Engineering (ENG): Civil, Mechanical, and Manufacturing Innovation (CMMI) Grant

The U.S. National Science Foundation Directorate for Engineering, through the Division of Civil, Mechanical and Manufacturing Innovation, supports foundational engineering research under the Engineering (ENG): Civil, Mechanical, and Manufacturing Innovation (CMMI) solicitation. The program advances civil, design, mechanical, industrial, systems, manufacturing, and materials engineering research. NSF emphasizes foundational research capable of producing scientific breakthroughs, opening new areas of inquiry, strengthening U.S. economic competitiveness and national security, and improving quality of life. The solicitation is particularly interested in intellectually ambitious and potentially transformative work, including research that challenges prevailing paradigms, develops new theories or methods, creates research tools or datasets, establishes interdisciplinary connections, or uses emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, advanced computation, and automation in scientifically justified ways. ENG: CMMI encompasses four programs. Advanced Manufacturing, Design, and Operations supports foundational research on manufacturing processes, systems, services, supply chains, and the secure and efficient design and operation of such systems. Engineering for the Built Environment supports foundational research on engineered and natural infrastructure elements, systems, and systems-of-systems, with an emphasis on adaptability and resilience. Intelligent and Interactive Dynamic Systems supports research advancing intelligent dynamic systems, including modeling, simulation, analysis, inference, and control and engineered systems that interact with people. Mechanics of Advanced Materials Systems supports foundational research concerning deformation, failure, material response, and structural element response in engineered and biological materials. Research fitting within one program as well as multidisciplinary research spanning multiple programs is welcome. NSF anticipates a portfolio of awards with a range of budgets and durations, and project budgets and durations must be commensurate with the scope of the proposed work. The anticipated program funding amount is $100,000,000, with an estimated 225 to 275 awards. Estimated program budget, number of awards, and average award size and duration remain subject to the availability of funds. NSF encourages proposals across a wide range of funding levels and project durations and notes that investigators may consider mechanisms such as Planning Proposals, RAPID, EAGER, and RAISE for appropriate preliminary or time-sensitive work. Where longer awards would support ambitious and transformative research and reduce administrative burden, proposals requesting up to five years of support are encouraged. Inclusion of voluntary committed cost sharing is prohibited. There are no stated indirect cost limitations or other budgetary limitations under this solicitation. Eligible proposers are the categories identified in Chapter I.E of the NSF Proposal and Award Policies and Procedures Guide. The solicitation expressly states that unaffiliated individuals are not eligible to submit proposals. There are no restrictions or limits on who may serve as principal investigator, no limit on the number of proposals an organization may submit, and no limit on the number of proposals a principal investigator or co-principal investigator may submit. Letters of intent and preliminary proposals are not required. Full proposals may be submitted through Research.gov or Grants.gov. Proposals submitted through Research.gov follow the PAPPG, while Grants.gov submissions follow the NSF Grants.gov Application Guide. Collaborative proposals submitted as separate submissions from multiple organizations must use Research.gov. Proposers must use the version of the PAPPG in effect on the proposal's due date. Full proposals are accepted anytime, so the solicitation does not establish a fixed application closing date or recurring annual deadline. Proposers are strongly encouraged to email a one-page project summary to the appropriate Cognizant Program Director before submitting a full proposal to obtain guidance about whether the research topic is within program scope. This communication is advisory and does not constitute proposal review or influence funding decisions. NSF evaluates proposals using the National Science Board-approved Intellectual Merit criterion, addressing the potential to advance knowledge, and Broader Impacts criterion, addressing the potential to benefit society and contribute to desired societal outcomes. Proposals may undergo ad hoc review, panel review, or both. After an initial compliance check, an NSF Program Officer reviews the proposal, and in most cases three or more external experts also participate in review. All else being equal after merit review, NSF may give preference to institutions with lower indirect cost rates. Awards may be Standard Grants or Continuing Grants. Notification of an award is made to the submitting organization by an NSF Grants and Agreements Officer. Standard NSF award conditions and reporting requirements apply, and unless an award notice provides otherwise, the principal investigator must submit annual project reports and a project outcomes report for the general public. No specific award notification date or fixed performance period is stated; budgets and durations are expected to match the proposed scope. Program inquiries may be directed to the AMDO team at cmmi-amdo@nsf.gov, EBE team at cmmi-ebe@nsf.gov, IIDS team at cmmi-iids@nsf.gov, or MAMS team at cmmi-mams@nsf.gov; each program team lists (703) 292-8360. Research.gov technical questions may be directed to rgov@nsf.gov or 1-800-381-1532, and Grants.gov questions may be directed to support@grants.gov or 1-800-518-4726.

Pursue foundational, intellectually ambitious and potentially transformative research; clearly establish fit with the appropriate CMMI program; address Intellectual Merit and Broader Impacts; scientifically justify use of AI, advanced computation, or automation rather than using such tools incidentally; ensure the project budget and duration are commensurate with scope; discuss potential fit with a Program Director well in advance of submission.