Mathematical Sciences Infrastructure Program | PD 20 1260

Opportunity Information: Apply for PD 20 1260

The National Science Foundation (NSF) Mathematical Sciences Infrastructure Program (Funding Opportunity Number PD 20-1260, CFDA 47.049) is a discretionary grant opportunity designed to strengthen the overall health and long-term vitality of the US mathematical sciences research community. Rather than focusing only on individual research results, it emphasizes the shared structures that make high-quality research possible at scale, such as community resources, collaborative networks, training ecosystems, and broadly accessible professional development. The program also complements NSF's Workforce Program in the Mathematical Sciences by supporting efforts that help grow and prepare a strong US-based pipeline of people who will pursue careers in mathematics, statistics, and related fields where mathematical expertise is increasingly essential.

This program invites proposals in three main categories. First, it supports novel infrastructure projects that create new community-facing research infrastructure or substantially upgrade existing infrastructure in ways that matter beyond a single campus or event location. These projects often cut across multiple mathematical subdisciplines or include interdisciplinary collaborations, and they are expected to show clear regional or national impact. The key expectation is that the work strengthens the broader research ecosystem, not just a local group, and that it does so in a way that changes capability or access at scale.

Second, the program supports training projects that do not fit within the specific solicitations covered by the Workforce Program in the Mathematical Sciences. These training proposals must include a meaningful core research component for trainees and must be positioned to have regional or national influence that extends well beyond the submitting institution. They also must satisfy at least one additional priority: operating as a model that could be replicated elsewhere, building strong partnerships with non-academic organizations or with minority-serving institutions or community colleges, or embedding a substantial broadening participation initiative. Training proposals are expected to be especially concrete and accountable, clearly laying out the goals, the new activities being introduced, how those activities improve on standard practice, measurable outcomes, and credible plans for assessment and evaluation. They must also address recruitment, selection, and retention strategies (including for underrepresented groups), provide sustainability plans for continuing progress after NSF funding ends, and present a budget that matches the scope of work.

Third, the program can fund conferences, symposia, working research sessions, and travel support requests, but only when the topic areas span a wide range of the mathematical sciences and therefore do not fit neatly into a single DMS disciplinary program. If a meeting is centered in one subdiscipline of mathematics or statistics, NSF expects it to be submitted to the appropriate DMS disciplinary program instead. For conference and workshop-style proposals submitted to the Infrastructure Program, there are strict lead-time requirements tied to budget size and meeting location: at least 6 months before the meeting date for domestic meetings requesting up to $50,000, at least 9 months for domestic meetings requesting more than $50,000, and at least 12 months for meetings held outside the United States.

Across all categories, proposals are expected to show genuine engagement in developing or improving US mathematical sciences research infrastructure. This can include broadening participation, professional development and training, and purposeful involvement of students and early-career researchers. A central review expectation is that proposals clearly justify how the activity will produce impact at a regional or national level that substantially exceeds the benefit to the submitting institution or the immediate event site. Most full proposals (except conference proposals with special lead-time rules) should be submitted near one of the NSF Full Proposal Target Dates listed in the solicitation. The opportunity lists eligibility as unrestricted, and it is administered by NSF within the Division of Mathematical Sciences. The original closing date shown in the source information is 2024-08-06, though applicants typically need to verify current target dates and any updates in the active NSF posting before preparing a submission.

• The National Science Foundation in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Mathematical Sciences Infrastructure Program" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 47.049.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2020-08-07.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2024-08-06. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Eligible applicants include: Unrestricted.

Apply for PD 20 1260

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