The National Robotics Initiative 3.0: Innovations in Integration of Robotics (NRI-3.0) program builds upon the preceding National Robotics Initiative (NRI) programs to support fundamental research in the United States that will advance the science of robot integration. The program supports research that promotes integration of robots to the benefit of humans including human safety and human independence.
Collaboration between academic, industry, non-profit, and other organizations is encouraged to establish better linkages between fundamental science and engineering and technology development, deployment, and use.
The NRI-3.0 program is supported by multiple agencies of the federal government including the National Science Foundation (NSF), the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the Department of Transportation (DOT), the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). Questions concerning a particular project's focus, direction, and relevance to a participating funding organization should be addressed to that agency's point of contact, listed in section VIII of this solicitation.
Full Proposal Window: April 19, 2021 - May 3, 2021; February 08, 2022 - February 22, 2022
Applicable Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number(s):
- 10.310 --- USDA-NIFA Agriculture and Food Research Initiative
- 20.200 --- Highway Research and Development Program
- 43.001 --- National Aeronautics and Space Administration (Science)
- 47.041 --- Engineering
- 47.070 --- Computer and Information Science and Engineering
- 47.075 --- Social Behavioral and Economic Sciences
- 47.076 --- Education and Human Resources
- 93.262 --- The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
- 93.286 --- National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering
- 93.350 --- National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences
- 93.361 --- National Institute of Nursing Research
- 93.866 --- National Institute on Aging
- 93.867 --- National Eye Institute
Proposals may only be submitted by the following:
- Institutions of Higher Education (IHEs) - Two- and four-year IHEs (including community colleges) accredited in, and having a campus located in the US, acting on behalf of their faculty members. Special Instructions for International Branch Campuses of US IHEs: If the proposal includes funding to be provided to an international branch campus of a US institution of higher education (including through use of subawards and consultant arrangements), the proposer must explain the benefit(s) to the project of performance at the international branch campus, and justify why the project activities cannot be performed at the US campus.
- Non-profit, non-academic organizations: Independent museums, observatories, research labs, professional societies and similar organizations in the U.S. associated with educational or research activities.
Limit on Number of Proposals per PI or Co-PI: 2
An investigator may participate as PI, co-PI, or Senior Personnel in no more than two proposals submitted in response to this solicitation each year.
In the event that an individual exceeds this limit, proposals received within the limit will be accepted based on earliest date and time of proposal submission (i.e., the first two proposals received will be accepted and the remainder will be returned without review). No exceptions will be made.
The above limit applies only to proposals to the NRI-3.0 solicitation, not to the totality of proposals submitted to NSF.
Proposals submitted in response to this solicitation may not duplicate or be substantially similar to other proposals concurrently under consideration by other NSF, DOT, NASA, NIH, NIOSH, or USDA programs. Duplicate or substantially similar proposals will be returned without review, including those substantially similar to previously declined proposals without revisions to address concerns raised by reviewers.
Estimated Number of Awards: 15 to 30
per year, subject to the availability of funds.
Projects will range from $250,000 to $1,500,000 in total costs for up four years.
Anticipated Funding Amount: $12,500,000 to $14,100,000
per year, subject to the availability of funds.