1,000+ Opportunities
Find the right grant
Search federal, foundation, and corporate grants with AI — or browse by agency, topic, and state.
The Foundational Research in Robotics (FRR) program, jointly led by the CISE and ENG Directorates, supports research on robotic systems that exhibit significant levels of both computational capability and physical complexity. For the purposes of this program, a robot is defined as intelligence embodied in an engineered construct, with the ability to process information, sense, plan, and move within or substantially alter its working environment. Here intelligence includes a broad class of methods that enable a robot to solve problems or to make contextually appropriate decisions and act upon them. The program welcomes research that considers inextricably interwoven questions of intelligence, computation, and embodiment. Projects may also focus on a distinct aspect of intelligence, computation, or embodiment, as long as the proposed research is clearly justified in the context of a class of robots. The focus of the FRR program is on foundational advances in robotics. Robotics is a deeply interdisciplinary field, and proposals are encouraged across the full range of fundamental engineering and computer science research challenges arising in robotics. To be responsive to the FRR program, each proposal should clearly articulate the following three points: The focus of the research project should be a robot or a class of robots, as defined above. [Is there a robot?] The goal of the project should be to endow a robot or a class of robots with new and useful capabilities or to significantly enhance existing capabilities. [Will a robot gain a new or significantly improved capability?] The intellectual contribution of the proposed work should address fundamental gaps in robotics. [Is robotics essential to the intellectual merit of the proposal?] Meaningful experimental validation on a physical platform is encouraged. Projects that do not represent a direct fundamental contribution to the science of robotics or are better aligned with other existing programs at NSF should not be submitted to the FRR program. Potential investigators are strongly encouraged to discuss their projects with an FRR Program Officer before submission. Non-compliant proposals may be returned without review.
Funding Opportunity Number: PD-20-144Y. Assistance Listing: 47.041,47.070. Funding Instrument: G. Category: ST.
Get alerted about grants like this
Get emailed when new opportunities from “U.S. National Science Foundation” or related funders appear. Free, weekly, unsubscribe anytime.
Or search similar grants →Extracted from the official opportunity page/RFP to help you evaluate fit faster.
Foundational Research in Robotics (FRR) | NSF - U.S. National Science Foundation Foundational Research in Robotics (FRR) Important information for proposers and award recipients All proposals must be submitted in accordance with the requirements specified in the funding opportunity and in the Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG) and its supplements .
All NSF grants and cooperative agreements are subject to the applicable set of NSF award terms and conditions . NSF has updated its research security policies for NSF funded projects. The Foundational Research in Robotics (FRR) program, jointly led by the CISE and ENG Directorates, supports research on robotic systems that exhibit significant levels of both computational capability and physical complexity.
For the purposes of this program, a robot is defined as intelligence embodied in an engineered construct, with the ability to process information, sense, plan, and move within or substantially alter its working environment. Here intelligence includes a broad class of methods that enable a robot to solve problems or to make contextually appropriate decisions and act upon them.
The program welcomes research that considers inextricably interwoven questions of intelligence, computation, and embodiment. Projects may also focus on a distinct aspect of intelligence, computation, or embodiment, as long as the proposed research is clearly justified in the context of a class of robots. The focus of the FRR program is on foundational advances in robotics.
Robotics is a deeply interdisciplinary field, and proposals are encouraged across the full range of fundamental engineering and computer science research challenges arising in robotics. To be responsive to the FRR program, each proposal should clearly articulate the following three points: The focus of the research project should be a robot or a class of robots, as defined above. [Is there a robot?]
The goal of the project should be to endow a robot or a class of robots with new and useful capabilities or to significantly enhance existing capabilities. [Will a robot gain a new or significantly improved capability?] The intellectual contribution of the proposed work should address fundamental gaps in robotics.
[Is robotics essential to the intellectual merit of the proposal?] Meaningful experimental validation on a physical platform is encouraged. Projects that do not represent a direct fundamental contribution to the science of robotics or are better aligned with other existing programs at NSF should not be submitted to the FRR program.
Potential investigators are strongly encouraged to discuss their projects with an FRR Program Officer before submission. Non-compliant proposals may be returned without review.
