Industry-University Cooperative Research Centers

Industry-University Cooperative Research Centers is sponsored by National Science Foundation. Funds university-industry partnerships for applied research in engineering design and manufacturing technologies. This program should be reviewed carefully against your organization's mission, staffing capacity, timeline, and compliance readiness before you commit resources to a full application. Strong submissions usually translate sponsor priorities into concrete objectives, clear implementation milestones, and measurable public benefit.

For planning purposes, treat rolling deadlines or periodic funding windows as your working submission target unless the sponsor publishes an updated notice. A competitive project plan should include a documented need statement, implementation approach, evaluation framework, risk controls, and a realistic budget narrative. Even when a grant allows broad program design, reviewers still expect credible evidence that the proposed work can be executed within the grant period and with appropriate accountability.

Current published award information indicates $100,000 - $500,000 Organizations should verify the final funding range, matching requirements, and allowability rules directly in the official opportunity materials before preparing a budget. Finance and program teams should align early so direct costs, indirect costs, staffing assumptions, procurement timelines, and reporting obligations all remain consistent throughout drafting and post-award administration.

Eligibility guidance for this opportunity is: Universities partnering with industry If your organization has partnerships, subrecipients, or collaborators, define responsibilities and compliance ownership before submission. Reviewers often look for implementation credibility, so letters of commitment, prior performance evidence, and a clear governance model can materially strengthen the application narrative and reduce concerns about delivery risk.

A practical approach is to begin with a focused readiness review, then build a workback schedule from the sponsor deadline. Confirm required attachments, registration dependencies, and internal approval checkpoints early. This reduces last-minute issues and improves submission quality. For the most accurate requirements, always rely on the official notice and primary source links associated with Industry-University Cooperative Research Centers.

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Research Experiences for Undergraduates For Early-Career Researchers Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG) How We Make Funding Decisions Request a Change to Your Award Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG) NSF Public Access Repository Who to Contact With Questions Facilities and Infrastructure Updates on NSF Priorities Our Directorates & Offices Biological Sciences (BIO) Computer & Information Science & Engineering (CISE) Integrative Activities (OIA) International Science & Engineering (OISE) Mathematical & Physical Sciences (MPS) Social, Behavioral & Economic Sciences (SBE) Technology, Innovation & Partnerships (TIP) National Center for Science & Engineering Statistics (NCSES) National Science Board (NSB) Industry-University Cooperative Research Centers Program (IUCRC) Archived funding opportunity This solicitation is archived.

NSF 20-570: Industry-University Cooperative Research Centers Program (IUCRC) Please refer to NSF 20-080 for Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) related to this program solicitation. To save a PDF of this solicitation, select Print to PDF in your browser's print options.

National Science Foundation Directorate for Engineering Engineering Education and Centers Directorate for Computer and Information Science and Engineering Directorate for Geosciences Directorate for Social, Behavioral and Economic Sciences Preliminary Proposal Due Date(s) (required) (due by 5 p. m.

submitting organization’s local time): Second Wednesday in March, Annually Thereafter Second Wednesday in September, Annually Thereafter Preliminary proposals are required prior to submission of planning grants. Submitters seeking a waiver of the planning grant stage must submit the waiver request as a preliminary proposal.

Full Proposal Target Date(s) : Second Wednesday in June, Annually Thereafter Second Wednesday in December, Annually Thereafter Important Information And Revision Notes Preliminary Proposals are required only for Planning Grants and Planning Grant waivers. A Planning Grant has a duration of up to 12 months and the award size has been increased from $15,000 to $20,000.

Please note that the Planning Grant proposals described in this solicitation are a solicitation-specific project category and are separate and distinct from the Planning type of proposal described in Chapter II. E. 1 of the PAPPG.

When preparing a Planning Grant proposal in response to this solicitation, the “Research” type of proposal should be selected. IUCRCs funded under this solicitation are eligible to apply for two five-year Phases of funding. Active Phase II Centers funded under prior solicitations have the option of competing for a Phase III award.

The new Phase II funding model will consist of two designations based on membership participation and funding levels: Phase II and Phase II-Plus (denoted II+). Phase II+ provides a higher level of NSF support with a proportionately higher level of industry membership. Multi-site Centers will consist of a Lead Site and Partner Sites, requiring centralized coordination, management, and operations by the Lead Site.

For multi-site Centers, a financial plan and a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between all Sites is required for how Center operations are funded at the Lead Site. There are two levels of Center membership allowed under this solicitation – Full Members and Associate Members.

Companies of all sizes/types (large and small businesses, startups, for-profit and non-profit entities) are encouraged to participate as Members, as are government agencies (federal, state and local). For NSF Directorates with topic-specific portfolios (i. e.

, Geosciences (GEO); Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences (SBE)), IUCRCs will be considered only on topics of interest distributed via Dear Colleague Letters. Please check the NSF website or call the cognizant Program Director in GEO or SBE.

Any proposal submitted in response to this solicitation should be submitted in accordance with the NSF Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG) that is in effect for the relevant due date to which the proposal is being submitted.

The NSF PAPPG is regularly revised and it is the responsibility of the proposer to ensure that the proposal meets the requirements specified in this solicitation and the applicable version of the PAPPG. Submitting a proposal prior to a specified deadline does not negate this requirement.

Summary Of Program Requirements Industry-University Cooperative Research Centers Program (IUCRC) The IUCRC program catalyzes breakthrough pre-competitive research by enabling close and sustained engagement between industry innovators, world-class academic teams, and government agencies.

IUCRCs help industry partners and government agencies connect directly and efficiently with university researchers to achieve three primary objectives: 1) Conduct high-impact research to meet shared and critical industrial needs in companies of all sizes; 2) Enhance U. S. global leadership in driving innovative technology development, and 3) Identify, mentor and develop a diverse, highly skilled science and engineering workforce.

The IUCRC program provides a structure for academic researchers to conduct fundamental, pre-competitive research of shared interest to industry and government organizations. These organizations pay membership fees to a consortium so that they can collectively envision and fund research, with at least 90% of Member funds allocated to the direct costs of these shared research projects.

IUCRCs are formed around research areas of strategic interest to U. S. industry.

Industry is defined very broadly to include companies (large and small), startups and non-profit organizations. Principal Investigators form a Center around emerging research topics of current research interest, in a pre-competitive space but with clear pathways to applied research and commercial development.

Industry partners join at inception, as an existing Center grows or they inspire the creation of a new Center by recruiting university partners to leverage NSF support. Government agencies participate in IUCRCs as Members or by partnering directly with NSF at the strategic level.

Universities, academic researchers, and students benefit from IUCRC participation through the research funding, the establishment and growth of industry partnerships, and educational and career placement opportunities for students.

Industry Members benefit by accessing knowledge, facilities, equipment, and intellectual property in a highly cost-efficient model; leveraging Center research outcomes in their future proprietary projects; interacting in an informal, collaborative way with other private sector and government entities with shared interests; and identifying and recruiting talent.

NSF provides funding to support Center administrative costs and a governance framework to manage membership, operations, and evaluation. Successful IUCRCs require: A capable research/management team with an entrepreneurial mindset; Universities, faculty, and students interested in engaging in research of interest to industry; A community of industry partners seeking pre-competitive, use-inspired research projects.

Each IUCRC is expected to grow and become independently sustainable by the end of the NSF support. Cognizant Program Officer(s): Please note that the following information is current at the time of publishing. See program website for any updates to the points of contact.

Prakash G. Balan, IUCRC Lead Program Director, Directorate for Engineering, Seetha Raghavan, IUCRC Program Director, telephone: (703) 292-4580, email: seraghav@nsf. gov Mohan Kumar, IUCRC Program Director, Directorate for Computer & Information Science & Engineering, Ann C.

Von Lehmen, IUCRC Program Director, Directorate for Computer & Information Science & Engineering, Barbara L. Ransom, IUCRC Program Director, Directorate for Geosciences, Rebecca Ferrell, IUCRC Program Director, Directorate for Social, Behavioral & Economic Sciences, Jeffrey M. Stanton, IUCRC Program Director, telephone: (703) 292-7794, email: jstanton@nsf.

gov Thomas S. Woodson, IUCRC Program Director, telephone: (703) 292-5150, email: tswoodso@nsf. gov José R.

