Cyberinfrastructure for Public Access and Open Science
🏛 U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF)
✓ Free, no account · Source: Grants.gov · Last verified Jul 16, 2026
Can you apply?
This grant is for research teams developing cyberinfrastructure solutions for open science and public data access. Eligible applicants include universities, research institutions, cyberinfrastructure researchers, scientists, and academic libraries. Projects must focus on collaborative activities that improve data accessibility, discoverability, sustainability, and reproducibility across research domains. The grant supports early-stage partnerships between technical experts and domain scientists to build research data ecosystems.
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Program description
The Cyberinfrastructurefor Public Access and Open Science (CI PAOS) program within the Office of Advanced Cyberinfrastructure (OAC) aims to catalyze new and transformative socio-technical partnerships supporting research data infrastructure ecosystems across domainsthrough early-stage collaborative activities between cyberinfrastructure researchers, scientists, research computing experts, data management experts, research labs, university libraries, and other communities of practice.
The CI PAOS program supports the NSF Public Access Initiative byencouraging innovation across the CI ecosystem to address accessibility, discoverability, reliability, reproducibility, sustainability, and utility of data products in alignment with NSF and national goals for public access and open science [See: NSF Public Access Initiative, Office of Science and Technology Policy Memorandum on Ensuring Free, Immediate, and equitable Access to Federally funded Research, and Desirable Characteristics of Data Repositories for Federally Funded Research].CI PAOS builds on previous investments including those through Dear Colleague Letters NSF19-069,NSF20-068, NSF 23-018, and the FAIROS Research Coordination Networks (RCN)program solicitation (NSF 22-553).
NSF accepts proposals pursuant tothis Program Description year-round. From time to time, NSF may also issue Dear Colleague Letters to encourage proposals on special thematic interests and opportunities related to this program.
GUIDANCE TO POTENTIAL PROPOSERS
A primary feature of successful CI PAOS projects is a robust, synergistic collaborative team comprising skills from across communities of science/engineering, research data science, and information science discipline(s) and expertise in leveraging connections between cyberinfrastructure researchers and providers and data specialists. Leveraging international collaboration to build shared norms and address challenges related to developing and implementing PAOS policies and practices is encouraged. Research and education in science and engineering benefit immensely from international cooperation. Proposals with an international component are also welcome [See: International Collaborations Opportunities at NSF]. Proposers must target one or more of the following themes/pathways:Competency Building, Capability Building, and/or Community Building.
Competency Building
Open science/engineering-driven collaboration. A socio-technical collaborative approach in addressing disciplinary, interdisciplinary, domestic, and international data lifecycle challenges is critical to informing and guiding the development of principles, requirements, and standardsof a CI ecosystem that fosters pipelines to good data management and pathways to access.Proposals should clearly describe the goals, challenges, and rationale for the proposed data science and engineering project and include an explanation of the potential for transformative research and broader impacts on the open science ecosystem [See: U.S. NSF Broader Impacts].Successful proposals will also clearly identify utilization science scenarios and use cases.
Capability Building
Exploratory and pilot activities.<span class="TextRun SCXW92189242 BCX4" lang="EN-US" xml:lang="EN-US" d
Who can apply
Eligible applicants
How to apply
Application links
Key dates & requirements
Required documents
- NSF Grant Proposal Form (NSPF 1207)
- Project Narrative
- Budget and Budget Justification
- Biographical Sketches
- Data Management Plan
- Institutional Certification
Program contact
- 👤 U.S. National Science Foundation
- 📧 grantsgovsupport@nsf.gov
- 📞 703-292-4203
Funding track record
Recent awards under CFDA 47.083 from the last 3 years — real organizations that won funding through this same program.
Top 10 Largest Recent Awards
-
$136,862,066
-
$48,897,079
-
$48,079,625
-
$47,887,807
-
$46,238,841
-
$44,434,393
-
$35,687,036
-
$24,737,272
-
$23,999,998
-
$22,294,445
Top States by Funding
- MA 5 awards $138.4M
- VA 1 awards $136.9M
- NY 3 awards $85.9M
- PA 2 awards $81.9M
- MT 4 awards $68.1M
Source: USAspending.gov — federal spending transparency. Data covers last 3 years.
Funding history
Annual funding for this program — Federal obligations (CFDA 47.083). How funding has trended year over year.
| 2024 | $458,210,000 | |
| 2025 | $476,730,000 | |
| 2026 est. | $174,710,000 |
FAQ
Who can apply for this grant?
Universities, research institutions, academic libraries, and research teams with cyberinfrastructure or data management expertise. Interdisciplinary collaborations are encouraged.
What activities does this program fund?
Early-stage collaborative projects that develop cyberinfrastructure solutions for open science, public data access, and improved data management practices. Focus areas include accessibility, discoverability, and reproducibility.
Is there a deadline?
This is a rolling submission program. Check NSF's Office of Advanced Cyberinfrastructure website for current submission windows and any upcoming deadlines.
What is the typical funding amount?
Awards range from $50,000 to $600,000 depending on project scope and institutional collaboration levels.
Do I need to provide cost sharing?
No cost sharing is required for this grant program.
💡 Tips for applicants
- Emphasize partnerships: Highlight collaboration between cyberinfrastructure experts, domain scientists, and institutional stakeholders like university libraries.
- Focus on sustainability: Explain how your solution addresses long-term data management, accessibility, and reproducibility beyond the grant period.
- Align with NSF priorities: Reference the NSF Public Access Initiative and national open science goals in your proposal narrative.
- Start small with transformative potential: Frame your project as early-stage but capable of catalyzing broader ecosystem changes.
- Address multiple dimensions: Show how your project improves at least two of these areas: accessibility, discoverability, reliability, reproducibility, or sustainability.
⚠️ Common mistakes
Submitting single-institution or technology-focused projects without collaborative partnerships across disciplines. Proposing projects that lack clear sustainability plans or fail to demonstrate alignment with national open science and public access goals. Underestimating the importance of involving both technical and domain experts in the project team.
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