The Infrastructure Systems and People (ISP) program offered by the National Science Foundation (NSF) supports fundamental research focused on the design, optimization, sustainability, and resilience of infrastructure systems during both normal and extreme operating conditions. The aim of the program is to improve systems that underpin the health, safety, and welfare of communities and economies at local, regional, national, and global scales. The ISP program is managed by the Directorate for Engineering (ENG) and the Division of Civil, