U.S. National Science Foundation Convergence Accelerator Regional Anchor for the Midwest Region

The U.S. National Science Foundation has issued a solicitation to establish a Regional Anchor for the NSF Convergence Accelerator's Midwest Region. The Regional Anchor will be responsible for implementing the NSF Convergence Accelerator's program model and day-to-day operations for the Midwest Region, in accordance with NSF guidelines.

In April 2024, NSF formally announced its plan to scale the NSF Convergence Accelerator from a single national program to 10 regionally focused NSF Convergence Accelerators that aim to enhance national and regional competitiveness in research, innovation and workforce development, as well as address pressing societal and economic challenges within geographic areas.

The Midwest Region was the first region in which the NSF Convergence Accelerator hosted a series of expansion events in May 2024. The next step in establishing the NSF Convergence Accelerator for the Midwest Region is to determine the Regional Anchor.

This solicitation is to establish and manage the Regional Anchor business management services that will implement the Regional NSF Convergence Accelerator for the Midwest Region on behalf of the NSF Convergence Accelerator national program. The Midwest Region includes North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin and Illinois.

The Regional Anchor must reside within the Midwest Region. It is expected that the Anchor be either a for-profit or non-profit organization. The Regional Anchor is not anticipated to be an Institution of Higher Education (IHE) because IHEs are likely to seek to apply to funding opportunities subsequently published by the Regional Anchor. However, university affiliated organizations that are separate from the IHE may be able to apply if potential conflicts of interests can be managed.

Note: In addition to the proposal a letter of intent is required to be submitted via the NSF Convergence Accelerator Regional Anchor Application submission system.

Informational Webinar for the Midwest Regional Anchor Funding Opportunity

Thursday, August 8 | 2 – 3:30 p.m. ET

Join the NSF Convergence Accelerator Team for a webinar to learn about the Midwest Regional Anchor funding opportunity. Proposers are encouraged to register and attend this webinar, including a 45-minute presentation covering the program’s model and fundamentals, details about the solicitation opportunity and essential submission information. A Q&A will follow the presentation. Proposers are recommended to review the solicitation document before the webinar to maximize the effectiveness of the Q&A session.

This webinar aims to raise awareness and clarify the application process for this exciting opportunity, which gives applicants the chance to play a leading role in shaping the future of research and development in their region.

Webinar registration: https://2024-nsf-ca-expansion-midwest-webinar.eventbrite.com