Almirall, IUCRC Program Director, Directorate for Mathematical and Physical Sciences, Applicable Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number(s): --- Mathematical and Physical Sciences --- Computer and Information Science and Engineering --- Social Behavioral and Economic Sciences --- Office of International Science and Engineering --- Office of Integrative Activities (OIA) --- NSF Technology, Innovation and Partnerships Anticipated Type of Award: Standard Grant or Continuing Grant Estimated Number of Awards: 2 to 8 full Center awards and 4 to 6 Planning Grant awards annually.

Anticipated Funding Amount: Individual award sizes (total costs): $20,000 for Planning Grants $150,000 per year for Phase I $100,000 per year for Phase II $150,000 per year for Phase II+ $50,000 per year for Phase III Planning Grants are intended to be awarded as standard grants. All Center Site Grants will be awarded as Continuing Grants.

Estimated program budget, number of awards and average award size/duration are subject to the availability of funds. Who May Submit Proposals: Proposals may only be submitted by the following: Institutions of Higher Education (IHEs) - Two- and four-year IHEs (including community colleges) accredited in, and having a campus located in the US, acting on behalf of their faculty members.

Special Instructions for International Branch Campuses of US IHEs: If the proposal includes funding to be provided to an international branch campus of a US institution of higher education (including through use of subawards and consultant arrangements), the proposer must explain the benefit(s) to the project of performance at the international branch campus, and justify why the project activities cannot be performed at the US campus.

The Principal Investigator (PI) on a proposal must be a tenured faculty member. Requests for waivers to allow non-tenured faculty or research staff to serve as PI must be submitted in writing to the cognizant Program Officer by the PI's supervisor (e. g.

, Department Chair or Dean) in advance of proposal submission. Further, written approval from the cognizant Program Director is required prior to proposal submission and should be included as a Single Copy Document in the proposal. The PI must act as the initial Site Director.

A PI/Co-PI can have only one active IUCRC Site award at any given time. Limit on Number of Proposals per Organization: There is no limit to the number of proposals an eligible organization may submit to this program as long as each proposal pertains to a different IUCRC. Limit on Number of Proposals per PI or co-PI: PIs and Co-PIs can only submit one proposal per submission period.

A PI/Co-PI can have only one active IUCRC Site award at any given time. Proposal Preparation and Submission Instructions A. Proposal Preparation Instructions Letters of Intent: Not required Preliminary Proposals: Submission of Preliminary Proposals is required.

Please see the full text of this solicitation for further information. Full Proposals submitted via Research. gov: NSF Proposal and Award Policies and Procedures Guide (PAPPG) guidelines apply.

The complete text of the PAPPG is available electronically on the NSF website at: https://www. nsf. gov/publications/pub_summ.

jsp? ods_key=pappg . Full Proposals submitted via Grants.

gov: NSF Grants. gov Application Guide: A Guide for the Preparation and Submission of NSF Applications via Grants. gov guidelines apply (Note: The NSF Grants.

gov Application Guide is available on the Grants. gov website and on the NSF website at: https://www. nsf.

gov/publications/pub_summ. jsp? ods_key=grantsgovguide ).

Cost Sharing Requirements: Inclusion of voluntary committed cost sharing is prohibited. Indirect Cost (F&A) Limitations: Membership fees received by the Center are considered program income. At least 90% of the IUCRC program income must be used to support direct costs of the research, and up to 10% may be used to support indirect costs.

NSF award funds are subject to an institution’s federally-negotiated indirect cost rate. See Special Award Conditions. Other Budgetary Limitations: Other budgetary limitations apply.

Please see the full text of this solicitation for further information. Preliminary Proposal Due Date(s) (required) (due by 5 p. m.

submitting organization’s local time): Second Wednesday in March, Annually Thereafter Second Wednesday in September, Annually Thereafter Preliminary proposals are required prior to submission of planning grants. Submitters seeking a waiver of the planning grant stage must submit the waiver request as a preliminary proposal.

