Data / Federal grants / 20-558
PFE: Research Initiation in Engineering Formation (PFE: RIEF)
U.S. National Science Foundation is accepting applications until November 10, 2026. It lists $3 million in total.
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Key facts
- Opportunity number
- 20-558
- Status
- Posted, open
- Posted
- September 1, 2026
- Closes
- November 10, 2026
- Award floor
- $200,000
- Total funding
- $3,000,000
- Cost sharing
- Not required
- Funding instrument
- Grant
- Category
- Science and Technology and other Research and Development
- Assistance listing
- 47.041 Engineering; 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 Serve as PI: The PFE: RIEF program is designed to expand the community of engineering faculty equipped to conduct research in professional formation of engineers. At least one (co) PI must be a member of an engineering department AND not have received engineering education or professional formation funding through EEC in the last three years. Submissions from faculty with active disciplinary research programs, or faculty seeking a shift in their research focus, are especially encouraged. The program is not intended to create an additional funding channel for researchers with expertise in social science or education research; such researchers should apply to the Research in the Formation of Engineers program (https://www.nsf.gov/funding/opportunities/rfe-research-formation-engineers), or other related NSF opportunities.
What the agency says
The PFE: Research Initiation in Engineering Formation (PFE: RIEF) program has two goals: 1) Support research in the Professional Formation of Engineers (PFE), and 2) Increase the community of researchers conducting PFE research. PIs are expected to have little or no experience conducting social science or education research. PFE: RIEF is not intended for established researchers in engineering education or other social science fields to initiate new projects. Those researchers should consider the Research in the Formation of Engineers program ( https://www.nsf.gov/funding/opportunities/rfe-research-formation-engineers ).
The NSF Engineering (ENG) Directorate has launched a multi-year initiative, the Professional Formation of Engineers, to create and support an innovative and inclusive engineering profession for the 21st Century. Professional Formation of Engineers (PFE) refers to the formal and informal education and value systems by which people become engineers. It also includes the ethical responsibility of practicing engineers to sustain and grow the profession. The engineering profession must be responsive to national priorities, grand challenges, and dynamic workforce needs; it must be equally open and accessible to all Americans.
Engineering faculty possess both deep technical expertise in their engineering discipline and the primary responsibility for the process of professional formation of future engineers. As such, engineering faculty are in a unique position to help address critical challenges in engineering formation. The Professional Formation of Engineers: Research Initiation in Engineering Formation (PFE: RIEF) program enables engineering faculty who are renowned for teaching, mentoring, or leading educational reform efforts on their campus to develop expertise in conducting engineering education research.
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 November 2026
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.