MPS Materials Research Programs (MPS Materials) | 26 521

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): NSF MPS Materials Research Programs (MPS Materials)

1) What is the MPS Materials Research Programs (MPS Materials) opportunity?

MPS Materials is a grant solicitation from the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) within the Directorate for Mathematical and Physical Sciences (MPS). It supports research that advances fundamental scientific understanding of materials, including how materials are structured, how they behave, and how their underlying properties can be explained or predicted.

2) What kind of research is this program designed to fund?

The program emphasizes foundational, curiosity-driven materials research. It is aimed at pushing basic knowledge forward rather than building a near-term product or demonstrating immediate commercial readiness. Proposals can be high-risk and conceptually bold, as long as they are intellectually rigorous and clearly focused on advancing basic materials science.

3) Is this opportunity focused on commercialization or near-term technology deployment?

No. The stated emphasis is on fundamental understanding and basic research, not on near-term product development, commercialization, or immediate technology readiness demonstrations.

4) Which NSF directorate and area is sponsoring this solicitation?

This solicitation is part of NSF's Directorate for Mathematical and Physical Sciences (MPS), within its broader materials research portfolio.

5) What research areas and program topics are included?

The solicitation spans a wide range of materials-focused programs, including:

• Biomaterials
• Ceramics
• Condensed Matter and Materials Theory
• Condensed Matter Physics
• Electronic and Photonic Materials
• Metals and Metallic Nanostructures
• Polymers
• Solid State and Materials Chemistry

6) Does the solicitation support both experimental and theoretical work?

Yes. The listed areas include both experimentally oriented and theoretically oriented materials research, including work focused on understanding electronic and optical behavior, structure-property relationships, and predictive or explanatory theories of materials behavior.

7) How broad is this opportunity within NSF materials funding?

This program functions as a broad entry point into NSF MPS materials funding, particularly for individual investigators or small teams proposing fundamental materials science projects across many subfields.

8) Are any related NSF materials funding mechanisms handled elsewhere?

Yes. The information provided notes that some related mechanisms are funded under separate NSF solicitations, including:

• Materials Research Science and Engineering Centers (MRSECs)
• Designing Materials to Revolutionize and Engineer our Future (DMREF)

Applicants are encouraged to route center-scale proposals or explicitly DMREF-aligned work to those programs instead of forcing them into this solicitation.

9) Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility is limited to U.S.-based organizations that fit specific categories described in the opportunity, including:

• Non-profit, non-academic organizations located in the United States that are directly connected to education or research activities (for example: independent museums, observatories, research laboratories, and professional societies).
• Accredited U.S. institutions of higher education (two-year and four-year institutions, including community colleges), provided they have a U.S. campus and are submitting on behalf of faculty members.
• Federally recognized Tribal Nations (American Indian or Alaska Native tribes, bands, nations, pueblos, villages, or communities recognized under the Federally Recognized Indian Tribe List Act).

10) Do applicants have to be located in the United States?

Yes. The eligibility language provided describes U.S.-based organizations and includes specific requirements tied to having a U.S. campus (for higher education institutions) and being located in the United States (for eligible non-profit, non-academic organizations).

11) Are community colleges eligible?

Yes. The opportunity explicitly includes accredited U.S. institutions of higher education at both the two-year and four-year levels, and it notes that community colleges are included, provided they have a U.S. campus and are submitting on behalf of faculty members.

12) Are Tribal Nations eligible?

Yes. Federally recognized Tribal Nations are eligible, as defined in the opportunity (recognized under the Federally Recognized Indian Tribe List Act).

13) Can a non-profit organization that is not a university apply?

Yes, if it is a U.S.-based non-profit, non-academic organization (such as an independent museum, observatory, research laboratory, professional society, or similar entity) and it is directly connected to education or research activities.

14) What special requirement applies to international branch campuses of U.S. universities?

If any grant funds would support work performed at an international branch campus (including through subawards or consultants), the proposal must clearly explain why the international location is beneficial to the project and why the work cannot reasonably be performed at the U.S. campus.

15) Does the international branch campus requirement apply only to direct work, or also to subawards and consultants?

It applies to work performed at an international branch campus whether supported directly or through subawards or consultants. The proposal must address why the international location is beneficial and why the work cannot reasonably be done at the U.S. campus.

16) What type of federal assistance is this award?

The opportunity is categorized as a discretionary grant under the federal assistance listing associated with NSF research and development (CFDA 47.049).

17) Approximately how many awards does NSF expect to make?

The posting indicates an expected number of awards of around 300.

18) Is there a maximum award amount (award ceiling) stated in the information provided?

No award ceiling is specified in the provided text. This suggests award sizes may vary depending on program area, project scope, and NSF programmatic considerations.

19) Are there limits on how many proposals a PI or co-PI can submit?

The information provided notes that eligibility to serve as a Principal Investigator is governed by rules described elsewhere in the solicitation, including a limit on the number of proposals per PI or co-PI. Prospective applicants should review the full solicitation for any submission caps before planning multiple submissions.

20) What kinds of projects are likely to be competitive under this solicitation?

Based on the stated goals, competitive proposals are likely to be technically strong, conceptually ambitious, and focused on changing or deepening how researchers understand a material system or class of phenomena. The program is framed as welcoming high-risk ideas when they are well-justified and intellectually rigorous, even if not tied to immediate deployment or commercialization.