Training-based Workforce Development for Advanced Cyberinfrastructure (CyberTraining)

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Description

This NSF program aims to advance the nation's capacity for fundamental science and engineering research by building a skilled workforce in advanced cyberinfrastructure (CI). The solicitation supports projects that:

• Broaden adoption of CI tools, methods, and resources in research communities.
• Integrate advanced CI and computational/data-driven skills into undergraduate and graduate curricula.

Projects may target training for CI professionals, contributors, and users, spanning from postsecondary students to active researchers. Activities can include formal and informal education, retraining, curriculum development, and outreach to underrepresented disciplines and institutions.

The program encourages multidisciplinary collaborations and projects that address emerging needs and bottlenecks in the research workforce. Proposals should demonstrate strong stakeholder engagement and have plans for scalability, sustainability, and evaluation.

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Due Dates

• Full Proposal Deadline: January 16, 2026 (Third Thursday in January, annually thereafter)
• Proposers are strongly encouraged to consult with cognizant Program Officers at least one month before submitting.

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Funding Amount

• Pilot Projects: Up to $300,000 total for up to 2 years (exploratory, may lead to larger projects)
• Implementation Projects:
  • Small: Up to $500,000 total for up to 4 years
  • Medium: Up to $1,000,000 total for up to 4 years
• Estimated Number of Awards: ~18 per cycle (6 Pilot, 9 Small, 3 Medium Implementation)
• Estimated Total Program Funding: $9,300,000 (subject to availability)
• Cost Sharing: Not required

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Eligibility

• Who May Apply: As per the NSF Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG), most U.S. institutions of higher education, non-profits, and certain other organizations are eligible. Unaffiliated individuals are not eligible.
• PI Requirements:
  • Must include at least one PI/co-PI with expertise relevant to the targeted research discipline (if applicable) and one with expertise relevant to advanced cyberinfrastructure (OAC).
• Proposal Limits:
  • No organizational limit.
  • An individual may serve as PI, co-PI, or senior personnel on only one proposal per competition.

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Application Process

• Submission Platforms: Proposals may be submitted via Research.gov or Grants.gov
• Required Documents: Follow the current NSF PAPPG and the solicitation-specific requirements, including:
  • Project Summary (with keywords and solicitation goal(s))
  • Project Description (addressing program-specific criteria)
  • Budget and justification
  • Data Management Plan
  • Postdoctoral Mentoring Plan (if applicable)
  • Supplementary documents (e.g., management plan, cloud/HTC resource requests, letters of collaboration)
  • Single Copy Document listing consulted Program Officers
• Letters of Intent/Pre-Proposals: Not required
• Review Criteria: Standard NSF intellectual merit and broader impacts, plus additional criteria specific to program goals and project class

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Additional Information

• Project Classes: Must be designated as "CyberTraining: Pilot", "CyberTraining: Implementation: Small", or "CyberTraining: Implementation: Medium" in the title.
• Annual PI Meeting: Awardees are expected to participate in annual PI meetings (travel costs must be included in the budget).
• Special Considerations:
  • Proposals may request high-throughput or cloud computing resources (see solicitation for instructions).
  • Strongly encouraged to coordinate with the ACCESS program for training material dissemination.
• Evaluation: Projects must include a robust evaluation plan with measurable outcomes and mechanisms for regular feedback.

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External Links

• NSF Program Solicitation (Full Details)
• NSF Publication 23-520
• NSF Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG)
• Grants.gov Opportunity Listing
• ACCESS Program

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Contact Information

General NSF Help:

• Phone: (703) 292-5111
• Email: grantsgovsupport@nsf.gov (for technical issues with Grants.gov)

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