Full Proposal Target Date(s) : Second Wednesday in June, Annually Thereafter Second Wednesday in December, Annually Thereafter Proposal Review Information Criteria National Science Board approved criteria. Additional merit review criteria apply. Please see the full text of this solicitation for further information.

Award Administration Information Additional award conditions apply. Please see the full text of this solicitation for further information. Additional reporting requirements apply.

Please see the full text of this solicitation for further information. Summary of Program Requirements Proposal Preparation and Submission Instructions Proposal Preparation Instructions Research. gov/Grants.

gov Requirements NSF Proposal Processing and Review Procedures Merit Review Principles and Criteria Review and Selection Process Award Administration Information Notification of the Award An IUCRC operates as a consortium integrating industry, government, and academia.

The industrial community includes major corporations, middle market companies, small businesses and startups; public participants may range from local governments to divisions of federal agencies. These stakeholders partner to advance critical technologies from early stage research to the marketplace (Figure 1). The membership fees support research projects conducted by university faculty and students.

NSF provides funding for operations and a governance framework for membership, operations, and evaluation. IUCRCs engage in basic research that is considered “pre-competitive. ” This means that the research is intended for publication through avenues available for academic and scientific research.

Pre-competitive research allows industry Members who might be competitors in the commercial marketplace to work collaboratively within an IUCRC to help shape its research activities and focus. IUCRCs are expected to work on research that is transformative and helps reshape the frontiers of knowledge of industry relevance.

An IUCRC provides the infrastructure for training a diverse, high-tech workforce, including through the recruitment of students and faculty of populations historically underrepresented in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines. Furthermore, it provides a forum for startups to engage with industry and develop a rich network of corporate, academic, and public resources to accelerate technology translation.

Figure 1. The IUCRC’s role in translating research from concept to commercialization. An NSF supported Industry-University Cooperative Research Center (“IUCRC” or “Center”) is a consortium comprising one or more University “Sites” and a number of Member organizations who pay membership fees that support the Center’s research costs and activities.

It consists of the following main elements: University Sites: Universities/Institutions of Higher Education (IHEs) participating in an IUCRC, either as a Lead Site or a Partner Site. Members: Companies (large and small businesses, startups, for-profit and non-profit entities) and government agencies (federal, state and local) who pay membership fees, recognized as Program Income ( https://www. nsf.

gov/publications/pub_summ. jsp? ods_key=pappg ); please see Section VIII.

D. 4: Program Income, to become a Member of the IUCRC. Industry Advisory Board (IAB): Representatives from the Member organizations who participate actively in guiding and supporting the IUCRC’s mission and vision, research roadmap, and related programs.

NSF: NSF provides funding for administrative costs, program oversight, and a governance framework to manage membership, operations, and evaluation. Creating an IUCRC requires a strong desire to build public-private partnerships, knowledge of pressing industry needs, a capable leadership team, access to students, and research infrastructure.

To launch an IUCRC, the university team must identify the research needs of an economic sector under transformation, confirm alignment of university leadership, secure financial commitments from industry players, and establish an effective governance framework. NSF considers each IUCRC a nationwide investment and encourages the formation of multi-university (i. e.

, multi-site) Centers, each of which should address distinct, unique needs. A prospective Principal Investigator (PI) should confirm that a proposed Center does not overlap with existing Centers in the Directory ( https://iucrc. nsf.

gov/centers/ ); in the event of overlap with an existing IUCRC, the PI should explore the possibility of joining that Center. During Center creation, NSF funds a year-long Planning Grant process, through the standard NSF merit review process, to train prospective Center leaders on best practices for establishing and maintaining a successful IUCRC.

The path to Center creation (Figure 2) involves several distinct steps, including planning, training, customer discovery and Member recruitment, and ultimately leading to the submission of a Phase I IUCRC proposal. Figure 2. The path to IUCRC creation from conception to award.

IUCRCs progress from inception through each stage, ultimately with the goal of becoming a Graduated Center, which is defined as successfully completing the highest IUCRC Phase available under the solicitation in which it was funded, continuing to meet or exceed the minimum membership and membership fee total cash requirements, and continuing to use the NSF governance framework. (Figure 3).

