Opportunity Information: Apply for 19 605
The National Science Foundation (NSF), through its Division of Astronomical Sciences, offers the Mid-Scale Innovations Program in Astronomical Sciences (MSIP) as a competitive grant opportunity to support impactful astronomy and astrophysics efforts that are too large for typical single-investigator awards but smaller than major flagship facilities. MSIP was explicitly recommended by the 2010 Astronomy and Astrophysics Decadal Survey, which highlighted the need for a strong mid-scale program to move "many highly promising projects" forward and deliver timely, diverse scientific returns. In practical terms, the program is designed to fund a range of astronomy-related activities with total project costs up to $30 million, allowing the community to pursue ambitious projects on a scale that can substantially advance observational capabilities, instrumentation, and data resources.
The solicitation frames MSIP as a structured program with four distinct subcategories, reflecting different kinds of mid-scale needs across the field. First, it supports limited-term, self-contained science projects, which are bounded efforts aimed at achieving specific scientific outcomes within a defined time window. Second, it supports longer-term mid-scale facilities, meaning more enduring infrastructure or facility-level capabilities that may operate over extended periods and serve broader scientific communities. Third, it includes development investments for future mid-scale and large-scale projects, essentially funding maturation work that reduces technical risk, proves feasibility, and positions major concepts for later implementation. Fourth, it supports community open-access capabilities, emphasizing resources that are broadly available to the community rather than restricted to a single team, such as shared instruments, platforms, or data capabilities.
Across all four categories, MSIP places strong weight on scientific merit and readiness, but it also makes clear that workforce development is a central priority rather than an afterthought. Proposals are expected to include a well-developed plan for student training and meaningful involvement, along with intentional efforts to engage a diverse workforce. The solicitation explicitly points to participation in areas such as instrumentation, facility development, or data management, signaling that MSIP is not just about producing scientific papers but also about building technical expertise and sustaining the talent pipeline needed to design, operate, and interpret modern astronomical systems.
Administratively, this is an NSF discretionary grant program (Funding Opportunity Number 19-605) in the Science and Technology and other Research and Development category (CFDA 47.049). Eligibility is described as unrestricted, meaning it is broadly open to many entity types, subject to any clarifications that may appear in the full solicitation text. The opportunity was created on September 22, 2019, with an original closing date of May 6, 2020. NSF anticipated making about five awards under this call, and the stated award ceiling is $30,000,000 per project, aligning with the program's goal of enabling substantial but not mega-scale investments in the astronomical sciences.Apply for 19 605
- The National Science Foundation in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Mid-Scale Innovations Program in Astronomical Sciences" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 47.049.
- This funding opportunity was created on Sep 22, 2019.
- Applicants must submit their applications by May 06, 2020. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $30,000,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 5 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Unrestricted (i.e., open to any type of entity above), subject to any clarification in text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility.
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