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Major Research Instrumentation Program (MRI)

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NSF 23-519

Important information about NSF’s implementation of the revised 2 CFR

NSF Financial Assistance awards (grants and cooperative agreements) made on or after October 1, 2024, will be subject to the applicable set of award conditions, dated October 1, 2024, available on the NSF website. These terms and conditions are consistent with the revised guidance specified in the OMB Guidance for Federal Financial Assistance published in the Federal Register on April 22, 2024.

Important information for proposers

All proposals must be submitted in accordance with the requirements specified in this funding opportunity and in the NSF Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG) that is in effect for the relevant due date to which the proposal is being submitted. It is the responsibility of the proposer to ensure that the proposal meets these requirements. Submitting a proposal prior to a specified deadline does not negate this requirement.

Supports requests for up to $4 million from NSF for the development or acquisition of multi-user research instruments that are critical to the advancement of science and engineering.

Instrument Acquisition or Development

Supports requests for up to $4 million from NSF for the development or acquisition of multi-user research instruments that are critical to the advancement of science and engineering.

Synopsis

The Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) Program (MRI Program Website) serves to increase access to multi-user scientific and engineering instrumentation for research and research training in our Nation's institutions of higher education and not-for-profit scientific/engineering research organizations. An MRI award supports the acquisition of a multi-user research instrument that is commercially available through direct purchase from a vendor, or for the personnel costs and equipment that are required for the development of an instrument with new capabilities, thereby advancing instrumentation capabilities and enhancing expertise for instrument design and fabrication at academic institutions. MRI instruments are, in general, too costly and/or not appropriate for support through other NSF programs.

MRI provides support to acquire critical research instrumentation without which advances in fundamental science and engineering research may not otherwise occur. MRI also provides support to obtain next-generation research instruments by developing instruments with new capabilities that open new opportunities to advance the frontiers in science and engineering research. Additionally, an MRI award is expected to enhance research training of students who will become the next generation of instrument users, designers and builders.

An MRI proposal may request from NSF up to $4 million for either acquisition or development of a research instrument. Each performing organization may submit in revised "Tracks" as defined below, with no more than two (2) submissions in Track 1 and no more than one (1) submission in Track 2. For the newly defined Track 3, no more than one (1) submission per competition is permitted.  As a result, it is now possible for an institution to submit up to four MRI proposals within the Track limits as described above.

  • Track 1: Track 1 MRI proposals are those that request funds from NSF greater than $100,000[1] and less than $1,400,000.
  • Track 2: Track 2 MRI proposals are those that request funds from NSF greater than or equal to $1,400,000 up to and including $4,000,000.
  • Track 3: Track 3 MRI proposals are those that request funds from NSF greater than or equal to $100,000[1] and less than or equal to $4,000,000 that include the purchase, installation, operation, and maintenance of equipment and instrumentation to conserve or reduce the consumption of helium. Institutions may submit no more than one Track 3 proposal. Submission of a Track 3 proposal does not impact limits that apply for Track 1 and Track 2 proposals.

Cost sharing requirements for new awards in the MRI Program are waived for a period of 5 years beginning with the FY 2023 MRI competition. Institutional submission limits for Track 1, Track 2 and Track 3 proposals remain.

The MRI Program especially seeks broad representation of groups, institutions, and geographic regions that are underrepresented in STEM disciplines. Proposals from women, underrepresented minorities, persons with disabilities and early-career PIs are encouraged, as are proposals that benefit early-career researchers and proposals with PIs from geographically underserved regions, including EPSCoR jurisdictions. Additionally, proposals are encouraged from under-resourced institutions, including from emerging research institutions, where MRI can significantly build capacity for research.

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[1]Track 1 proposals requesting funds from NSF less than $100,000 will be accepted only from: a) eligible performing organizations requesting instrumentation supporting research in the disciplines of mathematics or social, behavioral and economic sciences; or b) non-Ph.D.-granting institutions of higher education requesting instrumentation supporting research in any NSF-supported disciplines.

Program contacts

Primary Contacts

Randy L. Phelps

OD/OIA

(703) 292-5049

mri@nsf.gov

Jonathan Friedman

OD/OIA

(703) 292-7475

mri@nsf.gov

Additional MRI Program Contacts

BIO

DBI

De Belle, Steven

jcdebell@nsf.gov

CISE

CNS

Medhi, Deep

dmedhi@nsf.gov

CISE

OAC

Kanaev, Andrey

akanaev@nsf.gov

EDU

DUE

Krupczak, John jkrupcza@nsf.gov

ENG

CMMI

Soman, Pranav

psoman@nsf.gov

ENG

ECCS

Krishnamurthy, Mahesh 

mkrishna@nsf.gov

ENG

ECCS

Kuh, Anthony

akuh@nsf.gov

ENG

ECCS

Nash, Richard

rnash@nsf.gov

ENG

CBET

Cao, Fangyu fcao@nsf.gov

ENG

CBET

Chellia, Harsha                       

hchellia@nsf.gov

GEO

AGS

Anderson, Nicholas F.

nanderso@nsf.gov

GEO

EAR

Astiz, Luciana

lastiz@nsf.gov

GEO

EAR

Frasseto, Andy 

afrasset@nsf.gov

GEO

OCE

Binkley, Kandace S.

kbinkley@nsf.gov

GEO

OPP

Rack, Frank R.

frack@nsf.gov

MPS

AST

Peck, Alison

apeck@nsf.gov

MPS

CHE

Whitmer, Tanya

twhitmer@nsf.gov

MPS

CHE

Greenlief, Michael

mgreenli@nsf.gov

MPS

DMR

Omar Diallo, Souleymane

somardia@nsf.gov

MPS

DMR

Tessema, Guebre

gtessema@nsf.gov

MPS

DMR

Ying, Charles

CYING@nsf.gov

MPS

DMS

Bartoszynski, Tomek

tbartosz@nsf.gov

MPS

PHY

McCloud, Kathy

kmccloud@nsf.gov

SBE

BCS

Yellen, John E.

jyellen@nsf.gov

General information for the MRI Program is available as follows:

Office of Integrative Activities (OIA)
Major Research Instrumentation Program
National Science Foundation
2415 Eisenhower Ave.
Alexandria, VA 22314

E-Mail: mri@nsf.gov

OIA MRI Website: http://www.nsf.gov/od/oia/programs/mri

Randy L. Phelps
Staff Associate
mri@nsf.gov (703) 292-5049 OD/OIA
Jonathan Friedman
Program Director
mri@nsf.gov (703) 292-7475 OD/OIA

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