To align with the accelerated pace and evolution of industry research, NSF offers new Centers two Phases of funding (five years each). This includes two funding level options within Phase II (i. e.

, Phase II and Phase II+). Active Phase I Centers, established under this or prior solicitations and transitioning to Phase II, will be subject to the model described in Figure 3 (i. e.

, Phase II or Phase II+). Active Phase II Centers (funded under prior solicitations) may elect to progress to Phase III under this solicitation. Figure 3: IUCRC evolution and funding paths offered in this solicitation.

An IUCRC conducts research under the leadership and guidance of an Industry Advisory Board (IAB) to manage project selection, fund projects, and share results. To qualify for NSF support, a Center must meet specific requirements in both membership and membership fees (see Table 1). The Center may offer two membership fee levels (Full and Associate).

See Section B. 1 below for definitions of terms and Section VII. B for the Special Award Conditions.

Table 1: IUCRC funding, membership, and fee requirements. Multi-Site Center (Number of Sites = N) Annual NSF Site Funding 2 Annual Minimum Membership (Full memberships or equivalent) Minimum membership fee total 3 Annual Minimum Membership (Full memberships or equivalent) Minimum membership fee total 3 1 Phase III funding is an available option only for active Phase II Sites funded under prior solicitations.

2 Additional flexibility in specifying a Center’s NSF budget is described in Section V. A Budget Allocations for Center Operations and Management. 3 Does not include in-kind contributions.

B. Center Structure and Membership Organizations, Entities, and Structure: Site : A University/Institutions of Higher Learning participating in an IUCRC. Lead Site : The Site with administrative and management responsibility for the Center-wide activities such as Member recruitment and retention, IAB meetings organization, collection and allocation of membership fees and other program income, and managing Center operations.

The Lead Site administrative role and associated expenses are defined and budgeted in a required Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) executed by all Sites. Partner Site : A participating Site that is not the Lead Site. External Collaborator : An external entity or individual required to address a critical research need, subject to NSF and IAB approval and paid for from Program Income.

Industry Advisory Board (IAB) : An advisory body composed of representatives from the Center’s member organizations. The IAB elects a Chair and Vice-Chair and makes recommendations on (a) the Center’s research projects, (b) the apportionment of resources to these research projects, and (c) Bylaws. The IAB ensures that the university team is conducting research of relevance to the industry Members.

The IAB helps to refine the mission, vision, and research roadmap for the Center. Academic Leadership Team : A team comprising the PIs and co-PIs of all Sites, with responsibility for overseeing and carrying out the IAB-recommended research activities and ensuring Center success.

Sponsored Projects Office (SPO) (or equivalent) : University administrative unit at the Lead Site that provides an annual Center membership certification form ( https://iucrc. nsf. gov/universities/solicitation/SRO-membership-certification/ ).

Academic Policy Committee : University unit at each Site composed of members of the institution’s administration (for example, Vice President of Research, Dean, Associate Dean of Research, Vice Dean of Innovation, Department Chair, etc.) Examples of this committee’s responsibilities include managing Conflict of Interest or personnel performance issues within the Center/Site.

Phase : A Phase is one of two 5-year sequential stages of development and NSF funding. Phases under this solicitation may be I, II or II+, or III. Phases II and II+ are not consecutive but rather mutually exclusive options for Phase II with different NSF funding levels as a function of the level of industry participation (Table 1).

Phase III is available only for active Phase II Centers funded under prior solicitations. A Planning Grant does not qualify as a Phase. A Phase applies to the entire Center; individual Sites cannot be in different Phases in the same Center.

Site addition : Centers may expand to include participation from additional University Sites, in order to enhance research capabilities and impact. A new Site may join an existing Center if it can demonstrate that it can meet NSF membership requirements for the expanded Center and its proposal must undergo the merit review process.

A Site joins an IUCRC in the Center’s current Phase, with an award limited to the remaining duration of the active Center. Center Director : The PI of the Center Lead Site proposal; oversees Center operations and management, Center research programs and serves as the Center’s key point of contact.

Site Director : The PI for a Partner Site; serves on the Academic Leadership Team, manages the Site’s research program, and serves as the Site’s point of contact for Site-related activities.

