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The NSF CAREER Grant is a grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) that funds early-career faculty who demonstrate exceptional potential as academic role models in both research and education.
The Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Program is NSF's most prestigious award for junior faculty, supporting integrated research and teaching projects that establish a strong foundation for a lifetime of contributions to science and engineering. Recipients are expected to lead advances within their departments and broader fields. Eligible applicants are early-career faculty at U.S. academic institutions.
Award amounts vary by field and project scope.
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Faculty Early Career Development Program (CAREER) | NSF - U.S. National Science Foundation Faculty Early Career Development Program (CAREER) NSF's implementation of the revised 2 CFR NSF Financial Assistance awards (grants and cooperative agreements) made on or after October 1, 2024, will be subject to the applicable set of award conditions, dated October 1, 2024, available on the NSF website .
These terms and conditions are consistent with the revised guidance specified in the OMB Guidance for Federal Financial Assistance published in the Federal Register on April 22, 2024.
Important information for proposers All proposals must be submitted in accordance with the requirements specified in this funding opportunity and in the NSF Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG) that is in effect for the relevant due date to which the proposal is being submitted. It is the responsibility of the proposer to ensure that the proposal meets these requirements.
Submitting a proposal prior to a specified deadline does not negate this requirement.
Updates to NSF Research Security Policies On July 10, 2025, NSF issued an Important Notice providing updates to the agency's research security policies, including a research security training requirement, Malign Foreign Talent Recruitment Program annual certification requirement, prohibition on Confucius institutes and an updated FFDR reporting and submission timeline.
Supports early-career faculty who have the potential to serve as academic role models in research and education and to lead advances in the mission of their department or organization.
Includes the description of the NSF component of the Presidential Early Career Awards for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE) Supports early-career faculty who have the potential to serve as academic role models in research and education and to lead advances in the mission of their department or organization.
CAREER : The Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Program is a Foundation-wide activity that offers the National Science Foundation's most prestigious awards in support of early-career faculty who have the potential to serve as academic role models in research and education and to lead advances in the mission of their department or organization.
Activities pursued by early-career faculty should build a firm foundation for a lifetime of leadership in integrating education and research. NSF encourages submission of CAREER proposals from early-career faculty at all CAREER-eligible organizations and especially encourages women, members of underrepresented minority groups, and persons with disabilities to apply.
PECASE : Each year NSF selects nominees for the Presidential Early Career Awards for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE) from among the most meritorious recent CAREER awardees.
Selection for this award is based on two important criteria: The criteria are 1) performance of innovative research at the frontiers of science, engineering, and technology that is relevant to the mission of the sponsoring organization or agency; and 2) community service demonstrated through scientific leadership, education or community outreach.
These awards foster innovative developments in science and technology, increase awareness of careers in science and engineering, give recognition to the scientific missions of the participating agencies, enhance connections between fundamental research and national goals, and highlight the importance of science and technology for the Nation’s future. Individuals cannot apply for PECASE.
These awards are initiated by the participating federal agencies. At NSF, up to twenty-six nominees for this award are selected each year from among the PECASE-eligible CAREER awardees most likely to become the leaders of academic research and education in the twenty-first century. The White House Office of Science and Technology Policy makes the final selection and announcement of the awardees.
