NSF National Quantum and Nanotechnology Infrastructure (NQNI)
Sponsor: NSFInternal Deadline: 02/25/2026Institutional Submission Limit: 1Sponsor Deadline: 05/14/2026Program Website
The U.S. National Science Foundation is investing up to $100 million to establish a nationwide network of open-access research facilities for quantum and nanoscale technologies, innovation and workforce training.
Through the new NSF National Quantum and Nanotechnology Infrastructure (NSF NQNI) program, NSF will support up to 16 sites over five years, providing students, researchers and industry with access to state-of-the-art fabrication and characterization tools, instrumentation and expertise. Together, the sites will form a shared national resource serving regional innovation ecosystems, including community colleges and small businesses.
NSF intends to provide individual or collaborative awards to support approximately 8-16 university user facility Sites; funding will range from $500,000 to a maximum of $2,000,000 per year, depending on the scope and scale of a Site's activities. Proposing institutions can include partnerships with other institutions of higher education either as subawards or as collaborative awards. The initial award duration will be for five years and may be renewed once for five more years, subject to merit review.
NSF Letter of Intent (LOI) Deadline: March 16, 2026
NSF Full Proposal Deadline: May 14, 2026
Submission Process
Limited submissions MUST be coordinated with the Office of the Vice President for Research.
If interested in applying for this opportunity, please combine the following items into a single PDF and email to resdev@mailbox.sc.edu by 5pm on the INTERNAL DEADLINE above:
- Cover page with grant program name & number (if applicable) to which you are applying, your project title, PI (name, department/unit, & email), and list of co-PIs/key collaborators (name & department/unit)
- a two-page project abstract addressing key components/criteria for this specific grant program
- a 2-3 page CV/biosketch for the PI (SCiENcv preferred)