Pathways to Enable Open-Source Ecosystems

The Pathways to Enable Open-Source Ecosystems (POSE) program, funded by the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF), is designed to support the creation of managing organizations that build sustainable, community-driven open-source ecosystems around existing open-source products. NSF, an independent federal agency established in 1950, funds research and education in all fields of science and engineering, and through POSE, aims to harness open-source innovation for solutions to societal and national challenges. This solicitation replaces NSF 23-556 and was issued as NSF 24-606 on September 13, 2024. The POSE program does not fund the direct development of open-source products or support established, well-resourced open-source communities. Instead, it provides resources for new organizations to manage ecosystems that enable broad user and developer engagement, governance, and secure, distributed product development. The program supports two tracks of proposals. Phase I projects provide scoping and planning for research products that are available in open-source formats but may lack a strong contributor community. These projects emphasize training, planning, and exploration of ecosystem-building practices. Phase II projects focus on establishing or expanding sustainable ecosystems around robust open-source products with demonstrated potential and active communities of both users and developers. The program anticipates awarding approximately 20 Phase I grants of up to $300,000 each, with a duration of up to one year, and about 10 Phase II grants of up to $1,500,000 each, with durations of up to two years. The overall estimated funding available for this solicitation is $27,800,000, and approximately 30 to 50 awards are expected depending on proposal quality and availability of funds. The program is administered across multiple NSF directorates, including Biological Sciences, Computer and Information Science and Engineering, STEM Education, Engineering, Geosciences, Mathematical and Physical Sciences, Social, Behavioral and Economic Sciences, and Technology, Innovation and Partnerships. Eligibility for POSE is broad. Eligible applicants include U.S.-based institutions of higher education (both two- and four-year), non-profit non-academic organizations such as independent museums, observatories, and professional societies, U.S.-based for-profit companies including small businesses, state and local governments, and federally recognized Tribal Nations. Principal Investigators from academic institutions must hold tenured, tenure-track, or equivalent positions or lead an Open-Source Program Office. Proposals from international institutions or non-U.S.-based entities are not eligible for direct NSF funding, though international collaborators may participate without receiving NSF support. Collaborative proposals must be submitted under a single lead organization with sub-awards to partners, as separately submitted proposals are not accepted. Proposals must follow the NSF Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG) or the NSF Grants.gov Application Guide. Letters of intent and preliminary proposals are not required. Proposals must include a section titled “Context of OSE” describing the vision, societal need, and long-term impacts, as well as a “Risk Analysis/Security Plan” addressing data and code security, privacy, and quality. Required supplementary documents include three to five letters of collaboration from external contributors or users of the open-source product, a complete list of personnel and collaborators, and a two-page Data Management and Sharing Plan. All Phase I teams are required to participate in mandatory training called I-Corps for POSE, which provides instruction in ecosystem discovery, governance, sustainability, and community building. The application process is competitive and based on NSF’s two merit review criteria: intellectual merit and broader impacts. Additional solicitation-specific criteria evaluate whether the proposed OSE addresses issues of national importance, the strength of the applicant’s vision and organizational model, evidence of an existing or potential user base, community-building strategies, and sustainability. The program requires proposals to be submitted electronically through Research.gov or Grants.gov. The upcoming deadlines are January 14, 2025, for Phase I proposals, and September 2, 2025, for both Phase I and Phase II proposals. These deadlines recur annually on the second Tuesday in January for Phase I and the first Tuesday in September for both Phase I and Phase II. For program-related questions, the primary contact email is pose@nsf.gov. Specific program officers may also be contacted, including Jeff Stanton (703-292-7794), Nina Amla (703-292-7991), Peter Atherton (703-292-8772), and others listed in the solicitation. General inquiries may be directed to the NSF Information Center at (703) 292-5111. Proposals must be submitted by 5:00 PM local time of the applicant’s organization on the due date.