Campus Cyberinfrastructure | 24 530

Opportunity Information: Apply for 24 530

The National Science Foundation (NSF) Campus Cyberinfrastructure (CC) program supports coordinated improvements to campus-level cyberinfrastructure that are driven by real science and engineering needs. The program is aimed at strengthening the underlying networking, computing, data, and integration capabilities that researchers rely on for modern, distributed, data-intensive projects. A central theme is building or upgrading campus and regional capabilities in a way that directly enables research and education outcomes, rather than treating infrastructure as an end in itself. NSF also places special emphasis on proposals that reduce gaps in cyber-connectivity tied to geography, with the goal of expanding where high-impact research can happen and helping institutions in less-connected regions become more competitive in STEM.

Funding is organized into five areas, and applicants are expected to align their work clearly to one of them. Area 1 focuses on Data Driven Networking Infrastructure at either the campus or regional level, which typically covers network upgrades and architectures that better support data-intensive science and collaboration. Area 2 covers Computing and the Computing Continuum (also at campus or regional scale), reflecting the reality that research computing now spans on-prem systems, cloud resources, edge computing, and specialized accelerators, and often needs better coordination and integration across those layers. Area 3 is Network Integration and Applied Innovation, offered in Small or Large project sizes, and centers on applied engineering and operational innovation that improves how networks and advanced services are integrated and used for research purposes. Area 4 supports Data Storage and Digital Archives (campus or region), addressing the persistent need for scalable storage, curation, lifecycle management, and long-term stewardship of research data. Area 5 is Strategy (campus or region) and is oriented toward planning, governance, architecture, and the coordinated roadmapping that helps institutions make coherent, sustainable cyberinfrastructure decisions tied to research requirements.

Eligibility is primarily aimed at U.S. Institutions of Higher Education, which may submit proposals to any of the five program areas. NSF explicitly encourages proposals that broaden both geographic and demographic participation in campus cyberinfrastructure, including projects led by or meaningfully involving minority-serving institutions and institutions located in EPSCoR-eligible jurisdictions. Collaborations between EPSCoR and non-EPSCoR institutions are also encouraged, which signals NSF interest in partnerships that transfer expertise, share resources, and expand access to advanced capabilities beyond a small set of well-resourced campuses.

Certain non-profit, non-academic organizations are eligible as well, but with narrower scope: they may apply only to the regional versions of Area 1 (regional data-driven networking), Area 2 (regional computing continuum), Area 4 (regional data storage and archives), and Area 5 (regional strategy). In other words, these organizations can help coordinate and build regional-scale capabilities and planning, but they are not positioned to submit campus-level proposals under these areas, and they are not listed as eligible for Area 3 in the provided text.

NSF also sets clear proposal structure rules for multi-organization efforts. Collaborative submissions cannot be sent as separate, simultaneous proposals requesting separate awards. Instead, collaborations must be packaged as a single proposal that requests one award to a lead organization, with any partner work handled through subawards managed by the lead. This is important for planning because it affects budgeting, governance, and who is responsible for reporting and compliance.

A notable restriction applies to repeat campus-level funding in specific areas. For campus proposals in Area 1, Area 2, and Area 4, an institution that has received an award in that same campus-level area is not eligible to apply again to that same area for five years from the prior award start date. If an institution submits a campus-level proposal to one of those areas within that five-year window, the proposal will be returned without review. This five-year limitation does not apply to regional proposals in those areas, so institutions with recent campus-level awards may still be able to pursue regional efforts where eligible.

From the opportunity metadata, this is a discretionary NSF grant opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number 24-530) in the Science and Technology and other Research and Development category, associated with CFDA numbers 47.070 and 47.083. The original closing date listed is April 24, 2024. NSF lists an award ceiling of $1,200,000 and anticipates making around 55 awards, which suggests a competitive program with a moderate number of funded projects across the five areas.

• The National Science Foundation in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Campus Cyberinfrastructure" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 47.070, 47.083.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2024-01-24.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2024-04-24. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $1,200,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 55 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others.

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