Opportunity Information: Apply for 18 511
The National Science Foundation (NSF) Partnerships for Innovation (PFI) program, run through the Division of Industrial Innovation and Partnerships (IIP), is designed to help move NSF-supported research out of the lab and into real-world use. The basic idea is to fund translational research and technology development that turns new knowledge into practical solutions with measurable societal and economic benefits. A major emphasis is on building and strengthening partnerships that speed up innovation, especially when those innovations address clearly defined societal needs.
PFI is organized around six connected goals. First, it aims to identify NSF-funded discoveries and technologies that are strong candidates for faster commercialization. Second, it supports proof-of-concept work by current or prior NSF-funded researchers, universities, and nonprofit organizations (when partnered with a university), including building and testing early prototypes that come directly from NSF-supported research and show potential market value. Third, it seeks to create durable, sustainable partnerships among NSF-funded organizations, industry, and other academic or private-sector groups, with the explicit purpose of improving technology transfer. Fourth, it encourages the development of multidisciplinary innovation ecosystems that are responsive to the practical needs of both academia and industry, rather than operating in isolation. Fifth, it promotes professional development around entrepreneurship and technology translation, including mentoring, training, and adoption of best practices for faculty, students, and researchers. Sixth, it prioritizes broader participation by expanding opportunities for women and individuals from underrepresented groups in innovation, entrepreneurship, and tech translation activities.
The solicitation offers two main proposal tracks. The Technology Translation track (PFI-TT) is geared toward an NSF-funded researcher who already has results from prior NSF support and wants to push those results closer to a market-ready innovation. Funding under this track typically supports proof-of-concept validation, prototype development, technology refinement, and scale-up activities. In addition to technical progress, PFI-TT expects teams to engage in innovation and entrepreneurship-oriented efforts that help clarify product-market fit, identify partners, and lay the groundwork for commercialization. Typical next steps that may come out of a successful PFI-TT project include expanded partnerships, licensing to existing companies, spinning out a startup, generating new intellectual property, and building a longer-term entrepreneurial pipeline around the technology.
The Research Partnerships track (PFI-RP) focuses on collaborative technology development through multi-organization teams. NSF highlights that many translation challenges require interdisciplinary and cross-sector collaboration that goes beyond what a single lab or investigator can realistically tackle. PFI-RP supports a consortium-style ecosystem centered on a clear technical thrust, bringing together academic researchers with external partners such as companies, non-academic research organizations, federal labs, public or nonprofit technology transfer groups, and/or additional universities. Existing NSF-supported centers and consortia (for example, Engineering Research Centers and Industry-University Cooperative Research Centers, among others) may participate in PFI-RP proposals. The overarching purpose is to catalyze robust, synergistic partnerships that accelerate the translation of federally funded fundamental research into applied innovations, and ultimately into commercialization pathways with significant economic and societal impact.
From an administrative standpoint, this is an NSF discretionary grant opportunity in the science and technology R and D category. The funding opportunity is titled Partnerships for Innovation (Funding Opportunity Number 18-511), created November 1, 2017, with an original closing date of February 1, 2018. The award ceiling listed is $750,000, and NSF anticipated making about 55 awards. Eligibility is described broadly as "Others" with details provided in the full solicitation text, reflecting that applicants can include more than just standard university categories, particularly when appropriate partnerships are in place. NSF also planned informational webinars for potential applicants and partners, with registration hosted through the NSF IIP website.Apply for 18 511
- The National Science Foundation in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Partnerships for Innovation" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 47.041, 47.049, 47.050, 47.070, 47.074, 47.075, 47.076, 47.079, 47.083.
- This funding opportunity was created on Nov 01, 2017.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Feb 01, 2018. (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 $750,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 55 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): NSF Partnerships for Innovation (PFI)
1) What is the NSF Partnerships for Innovation (PFI) program?
The National Science Foundation (NSF) Partnerships for Innovation (PFI) program is a funding opportunity run through NSF's Division of Industrial Innovation and Partnerships (IIP). It is designed to help move NSF-supported research out of the lab and into real-world use by supporting translational research and technology development that turns new knowledge into practical solutions with measurable societal and economic benefits.
2) What is the main purpose of PFI funding?
PFI aims to accelerate the translation of NSF-funded discoveries into applied innovations and commercialization pathways. A central focus is building and strengthening partnerships that speed up innovation, especially when innovations address clearly defined societal needs.
3) What types of activities does PFI typically support?
PFI supports translational research and technology development activities such as proof-of-concept validation, building and testing early prototypes derived from NSF-supported research, technology refinement, and scale-up activities. The program also expects innovation and entrepreneurship-oriented efforts that help teams clarify product-market fit and identify partners.
4) What are the six connected goals of the PFI program?
PFI is organized around six connected goals:
- Identify NSF-funded discoveries and technologies that are strong candidates for faster commercialization.
- Support proof-of-concept work by current or prior NSF-funded researchers, universities, and nonprofit organizations (when partnered with a university), including early prototype development and testing that demonstrates potential market value.
