Engineering (ENG): Chemical, Bioengineering, Energy, and Transport Systems (CBET)

The U.S. National Science Foundation, through its Directorate for Engineering and Division of Chemical, Bioengineering, Energy, and Transport Systems, administers the Engineering (ENG): Chemical, Bioengineering, Energy, and Transport Systems (CBET) funding opportunity. The program supports foundational engineering research involving the transformation and transport of matter and energy by chemical, thermal, mechanical, physical, chemical, and biological means. The solicitation integrates research across chemical and process engineering, biological and biomedical systems, energy and resource engineering, and transport phenomena. NSF is particularly interested in intellectually ambitious and potentially transformative foundational research, including incremental advances, high-risk inquiries, interdisciplinary work, opportunities for early-career investigators, and scientifically justified uses of emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, advanced computation, and automation. The solicitation encompasses four ENG: CBET programs. Chemical Process Systems supports foundational research involving chemical and biochemical processes, reaction engineering, molecular thermodynamics, reactor design, catalysis, electrochemical and photochemical systems, chemical separations, and data-enabled process design. Engineering Biological and Biomedical Systems supports foundational engineering research involving biological functions, microbial populations and cells, therapeutic cells and tissues, biosensing platforms, biological systems, and rehabilitation engineering. Energy, Water, and Resource Engineering supports foundational engineering research concerning the management of energy, water, minerals, and material resources. Transport Phenomena supports foundational research concerning single- and multiphase systems, fluid interfaces, thermodynamics, thermal transport, and combustion. Research fitting a single program and multidisciplinary research spanning multiple programs are both welcomed. NSF anticipates approximately 225 to 275 awards and an anticipated program funding amount of 100000000 dollars, subject to the availability of funds. Awards may be Standard Grants or Continuing Grants. The solicitation does not establish a specific minimum or maximum individual award amount. Instead, project budgets and durations must be commensurate with the proposed work. NSF anticipates a portfolio containing a range of budgets and durations and encourages investigators to consider mechanisms and project durations appropriate to their research. The solicitation prohibits inclusion of voluntary committed cost sharing. It identifies no applicable indirect cost limitations or other budgetary limitations. Proposals are expected to define a comprehensive set of objectives and targets appropriate to the project and explain how they will be achieved. Eligible proposers are the categories identified in the NSF Proposal and Award Policies and Procedures Guide, Chapter I.E. Unaffiliated individuals are specifically not eligible to submit proposals under this solicitation. There are no restrictions or limits on who may serve as principal investigator, the number of proposals an organization may submit, or the number of proposals a principal investigator or co-principal investigator may submit. Proposers must prepare full proposals according to Chapter II.D.2 of the PAPPG unless the solicitation provides different instructions and must use the version of the PAPPG in effect on the proposal due date. Proposals may be submitted through Research.gov or Grants.gov, although collaborative proposals submitted as separate submissions from multiple organizations must be submitted through Research.gov. Letters of intent and preliminary proposals are not required. Full proposals are accepted anytime and are therefore not subject to a fixed application closing date under this solicitation. 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 falls within program scope. Investigators are also strongly encouraged and expected to discuss their ideas and potential program fit with a Program Director well in advance of submission, although this communication does not constitute review and does not influence funding decisions. Program contacts are cbet-cps@nsf.gov for Chemical Process Systems, cbet-ebbs@nsf.gov for Engineering Biological and Biomedical Systems, cbet-ewre@nsf.gov for Energy, Water, and Resource Engineering, and cbet-tp@nsf.gov for Transport Phenomena. NSF evaluates proposals using the National Science Board-approved Intellectual Merit and Broader Impacts criteria. Intellectual Merit addresses the potential to advance knowledge, while Broader Impacts addresses the potential to benefit society and contribute to desired societal outcomes. Proposals may undergo ad hoc review, panel review, internal NSF review, or a combination of these processes. Following an initial compliance check, an NSF Program Officer reviews the proposal, and in most cases three or more external experts also participate as ad hoc reviewers, panelists, or both. All else being equal after merit review, NSF may give preference to institutions with lower indirect cost rates. Award notifications are made to the submitting organization by an NSF Grants and Agreements Officer. Standard NSF award conditions and reporting requirements apply. Unless an award notice provides otherwise, the principal investigator must submit annual project reports and a project outcomes report for the general public. Recipients issuing subawards must comply with applicable pass-through entity requirements and align subaward management with Administration and NSF policies and priorities. Awards may include termination for convenience provisions. The solicitation was posted August 17, 2026 and accepts proposals on an ongoing basis rather than through a recurring fixed deadline cycle. For submission-system assistance, the Research.gov NSF IT Service Desk is available at rgov@nsf.gov or 1-800-381-1532, and the Grants.gov Contact Center is available at support@grants.gov or 1-800-518-4726.

Define comprehensive objectives and targets and explain how they will be achieved; demonstrate strong Intellectual Merit and Broader Impacts; align the research clearly with one or more CBET programs; ensure the project budget and duration are commensurate with the proposed scope; discuss research fit with the appropriate Program Director well in advance of submission; scientifically justify uses of AI, advanced computation, or automation rather than using them incidentally.