Funder: National Science Foundation
Due Dates: September 30, 2025 (CAT, CMFP, SYN) | October 31, 2025 (CMI, ECS, MSN)
Funding Amounts: ~$105 million total; ~245 awards anticipated; typical award size/duration varies by program.
Summary: Supports fundamental research in six core chemistry areas, including catalysis, measurement, synthesis, mechanisms, environmental chemistry, and nanochemistry.
Key Information: Proposals must be submitted through this solicitation (with specific exceptions) or will be returned without review.
Description
This opportunity funds fundamental research in six of the National Science Foundation (NSF) Division of Chemistry’s core disciplinary research programs:
- Chemical Catalysis (CAT)
- Chemical Measurement and Imaging (CMI)
- Chemical Mechanism, Function and Properties (CMFP)
- Chemical Synthesis (SYN)
- Environmental Chemical Sciences (ECS)
- Macromolecular, Supramolecular and Nanochemistry (MSN)
The program aims to advance the frontiers of chemical science, support the development of new technologies, and prepare the next generation of chemical researchers. Projects may involve the design and synthesis of new molecules and materials, development of novel measurement tools, understanding chemical mechanisms, environmental processes, and the study of macromolecular and nanostructured systems.
Proposals must be submitted through this solicitation unless they fall under specific exceptions (e.g., CAREER, RUI/ROA, EAGER, RAPID, RAISE, or conference proposals).
Due Dates
- September 30, 2025: Submission window closes for proposals to:
- Chemical Catalysis (CAT)
- Chemical Mechanism, Function and Properties (CMFP)
- Chemical Synthesis (SYN)
- October 31, 2025: Submission window closes for proposals to:
- Chemical Measurement and Imaging (CMI)
- Environmental Chemical Sciences (ECS)
- Macromolecular, Supramolecular and Nanochemistry (MSN)
Submission windows recur annually in September and October for these programs.
Funding Amount
- Total anticipated funding: Approximately $105,000,000 (subject to availability of funds)
- Estimated number of awards: ~245
- Award size/duration: Varies by program and project scope; consult individual program descriptions or recent awards for typical ranges.
Eligibility
- Eligible institutions:
- U.S. institutions of higher education (two- and four-year, including community colleges)
- Non-profit, non-academic organizations (e.g., independent museums, observatories, research labs, professional societies) located in the U.S. and directly associated with educational or research activities
- Principal Investigator (PI) eligibility: No restrictions
- Proposal limits:
- Each individual may serve as PI, co-PI, or senior/key personnel on at most two proposals across all nine CHE disciplinary research programs per year, with at least one being a multi-investigator or collaborative proposal.
- Only one proposal as sole PI is allowed per year.
- This limit does not apply to EAGER, RAPID, RAISE, conference, or supplemental funding requests.
Note: Proposals to the following programs are NOT covered by this solicitation and have separate submission processes: Chemistry of Life Processes (CLP), Chemical Structure and Dynamics (CSD), and Chemical Theory, Models and Computational Methods (CTMC).
Application Process
- Submission platforms: Research.gov or Grants.gov
- Required documents: Full proposal (no letter of intent or preliminary proposal required)
- Guidelines: Follow the current NSF Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG)
- Special proposal types: EAGER, RAPID, RAISE, and conference proposals require prior consultation with the relevant NSF Program Officer and may be submitted at any time.
- Cost sharing: Not required or allowed
- Indirect costs: No specific limitations
Additional Information
- Exceptions: CAREER, RUI/ROA, EAGER, RAPID, RAISE, and conference proposals have separate submission instructions and deadlines.
- Proposal review: All proposals are subject to NSF’s merit review criteria: Intellectual Merit and Broader Impacts.
- Reporting: Annual and final project reports are required for all awards.
- Build America, Buy America: All iron, steel, manufactured products, and construction materials used in the project must be produced in the United States.
External Links
Contact Information
| Program Area | Program Officer | Email | Phone |
|---|
| Chemical Measurement and Imaging (CMI) | Kelsey D. Cook | kcook@nsf.gov | (703) 292-7490 |
| Chemical Mechanism, Function and Properties (CMFP) | Tingyu Li | tli@nsf.gov | (703) 292-4949 |
| Environmental Chemical Sciences (ECS) | Anne-Marie Schmoltner | aschmolt@nsf.gov | (703) 292-4716 |
| Macromolecular, Supramolecular and Nanochemistry (MSN) | Suk-Wah Tam-Chang | stamchan@nsf.gov | (703) 292-8684 |
| Chemical Catalysis (CAT) | Kenneth G. Moloy | kmoloy@nsf.gov | (703) 292-8441 |
| Chemical Synthesis (SYN) | George Richter-Addo | grichter@nsf.gov | (703) 292-7528 |
- NSF Information Center: (703) 292-5111
- Research.gov Help Desk: 1-800-381-1532, rgov@nsf.gov
- Grants.gov Contact Center: 1-800-518-4726, support@grants.gov
- NSF Contact Page