Updates and announcements NSF-NIFA opportunity in agricultural robotics October 31, 2025 - Foundational Research in Robotics – National Robotics… October 30, 2025 - Foundational Research in Robotics – National Robotics… May 14, 2025 - 2025 ENG/CMMI CAREER Program Webinar May 14, 2025 - 2025 ENG/CMMI CAREER Program Webinar May 8, 2025 - 2025 ENG/CMMI CAREER Program Webinar May 8, 2025 - 2025 ENG/CMMI CAREER Program Webinar June 2, 2022 - Informational Webinar: Sunset of the National Robotics Initiative April 26, 2021 - Robotics Program Webinar for CAREER Principal Investigators Awards made through this program Browse projects funded by this program Map of recent awards made through this program Directorate for Engineering (ENG) Division of Civil, Mechanical and Manufacturing Innovation (ENG/CMMI) Division of Electrical, Communications and Cyber Systems (ENG/ECCS) Directorate for Computer and Information Science and Engineering (CISE) Division of Computing and Communication Foundations (CISE/CCF) Division of Information and Intelligent Systems (CISE/IIS) Division of Computer and Network Systems (CISE/CNS)
According to the current listing, eligibility includes: Eligible applicants: Unrestricted (i.e., open to any type of entity above), subject to any clarification in text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility. Confirm the full requirements in the official notice before applying.
Yes — Foundational Research in Robotics is offered by U.S. National Science Foundation and this listing comes from Grants.gov, an official U.S. federal source. Federal applications generally require registrations (for example SAM.gov or an agency submission portal), so allow extra lead time.
Yes — this listing is flagged as national in scope, so applicants across the U.S. may apply, subject to the sponsor's other eligibility criteria.
Applications go through the funder's official portal — the Apply Now link on this page goes there directly.
Past winners and funding trends for this program
The UKRI Policy Fellowships 2025, funded by the Economic and Social Research Council, offer 18-month placements for academics to co-design research with UK government and What Works Network host organizations. Awards range from £180,000 to £280,000 and support three fellowship tracks: core policy fellows, Natural Hazards and Resilience policy fellows, and What Works Innovation fellows. Applicants must hold a PhD or equivalent research experience, be based at a UKRI-eligible UK organization, and possess relevant subject matter or methodological expertise. Government-hosted positions target early to mid-career academics, while What Works fellowships welcome all career stages. Fellows work directly with policymakers to bridge academic research and policy development on pressing national and global challenges. The application deadline is July 15, 2025.
The Smart Data Research UK Fellowships provide up to £200,000 per project for researchers using smart data to address real-world challenges across the United Kingdom. Funded by UKRI through Smart Data Research UK, this program supports up to ten projects lasting 18 months, with start dates by February 2026. Applicants must be based at eligible UK organizations and demonstrate strong data skills with a compelling research question aligned to one of four SDR UK themes: productivity and prosperity, health and wellbeing, sustainability, or communities and places. Researchers at all career stages may apply, with early career researchers particularly encouraged. Projects may use smart datasets from SDR UK's six national data services or combine smart data with administrative and survey data sources.
NSF's CAREER award pays a minimum of $400,000 over five years and is the agency's most prestigious grant for pre-tenure faculty. But the July 22 deadline hides a harder truth: CAREER is not a research grant with an education paragraph bolted on. Here is what the program actually rewards, who is eligible, how many attempts you get, and how to position a proposal that survives a brutal success rate.
Read articleThe renamed CyberAICorps Scholarship for Service (NSF 26-503) pays students $27,000 to $37,000 a year plus full tuition, funds institutional awards up to roughly $2.5 million, and adds a service obligation in government AI and cybersecurity roles. The July 21 Scholarship Track deadline is a workforce-policy tell disguised as a grant. Here is what changed, who qualifies, and how universities should position.
Read articleNSF's Trailblazer Engineering Impact Award (NSF 26-502) gives a single principal investigator up to $3 million over three years to pursue a high-risk, field-defining project. The July 24 full-proposal deadline is invitation-only — the real contest happened months earlier. Here is how the three-stage structure works, who is eligible, why the no-co-PI rule is the point, and how to position for the next cycle.
Read article