Formal Methods in the Field | 24 509

Opportunity Information: Apply for 24 509

The National Science Foundation (NSF) Formal Methods in the Field (FMitF) program (Funding Opportunity Number 24-509; CFDA 47.070) supports projects that pair formal methods researchers with researchers in another computer and information science and engineering "field" to create rigorous, reproducible ways to build systems that are correct-by-construction and come with provable guarantees. In this solicitation, "formal methods" is interpreted broadly as mathematically grounded approaches based on logic and related foundations for specifying, modeling, designing, analyzing, implementing, abstracting, verifying, synthesizing, optimizing, and otherwise reasoning about systems, networks, and applications. The "field" is also defined broadly: it can be any area within computer and information science and engineering that would benefit from the development and application of formal methods. A key expectation across proposals is a clear argument for why formal methods are a good fit for the chosen field area and how the partnership will produce outcomes that neither group could achieve alone.

FMitF is organized into three proposal tracks that target different stages of maturity and different kinds of impact. Track I (Research) is the main research track and is aimed at joint teams making foundational contributions both to formal methods and to the chosen field area. Track I proposals must include at least one PI or co-PI with formal methods expertise and at least one PI or co-PI with field-area expertise, and the work is expected to include a proof of concept in the field along with a detailed evaluation plan. That evaluation plan should spell out what the approach is intended to cover, what its limits are, and what trade-offs it introduces (for example, in performance, scalability, automation, or usability). A distinctive requirement for Track I is a detailed collaboration plan that demonstrates complementary expertise and explains how the team will maintain continuous, two-way interaction rather than operating as loosely connected subprojects. Track I awards are capped at $1,000,000 total budget with project durations of up to four years, and the Project Description may be up to 15 pages.

Track II (Transition to Practice, or TTP) is designed to push formal methods tools and prototypes past the research-demo stage and closer to real-world use. The focus here is on developing extensible and robust implementations that improve usability and accessibility for a broader and more diverse user community, with the goal of bridging the gap between research results and operational deployment. Track II proposals are expected to provide a concrete project plan with major tasks, engineering milestones, and an evaluation plan for the working system, emphasizing what it will take to make the tool reliable and usable outside the original research group. These proposals should identify a target user community or an organization that will act as an early adopter, and partnerships with industry are strongly encouraged to strengthen the pathway to practical adoption. Track II projects are limited to $150,000 total budget and up to two years in duration, with a Project Description length limit of 7 pages.

Track III (Education) supports the creation and dissemination of educational materials that make formal methods more accessible. The intent is to broaden exposure by developing new course content in formal methods either as a standalone offering or embedded within a field-area course where formal methods can be naturally applied. Education proposals must include a project plan describing how materials will be disseminated and which new communities will be reached, with an emphasis on expanding formal methods education beyond the institutions and programs where it is already strong. Collaborations with organizations that do not currently have a robust formal methods curriculum are strongly encouraged to maximize reach and long-term impact. Track III awards are capped at $250,000 total budget with durations of up to 36 months, and the Project Description is also limited to 7 pages.

Eligibility and PI requirements are relatively specific. Proposals may be submitted by US-based accredited institutions of higher education (including two-year and four-year institutions and community colleges) and by eligible non-profit, non-academic organizations such as independent museums, observatories, research laboratories, and professional societies that are directly associated with education or research activities and located in the United States. For PI and other senior personnel eligibility, individuals must, by the submission deadline, hold either a tenured or tenure-track position, or a primary full-time paid appointment in a research or teaching position, at a US-based campus of an eligible submitting organization (with limited exceptions for family or medical leave as determined by the submitting institution). Individuals whose primary appointments are at for-profit non-academic organizations or at overseas branch campuses of US institutions are not eligible to serve as PI/co-PI under this solicitation. Additionally, Track I proposals must include at least one (co)-PI centered on formal methods and at least one (co)-PI centered on another CISE area to ensure the interdisciplinary pairing is real and substantive.

Administratively, this is an NSF discretionary grant opportunity in the science and technology R and D category. The original closing date listed for submission is February 18, 2025. Across all tracks, the program is essentially looking for projects that do more than apply existing formal verification techniques in a routine way: it is emphasizing tight, sustained collaboration; rigorous methodologies and evaluation; and outcomes that either advance the state of formal methods, demonstrate convincing value in a specific field area, or move mature tools and educational content into broader use.

• The National Science Foundation in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Formal Methods in the Field" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 47.070.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2023-11-22.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2025-02-18. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Eligible applicants include: Others.

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