Unlocking Dataset Value for AI-Enabled Scientific Discovery
🏛 U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF)
✓ Free, no account · Source: Grants.gov · Last verified Jul 28, 2026
Can you apply?
This grant is for organizations advancing scientific datasets through AI methods. Eligible applicants include for-profit organizations (including small businesses), nonprofits with research missions, other federal agencies, FFRDCs, state and local governments, institutions of higher education, and tribal nations. All applicants must be U.S.-based and able to address data security, governance, and integration of existing scientific datasets. Interdisciplinary teams are encouraged to apply.
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Program description
This program will advance scientific community datasets to enable scientific discovery and innovation using artificial intelligence (AI) and other methods. Its goal is to increase the value that can be derived from existing scientific datasets by leveraging novel methods and artificial intelligence (AI). This will unlock new AI-driven insights. It can enable interdisciplinary research. It also enables investigations outside of the original motivation for data collection and analysis.
The program seeks to 1) apply AI-based capabilities to feature extraction and metadata generation, and the integration of multiple datasets. 2) Develop robust data pipelines necessary for automated analysis of existing datasets and similar use-cases by AI tools and systems. 3) Augment and/or harmonize existing datasets to better enable use by AI data pipelines and automated analysis.
Proposals should address dataset security and integrity. Governance and the process for scientific communities to contribute to the datasets should also be addressed. Proposals are encouraged to leverage existing resources. These may includeNSF data platforms, the NSF Integrated Data Systems and Services program, the NSF-led National AI Research Resource, the Genesis Mission platform, or other national infrastructure.
NSF is open to exploring partnerships with philanthropy, private industry, or the non-profit sector to support additional proposals or collaborative opportunitiesthat will advance AI-driven scientific discovery through unlocking the value of high-impact scientific datasets.
Expanding Participation in STEM, NSF Priorities, and Gold Standard Science:
NSF prioritizes cutting-edge discovery science and engineering research, advancing technology and innovation, and creating opportunities for all Americans. NSF has established priorities set forth by Congress, the administration and the NSF director to promoteNSF’s mission. Proposers should review the list ofNSF prioritiesand are encouraged to align their proposals with them, where appropriate. NSF also expects the highest standards of scientific rigor, integrity and adherence tenets ofGoldStandard Sciencein proposals, as appropriate for the field of science and research modality.
Who can apply
Eligible applicants
How to apply
Application links
Key dates & requirements
Required documents
- Project Narrative (proposal)
- Budget and Budget Justification
- SF-424 (Application for Federal Assistance)
- Current and Pending Support
- Biographical Sketches (key personnel)
- Facilities and Equipment descriptions
Program contact
- 👤 U.S. National Science Foundation
- 📧 grantsgovsupport@nsf.gov
- 📞 703-292-4203
Funding track record
Recent awards under CFDA 47.074 from the last 3 years — real organizations that won funding through this same program.
Top 10 Largest Recent Awards
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$401,043,378
-
$268,297,107
-
$66,886,066
-
$59,000,000
-
$46,262,435
-
$39,723,283
-
$39,454,013
-
$31,000,000
-
$24,500,000
-
$22,800,000
Top States by Funding
- OH 2 awards $413.5M
- CO 4 awards $299.9M
- NY 5 awards $124.1M
- CA 9 awards $96.9M
- AZ 4 awards $96.7M
Source: USAspending.gov — federal spending transparency. Data covers last 3 years.
Funding history
Annual funding for this program — Federal obligations (CFDA 47.074). How funding has trended year over year.
| 2024 | $813,390,000 | |
| 2025 | $789,240,000 | |
| 2026 est. | $221,290,000 |
FAQ
Who can apply for this grant?
U.S. higher education institutions, for-profit and nonprofit research organizations, federal agencies, FFRDCs, state/local governments, and tribal nations may apply. All proposers must have strong research or engineering capabilities.
What is the deadline and is it flexible?
The deadline is November 4, 2026. This is a fixed deadline, not rolling acceptance.
What types of projects are funded?
Projects that apply AI to feature extraction, develop data pipelines for automated analysis, or augment/harmonize existing datasets for AI use are prioritized.
Is cost-sharing required?
No. This grant does not require cost-sharing or matching funds from applicants.
How competitive is this program?
With $100 million in total funding, competition is substantial. Strong proposals emphasize data security, governance structures, and collaboration with existing NSF platforms.
💡 Tips for applicants
- Identify a high-impact scientific dataset and clearly explain how AI/novel methods unlock new value from it. Show specific research questions that become answerable.
- Address data security, integrity, and governance upfront. Explain how your team manages access and community contributions to the dataset.
- Leverage existing NSF infrastructure (data platforms, NAIRR, Integrated Data Systems) to reduce redundancy and strengthen competitiveness.
- Build interdisciplinary teams that span domain science, data engineering, and AI expertise. Show how collaboration enables discovery outside the dataset's original scope.
- Demonstrate scalability and sustainability. Explain how other scientific communities could adopt your data pipelines and methods.
⚠️ Common mistakes
Proposals that lack clear data governance structures or ignore security requirements fail frequently. Applicants who propose building new datasets instead of unlocking value in existing ones miss the program's core intent. Weak AI justification—using AI simply for novelty rather than solving a genuine research bottleneck—weakens competitiveness.
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