Updates and announcements CAREER webinar materials and FAQ CAREER directorate and division contacts Faculty Early Career program April 29, 2026 - NSF CAREER Program Informational Webinars May 6, 2026 - NSF ENG CBET Early-Career Faculty Workshop May 19, 2026 - NSF CAREER Program Informational Webinars June 25, 2026 - NSF CAREER Proposal Submission Logistics Webinar July 11, 2025 - NSF Division of Materials Research Open Hour – Faculty Early… June 25, 2025 - CAREER Proposal Submission Logistics Webinar June 12, 2025 - NSF CAREER webinar on engineering education research proposals June 6, 2025 - NSF Division of Chemistry Early-Career Investigator Workshop (… May 19, 2025 - 2025 NSF CAREER Program Informational Webinar May 14, 2025 - 2025 ENG/CMMI CAREER Program Webinar May 14, 2025 - 2025 NSF CAREER Program Informational 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 Additional program resources FAQ: Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Program for Submission in Years 2022 - 2026 Awards made through this program Browse projects funded by this program Directorate for Biological Sciences (BIO) Directorate for Computer and Information Science and Engineering (CISE) Directorate for STEM Education (EDU) Directorate for Engineering (ENG) Directorate for Geosciences (GEO) Directorate for Mathematical and Physical Sciences (MPS) Directorate for Social, Behavioral and Economic Sciences (SBE) Office of Integrative Activities (OD/OIA) Office of International Science and Engineering (OD/OISE) Directorate for Technology, Innovation and Partnerships (TIP)
According to the current listing, eligibility includes: Early-career faculty who serve as academic role models in research and education and who lead advances in their department and university. Confirm the full requirements in the official notice before applying.
The current listing shows not specified (example award cited: $173,852 over two years). Verify award ceilings, matching requirements, and allowable costs in the official notice.
NSF CAREER Grant is funded by National Science Foundation (NSF). Verify program details on the funder's official page before applying.
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.
Start from the official opportunity page linked in this listing — it carries the sponsor's submission instructions.
Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program (ED/IES) is sponsored by U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences (IES). This program provides funding for small businesses to conduct research and development of innovative education technology products. It emphasizes rigorous research and the potential for commercialization to bring products to schools. Projects can leverage AI functionalities, interactive learning, and assistive technologies for students and educators. The program has an annual allocation of $10 million for new ed-tech products.
Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program (ED/IES SBIR) is sponsored by U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences (IES). This program provides funding to small businesses for research and development of innovative education technology products for students and educators. It supports prototypes, product development, and evaluation, with a focus on emerging technologies like AI, VR, AR, and adaptive tutors. The program is administered by the Institute of Education Sciences, the research branch of the Department of Education.
Educational Technology, Media, and Materials for Individuals with Disabilities Program (Stepping-up Technology Implementation competition) is sponsored by U.S. Department of Education. This program aims to improve results for students with disabilities by promoting the development, demonstration, and use of technology; supporting educational activities of value in the classroom for students with disabilities; providing captioning and video description; and ens…
Congress appropriated \$8.75 billion for NSF in FY2026, rejecting the administration's proposed 55% cut to \$3.9 billion. But between April and May 2025, DOGE terminated 1,752 grants worth \$1.4 billion, hitting STEM Education (\$888M, 839 grants) and Social, Behavioral and Economic Sciences hardest. Director Panchanathan resigned April 24, 2025; no permanent replacement has been named. Effective December 15, 2025, NSF cut minimum external reviews from three to two, made one internal review allowable, made panel discussions optional, and shrank panel summaries to three to five sentences. Here is what the new NSF actually looks like as a funder, who is being selected against, and how to position a 2026 proposal against the new merit review.
Read articleOn June 1, DARPA and NSF announced AI Forge — a jointly governed forum that will fund university-led research on three thrusts: AI interpretability, AI control, and adversarial robustness. The RFI on sam.gov closes June 22, 2026, at 5:00 PM ET. Project Ventures awards run roughly \$750K to \$3M with one-year durations and multiple awards expected annually. Administration runs through a nonprofit, intellectual property will be shared via open-source licensing, and CAISI at NIST is the third partner. Here is what the 15 priority research challenges look like and how U.S. universities should respond.
Read articleOn May 31, NSF announced the restart of its SBIR and STTR programs with a \$250 million FY26 allocation, a Project Pitch portal reopening June 2, a first full-proposal deadline of July 27, 2026, and additional windows on November 4 and March 4, 2027. Phase I tops out at \$305K, Phase II at \$1.25M, and a new Strategic Breakthrough lane extends invited Phase II companies up to \$30M. A separate \$40M instrumentation pilot (NSF 26-511) funds next-generation scientific tools. Here is what changed from prior cycles, who the program actually fits, and how to position a Project Pitch for the July deadline.
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