NSF Convergence Accelerator Phase I and II | 20 565

Opportunity Information: Apply for 20 565

The NSF Convergence Accelerator Phase I and II opportunity (NSF 20-565) is a National Science Foundation discretionary grant program designed to speed up "use-inspired" convergence research that addresses problems of national importance. The central idea is to take strong fundamental research and push it faster toward real-world prototypes, partnerships, and deployment pathways that can produce measurable societal impact. NSF frames the program around topic-based tracks that may align with Industries of the Future (IotF), NSF Big Ideas, or other high-impact national needs, as long as the proposed work has clear potential for significant national benefit.

For the 2020 solicitation, NSF invited proposals under two specific tracks: Track C, Quantum Technology, and Track D, AI-Driven Innovation via Data and Model Sharing. While the solicitation text does not prescribe a single application area, it emphasizes that projects should be framed around concrete deliverables and a credible plan to translate research advances into practical outcomes. The program is explicitly structured to encourage interdisciplinary, cross-sector teams and to reduce the usual gap between academic research results and adoption by end users.

The process starts with a required Phase I preliminary proposal. Applicants must submit this preliminary proposal first, and only teams that receive an invitation based on that submission may file a full Phase I proposal. The preliminary step is meant to filter for fit to the track, strength of the convergence concept, and readiness to build the type of team and execution plan NSF expects in the Accelerator model.

Phase I is essentially an intensive development and validation period. Phase I proposals must present either an assembled team or a well-defined process for building one, with the right mix of disciplinary expertise and institutional representation to support a credible Phase II effort. NSF expects Phase I teams to define one or more deliverables and explain how those outputs could lead to tangible societal impact by the end of Phase II. Phase I is also where teams refine the research plan into a proof-of-concept and identify the partnerships, resources, and transition pathways needed to move quickly toward a deployable prototype. NSF adds a cohort-based element through organized convenings that provide training and enable collaboration within and across project teams. Phase I awards are expected to last up to 9 months, with funding up to $1,000,000 per award.

Only Phase I awardees under this solicitation are eligible to submit a Phase II proposal, making Phase I both a funding opportunity and a gateway. Phase II focuses on execution at scale and transition to practice. Phase II proposals must lay out a two-year research and development plan that demonstrates how research outputs will be translated into practical use through close collaboration with end users. Teams must specify clear deliverables that will be produced within the two-year window and define metrics that will be used to assess impact. A key requirement is that Phase II teams include appropriate stakeholders such as industry partners, institutions of higher education, nonprofits, government entities, or others, and that each stakeholder has a defined role in helping move the work from prototype to real-world adoption.

Phase II funding is structured with a performance checkpoint. Successful Phase II projects are funded initially for one year, during which NSF program staff monitor progress through roughly six virtual and in-person meetings. At the end of that first year, each team is evaluated based on its report and a presentation to a panel of reviewers. Teams that demonstrate significant progress against agreed milestones and deliverables receive funding for the second year. NSF expects teams to complete Phase II within the two-year period, with no-cost extensions allowed only in extraordinary circumstances, reinforcing the program's emphasis on speed, accountability, and measurable outcomes.

In terms of logistics, the opportunity is administered by the National Science Foundation under CFDA 47.083 and anticipates around 40 awards. The original closing date listed for this specific solicitation was July 10, 2020, and the award ceiling for Phase I is stated as $1,000,000. Eligibility is listed broadly as "Others" with additional clarification referenced in the full solicitation, signaling that NSF intends participation beyond a single institution type, consistent with the cross-sector, transition-to-practice model that defines the Convergence Accelerator.

• The National Science Foundation in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "NSF Convergence Accelerator Phase I and II" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 47.083.
• This funding opportunity was created on Apr 11, 2020.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Jul 10, 2020. (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 $1,000,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 40 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).

Apply for 20 565

[Watch] Creating a grant proposal using the step-by-step wizard inside the applicant portal: