Earth Sciences Instrumentation and Facilities | 22 577

Opportunity Information: Apply for 22 577

The National Science Foundation (NSF), through its Division of Earth Sciences (EAR), is offering funding under the Earth Sciences Instrumentation and Facilities program (EAR/IF) to build or strengthen research infrastructure that helps scientists better understand the Earth system. The opportunity is focused on the tools, facilities, and skilled personnel needed to study the solid Earth (its structure, properties, and dynamics) and how it interacts with the biosphere, hydrosphere, cryosphere, and atmosphere. It also targets infrastructure that enables research into the history and evolution of life, as well as the history and dynamics of Earths climate. In practice, this solicitation is about enabling the kinds of measurements, observations, sample analyses, and field capabilities that make modern Earth science research possible.

A central goal of EAR/IF is to support proposals that are clearly infrastructure-driven and that measurably advance Earth science research capacity for the broader U.S. Earth science community, particularly communities supported by EAR core and special programs. The program is not limited to buying hardware; it also supports the human infrastructure required to operate and maintain instruments, run shared facilities, and deliver reliable, community-serving data and services. Proposals are expected to be merit-based and should show how the requested resources will enable important science, expand access to high-quality research capabilities, and contribute to training and workforce development in the geosciences.

The program will consider five main types of requests. First is equipment acquisition or upgrades, which covers purchasing new research instruments or improving existing ones so they can produce higher-quality or more efficient measurements. Second is instrumentation and/or technique development, which supports building new instruments, enhancing methods, or developing measurement approaches that open up new research possibilities. Third is technician support, recognizing that advanced instruments and labs often depend on specialized staff for operation, calibration, maintenance, user training, and data quality assurance. Fourth is community facility support, aimed at shared-use facilities that serve multiple research groups or a wider user community, helping ensure stable operations, accessibility, and sustained scientific impact. Fifth is continental drilling planning, which supports planning activities necessary for drilling efforts that can provide unique subsurface samples and data essential for answering major Earth science questions.

This opportunity also explicitly encourages efforts aligned with belonging, accessibility, justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion (BAJEDI). In effect, proposals are strengthened when they explain how the infrastructure will broaden participation, reduce barriers to use, improve accessibility for diverse users, and contribute to training a more diverse geoscience workforce. Reviewers will generally look for clear community benefit, strong justification of need, plans for management and sustainability, and a credible path to maximizing scientific return from the infrastructure investment.

Administratively, this is a discretionary NSF grant opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number 22-577) in the science and technology research and development category (CFDA 47.050). Proposals are accepted at any time rather than by a single annual deadline. The expected number of awards is around 40, and the maximum award amount listed is up to $4,000,000. Eligibility is listed as "Others," with specifics referenced in NSF eligibility guidance for this solicitation, so applicants typically need to consult the program text for exact eligibility details and any constraints. Overall, the program is designed to strengthen the instrumentation, facilities, and technical capacity that underpin U.S. Earth science research, with an emphasis on broad community impact and inclusive workforce development.

• The National Science Foundation in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Earth Sciences Instrumentation and Facilities" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 47.050.
• This funding opportunity was created on Mar 01, 2022.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Proposals accepted anytime. (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 $4,000,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 40 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).

Apply for 22 577

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