Data / Federal grants / 26-512
Unlocking Dataset Value for AI-Enabled Scientific Discovery (AI Datasets)
U.S. National Science Foundation is accepting applications until November 4, 2026. It lists 50 awards expected, $100 million in total.
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Key facts
- Opportunity number
- 26-512
- Status
- Posted, open
- Posted
- July 21, 2026
- Closes
- November 4, 2026
- Expected awards
- 50
- Total funding
- $100,000,000
- 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; 47.050 Geosciences; 47.074 Biological 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: -For-profit organizations: U.S.-based commercial organizations, including small businesses, with strong capabilities in scientific or engineering research or education and a passion for innovation. -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. -Other Federal Agencies and Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDCs): Prospective proposers from other Federal Agencies and FFRDCs, including NSF sponsored FFRDCs, must follow the guidance in PAPPG Chapter I.E.2 regarding limitations on eligibility. -State and Local Governments -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 (
What the agency says
This program will advance scientific community datasets to enable scientific discovery and innovation using artificial intelligence (AI) and other methods. Its goal is to increase the value that can be derived from existing scientific datasets by leveraging novel methods and artificial intelligence (AI). This will unlock new AI-driven insights. It can enable interdisciplinary research. It also enables investigations outside of the original motivation for data collection and analysis. The program seeks to 1) apply AI-based capabilities to feature extraction and metadata generation, and the integration of multiple datasets. 2) Develop robust data pipelines necessary for automated analysis of existing datasets and similar use-cases by AI tools and systems. 3) Augment and/or harmonize existing datasets to better enable use by AI data pipelines and automated analysis. Proposals should address dataset security and integrity. Governance and the process for scientific communities to contribute to the datasets should also be addressed. Proposals are encouraged to leverage existing resources. These may include NSF data platforms , the NSF Integrated Data Systems and Services program , the NSF-led National AI Research Resource , the Genesis Mission platform , or other national infrastructure. NSF is open to exploring partnerships with philanthropy, private industry, or the non-profit sector to support additional proposals or collaborative opportunities that will advance AI-driven scientific discovery through unlocking the value of high-impact scientific datasets. Expanding Participation in STEM, NSF Priorities, and Gold Standard Science: NSF prioritizes cutting-edge discovery science and engineering research, advancing technology and innovation, and creating opportunities for all Americans. NSF has established priorities set forth by Congress, the administration and the NSF director to promote NSF's mission . Proposers should review the list of NSF priorities and are encouraged to align their proposals with them, where appropriate. NSF also expects the highest standards of scientific rigor, integrity and adherence tenets of Gold Standard Science in proposals, as appropriate for the field of science and research modality.
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 | |
| PFE: Research Initiation in Engineering Formation (PFE: RIEF) 20-558 | Open | Nov 10 | $3,000,000 | 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.