Measurement Science and Engineering (MSE) Research Grant Programs | 2023 NIST MSE 01

Opportunity Information: Apply for 2023 NIST MSE 01

The Measurement Science and Engineering (MSE) Research Grant Programs funding opportunity is a National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) discretionary program under the U.S. Department of Commerce that supports research and related activities tied to measurement science, standards, and other science and technology research and development. The overall purpose is to strengthen U.S. innovation and industrial competitiveness by advancing the measurement foundations that make technology development, manufacturing, quality assurance, and scientific discovery more reliable and comparable. A core theme running through the opportunity is NISTs emphasis on building a culture of belonging and integrating diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility into how the work is carried out, alongside the technical goals of the program.

The opportunity is structured to help grow a diverse, world-class pipeline of scientists and engineers who can contribute to NIST-relevant measurement science and standards work. In practical terms, that means the program is not only about producing research results, but also about developing people and capabilities: training researchers, expanding participation in measurement science, and supporting efforts that increase general understanding and appreciation of measurement science and standards in the broader population. The program also explicitly encourages collaboration across a wide range of organizations, with particular interest in partnerships that include minority-serving institutions (including Historically Black Colleges and Universities) and community colleges, reflecting a workforce-development and broadening-participation focus alongside the research mission.

From an administrative standpoint, the Funding Opportunity Title is "Measurement Science and Engineering (MSE) Research Grant Programs" and the Funding Opportunity Number is "2023 NIST MSE 01." Awards may be made as either grants or cooperative agreements, indicating that some projects may involve more direct federal involvement or collaboration than a standard grant, depending on the project and program needs. The activity category is Science and Technology and other Research and Development, and the listed CFDA numbers are 11.609, 11.619, and 11.620, which correspond to NIST assistance programs used to support measurement science, standards, and related R and D efforts.

The solicitation is set up as a rolling Notice of Funding Opportunity, with an original closing date of April 14, 2025, meaning proposals can generally be submitted over an extended window rather than in a single, fixed deadline cycle (applicants still need to follow any specific submission instructions and internal review timelines described in the full notice). NIST anticipates making a large number of awards, with expected awards listed as 300, suggesting a broad program footprint that may support many projects across multiple topic areas. The award ceiling is listed as 0, which usually signals that a single maximum award amount is not specified in the summary data and that applicants should rely on the full announcement for budgeting expectations, typical award sizes, or any program-specific caps.

Eligibility is summarized as "Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification)," which implies that eligible applicant types are defined in the full opportunity text rather than being limited to one standard category like state governments or nonprofits. Even from the summary, it is clear NIST is aiming to work with a wide range of institutions and is specifically interested in strengthening participation from organizations that have historically been underrepresented in federal research ecosystems, including HBCUs and community colleges, as part of the agencys broader mission to build capacity and talent in measurement science and standards.

• The Department of Commerce, National Institute of Standards and Technology in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Measurement Science and Engineering (MSE) Research Grant Programs" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 11.609, 11.619, 11.620.
• This funding opportunity was created on Apr 14, 2023.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Apr 14, 2025 Rolling NOFO. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 300 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).

Apply for 2023 NIST MSE 01

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