[U.S. National Science Foundation](https://www.nsf.gov)

September 1, 2026 | March 2, 2027

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.

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. --- ## Due Dates - **September 1, 2026:** Full proposal deadline (due by 5 p.m. submitting organization's local time; First Tuesday in September, annually thereafter) - **March 2, 2027:** Full proposal deadline (First Tuesday in March, annually thereafter; due by 5 p.m. submitting organization's local time) --- ## Funding Amount - **Total Program Funding:** $40,000,000 (subject to the availability of funds) - **Estimated Number of Awards:** 40–60 - **Track 1:** Up to $300,000 per award (up to 1 year); approximately 30 awards - **Track 2:** Up to $1,500,000 per award (up to 2 years); approximately 10 awards - **Track 3:** Up to $1,500,000 per award (up to 2 years); approximately 10 awards - **No cost sharing or matching required.** --- ## Eligibility Eligible applicants include: - U.S.-based institutions of higher education (two- and four-year, including community colleges) - U.S.-based non-profit, non-academic organizations (e.g., independent museums, observatories, research labs, professional societies) - U.S.-based for-profit organizations (including small businesses) with strong scientific/engineering research or education capabilities - State and local governments - Federally recognized Tribal Nations - Other federal agencies and Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDCs) following specific guidance **Principal Investigator (PI) Requirements:** - For higher education institutions: PI/co-PI/Senior Personnel must hold a tenured/tenure-track position, a primary full-time research/teaching appointment, or a staff leadership role in an Open-Source Program Office at a U.S. campus. - For other organizations: PI must be a U.S.-resident employee acting as an employee of the organization. - Individuals at overseas campuses or non-U.S.-based organizations are not eligible. - Foreign collaborators may participate but cannot receive NSF funding. **Additional Requirements:** U.S.-based non-profit and for-profit organizations must be majority U.S.-owned and controlled. All employees supported by PESOSE funding must have the legal right to work in the U.S. --- ## Application Process - Proposals may be submitted via [Research.gov](https://www.research.gov) or [Grants.gov](https://www.grants.gov/search-results-detail/361333). - No letters of intent or preliminary proposals required. - Full proposals must comply with the [NSF Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG)](https://www.nsf.gov/policies/pappg) or the [NSF Grants.gov Application Guide](https://www.nsf.gov/policies/document/nsf-grantsgov-application-guide). - Proposal titles must begin with "PESOSE: Track X: [Project Title]". - Required supplementary documents: - 3–5 letters of collaboration from third-party users/contributors - List of all project personnel, collaborators, and partner organizations - Track 1 and Track 2 awardees must participate in mandatory "I-Corps for PESOSE" experiential activities (unless previously completed for Track 2). --- ## Additional Information - Proposals must address ecosystem discovery, governance, risk analysis, community building, and sustainability (see solicitation for detailed requirements per track). - Multi-organizational proposals must have a single lead organization; subawards to ineligible organizations are not permitted. - Proposals are evaluated on intellectual merit and broader impacts, with additional track-specific review criteria. - Reporting requirements and award conditions follow standard NSF policies. --- ## External Links - [NSF Program Page](https://www.nsf.gov/funding/opportunities/pesose-pathways-enable-secure-open-source-ecosystems/nsf26-506/solicitation) - [NSF Publication 26-506](http://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=nsf26506) - [Grants.gov Opportunity Listing](https://www.grants.gov/search-results-detail/361333) - [NSF Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG)](https://www.nsf.gov/policies/pappg) --- ## Contact Information | Contact | Email | Phone | |----------------------------------|-------------------------------|-----------------| | PESOSE Program | [PESOSE@nsf.gov](mailto:PESOSE@nsf.gov) | (703) 292-8804 | | NSF Grants.gov Support | [grantsgovsupport@nsf.gov](mailto:grantsgovsupport@nsf.gov) | | | NSF General Information | [info@nsf.gov](mailto:info@nsf.gov) | (703) 292-5111 | | Research.gov IT Service Desk | [rgov@nsf.gov](mailto:rgov@nsf.gov) | 1-800-381-1532 | | Grants.gov Contact Center | [support@grants.gov](mailto:support@grants.gov) | 1-800-518-4726 |

Pathways to Enable Secure Open-Source Ecosystems

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