or identify new problems made accessible with cutting-edge methodology or expertise from other fields are encouraged. A key component of a successful MCA will be the demonstration that the PI's currentresearchprogram could substantively benefit from the protected time, mentored partnership(s), and resources provided through this program, such thatthere is a substantial enhancement to the PI's research and career trajectory, enabling scientific and academic advancementnot likely without this support. The MCA is the only cross-directorate NSF program specifically aimed at providing protected time and resources to established scientists and engineers targeted at the mid-career stage.Participating programs in the Directorates for Biological Sciences (BIO), Geosciences (GEO), Social, Behavioral and Economic Sciences (SBE), and Education and Human Resources (EHR) will accept MCA proposals. To help identify the disciplinary program in which the MCA should be reviewed, PIs are urged to investigate the research areas supported by the different directorates and participating programs. PIs are strongly encouraged to discuss the suitability of their MCA proposal with a Program Officer from the appropriate directorate (seehttps://new.nsf.gov/funding/opportunities/mca-mid-career-advancement/announcements/111199).PIs from EPSCoR jurisdictions are especially encouraged to apply.

Eligibility

Grants.gov lists this opportunity under eligibility category code 25. These codes correspond to applicant types (state/local government, tribal organization, nonprofit, educational institution, individual, small business, etc.) defined in Grants.gov's own eligibility reference. See the current Grants.gov eligibility categories or check the official listing below for this opportunity's exact eligibility statement.

Official Listing on Grants.gov

View full details, application forms, and submission instructions.

View on Grants.gov

Agency Contact

NSF grants.gov support grantsgovsupport@nsf.gov

Key Dates

Posted June 11, 2022
Close Date March 1, 2027
Archive Date March 31, 2027
Last Updated March 10, 2026

Frequently Asked Questions

What is this grant opportunity?
This is a federal funding opportunity titled "Mid-Career Advancement", offered by U.S. National Science Foundation. It is associated with CFDA program 47.050;47.074;47.075;47.076;47.083. The MCA program offers an opportunity for scientists and engineers at the mid-career stage (see restrictions under Additional Eligibility Information) to substantively enhance and advance theirresearc...
Is this opportunity still open?
Yes, this opportunity is currently open for applications. The closing date is March 1, 2027.
How much funding is available?
The award range for this opportunity is Varies by applicant. Total estimated funding: $18,000,000. Expected number of awards: 45.
How do I apply?
Applications for federal grant opportunities are typically submitted through Grants.gov. Visit the official listing at grants.gov for application instructions, required documents, and submission deadlines.

Disclaimer: This information is sourced from Grants.gov and SAM.gov and is for informational purposes only. Opportunity details, deadlines, and eligibility requirements change frequently. Always verify current information directly on Grants.gov before applying. PlainGrants is not affiliated with any federal agency.

Data sourced from the SAM.gov Assistance Listings and Grants.gov. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainGrants