FUNDING RESOURCES
Funding programs and resources relevant to artificial intelligence, materials research, autonomous experimentation, and computational design. Opportunities are grouped by application status to help you identify the appropriate next step.
Last verified: September 19, 2026. Program titles link to official sources. Confirm eligibility, amendments, and submission requirements with the funder before applying.
Open opportunities · Upcoming restricted deadline · Awaiting details · Closed calls · Program resources
Open opportunities and rolling submissions
NSF — Chemical, Bioengineering, Energy, and Transport Systems (CBET)
Supports fundamental engineering research in chemical processes, biological systems, energy and resource management, and transport. The Chemical Process Systems program is relevant to process modeling, optimization, and materials synthesis.
Status and timing: Open — full proposals accepted anytime under NSF 26-518. This replaces the archived Process Systems, Reaction Engineering, and Molecular Thermodynamics listing.
NSF — Civil, Mechanical, and Manufacturing Innovation (CMMI)
Supports foundational research in manufacturing, design, intelligent systems, and materials mechanics. Relevant programs include Advanced Manufacturing, Design, and Operations; Intelligent and Interactive Dynamic Systems; and Mechanics of Advanced Materials Systems.
Status and timing: Open — full proposals accepted anytime under NSF 26-515. The previous Advanced Manufacturing and Engineering Design and Systems Engineering listings now point to this solicitation.
NSF — MPS Materials Research Programs
Supports fundamental materials research across experimental and theoretical programs. Includes Condensed Matter and Materials Theory, with opportunities for computational and data-centric methods.
Status and timing: Open — proposals accepted anytime under NSF 26-521; consult the solicitation for preferred submission periods. This replaces the older Topical Materials Research Programs and CMMT solicitations.
NSF — Cyber-Physical System Foundations and Connected Communities (CPS)
Supports research integrating computation, physical processes, and human interaction, including AI-enabled autonomy, safe learning, and control. CPS is included in the Future CoRe solicitation.
Status and timing: Open — proposals accepted anytime. Target dates are the first Thursday in February and second Thursday in September for corresponding review cycles; see NSF 25-543.
ONR — Computer-Aided Materials Design
Research area focused on computational approaches to materials design across material classes. Discuss research fit with the program officer before preparing a proposal.
Status and timing: Open funding route — ONR’s current Long Range BAA accepts full proposals through September 30, 2026. Follow the BAA for exact submission requirements and time.
ONR — Machine Learning, Reasoning and Intelligence
Supports fundamental research in machine learning, reasoning, and intelligent systems. Materials-related projects should demonstrate a strong fit with the program’s research interests.
Status and timing: Open funding route — ONR’s current Long Range BAA accepts full proposals through September 30, 2026. Consult the program officer and BAA before applying.
NSF — SBIR/STTR Phase I, Phase II, and Fast-Track
Funds eligible startups and small businesses developing high-risk technologies with commercial potential. This is small-business R&D funding, rather than a university research-center competition. Eligibility and submission requirements differ by phase and track.
Status and timing: Open — next listed full-proposal deadline: November 4, 2026, at 5 p.m. submitting organization’s local time. NSF 26-510 replaces the archived Fast-Track pilot solicitation NSF 24-582.
DOE — Fusion Energy Sciences funding opportunities
A starting point for fusion research opportunities, including materials and computational topics. Check the relevant call and program guidance for whether a proposed AI or machine-learning project fits.
Status and timing: Open funding route — the FY2026 Office of Science annual solicitation, DE-FOA-0003600, closes September 30, 2026. Topic-specific review dates and preapplication requirements may apply.
Upcoming deadline with restricted eligibility
DOE — The Genesis Mission: Transforming Science and Energy with AI
Supports AI-enabled advances in science and energy under DE-FOA-0003612. The remaining deadline is a follow-on stage, not a general new application round.
Status and timing: December 17, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. Eastern — Phase II applications resulting from FY2026 Phase I awards only. Initial Phase I applications and direct Phase II submission deadlines passed in May 2026.
Awaiting a new call or confirmed application details
NSF — Cyberinfrastructure Systems for Scientific Innovation (CSSI)
Supports research cyberinfrastructure, including reusable software and data services, community frameworks, and sustainability of established infrastructure.
Status and timing: Awaiting a new publication — NSF currently lists no upcoming due dates.
DOE BES — Computational Chemical Sciences (CCS)
Supports development of open-source computational chemistry software for predictive modeling of complex chemical systems using advanced computing capabilities.
Status and timing: No current dedicated CCS call is listed on the program page; it lists past opportunities. Check DOE funding announcements for new calls.
GIE / WIN-AIM seed funding
WIN-AIM has received Grainger Institute for Engineering seed support. Contact the WIN-AIM organizers for information about any new internal call and its eligibility requirements.
Status and timing: Current application round and deadline not confirmed.
Closed calls and past competitions
NSF — Designing Materials to Revolutionize and Engineer our Future (DMREF)
Supports interdisciplinary materials discovery and development integrating experiment, computation, theory, and data-driven methods.
Status and timing: Closed submission window — the linked NSF 25-508 call accepted proposals January 21–February 4, 2025. No new submission window was confirmed on the program page.
DOE BES — Energy Frontier Research Centers (EFRCs)
Supports team-based fundamental research addressing energy-science challenges. The 2026 competition specified eligible topics and requirements for new and renewal applications.
Status and timing: Archived — DE-FOA-0003614 was archived July 31, 2026. This listing is retained for reference and is not currently open.
UW–Madison — Igniting Interdisciplinary Innovation (I³)
The 2026 competition offered up to $250,000 in seed funding for interdisciplinary UW–Madison teams. Participation and PI eligibility requirements applied.
Status and timing: Closed — applications were due April 1, 2026, at 4:30 p.m. The university states that it is no longer accepting applications for this competition.
Program information and strategic resources
DARPA — Defense Sciences Office (DSO)
Browse DSO research programs and opportunities for relevant scientific-discovery, materials, and AI topics. Program-manager interests can help identify research fit but are not themselves a funding solicitation.
Status and timing: Program resource — use a specific active DARPA announcement for eligibility, submission instructions, and deadlines.
DOE — Fusion Science and Technology Roadmap
A strategic roadmap for fusion science and technology, useful for understanding research priorities and developing future proposals.
Status and timing: Strategic resource — the roadmap itself is not a funding competition and has no application deadline.