NSF Solicitation for Future Manufacturing (FM) Program

The National Science Foundation (NSF) has released a new solicitation for the Future Manufacturing (FM) program. The program came about as a result of the White House’s Strategy for American Leadership in Advanced Manufacturing, which called attention to how the next generation of technological competition in manufacturing will be dictated by inventions of new materials, chemicals, devices, systems, processes, machines, design and work methods, social structures and business practices. The goal of this solicitation is to support fundamental research and education of a future workforce that will enable what is being called “Future Manufacturing,” manufacturing that either does not exist today or exists only at such small scales that it is not viable.
 
Three thrust areas have been identified for support in FY 2020 under the solicitation:

• Future Cyber Manufacturing Research
• Future Eco Manufacturing Research
• Future Biomanufacturing Research

Projects will be awarded in three categories:

• Future Manufacturing Research Grants
  • Type I: $500,000 to $750,000 per year for up to five years
  • Type II: $750,000 to $2,000,000 per year for up to five years
• Future Manufacturing Seed Grants (FMSG)
  • Up to two years at a level not to exceed $250,000 per year
• Future Manufacturing Networks (FMNet)
  • Up to five years of support at a total amount of $500,000

As the solicitation states, “Fundamental research will be required in robotics, artificial intelligence, biotechnology, materials science, sustainability, education and public policy, and workforce development to take the lead in this global competition. The research supported under this solicitation will enhance U.S. leadership in manufacturing far into the future by providing new capabilities for established companies and entrepreneurs, improving our health and quality of life, and reducing the impact of manufacturing industries on the environment.”
 
Letters of Intent are due by April 10, 2020, and full proposals are due June 05, 2020.
 
To view the full solicitation, please visit: https://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2020/nsf20552/nsf20552.htm.