MPS Materials Research Programs (MPS Materials)

The U.S. National Science Foundation Directorate for Mathematical and Physical Sciences supports the MPS Materials Research Programs to advance foundational understanding of materials, their properties, and their potential applications. The solicitation consolidates materials research opportunities across eight programs: Biomaterials, Ceramics, Condensed Matter and Materials Theory, Condensed Matter Physics, Electronic and Photonic Materials, Metals and Metallic Nanostructures, Polymers, and Solid State and Materials Chemistry. NSF is particularly interested in intellectually ambitious and potentially transformative foundational research, including work that challenges prevailing paradigms, develops new theories or methods, creates research tools or datasets, opens new lines of inquiry, supports early-career investigators, or uses emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, advanced computation, and automation when scientifically justified. Supported work may address materials discovery, characterization and modeling; electronic, atomic and molecular structures and processes; manipulation and control of material properties; emerging phenomena; and novel design, synthesis, and processing strategies. Projects may be experimental, theoretical, computational, data-centric, or combine experimental and theoretical approaches. Proposals should advance one or more stated measures of success, including scholarly publications, established or expanded datasets, new technologies or techniques, support for undergraduate, graduate, or postdoctoral researchers, or training of students in critical areas. Proposals must explain how the identified measures of success will occur, and progress must be reported in annual reports. The anticipated program funding is 100000000 dollars, subject to the availability of funds, with an estimated 200 to 300 awards. Awards may be Standard Grants or Continuing Grants. The solicitation does not state a minimum or maximum individual award amount. Inclusion of voluntary committed cost sharing is prohibited, and no required matching contribution is identified. Indirect cost limitations and other budgetary limitations are listed as not applicable. NSF encourages a range of project sizes and durations and notes that investigators may consider mechanisms such as Planning Proposals, RAPID, EAGER, and RAISE where appropriate. Proposals requesting up to five years of support may be considered where longer awards would benefit ambitious and transformative research. Eligible submitting organizations are accredited two-year and four-year institutions of higher education with a campus in the United States, including community colleges; 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 is no limit on proposals per organization. Beginning October 1 of each year, an individual generally may be listed as PI or co-PI on no more than one proposal per federal fiscal year collectively across the eight covered materials research programs and specified related opportunities. Exceptions apply to certain proposal types, including conferences, supplemental funding requests, EAGER, RAPID, and RAISE proposals, subject to the conditions in the solicitation. Full proposals are accepted anytime and are due by 5 p.m. in the submitting organization's local time when a deadline applies. NSF states that, if possible, proposals should be submitted between June 15 and April 15 of the following year because proposals submitted during that period may be processed faster due to fiscal year timing. Letters of Intent and preliminary proposals are not required. Proposals may be submitted through Research.gov or Grants.gov, although collaborative proposals submitted as separate submissions from multiple organizations must use Research.gov. Proposals must follow the applicable NSF Proposal and Award Policies and Procedures Guide or NSF Grants.gov Application Guide. Required or requested components described by the solicitation include a proposal-specific Data Management and Sharing Plan created with the Research.gov web-based tool, a description of the relationship to other NSF-funded or pending projects involving the same PI and how the proposed work is distinct, and at least four suggested reviewers with names, affiliations, expertise, and email addresses. Previously declined proposals being resubmitted must include a statement of no more than one page describing revisions made in response to prior comments. NSF evaluates proposals using the National Science Board approved Intellectual Merit and Broader Impacts criteria. Data Management Plans are also reviewed for appropriateness and responsiveness, including whether digital data supporting published work will be made available within a reasonable period and in a manner consistent with findable, accessible, interoperable, and reusable principles. Proposals undergo an initial compliance check, review by an NSF Program Officer, and, in most cases, review by three or more external experts through ad hoc review, panel review, or both. Proposals outside the scope of the covered programs may be returned without review, and prospective PIs are advised to contact the relevant materials research program before submission when scope is uncertain. The solicitation was posted August 17, 2026, and proposals are accepted on an ongoing basis rather than through a recurring fixed deadline cycle. Program contacts are provided by subject area: bmat@nsf.gov for Biomaterials, cer@nsf.gov for Ceramics, cmmt@nsf.gov for Condensed Matter and Materials Theory, cmp@nsf.gov for Condensed Matter Physics, epm@nsf.gov for Electronic and Photonic Materials, mmn@nsf.gov for Metals and Metallic Nanostructures, pol@nsf.gov for Polymers, and ssmc@nsf.gov for Solid State and Materials Chemistry. For Research.gov system questions, the NSF IT Service Desk can be reached at rgov@nsf.gov or 1-800-381-1532. Grants.gov technical support is available at support@grants.gov or 1-800-518-4726. Awardees are generally required to submit annual project reports and a project outcomes report for the general public.

Ensure the project falls within the scope of a covered materials research program or it may be returned without review; demonstrate how identified measures of success will occur; address Intellectual Merit and Broader Impacts; make the Data Management and Sharing Plan proposal-specific and responsive to NSF MPS guidance, including FAIR availability of digital data supporting published work; substantially revise previously declined proposals; contact the relevant program before submission when scope is uncertain