NIST funds applied research, standards development, and industry-focused technology programs that strengthen U.S. innovation, industrial competitiveness, cybersecurity, and public safety. Its awards prioritize advanced and resilient manufacturing (especially semiconductor/CHIPS priorities), measurement science and engineering, AI applications for manufacturing and safety, and workforce/capability building in cybersecurity and forensics. NIST typically funds university centers, Manufacturing USA institutes, small businesses (via SBIR), and public-private consortia using cooperative agreements and cost-shared models.
Competitive federal solicitations and Notices of Funding Opportunity (NOFOs) posted on Grants.gov and NIST websites; award types include cooperative agreements, cost-shared grants, institute-scale grants (Manufacturing USA/CHIPS institutes), and SBIR awards. Grant sizes range widely (roughly $194K to multi-million-dollar institute awards); some programs require cost-share or multi-institution consortia and follow peer review/technical evaluation cycles.
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Monitor NIST and Grants.gov for program-specific NOFOs and deadlines; many large awards require multi-party consortia, cost sharing, and cooperative agreement terms, while SBIRs follow Phase I/II Fast-Track rules. Tailor proposals to measurement science, standards impact, and practical industry adoption (show partnerships with industry or testbeds), and expect technical peer review and federal administrative compliance.
Current and upcoming funding from National Institute of Standards and Technology that your nonprofit may be able to apply for.
Who can apply: Organizations apply in eligible categories identified by the program, including nonprofit, health care, education, and small business. Applicants are evaluated against the Baldrige Criteria for Performance Excellence.
Deadline: Annual application cycle; specific dates vary by year.
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Create a free accountDeadlines and eligibility are summarized from public sources and may change — always confirm the details on the funder's official application page before applying.