- Create durable, sustainable partnerships among NSF-funded organizations, industry, and other academic or private-sector groups to improve technology transfer.
- Encourage multidisciplinary innovation ecosystems that respond to practical needs of academia and industry.
- Promote professional development in entrepreneurship and technology translation (mentoring, training, and best-practice adoption) for faculty, students, and researchers.
- Prioritize broader participation by expanding opportunities for women and individuals from underrepresented groups in innovation, entrepreneurship, and technology translation.
5) What proposal tracks are offered under this solicitation?
The solicitation offers two main proposal tracks:
- Technology Translation (PFI-TT)
- Research Partnerships (PFI-RP)
6) What is the Technology Translation (PFI-TT) track?
PFI-TT is geared toward an NSF-funded researcher who already has results from prior NSF support and wants to move those results closer to a market-ready innovation. It supports activities like proof-of-concept validation, prototype development, technology refinement, and scale-up, alongside entrepreneurship-oriented efforts to support commercialization readiness.
7) What kinds of outcomes are expected from a successful PFI-TT project?
Typical next steps that may come from a successful PFI-TT project include expanded partnerships, licensing to existing companies, spinning out a startup, generating new intellectual property, and building a longer-term entrepreneurial pipeline around the technology.
8) What is the Research Partnerships (PFI-RP) track?
PFI-RP focuses on collaborative technology development through multi-organization teams. NSF emphasizes that many translation challenges require interdisciplinary and cross-sector collaboration beyond what a single investigator or lab can realistically address. PFI-RP supports a consortium-style ecosystem centered on a clear technical thrust.
9) Who can participate as partners in a PFI-RP project?
PFI-RP teams can include academic researchers and external partners such as companies, non-academic research organizations, federal laboratories, public or nonprofit technology transfer groups, and/or additional universities.
10) Can existing NSF-supported centers or consortia be involved in PFI-RP proposals?
Yes. NSF notes that existing NSF-supported centers and consortia (for example, Engineering Research Centers and Industry-University Cooperative Research Centers, among others) may participate in PFI-RP proposals.
11) How does PFI define the importance of partnerships?
PFI places major emphasis on building and strengthening partnerships that improve technology transfer and accelerate innovation. For PFI-RP in particular, the program is intended to catalyze robust, synergistic partnerships that help translate federally funded fundamental research into applied innovations and commercialization pathways with significant economic and societal impact.
12) Does PFI include entrepreneurship or innovation training expectations?
Yes. One of PFI's stated goals is to promote professional development around entrepreneurship and technology translation, including mentoring, training, and adoption of best practices for faculty, students, and researchers.
13) Does PFI prioritize broader participation?
Yes. PFI explicitly prioritizes broader participation by expanding opportunities for women and individuals from underrepresented groups in innovation, entrepreneurship, and technology translation activities.
14) What is the official title and funding opportunity number for this solicitation?
The opportunity is titled Partnerships for Innovation, and the Funding Opportunity Number listed is 18-511.
15) What type of grant is this from an administrative standpoint?
This is described as an NSF discretionary grant opportunity in the science and technology research and development (R and D) category.
16) What is the maximum award amount (award ceiling) listed?
The listed award ceiling is $750,000.
17) How many awards did NSF anticipate making under this opportunity?
NSF anticipated making about 55 awards.
18) When was this funding opportunity created, and what was the original closing date?
The funding opportunity was created on November 1, 2017, and the original closing date listed is February 1, 2018.
19) Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is described broadly as "Others", with details provided in the full solicitation text. This indicates applicants can include more than standard university categories, particularly when appropriate partnerships are in place. The provided summary also notes that nonprofit organizations may be involved when partnered with a university.
20) Where does NSF host information for potential applicants (such as webinars)?
NSF planned informational webinars for potential applicants and partners, with registration hosted through the NSF IIP website.
21) What kinds of societal and economic impacts does PFI target?
PFI emphasizes practical solutions with measurable societal and economic benefits, and it highlights innovations that address clearly defined societal needs. It also aims to support commercialization pathways that can produce significant economic and societal impact.
22) What is the relationship between prior NSF funding and PFI-TT?
PFI-TT is specifically positioned for an NSF-funded researcher who already has results from prior NSF support and wants to translate those results toward market readiness.
23) Is prototype development explicitly included in PFI?
Yes. PFI supports proof-of-concept work that includes building and testing early prototypes derived from NSF-supported research, and PFI-TT in particular typically supports prototype development and related refinement activities.
24) What does NSF mean by a "consortium-style ecosystem" in PFI-RP?
In PFI-RP, NSF describes support for a multi-organization, consortium-style approach that is centered on a clear technical thrust and brings together academic researchers and external partners to address translation challenges that require cross-sector and interdisciplinary collaboration.
25) What NSF division runs the PFI program?
The PFI program is run through NSF's Division of Industrial Innovation and Partnerships (IIP).
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