Industry Liaison Officer : This position is typically associated with the Lead Site and has the primary responsibilities for communicating Center value, identifying and recruiting new Members, and building and maintaining existing industry relationships. This position is highly recommended but is not required if the Center leadership has sufficient time and experience to carry out this additional role.

Partner Sites are expected to provide partial support for this position by contributing funds as described in Section V. A Budget Allocations for Center Operations and Management for detailed information. Fees : The annual financial commitment, payable in cash (not in-kind contributions), contributed by a Member organization.

Member : Fee-paying organization that signs the IUCRC membership agreement. Full Member : A Member that pays the full membership fee, and has one full voting right. Associate Member : A Member that pays one-half of the Full Member fee, and has one-half of a voting right.

Affiliates : An entity providing approved in-kind contribution, or an entity involved in the Center with conflict-of-interest that may wish to support the Center by contributing funds (at the associate membership or full membership level). Affiliates do not count toward membership fees, have no voting rights and do not have exclusive or non-exclusive, royalty-free license access to the Center Intellectual Property.

Membership (Number of Equivalent Full Members) : Equivalent Full memberships are counted by aggregating the Full and Associate memberships to determine compliance with the solicitation requirements (Table 1). For example, a Center with 4 Full Members and 2 Associate Members has 5 Equivalent Full Members. Membership Fees : The total membership fees collected.

The fees of Full and Associate Members are aggregated into the membership fee total to determine compliance with the solicitation requirements (Table 1). Program Income : All funds contributed by Members are classified as Program Income. At least 90% of the IUCRC Program Income must be used to support the direct costs of research, and up to 10% may be used to support indirect costs.

For additional information, see https://www. nsf. gov/pubs/policydocs/pappg22_1/pappg_8.

jsp#VIIID4 . Note: The Center’s Industry Advisory Board (IAB) may vote on the allocation of Member funds to support direct costs other than research to meet the Center’s specific needs in support of its mission. The Center may bring specific requests to the IAB for a vote and recommendations.

Voting rights : Voting rights are assigned based on Membership Level. Full Members are allotted one voting right for one membership fee. A Member may acquire multiple memberships, but membership contributions in excess of two full memberships are capped at two voting rights.

Associate Members pay a reduced (one-half) membership fee, and thus have 0. 5 voting rights. Center Research : The Center Program Income is directed toward the research activities, as recommended by the IAB, and conducted at the Sites by the university researchers (faculty, graduate students, post graduate students, etc.)

Membership fees are classified as Program Income. Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) : A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between Sites in the Center must be negotiated such that the Lead Site’s administrative role and associated expenses are defined and budgeted.

The Lead Site serves as a central collection and distribution site for all membership fees and Member-related Program Income, including funds allocated to research projects executed at Partner Sites. All Sites execute the same MOU. NSF Budget Allocations : NSF funding for a university Site is intended to support operations, management, and administration at both the Center and Site levels.

Site budgets must allocate NSF funds to the Lead Site for Center operations (Section V. A). Bylaws : The Center Bylaws define the operating procedures that will be applied to govern the operations of the Center.

These operating procedures are approved by the IAB and the Academic Leadership Team. Bylaws are reviewed by NSF for acceptability with the IUCRC program. IUCRC Membership Agreement : All Center Members sign one common agreement.

The common template agreement to be adopted is published on the NSF website at https://iucrc. nsf. gov/industry/joining-a-center/membership-agreement/ .

Conflicts of Interest : A Conflict of Interest policy must be implemented for the Center and presented in the Bylaws, to address companies or entities for which: (1) a researcher involved in the Center is the founder, president, a key officer or a majority shareholder, or (2) the organization is in any way financially affiliated with any of the universities that are part of the Center (e. g.

, university foundation, university subsidiary). 2.

Strategy and Governance Centers are characterized by having the following: A research scope unique among existing IUCRCs and representing the shared interests of the Center research team and IAB; A portfolio of fundamental and pre-competitive collaborative research projects of interest to multiple IAB Members; A mechanism to share project outcomes with all Center Members; A plan for attracting new Members, retaining existing Members, and building strong relationships between the Center research team and IAB; A plan to establish a diverse mix of industry Member organizations, including companies (large and small), startups, non-profit organizations, government agencies, and/or other interested non-academic entities; Strong representation by all Sites in Center research activities, with an emphasis on projects requiring engagement and collaboration among multiple Sites; A priority-driven ranking mechanism by which the IAB can recommend funding.

