Mathematical Sciences Infrastructure Program

The Mathematical Sciences Infrastructure Program is administered by the National Science Foundation through the Directorate for Mathematical and Physical Sciences, Division of Mathematical Sciences. Its primary aim is to foster the continuing health of the mathematical sciences research community as a whole. The program also complements the Workforce Program in the Mathematical Sciences by supporting efforts that increase the number of well-prepared U.S.-based individuals who successfully pursue careers in the mathematical sciences and other professions where mathematical sciences expertise is important. Projects submitted to the program must demonstrate engagement in developing or enhancing mathematical sciences research infrastructure in the United States and must explain a regional or national impact that extends substantially beyond the submitting institution or event location. The program supports three principal types of activities. The first consists of novel projects that strengthen research infrastructure across the mathematical sciences community, particularly projects that cross multiple Division of Mathematical Sciences subdisciplines or involve interdisciplinary collaborations. These projects should create new research infrastructure or substantially enhance or transform existing infrastructure with regional or national impact. The second consists of training projects that complement, but do not fit within, areas covered by the Workforce Program in the Mathematical Sciences. Training projects must include a core mathematical sciences research component for trainees and demonstrate the potential for regional or national impact. They must also serve as replicable models, promote specified partnerships, or include a substantial broadening participation initiative. Training proposals must identify the goals to be achieved, specific new activities and how they address those goals, measurable outcomes, assessment and evaluation methods, recruitment, selection, and retention plans, sustainability plans, and a budget commensurate with the proposed activity. Recruitment and retention planning must address participants including members of underrepresented groups. Across the broader Infrastructure Program, proposals must demonstrate engagement in developing or enhancing U.S. mathematical sciences research infrastructure through activities that may include broadening participation, professional development training, or involvement of students and early career researchers. No specific award floor, award ceiling, total program funding, number of awards, cost-sharing requirement, or matching contribution is stated in the supplied program information. The third supported area includes conferences, symposia, working research sessions, and travel support. Conference or workshop proposals concerning a particular mathematics or statistics subdiscipline should be directed to the appropriate Division of Mathematical Sciences disciplinary program. The Infrastructure Program accepts conference or workshop proposals only when the intended topical areas span a wide range of the mathematical sciences and consequently fall outside the scope of individual disciplinary programs. Required lead time is six months before a domestic meeting when no more than 50,000 dollars is requested, nine months before a domestic meeting when more than 50,000 dollars is requested, and twelve months before a meeting outside the United States when support for participation is requested. Full proposals, except conference proposals subject to the applicable lead-time rules, must be submitted close to a Full Proposal Target Date. The program identifies the first Tuesday in February and the first Tuesday in August as annual target dates. The next listed target dates are February 2, 2027 and August 3, 2027. Because the opportunity expressly states that these dates recur annually, the program is treated as recurring. Based on the August 7, 2026 analysis date and the annual schedule, the August 2026 target has passed and the next listed target is February 2, 2027. No separate letter of intent, concept paper, pre-proposal, or other advancement-gating deadline is stated in the supplied program information. Applicants apply to program PD 20-1260. Full proposals submitted through Research.gov must follow the NSF Proposal and Award Policies and Procedures Guide proposal preparation requirements. Full proposals submitted through Grants.gov must follow the NSF Grants.gov Application Guide, with additional information available concerning Grants.gov proposal processing in Research.gov. All proposals and resulting awards are also subject to applicable NSF policies, supplements, award terms and conditions, and research security requirements. The supplied material does not state a specific award notification date or performance period. Program contacts listed by NSF are Tomek Bartoszynski at tbartosz@nsf.gov or 703-292-4885, Troy D. Butler at tdbutler@nsf.gov or 703-292-2084, James M. Douglass at mdouglas@nsf.gov or 703-292-2467, and Wing Suet Li at winli@nsf.gov or 703-292-4630. Applicants should ensure that proposed activities demonstrate impact beyond the submitting institution, align with the appropriate Infrastructure project category, and address the category-specific requirements described by NSF. Conference and workshop applicants should additionally determine whether the proposed topic belongs in a disciplinary program and comply with the applicable six-, nine-, or twelve-month submission lead time.

Demonstrate regional or national impact substantially beyond the submitting institution or event location; show engagement in developing or enhancing U.S. mathematical sciences research infrastructure; training projects should clearly connect new activities to stated goals and measurable outcomes and address assessment, recruitment, retention, and sustainability; submit discipline-specific conference or workshop proposals to the appropriate DMS disciplinary program and use DMS Infrastructure only when topical areas span a wide range of the mathematical sciences; observe the applicable conference lead time.