Opportunity
Simpler Grants.gov #27-500
NSF Major Research Instrumentation Program Grants for Multi-User Research Instruments
Buyer
U.S. National Science Foundation
Posted
November 06, 2026
Respond By
January 29, 2027
Identifier
27-500
The U.S. National Science Foundation’s Major Research Instrumentation Program provides grant funding to acquire or develop multi-user research instruments. - Government buyer: U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF), Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) Program. - Funding: The program lists $50 million in funding; individual awards range from $100,000 to $4 million. - Purpose: Support direct purchase of multi-user scientific or engineering instruments, or development of instruments with new capabilities, including the personnel and components needed for development. - Products and vendors: No specific instruments, part numbers, quantities, OEMs, or vendors are identified. - Eligible applicants: U.S. institutions of higher education, qualifying U.S. nonprofit non-academic organizations, and federally recognized Tribal Nations. - Notable priorities: Proposals are encouraged from early-career researchers and emerging research institutions, and across geographic regions including EPSCoR jurisdictions. Instruments advancing national R&D priorities are welcomed, including scientifically justified integration with SI-enabled workflows. - International branch campuses: Proposals involving a U.S. institution’s international branch campus must explain the benefit and why the work cannot be performed at the U.S. campus.
Description
The National Science Foundation’s Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) Program supports access to multi-user scientific and engineering instrumentation for research and training. Awards fund the acquisition of an instrument through direct purchase or the personnel and components needed to develop an instrument with new capabilities. The program targets instruments generally too costly or unsuitable for support through other NSF programs. Eligible applicants include U.S. institutions of higher education, certain non-profit non-academic organizations, and federally recognized Tribal Nations.