Crosscutting Activities in Materials Research
🏛 U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF)
✓ Free, no account · Source: Grants.gov · Last verified Jul 17, 2026
Can you apply?
This grant is for educational and community-focused activities in materials research at U.S. institutions. Eligible applicants include nonprofit organizations, academic institutions, and research centers aligned with NSF's materials research community. Activities must cross multiple programs or address diversity, international cooperation, and education gaps. Traditional disciplinary research proposals are not appropriate for this program.
The program emphasizes broadening participation of underrepresented groups, REU/RET sites, workshops, conferences, and summer schools. Proposals must not fit within a single topical program in the Division of Materials Research. International collaboration proposals should go to disciplinary programs instead.
Proposers are strongly encouraged to contact Program Directors before submitting proposals exceeding $50,000. The program does not handle traditional research—it focuses on enabling activities and community engagement.
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Program description
Crosscutting Activities in Materials Research (XC) coordinates and supports crosscutting activities within the Division of Materials Research (DMR) and more broadly across NSF.
The emphasis within XC is diversity and inclusion, international cooperation, and education (including experiential learning at REU/RET Sites). Additionally, activities that broadly engage the community, such as summer schools, institutes, workshops, and conferences that do not fit within just one or two programs in the Division of Materials Research, may be supported by XC.If preparing a workshop proposal, follow the Special Guidelines for Conference Proposals outlined in the Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG). Occasionally projects crossing several programs in DMR are shifted to XC or co-funded by XC. The goal is to bring greater visibility to these projects through DMR’s XC website.
Proposals are welcome that do not fit elsewhere at NSF that are also highly relevant for the materials research and education community. Some XC activities are co-funded with other NSF units. XC does not handle traditional research proposals suitable for submission to topical or other programs in DMR. For this reason, the XC Team welcomes inquiries that include a draft of one-page NSF summary, or a shorter write-up. It is highly recommended that you contact one of the Program Directors for XC prior to submission of a full proposal exceeding $50,000.
Crosscutting Activities in Materials Research (XC) replaced the Office of Special Programs in Materials Research (OSP) in 2016.
Diversity:
- Activitiesthat focus on broadening participation of underrepresented groups and/or diversity and inclusion are supported.
- Supplements(e.g., CLB, AGEP-GRS, MPS-GRSV and ROAs) are handled by the cognizantProgram Director of the original award. See the Related Publications section below for more information.
- XC supports Facilitation Awards for Scientists and Engineers with Disabilities (see Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide, Chapter II.E.6 for details) https://www.nsf.gov/pubs/policydocs/pappg18_1/pappg_2.jsp#IIE6
International:
- In2016 a Dear Colleague Letter outlining collaborative projectswith Israel (BSF)was issued; it remains active until archived.
- Submissionof full proposals with an international component may be made to thedisciplinary programs (but not to XC directly).
- Supplementsare handled by the cognizant Program Director of the original award.
- Discontinuedin 2014: The previous International Materials Institutes (IMI)and Materials World Network (MWN) programs are no longer supported.
Education:
- Innovativeand creative ideas in education (e.g., materials science and/or engineering, solid state and materials chemistry, condensed matterphysics, integrated computational materials science/engineering, ormaterials data science/analytics) that do not have a forum elsewhere at NSFare of interest.
- XC encourages outreach and/or materials education proposals targeting underserved populations such as K-12students in rural communities and those designed to increase public scientific literacy.
Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU)/ Research Experiences for Teachers (RET): reu.dmr@nsf.gov
- XCcoordinates the REU and RET Sites activities within DMR. See theREU Site Solicitationfor deadlines and additional program information.
- REU/RET supplements to research proposals are handled by the cognizant ProgramDirector of the original award.
Who can apply
Eligible applicants
How to apply
Application links
Required documents
- NSF Standard Form 424 (SF-424)
- Project Narrative/Proposal
- Budget and Budget Justification
- Biographical sketches of key personnel
- Current and Pending Support form
Program contact
- 👤 U.S. National Science Foundation
- 📧 grantsgovsupport@nsf.gov
- 📞 703-292-4203
Funding track record
Recent awards under CFDA 47.049 from the last 3 years — real organizations that won funding through this same program.
Top 10 Largest Recent Awards
-
$570,618,065
-
$480,514,346
-
$411,651,013
-
$277,033,094
-
$236,459,999
-
$190,969,692
-
$159,846,534
-
$144,261,921
-
$140,880,752
-
$124,000,000
Top States by Funding
- VA 5 awards $960.5M
- DC 4 awards $907.5M
- CA 12 awards $589.6M
- AZ 8 awards $566.5M
- NY 7 awards $319.9M
Source: USAspending.gov — federal spending transparency. Data covers last 3 years.
Funding history
Annual funding for this program — Federal obligations (CFDA 47.049). How funding has trended year over year.
| 2024 | $1,539,910,000 | |
| 2025 | $1,537,650,000 | |
| 2026 est. | $512,280,000 |
FAQ
Who should apply to XC instead of other DMR programs?
Apply here for crosscutting activities, diversity initiatives, and education that span multiple programs. Contact a Program Director first if unsure.
Are traditional research proposals eligible?
No, this program does not fund traditional disciplinary research. Submit those to topical programs in DMR instead.
What types of activities does XC support?
Diversity and inclusion initiatives, REU/RET sites, workshops, conferences, summer schools, and education outreach to underserved populations.
Is there a deadline?
This is a rolling program with no set deadline. However, contact Program Directors in advance for proposals over $50,000.
Can international collaboration be funded here?
Full proposals with international components should go to disciplinary programs. XC handles only supplements to existing awards.
💡 Tips for applicants
- Contact a Program Director before submitting any proposal over $50,000. Early guidance prevents wasted effort.
- Avoid traditional research proposals. This program funds enabling activities, not disciplinary studies.
- Emphasize how your activity bridges multiple DMR programs or addresses diversity and inclusion gaps.
- For REU/RET sites, check the separate REU Site Solicitation for deadlines and requirements.
- Frame education proposals around underserved populations like K-12 students in rural areas or public literacy goals.
⚠️ Common mistakes
Applicants submit traditional disciplinary research proposals instead of crosscutting or enabling activities. Proposals lack clear connection to diversity, international cooperation, or education priorities. International full proposals are sent to XC instead of disciplinary programs.
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