The Strengthening American Infrastructure (SAI) program is administered by the National Science Foundation (NSF), a federal agency promoting the progress of science and advancing national health, prosperity, and welfare. The NSF funds a wide array of scientific disciplines and is responsible for a significant portion of federally supported basic research in U.S. colleges and universities. This particular grant opportunity aligns with NSF’s broader goals by supporting transformative, interdisciplinary research intended to improve U.S. infrastructure through social, behavioral, and economic sciences integrated with other STEM fields.

The SAI program seeks to stimulate human-centered, use-inspired, fundamental research that can significantly enhance the design, sustainability, development, and societal impact of infrastructure. The grant focuses on infrastructure’s role in promoting socioeconomic vitality, equity, resilience, and national security. It emphasizes a multidisciplinary approach, requiring integration between social sciences and engineering or technological disciplines to generate foundational knowledge that addresses practical infrastructure challenges.

Funding through this opportunity is designed for research that integrates human reasoning, decision-making, governance, and socio-cultural understanding with technological and engineering advancements. Projects must demonstrate a convergence of disciplinary expertise and address how infrastructure systems can better serve communities equitably and effectively. Proposals should aim for significant, potentially pathbreaking contributions and must be deeply rooted in fundamental research.

The estimated total funding available for this opportunity is up to $9.6 million, with approximately 15 awards expected. Funding is contingent upon the availability of funds and the quality of proposals submitted. Individual researchers may only participate in one proposal per annual deadline, whether as a PI, co-PI, or senior/key personnel. Violations of this limit will result in all but the earliest submission being returned without review.

Proposals must adhere to the NSF Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG) and be submitted by March 6, 2026, by 5:00 PM local time of the submitting organization. There is no pre-application or letter of intent requirement specified. The opportunity is not on a rolling basis but appears to be recurring with annual cycles.

For general inquiries, proposers can contact NSF via NSF-SAI@nsf.gov. Additional program contacts across multiple NSF directorates include Jeremy Koster (jkoster@nsf.gov), Joseph M. Whitmeyer (jwhitmey@nsf.gov), and others listed on the NSF website. All proposal materials and requirements can be found under solicitation NSF 25-534.