NSF Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) Program
CU Boulder’s NSF MRI Program supports acquisition or development of advanced research instruments to enhance scientific research, with proposals selected via an internal merit-based review process.
Funder: University of Colorado Boulder
Due Dates: August 17, 2026 (CU Boulder internal competition deadline for NSF MRI Program; internal submission to RIO)
Funding Amounts: Typical NSF MRI awards: $100,000–$4 million over up to 3 years; CU Boulder internal competition selects proposals for NSF submission.
Summary: CU Boulder researchers compete in an internal process to select proposals for submission to the NSF Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) Program.
Key Information: Limited submission: applicants must go through RIO’s internal competition before NSF submission.
Description
The NSF Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) Program at CU Boulder is a limited submission opportunity coordinated by the Research & Innovation Office (RIO). Because the National Science Foundation restricts the number of MRI proposals an institution may submit, CU Boulder conducts an internal competition to select the most competitive proposals for submission to NSF. The process is designed to ensure fairness, confidentiality, and merit-based selection, and includes an online application, peer review by subject-matter experts, and guidance for selected applicants. RIO provides support throughout the internal competition and coordinates the subsequent NSF submission.
