Launching Early-Career Academic Pathways in the Mathematical and Physical Sciences (LEAPS-MPS)

The Launching Early-Career Academic Pathways in the Mathematical and Physical Sciences (LEAPS-MPS) program, issued by the National Science Foundation (NSF), supports pre-tenure faculty at institutions that have not traditionally received significant NSF Mathematical and Physical Sciences (MPS) funding. These include Carnegie Research 2 (R2) institutions, minority-serving institutions (MSIs), and predominantly undergraduate institutions (PUIs). The initiative is overseen by NSF’s Directorate for Mathematical and Physical Sciences, which encompasses divisions such as Astronomy, Chemistry, Materials Research, Mathematical Sciences, and Physics. It aims to catalyze early-career research trajectories and improve the institutional research capacity in underrepresented academic environments. LEAPS-MPS provides awards of up to $250,000 for a 24-month period, enabling new investigators to launch impactful research projects. The ultimate goal is to generate preliminary results that can bolster future proposals to larger NSF programs, including the core disciplinary programs and the CAREER program. The LEAPS-MPS initiative plays a central role in NSF’s mission to broaden participation in STEM by empowering faculty from underrepresented and underserved communities and enhancing their ability to serve as role models for the next generation of scientists and engineers. Eligible applicants must be faculty members at U.S.-based accredited institutions of higher education that are not classified as "Very High Research Activity" (R1) institutions in the most recent Carnegie Classification. Additionally, Principal Investigators (PIs) must hold a doctoral degree in an MPS-supported discipline, be in a pre-tenure, tenure-track or tenure-track-equivalent position, and have never previously served as PI or co-PI on an NSF research award. Institutions may submit multiple proposals, but each PI may only submit one proposal under this solicitation. Co-PIs are not allowed. Proposals must be submitted through either Research.gov or Grants.gov, following the NSF Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide. No Letters of Intent or Preliminary Proposals are required. Each application must include a two-to-three-page LEAPS-MPS Impact Statement, and a signed letter from the Department Chair or Dean confirming the PI’s eligibility and institutional support. The project description should align with the PI’s long-term goals and explain how it will foster subsequent proposals. It must also include plans to enhance participation in STEM by underrepresented groups. The review process involves both intellectual merit and broader impacts, with additional solicitation-specific criteria such as potential impact on the PI’s research trajectory and the institutional research environment. Funding decisions are expected within six months from the deadline. LEAPS-MPS follows NSF’s standard reporting requirements, including annual and final project reports, along with a publicly accessible project outcomes report. Awardees must also budget for travel to a one-and-a-half-day convening in Washington, D.C. Proposals are due on April 17, 2025, and January 22, 2026, with recurring deadlines on the fourth Thursday of January in subsequent years. The program is expected to make 45 to 75 awards, subject to the availability of funds and the quality of submissions. The total anticipated funding pool ranges from $11 million to $18.75 million.