MPS Chemistry Research Programs

The U.S. National Science Foundation Directorate for Mathematical and Physical Sciences supports foundational research in the chemical sciences through the MPS Chemistry Research Programs. The solicitation consolidates nine disciplinary chemistry programs: Chemical Catalysis; Chemical Measurement and Imaging; Chemical Mechanism, Function and Properties; Chemical Structure and Dynamics; Chemical Synthesis; Chemical Systems and Solutions; Chemical Theory, Models and Computational Methods; Chemistry of Life Processes; and Macromolecular, Supramolecular and Nanochemistry. NSF is particularly interested in intellectually ambitious and potentially transformative foundational research, including both systematic advances on prior scholarship and high-risk inquiries capable of reshaping fields. Interdisciplinary proposals that forge connections across scientific domains are strongly encouraged, as are scientifically justified uses of emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, advanced computation, and automation. Supported research may include designing, synthesizing, and characterizing molecules, catalysts, macromolecular assemblies, and nanostructures; advancing chemical structures, functions, and reactivities; developing measurement, imaging, instrumentation, data, and machine-learning tools; advancing understanding of chemical composition, structure, dynamics, and transformation; developing theories, computational methods, models, and data analytics tools; and integrating experimental and computational research. Foundational chemistry addressing intersections with biological sciences, materials, and nanoscience is also within scope. Both individual researchers and small teams are supported, and collaborations with industrial and international partners are encouraged. Proposals need not promise near-term products, deployment, commercialization, or later-stage technology development to be competitive. NSF anticipates approximately 300 Standard Grants or Continuing Grants under the solicitation, with an anticipated program funding amount of $150,000,000, subject to availability of funds. The solicitation does not state a minimum or maximum individual award amount or a standard performance period. NSF encourages a wide range of funding levels and durations and notes that investigators may consider mechanisms such as Planning Proposals, RAPID, EAGER, and RAISE where appropriate. NSF also encourages proposals requesting up to five years of support when longer awards would benefit ambitious, transformative research and reduce administrative burden. Voluntary committed cost sharing is prohibited. The solicitation specifies no applicable indirect cost limitations or other budgetary limitations. Eligible submitting organizations are accredited two- and four-year Institutions of Higher Education, including community colleges, that have a campus in the United States; U.S.-located nonprofit, non-academic organizations such as independent museums, observatories, research laboratories, professional societies, and similar organizations directly associated with educational or research activities; and federally recognized Tribal Nations. There are no restrictions or limits on who may serve as PI and no organizational proposal limit. Beginning September 1, 2026, however, no more than two proposals per annual September 1 through August 31 period may list the same individual as PI, co-PI, or senior/key personnel across the nine covered disciplinary chemistry programs, subject to the solicitation's stated exceptions. If two proposals list the same individual, at least one must be a multi-investigator or collaborative proposal. Letters of Intent and preliminary proposals are not required. Full proposals may be submitted through Research.gov or Grants.gov and must be prepared according to the NSF Proposal and Award Policies and Procedures Guide in effect on the proposal's due date, with the NSF Grants.gov Application Guide applying to Grants.gov submissions. Collaborative proposals submitted as separate submissions from multiple organizations must use Research.gov. All proposals to the covered programs, except specified alternatives such as CAREER and RUI submissions, must be submitted through this solicitation or they will be returned without review. Special categories including GOALI, NSF-DFG, and NSF-BSF proposals are permitted subject to their applicable submission instructions. EAGER, RAPID, RAISE, conference proposals, and supplemental funding requests may be submitted after consultation with the cognizant NSF program officer. NSF evaluates proposals using the National Science Board-approved Intellectual Merit criterion, addressing potential to advance knowledge, and Broader Impacts criterion, addressing potential to benefit society and contribute to desired societal outcomes. Review may consist of ad hoc review, panel review, internal NSF review, or combinations of those methods. After an initial compliance check, proposals are reviewed by an NSF Program Officer, and in most cases three or more external experts also participate. All else being equal after merit review, NSF may give preference to institutions with lower indirect cost rates. Measures of project success may include publications or scholarly outputs, established or expanded datasets, invention disclosures, new technologies or techniques, and support for undergraduate, graduate, and postdoctoral researchers. Progress on applicable measures must be reported in annual reports. Full proposals are accepted anytime beginning September 1, 2026, with no closing deadline stated. Accordingly, the opportunity is not yet open as of August 18, 2026, but becomes continuously available on September 1, 2026. Standard NSF award conditions and reporting requirements apply, including annual project reports and a public project outcomes report unless an award notice states otherwise. General program inquiries may be directed to MPS Chemistry staff at cheminfo@nsf.gov. Program-specific email addresses are available for each of the nine disciplinary programs. Research.gov technical assistance is available at rgov@nsf.gov or 1-800-381-1532, and Grants.gov assistance is available at support@grants.gov or 1-800-518-4726. NSF general information is available at 703-292-5111.

Address both Intellectual Merit and Broader Impacts; emphasize foundational and intellectually ambitious research; transformative or high-risk work that challenges paradigms or opens new inquiry is particularly encouraged; interdisciplinary connections are strongly encouraged; scientifically justify use of AI, advanced computation, or automation rather than using such tools incidentally