NSF Regional Innovation Engines Broad Agency Announcement

NSF Engines BAA Description

This Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) is the first funding opportunity for the NSF Regional Innovation Engines (NSF Engines) program, a bold new initiative of the National Science Foundation that will create regional-scale innovation ecosystems throughout the United States. Providing up to $160 million of funding for up to 10 years to establish each Engine, with up to an additional two years of development funding even before the official launch of an Engine, the program offers a unique opportunity to usher in a transformational revolution of economic growth by harnessing the Nation’s rich science and technology research enterprise and regional-level resources to address societal challenges and promote national competitiveness.

This BAA provides an overview of the NSF Engines program and two current funding opportunities, Type-1 and Type-2 awards, open to coalitions led by U.S.-based for-profit businesses, non-profit organizations, and U.S. accredited institutions of higher education with a campus located in the U.S. Additionally, federally funded research and development centers, national laboratories, and state, local, and tribal governments (limited to agencies, offices, or divisions specifically dedicated to innovation, economic and/or workforce development) can receive NSF funds through subawards.

KEY DEADLINES (by 5 p.m., submitter’s local time on the dates specified below). Failure to meet the established deadline date will result in the proposal not being reviewed.

• Type-1 and Type-2 Concept Outlines:  Due June 30, 2022
• Type-1 Letters of Intent:  Due August 31, 2022
• Type-1 Full Proposals:  Due September 29, 2022
• Type-2 Letters of Intent: Due December 15, 2022
• Type-2 Full Proposals: Due January 18, 2023
  
  Information for organizations who have not previously applied for federal grants:
• If your organization has not previously applied for a federal grant, your organization must obtain a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI), which is a 12-character alpha numeric value, and must also register in the System for Award management (SAM).
• Go to SAM.gov and complete the process through the “Register Your Entity or Get a Unique Entity ID” box. Scroll down on the site for FAQs.
• Note that registering with SAM.gov can take time so start the process very early in the application window!

6/16 Amendment updates the FAQ document.

7/25 Amendment updates the FAQ and sets deadlines for type 2 proposals.

8/4 Amendment updates the FAQ and provides an unlocked personnel spreadsheet.

8/07 Amendment updates the FAQ document.

10/07 Amendment Re-Opens Soliciation

This Broad Agency Annoucement has been repopened through 11:59 PM EDT on October 13, 2022 for the following categories of respondents:

1. Entities that successfully submitted a Letter of Intent by the due date, and
2. Entites that contacted NSF to notify that their ability to submit a full proposal was impacted due to hurricane weather and received approval to submit a delayed propsoal, or
3. Entities that have been contacted by NSF to correct the format of a file already submitted into the proposal submission portal (BAAM).

No other entities may submit proposals or make any changes to the documents they've already submitted to NSF. 

10/07 Amendment Opens Soliciation for Type-2 Awards