Data / Federal grants / 26-524
EMERGING FRONTIERS IN RESEARCH AND INNOVATION (EFRI-2026/27): Wave-Based Computing ( EFRI-WBC)
U.S. National Science Foundation is accepting applications until February 11, 2027. It lists 30 awards expected, $30 million in total.
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Key facts
- Opportunity number
- 26-524
- Status
- Posted, open
- Posted
- August 17, 2026
- Closes
- February 11, 2027
- Expected awards
- 30
- Total funding
- $30,000,000
- Cost sharing
- Not required
- Funding instrument
- Grant
- Category
- Science and Technology and other Research and Development
- Assistance listing
- 47.041 Engineering; 47.049 Mathematical and Physical Sciences; 47.084 NSF Technology, Innovation, and Partnerships; None None
- Contact
- U.S. National Science Foundation · [email protected] · 703-292-4203
Who can apply
- Others (see text field entitled "Additional Information on Eligibility" for clarification)
*Who May Submit Proposals: Proposals may only be submitted by the following: -Non-profit, non-academic organizations: Independent museums, observatories, research laboratories, professional societies and similar organizations located in the U.S. that are directly associated with educational or research activities. -Institutions of Higher Education (IHEs): Two- and four-year IHEs (including community colleges) accredited in, and having a campus located in the US, acting on behalf of their faculty members. Special Instructions for International Branch Campuses of US IHEs: If the proposal includes funding to be provided to an international branch campus of a US institution of higher education (including through use of sub-awards and consultant arrangements), the proposer must explain the benefit(s) to the project of performance at the international branch campus, and justify why the project activities cannot be performed at the US campus. *Who May Serve as PI: For all proposals submitted by Institutions of Higher Education, the lead Principal Investigator (PI) must be full-time, tenured or tenure-track faculty. For all proposals submitted by Non-Profit, Non-Academic Organizat
What the agency says
The Emerging Frontiers in Research and Innovation (EFRI) program serves a critical role in helping the NSF Directorate for Engineering focus on important emerging areas in a timely way. The EFRI program invests in potentially transformative ideas that offer the opportunity for significant shifts in foundational engineering knowledge. EFRI-funded research must have strong potential for long-term impact on strategic technology priorities and/or national science and technology (S&T) missions identified in the Administration's Fiscal Year (FY) 2028 Research and Development (R&D) Budget Priorities Memorandum. Such impacts need not be fully realized within the duration of the research period; however, proposers are expected to articulate how a proposal is use-inspired and may lay the foundations for stated priorities. This EFRI solicitation leverages a portfolio of both two-year EArly-concept Grants for Exploratory Research (EAGER) awards and larger four-year awards in response to Science: A New Golden Age , which calls for a more flexible set of funding mechanisms that match the scientific challenges they seek to address. The EFRI Wave-Based Computing (WBC) solicitation will support foundational and transformative research to advance the development of computing approaches that harness the principles of wave dynamics. The EFRI WBC solicitation will support two tracks. Track 1: Exploratory approaches may be funded through EArly-concept Grants for Exploratory Research (EAGER) awards.
Track 2: Larger, multidisciplinary projects may be funded through four-year awards of up to $2,000,000.
The EFRI WBC program encourages collaboration with industry. Proposers may consider using a formal mechanism, such as NSF Grant Opportunities for Academic Liaison with Industry (GOALI).
Other open grants from the U.S. National Science Foundation
| Opportunity | Status | Closes | Award ceiling | Total funding | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Geometric Analysis PD-22-1265 | Open | Nov 3 | $8,800,000 | grants.gov | |
| Topology PD-22-1267 | Open | Nov 3 | grants.gov | ||
| NSF Small Business Innovation Research / Small Business Technology Transfer Phase I, Phase II, Fast-Track Programs: A Pilot Emphasis on Scientific Instrumentation 26-511 | Open | Nov 4 | $40,000,000 | grants.gov | |
| SBE Postdoctoral Research Fellowships (SPRF) 23-500 | Open | Nov 4 | $170,000 | $3,000,000 | grants.gov |
| U.S. National Science Foundation State and Regional Artificial Intelligence Infrastructure Hubs: 26-513 | Open | Nov 4 | $100,000,000 | grants.gov | |
| Unlocking Dataset Value for AI-Enabled Scientific Discovery (AI Datasets) 26-512 | Open | Nov 4 | $100,000,000 | grants.gov |
· Everything closing in February 2027
Read from the Grants.gov API, last updated 2026-10-23. The agency's notice on Grants.gov is the official record; check it before you apply.