Open · 26-511 · CFDA 47.084 · Discretionary
NSF Small Business Innovation Research / Small Business Technology Transfer Phase I, Phase II, Fast-Track Programs: A Pilot Emphasis on Scientific Instrumentation
Federal grant opportunity posted by U.S. National Science Foundation, cataloged on Grants.gov.
- Varies
- Award range
- Open
- Status
- 85d
- Days left
- 86
- Expected awards
The verdict
NSF Small Business Innovation Research / Small Business Technology Transfer Phase I, Phase II, Fast-Track Programs: A Pilot Emphasis on Scientific Instrumentation is an open discretionary opportunity from U.S. National Science Foundation, offering Varies by applicant across 86 expected awards. Applications close in 85 days.
- Varies
- award range
- Open
- 85 days left
- 86
- expected awards
- 47.084
- CFDA program
Opportunity snapshot. This Grants.gov announcement - NSF Small Business Innovation Research / Small Business Technology Transfer Phase I, Phase II, Fast-Track Programs: A Pilot Emphasis on Scientific Instrumentation - is cataloged under number 26-511 and tied to CFDA assistance listing 47.084, posted by U.S. National Science Foundation. Grants.gov currently shows the opportunity as open, first posted on May 22, 2026 and last updated on August 6, 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 $40.0 million in total estimated funding for this announcement. It expects to issue 86 awards. If the agency funds the expected 86 awards from the $40.0 million estimated pool, the average award works out to roughly $465,000. 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 November 4, 2026 - roughly 85 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
November 4, 2026
Posted
May 22, 2026
Est. Total Funding
$40,000,000
Expected Awards
86
Instrument
Grant
Description
NSF invests in scientific discoveries, technological breakthroughs, and transformative innovations that strengthen economic growth, enhance security, and improve the lives of Americans and people around the world. Our ability to support that mission requires a robust scientific and engineering (S&E) enterprise in the United States that allows scientists to innovate at the frontier. In addition to funding scientists, America needs next-generation scientific instrumentation that allows scientists to pursue new innovations. In many fields, it is critical that this new scientific instrumentation is developed in the United States. In support of this mission, NSF is initiating a pilot emphasis area for its SBIR/STTR programs to invest in startups and small businesses that are specifically developing enabling technologies that include next-generation instrumentation, novel experimental platforms, and other scientific equipment to advance the frontiers of scientific discovery and strengthen the American scientific and engineering enterprise. This encompasses novel instrumentation necessary for the coming era of AI-driven discoveries. This pilot will prioritize investing in the necessary infrastructure to support entirely new fields of scientific discovery, making new technological breakthroughs and transformative applications possible. Through this approach, NSF will continue to lead in propelling the scientific enterprise to new frontiers. This pilot emphasis area for the NSF SBIR/STTR programs funds across enabling technology areas and market sectors in alignment with the above goals; the programs do not solicit specific technologies for the purpose of procuring goods and services for the agency from startups and small businesses. NSF will continue to invest in other deep-tech ventures through the historic NSF SBIR/STTR programs available here. Funding opportunities are available through the NSF SBIR/STTR programs: Phase I, Phase II, Fast-Track, and Supplements. Each company can receive up to $2.0 million for R&D. Separately, NSF welcomes Strategic Breakthrough proposals, upon recommendation from the Program Officer, for Phase II awardees. NSF takes no equity and awardees keep full ownership of their company and intellectual property. Expanding Participation in STEM and Gold Standard Science: NSF prioritizes cutting-edge discovery science and engineering research, advancing technology and innovation, and creating opportunities for all Americans. NSF also expects the highest standards of scientific rigor, integrity and adherence to tenets of Gold Standard Science in proposals, as appropriate for the field of science and research modality.
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.
Parent Grant Program
NSF Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR)
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.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
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| Sources | the SAM.gov Assistance Listings and Grants.gov |