Research on the Science and Technology Enterprise: Indicators, Statistics, and Methods (NCSES S&T)
🏛 U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF)
✓ Free, no account · Source: Grants.gov · Last verified Jul 15, 2026
Can you apply?
This grant is for research on the science and technology enterprise using statistics, indicators, and methodologies. Colleges, universities, nonprofits, museums, observatories, research labs, professional societies, and federally recognized tribes may apply. The focus includes survey methodology development, indicator creation, data analysis, and statistical communication. Projects can be individual research, doctoral dissertations, conferences, or surveys.
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Program description
The National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics (NCSES) of the National Science Foundation (NSF) is one of the thirteen principal federal statistical agencies within the United States. It is responsible for the collection, acquisition, analysis, reporting and dissemination of objective, statistical data related to the science and technology (S&T) enterprise in the United States and other nations that is relevant and useful to practitioners, researchers, policymakers and the public. NCSES uses this information to prepare a number of statistical data reports including Women, Minorities and Persons with Disabilities in Science and Engineering and the National Science Board’s biennial report, Science and Engineering (S&E) Indicators.
The Center would like to enhance its efforts to support analytic and methodological research in support of its surveys as well as promote the education and training of researchers in the use of large-scale nationally representative datasets. NCSES welcomes efforts by the research community to use NCSES or other data to conduct research on the S&T enterprise, develop improved survey methodologies that could benefit NCSES surveys, explore alternate data sources that could supplement NCSES data, create and improve indicators of S&T activities and resources, strengthen methodologies to analyze S&T statistical data, and explore innovative ways to communicate S&T statistics. To that end, NCSES invites proposals for individual or multi-investigator research projects, doctoral dissertation improvement awards, conferences, experimental research, survey research and data collection, and dissemination projects under its program for Research on the Science and Technology Enterprise: Indicators, Statistics, and Methods (NCSES S&T).
Who can apply
Eligible applicants
How to apply
Application links
Key dates & requirements
Required documents
- SF-424 (Grant Application Cover Sheet)
- Project Narrative
- Budget and Budget Justification
- Biographical Sketches (key personnel)
- Current and Pending Support
- Facilities and Equipment
- Letters of Support (if applicable)
Program contact
- 👤 U.S. National Science Foundation
- 📧 grantsgovsupport@nsf.gov
- 📞 703-292-4203
Funding track record
Recent awards under CFDA 47.075 from the last 3 years — real organizations that won funding through this same program.
Top 10 Largest Recent Awards
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$38,357,018
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$18,499,999
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$13,999,656
-
$10,999,998
-
$8,043,354
-
$7,998,747
-
$5,500,000
-
$5,237,549
-
$5,200,000
-
$5,047,151
Top States by Funding
- MI 9 awards $94.1M
- DC 6 awards $20.0M
- AZ 7 awards $19.6M
- NY 9 awards $17.0M
- IL 4 awards $16.4M
Source: USAspending.gov — federal spending transparency. Data covers last 3 years.
Funding history
Annual funding for this program — Federal obligations (CFDA 47.075). How funding has trended year over year.
| 2024 | $292,390,000 | |
| 2025 | $219,410,000 | |
| 2026 est. | $92,200,000 |
FAQ
Who can apply to this grant?
Universities, community colleges, nonprofits with research missions, museums, observatories, research laboratories, and federally recognized tribes located in the U.S. can submit proposals.
What types of projects does NCSES fund?
Research projects, doctoral dissertation improvements, conferences, experimental research, surveys, data collection, and dissemination projects focused on the science and technology enterprise.
What is the deadline for this grant?
The deadline is January 19, 2027. This is a fixed deadline, not rolling.
How competitive is this funding?
This is a highly specialized program focused on S&T statistics and methodology. Proposals should demonstrate methodological rigor and relevance to NSF's national statistical mission.
What is the funding range?
Award amounts are not pre-specified. Applicants should check current NSF guidance for typical grant sizes in this program.
💡 Tips for applicants
- Clearly connect your research to NCSES's mission of improving S&T statistics, indicators, or methodologies. Vague proposals will not be competitive.
- If using existing NCSES datasets, explain how your analysis generates new insights about the S&T enterprise.
- For survey methodology proposals, explain how your methods improve on current NCSES approaches.
- Include clear dissemination plans to reach practitioners, policymakers, and researchers.
- Reviewers prioritize methodological innovation and potential impact on federal statistics programs.
⚠️ Common mistakes
Submitting proposals focused on broader science policy rather than S&T statistical data and methods. Failing to explain relevance to NCSES's specific research questions. Proposing data collection without clear connection to improving existing or new S&T indicators.
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