NSF Convergence Accelerator Pilot Phase II

The goals of NSF’s convergence accelerator effort are to support and accelerate use-inspired convergence research in areas of national importance within particular topics (tracks).

Dear Colleague Letter (DCL) NSF 19-050 invited proposals for the NSF Convergence Accelerator Pilot (NSF C-Accel). Track A1 of this pilot, Open Knowledge Network, relates to the Harnessing the Data Revolution (HDR) Big Idea. Track B1, AI and Future Jobs, and track B2, National Talent Ecosystem, relate to the Future of Work at the Human-Technology Frontier (FW-HTF) Big Idea.

This solicitation is limited to grantees who received a Phase I Award under NSF DCL 19-050 and wish to advance to Phase II.

The NSF Convergence Accelerator supports fundamental research that leads to rapid advances that can deliver useful results to society. Teams are expected to include personnel with the appropriate mix of disciplinary expertise needed to execute their proposed Phase II research and development plan. The team should also include appropriate stakeholders (e.g., industry, Institutions of Higher Education (IHEs), non-profits, government entities, and others), each with a specific role(s) in facilitating the transition of research outputs into practical uses.

The proposers should outline a two-year research and development plan in which research transitions to practice. Successful proposals will be funded initially for one year. Each team’s progress will be assessed during the year through approximately six virtual and in-person meetings with NSF program staff. The overall progress will be evaluated at the end of one year, based on a report and presentation that the team will make to a panel of reviewers. Teams that show significant progress during the first year, in accordance with the agreed timetable of milestones and deliverables, will receive funding for a second year. Interested teams may request up to $3,000,000 for the first year and up to $5,000,000 in total for the two-year project. Teams should plan on completing the effort within two years; no-cost extensions will be authorized only in extraordinary circumstances.