(A voting method that allows one IAB Member to independently fully fund its project(s) of choice is viewed as supporting contract work and is disallowed under the IUCRC framework); Documentation of Center goals and objectives, created jointly by the Center research team and the IAB, and an associated research roadmap; A uniform membership agreement conforming to the NSF IUCRC-wide model ( https://iucrc. nsf.

gov/industry/joining-a-center/membership-agreement/ ); A Memorandum of Understanding articulating the financial and operational responsibilities of each Site; A set of IAB-approved Center Bylaws to document Center operating procedures, consistent with the IUCRC membership agreement and model, including a process to reorganize leadership at the Center or Site level if deemed necessary by the NSF and IAB. 3.

Eligibility for Membership Members are critical to effective Center functioning, as they vote to recommend projects of mutual interest that will form the research portfolio. Furthermore, they define which projects are chosen, fund research, and monitor Center performance. Members may be companies (large and small), startups, non-profit organizations, government agencies, and/or other interested non-academic entities.

To ensure research translation into commercial uses for societal impact, NSF encourages Centers to recruit IAB Members primarily from the private sector. The following eligibility requirements apply: Members must have an Employer Identification Number (EIN) issued by the U. S.

Internal Revenue Service. Exceptions to this requirement must be approved in writing by the cognizant Program Officer. Two divisions within the same parent organization count as distinct Members only if each division has a unique EIN.

An entity must submit a signed IUCRC membership agreement (See Agreements and Policies Section II. B. 1) to the Lead Site SRO and pay an annual membership fee.

U. S. federal agencies, Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDCs), national laboratories, and state and local government agencies may become Members ( https://iucrc.

nsf. gov/government/ ). Distinct entities within a government agency qualify as distinct Members (e.

g. , Army CERDEC and Army Research Laboratory). An entity financially connected with any of the Sites (e.

g. , a university foundation or subsidiary) may become an Affiliate Member of that Center. The entity's membership fee counts as Program Income.

The entity and its membership fees do not count toward Center minimum membership requirements. The entity does not have IAB voting rights. Any Center-supported faculty involved in an Affiliate Member company must provide written notice to the Center Director and the Center IAB of their involvement in the company and must comply with conflict of interest policies of their institution.

An entity or company in which a Center faculty member is the founder, president, key officer, or principal shareholder, may become an Affiliate Member of the Center. The entity's membership fee counts as Program Income. The entity and its membership fees do not count toward Center minimum requirements.

The entity does not have IAB voting rights. Categories and memberships : A Center may have three membership categories: Full, Associate, and Affiliate. Full Members pay 100% of the fee, Associates pay 50% of the fee, and Affiliate Members may provide in-kind contributions or pay fees that count as Program Income but that do not count toward meeting membership fee requirements (Table 1).

The distinct number of Associate Members can be added together to create an Equivalent Full Membership (e. g. , two Associate Members at 50% are equivalent to one Full membership).

Voting rights : A full Member earns one vote. Voting is pro-rated based on the paid membership fee. An organization may buy multiple memberships in a Center, but contributions exceeding two full memberships are capped at two votes.

Affiliate Members do not have voting rights. In-kind contributions : An in-kind contribution by an Affiliate Member, such as (but not limited to) equipment or instruments, must be approved by IAB and does not qualify toward meeting minimum membership fee total cash contribution requirements set by NSF.

Example: As an example, in Table 2 a Phase I Center is shown that has two Sites offering full and associate memberships with fee levels of $50,000/$25,000 respectively, as well as affiliate memberships. This Center must have at least 6 full memberships (3 x 2 Sites) and $300,000 ($150,000 x 2 Sites) in total membership fees cash contributions during each year of Phase I. The Center has $625,000 of Program Income, 9.

5 voting rights, 7 full memberships, and $525,000 in eligible membership fees. Table 2: Example calculation for