Mid-Career Advancement
🏛 U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF)
✓ Free, no account · Source: Grants.gov · Last verified Jul 16, 2026
Can you apply?
This grant is for established scientists and engineers at mid-career stage seeking protected time and resources to advance their research. Eligible PIs must be Associate Professor rank or equivalent, serving in that rank for at least 3 years by proposal deadline. Applicants must work at U.S. institutions of higher education or eligible non-profit research organizations. Research must align with NSF directorates: Biological Sciences, Geosciences, Social/Behavioral/Economic Sciences, or Education and Human Resources.
The program emphasizes partnerships with mentors or collaborators outside the PI's subdiscipline to promote interdisciplinary work. A key requirement is demonstrating how the protected time and partnership would substantially advance the PI's research trajectory in ways unlikely without this support. PIs from EPSCoR jurisdictions are strongly encouraged to apply.
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Program description
The MCA program offers an opportunity for scientists and engineers at the mid-career stage (see restrictions under Additional Eligibility Information) to substantively enhance and advance theirresearch program and career trajectory. Mid-career scientists are at a critical career transition stage where they need to advance their research programs to ensure long-term productivity and creativity but are often constrained by service, teaching, or other activities that limit the amount of time devoted to research.
The MCA program provides protected time, resources, and the means to gain new skills through synergistic and mutually beneficial partnerships, typically at an institution other than the candidate’s home institution. Partners from outside the Principal Investigator’s (PI) own subdiscipline or discipline are encouraged, but not required, to enhance interdisciplinary networking and convergence across science and engineering fields. Research projects that envision new insights on existing problems or identify new problems made accessible with cutting-edge methodology or expertise from other fields are encouraged.
A key component of a successful MCA will be the demonstration that the PI’s currentresearchprogram could substantively benefit from the protected time, mentored partnership(s), and resources provided through this program, such thatthere is a substantial enhancement to the PI’s research and career trajectory, enabling scientific and academic advancementnot likely without this support.
The MCA is the only cross-directorate NSF program specifically aimed at providing protected time and resources to established scientists and engineers targeted at the mid-career stage.Participating programs in the Directorates for Biological Sciences (BIO), Geosciences (GEO), Social, Behavioral and Economic Sciences (SBE), and Education and Human Resources (EHR) will accept MCA proposals. To help identify the disciplinary program in which the MCA should be reviewed, PIs are urged to investigate the research areas supported by the different directorates and participating programs.
PIs are strongly encouraged to discuss the suitability of their MCA proposal with a Program Officer from the appropriate directorate (seehttps://new.nsf.gov/funding/opportunities/mca-mid-career-advancement/announcements/111199).PIs from EPSCoR jurisdictions are especially encouraged to apply.
Who can apply
Eligible applicants
How to apply
Application links
Key dates & requirements
Required documents
- NSF Standard Form 424 (SF-424)
- Project Narrative / Research Plan
- Budget and Budget Justification
- Mentoring/Partnership Plan
- CV of PI
- CV of mentoring partner or collaborator
- Institutional commitment letter(s)
Program contact
- 👤 U.S. National Science Foundation
- 📧 grantsgovsupport@nsf.gov
- 📞 703-292-4203
Funding track record
Recent awards under CFDA 47.076 from the last 3 years — real organizations that won funding through this same program.
Top 10 Largest Recent Awards
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$116,005,485
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$111,205,673
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$82,631,883
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$50,428,430
-
$45,382,137
-
$42,090,891
-
$41,100,753
-
$39,174,893
-
$33,116,189
-
$30,232,784
Top States by Funding
- CA 18 awards $419.3M
- MA 4 awards $209.8M
- TX 7 awards $123.0M
- NY 5 awards $115.7M
- IL 5 awards $96.4M
Source: USAspending.gov — federal spending transparency. Data covers last 3 years.
Funding history
Annual funding for this program — Federal obligations (CFDA 47.076). How funding has trended year over year.
| 2024 | $1,087,560,000 | |
| 2025 | $1,169,550,000 | |
| 2026 est. | $286,650,000 |
FAQ
Who can be a PI for this grant?
You must be at Associate Professor rank (or equivalent) and have held that rank for at least 3 years by the proposal deadline. Full Professors at PUI institutions may also be eligible under a separate pilot track.
What institutions can submit proposals?
U.S. institutions of higher education (2-year and 4-year) and non-profit research organizations like independent museums and observatories can submit. International branch campuses require special justification.
What research topics are supported?
Projects in Biological Sciences, Geosciences, Social/Behavioral/Economic Sciences, and Education/Human Resources are eligible. Interdisciplinary proposals partnering outside your own subdiscipline are encouraged.
What is the main goal of an MCA proposal?
Show how protected time, mentored partnerships, and resources will substantially advance your research program and career trajectory beyond what's possible without this support.
When is the deadline and how competitive is this?
The deadline is March 1, 2027. This is a competitive, cross-directorate NSF program with $18M in total funding, so strong justification and clear partnership plans are essential.
💡 Tips for applicants
- Contact your Program Officer early to confirm your research aligns with the participating directorate. This conversation can strengthen your proposal fit.
- Build a clear mentoring or partnership plan with a collaborator outside your subdiscipline. Show mutual benefit and how their expertise enables new research directions.
- Emphasize the "protected time" aspect. Explain current barriers (teaching, service, administrative duties) and how this grant removes them to unblock your research.
- Make a compelling case that your research program will substantively change as a result of this award. Vague or incremental improvements will not be competitive.
- If you are at an EPSCoR jurisdiction institution, highlight this in your proposal—NSF actively encourages these applications.
⚠️ Common mistakes
Proposals fail when PIs do not clearly demonstrate why protected time and partnership are necessary—avoid generic research plans that could proceed without this grant. Weak or underdeveloped mentoring relationships lack credibility; ensure your partner is actively engaged and commits to mentoring you. Applications that stay entirely within the PI's own subdiscipline miss the interdisciplinary convergence that NSF prioritizes for this program.
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