Pathways to Enable Secure Open-Source Ecosystems
This grant funds projects to plan, build, or enhance open-source ecosystems, focusing on safety, security, and sustainability to address national and societal challenges.
Funder: U.S. National Science Foundation
Due Dates: September 1, 2026 | March 2, 2027
Funding Amounts: Total program funding: $40,000,000. Track 1: up to $300,000 (1 year); Track 2 & 3: up to $1,500,000 each (up to 2 years); ~40–60 awards.
Summary: Supports the development, governance, and security of open-source ecosystems in science and engineering to address national and societal challenges.
Description
This program supports the translation of open-source science and engineering research products into secure, sustainable ecosystems that address national and societal needs. The initiative targets open-source tools—such as software, hardware, machine learning models, languages, and data platforms—that are publicly accessible and modifiable, fostering innovation in fields like AI, cloud computing, healthcare, national security, and more. The program funds the creation and management of organizations supporting these ecosystems, emphasizing strong governance, distributed development, and broad community engagement. It also seeks to enhance the safety, security, and privacy of open-source ecosystems by addressing technical and socio-technical vulnerabilities.
Three proposal tracks are available:
- Track 1: Scoping and planning for establishing an open-source ecosystem (OSE).
- Track 2: Establishing or expanding a sustainable OSE based on a promising open-source product addressing emerging societal or national needs.
- Track 3: Improving the safety, security, and privacy of existing OSEs and their products.
