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Innovation Anywhere,
Opportunity Everywhere

NSF is an independent federal agency that supports
science and engineering in all 50 states and U.S. territories.
Learn more
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Find & apply for funding
Find & apply for funding
Our hundreds of funding opportunities support research, education and training.
Explore NSF discoveries
Explore NSF discoveries
From 3D printing to black holes, NSF transforms the world with science and engineering.
Our focus areas
Our focus areas
We focus on accelerating new technologies and big ideas — from biology to technology.
What we've funded
What we've funded
Explore our database of funded projects to learn what we're doing across the U.S.

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What's new

A circular medal in a display box. The medal contains the words "Alan T. Waterman Award" and includes the bust of Waterman.

Submit your nominations for the 2025 Alan T. Waterman Award by Sept. 20

The award, the nation's premier recognition for early-career scientists and engineers, acknowledges exceptional contributions in any science or engineering field supported by NSF. Recipients will receive a prestigious medal and $1 million distributed over five years to support their research endeavors.

Visit our website to learn more about the nomination process, review eligibility requirements and explore past recipients.

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Our priorities

Promote discovery in science & engineering
Promote discovery in science & engineering
With investments that expand the frontiers of knowledge and technology.
Accelerate technology & innovation
Accelerate technology & innovation
Through innovative partnerships that break down barriers between disciplines and organizations.
Advance diversity in science & engineering
Advance diversity in science & engineering
Using interventions and capacity building to expand opportunity across the nation.
Explore what we support
Photo of NSF Director, Sethuraman Panchanathan

America's economic and national security depend on our ability to invest heavily in the technologies of today while making the discoveries that are the foundation for the technologies of tomorrow.

Sethuraman Panchanathan
NSF Director

NSF by the numbers

$9.9B

NSF’s Fiscal Year 2023 enacted budget

93%

Percent of budget supporting research, education and related activities

2000+

Organizations supported by NSF across every state and U.S. territory

300,000+

Researchers, entrepreneurs, students and teachers supported by NSF


Learn more about our impacts
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