Open · 21-588 · CFDA 47.076 · Discretionary
EDU Core Research
Federal grant opportunity posted by U.S. National Science Foundation, cataloged on Grants.gov.
- $500K-$2.5M
- Award range
- Open
- Status
- 51d
- Days left
- -
- Expected awards
The verdict
EDU Core Research is an open discretionary opportunity from U.S. National Science Foundation, offering $500,000 -- $2,500,000. Applications close in 51 days.
- $500K-$2.5M
- award range
- Open
- 51 days left
- 47.076
- CFDA program
Opportunity snapshot. This Grants.gov announcement - EDU Core Research - is cataloged under number 21-588 and tied to CFDA assistance listing 47.076, posted by U.S. National Science Foundation. Grants.gov currently shows the opportunity as open, first posted on May 15, 2026. The funding category is Discretionary, delivered as a grant.
Award economics. The award range on file is $500,000 -- $2,500,000. The agency has projected $35.0 million in total estimated funding for this announcement. 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 October 1, 2026 - roughly 51 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
$500,000 -- $2,500,000
Close Date
October 1, 2026
Posted
May 15, 2026
Est. Total Funding
$35,000,000
Instrument
Grant
Description
The EDU Core Research (ECR) program offers this ECR:Core solicitation and invites proposals for fundamental research (curiosity-driven basic research and use-inspired basic research) that contributes to the general, explanatory knowledge that underlies STEM education in one or more of the three broadly conceived Research Areas: Research onSTEM Learning and Learning Environments, Research on Broadening Participation in STEM fields, andResearch on STEM Workforce Development. Within this framework, the ECR program supports a wide range of fundamental STEM education research activities, aimed at learners of all groups and ages in formal and informal settings. Fundamental researchgenerates knowledge and understanding with the potential for broad relevance. The potential implications of ECR fundamental research for improving STEM education practice may be indirect and long-term rather than direct and immediate. Moreover, whether they include basic or use-inspired basic research, all successful ECR:Core proposals focus on the advancement or refinement of foundational knowledge for STEM education. The amount of funding and duration requested in proposals submitted to the ECR:Core solicitation should align with the maturity of the proposed work and the size and scope of the empirical effort. The solicitation has three levels of funding with a range of budget sizes, and proposals may request a duration of 3 to 5 years for any level: (1)Level I proposals may request up to $500,000; (2)Level II proposals may request up to $1,500,000; (3)Level III proposalsmay request up to $2,500,000. All proposals should justify the level of funding and duration in the project description.
Eligibility
Grants.gov lists this opportunity under eligibility category code 99. 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.
Parent Grant Program
STEM Education Grants
National Science Foundation
Agency Contact
NSF grants.gov support grantsgovsupport@nsf.gov
Key Dates
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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.
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| Sources | the SAM.gov Assistance Listings and Grants.gov |