SubSignal / Grants / U.S. National Science Foundation

U.S. National Science Foundation grants a small business can apply for

7 funding opportunities from U.S. National Science Foundation are open now and list small businesses among their eligible applicants. Each one links to its official grants.gov page.

Open grants7
Award ceilings$2.5M
Open to for-profits0
Closing in 14 days0

Eligibility here means the funder listed small businesses or left the competition unrestricted. It is not a determination that you personally qualify — every announcement carries its own conditions, and some restrict by state, by research field, or by prior award. Read the announcement.

Open opportunities

OpportunityCategoryPer awardCloses
EDU Core ResearchThe EDU Core Research (ECR) program offers this ECR:Core solicitation and invites proposals for fundamental research (curiosity-driven basic research and use-inspired basic research) that contributes to the general, explanatory knowledge…Science and Technology and other Research and Development$2.5MOct 1, 202645 days
MPS Astronomical Sciences Research Programs (MPS Astro)The U.S. National Science Foundation Directorate for Mathematical and Physical Sciences (NSF MPS) supports multiple research programs in the astronomical sciences. NSF MPS funds foundational astronomical sciences research and…Science and Technology and other Research and Development$100M programme totalNov 16, 202691 days
Engineering (ENG): Electrical, Communications, and Computing Systems (ECCS)The U.S. National Science Foundation Directorate for Engineering (NSF ENG) supports foundational research for electrical, communications and computing systems through the following programs: The Electronic, Photonic, Magnetic, and Quantum…Science and Technology and other Research and Development$110M across 300 awardsAug 12, 207618258 days
MPS Physics Research Programs (MPS Physics)The U.S. National Science Foundation Directorate for Mathematical and Physical Sciences (NSF MPS) supports multiple research programs at the frontiers of discovery in physics. Physics research supported by NSF MPS enables understanding of…Science and Technology and other Research and Development$180M programme totalAug 17, 207618263 days
Engineering (ENG): Chemical, Bioengineering, Energy, and Transport Systems (CBET)The U.S. National Science Foundation Directorate for Engineering (NSF ENG) supports foundational engineering research for chemical, bioengineering, energy, and transport systems through the following programs: The Chemical Process Systems…Science and Technology and other Research and Development$100M across 275 awardsAug 17, 207618263 days
Engineering (ENG): Electrical, Communications, and Computing Systems (ECCS)The U.S. National Science Foundation Directorate for Engineering (NSF ENG) supports foundational research for electrical, communications and computing systems through the following programs: The Electronic, Photonic, Magnetic, and Quantum…Science and Technology and other Research and Development$110M across 300 awardsAug 17, 207618263 days
Engineering (ENG): Civil, Mechanical and Manufacturing Innovation (CMMI)The U.S. National Science Foundation Directorate for Engineering (NSF ENG) supports foundational research projects for civil, mechanical, and manufacturing innovation through the following programs: The Advanced Manufacturing, Design, and…Science and Technology and other Research and Development$100M across 275 awardsAug 17, 207618263 days

Elsewhere

Health 90Science and Technology and other Research and Development 66Income Security and Social Services 16Agriculture 6Natural Resources 6Law, Justice and Legal Services 5Energy 4

The other two signals

Signal 1Contracts already wonPrimes under a legal obligation to subcontract part of the work. You are chasing a company, not a solicitation.Signal 2Work about to be boughtSources Sought notices. The requirement is not written yet, which is the one moment you can shape it.Signal 3Grants you can apply forFederal funding open to small businesses. Same SAM.gov registration, money that is not a contract.

Where this comes from

Grants.gov is the federal government's own listing of funding opportunities. SubSignal pulls the posted ones daily, keeps those whose eligibility codes include small businesses or are unrestricted, and drops the rest — most federal grants are open only to universities, states and tribal governments, which is why an unfiltered grants.gov search is so discouraging. Applying is always free.

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