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NSF Partnerships for Innovation (PFI) Program is sponsored by National Science Foundation. Supports partnerships between academic researchers and non-academic organizations to accelerate the transfer of research results into practice.
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Partnerships for Innovation (PFI) | NSF - U.S. National Science Foundation Partnerships for Innovation (PFI) Archived funding opportunity This document has been archived. Important information for proposers and award recipients All proposals must be submitted in accordance with the requirements specified in this 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. Supports NSF-funded researchers from all disciplines of science and engineering to perform translational research and technology development, cultivate partnerships and accelerate the transition of their discoveries into innovative technology.
The Partnerships for Innovation (PFI) Program within the Division of Translational Impacts (TI) offers researchers from all disciplines of science and engineering funded by NSF the opportunity to perform translational research and technology development, catalyze partnerships and accelerate the transition of discoveries from the laboratory to the marketplace for societal benefit.
PFI has five broad goals, as set forth by the American Innovation and Competitiveness Act of 2017 (“the Act”, S. 3084 — 114th Congress ; Sec. 602.
Translational Research Grants ): (1) identifying and supporting NSF-sponsored research and technologies that have the potential for accelerated commercialization; (2) supporting prior or current NSF-sponsored investigators, institutions of higher education, and non-profit organizations that partner with an institution of higher education in undertaking proof-of-concept work, including the development of technology prototypes that are derived from NSF-sponsored research and have potential market value; (3) promoting sustainable partnerships between NSF-funded institutions, industry, and other organizations within academia and the private sector with the purpose of accelerating the transfer of technology; (4) developing multi-disciplinary innovation ecosystems which involve and are responsive to the specific needs of academia and industry; (5) providing professional development, mentoring, and advice in entrepreneurship, project management, and technology and business development to innovators.
In addition, PFI responds to the mandate set by Congress in Section 601(c)(3) of the Act (Follow-on Grants) , to support prototype or proof-of-concept development work by participants with innovations that because of the early stage of development are not eligible to participate in a Small Business Innovation Research Program or a Small Business Technology Transfer Program.
Finally, PFI seeks to implement the mandate set by Congress in Section 102(c)(a) of the Act (Broader Impacts Review Criterion Update) by enhancing partnerships between academia and industry in the United States, and expanding the participation of women and individuals from underrepresented groups in innovation, technology translation, and entrepreneurship.
This solicitation offers two broad tracks for proposals in pursuit of the aforementioned goals: The Technology Translation (PFI-TT) track offers the opportunity to translate prior NSF-funded research results in any field of science or engineering into technological innovations with promising commercial potential and societal impact.
PFI-TT supports commercial potential demonstration projects for academic research outputs in any NSF-funded science and engineering discipline. This demonstration is achieved through proof-of-concept, prototyping, technology development and/or scale-up work. Concurrently, students and postdoctoral researchers who participate in PFI-TT projects receive education and leadership training in innovation and entrepreneurship.
Successful PFI-TT projects generate technology-driven commercialization outcomes that address societal needs. The Research Partnerships (PFI-RP) track seeks to achieve the same goals as the PFI-TT track by supporting instead complex, multi-faceted technology development projects that are typically beyond the scope of a single researcher or institution and require a multi-organizational, interdisciplinary, synergistic collaboration.
A PFI-RP project requires the creation of partnerships between academic researchers and third-party organizations such as industry, non-academic research organizations, federal laboratories, public or non-profit technology transfer organizations or other universities. Such partnerships are needed to conduct use-inspired research on a stand-alone larger project toward commercialization and societal impact.
In the absence of such synergistic partnership, the project’s likelihood for success would be minimal.
The intended outcomes of both PFI-TT and PFI-RP tracks are: a) the commercialization of new intellectual property derived from NSF-funded research outputs; b) the creation of new or broader collaborations with industry (including increased corporate sponsored research); c) the licensing of NSF-funded research outputs to third party corporations or to start-up companies funded by a PFI team; and d) the training of future innovation and entrepreneurship leaders.
WEBINARS: Webinars will be held to answer questions about the solicitation. Registration will be available on the NSF Partnerships for Innovation website ( https://www. nsf.
gov/PFI ). Potential proposers and their partners are encouraged to attend.
Updates and announcements PFI is no longer accepting applications September 27, 2022 - Intro to NSF’s Directorate for Technology, Innovation and… January 4, 2022 - Partnerships for Innovation Webinar Series December 14, 2021 - Partnerships for Innovation Webinar Series December 7, 2021 - Partnerships for Innovation Webinar Series November 30, 2021 - Partnerships for Innovation Webinar Series June 9, 2021 - Invention to Impact December 18, 2020 - Deep Dive Into Deep Tech Incubation November 18, 2020 - Deep Dive Into Deep Tech Incubation October 16, 2020 - Deep Dive Into Deep Tech Incubation September 25, 2020 - Deep Dive Into Deep Tech Incubation Awards made through this program Browse projects funded by this program Map of recent awards made through this program Directorate for Technology, Innovation and Partnerships (TIP) Division of Translational Impacts (TIP/TI)
Based on current listing details, eligibility includes: U. S. institutions of higher education and their partners. Applicants should confirm final requirements in the official notice before submission.
Current published award information indicates Up to $550,000 Always verify allowable costs, matching requirements, and funding caps directly in the sponsor documentation.
The current target date is rolling deadlines or periodic funding windows. Build your timeline backwards from this date to cover registrations, approvals, attachments, and final submission checks.
Federal grant success rates typically range from 10-30%, varying by agency and program. Build a strong proposal with clear objectives, measurable outcomes, and a well-justified budget to improve your chances.
Requirements vary by sponsor, but typically include a project narrative, budget justification, organizational capability statement, and key personnel CVs. Check the official notice for the complete list of required attachments.
Yes — AI tools like Granted can help research funders, draft proposal sections, and check compliance. However, always review and customize AI-generated content to reflect your organization's unique strengths and the specific requirements of the solicitation.
Review timelines vary by funder. Federal agencies typically take 3-6 months from submission to award notification. Foundation grants may be faster, often 1-3 months. Check the program's timeline in the official solicitation for specific dates.
Many federal programs offer multi-year funding or allow competitive renewals. Check the official solicitation for continuation and renewal policies. Non-competing continuation applications are common for multi-year awards.
Agricultural Technologies (AG) - NSF SBIR/STTR is sponsored by National Science Foundation (NSF). The Agricultural Technologies topic supports innovations enabling farm production ecosystems that support the proper utilization of natural resources. Such technologies may encompass systems-level and multidisciplinary solutions to enable complex agricultural practices that support increased biodiversity balanced with yield production. Sub-topics include food waste mitigation, resilient supply & distribution, and other agricultural technologies.
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AWS Imagine Grant program - Momentum to Modernize Award is sponsored by Amazon Web Services (AWS). This award provides funding for transformational infrastructure projects, helping nonprofit organizations enhance their core mission operations with technology. This includes foundational technology projects, such as migrating servers to the cloud and modernizing new and existing applications.
NIST AI-Focused Manufacturing USA Institute is sponsored by National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). NIST announced an open competition for a new Manufacturing USA institute focused on the use of artificial intelligence (AI) to increase the resilience of U.S. manufacturers. The institute will be required to obtain cost-share funds from nonfederal sources.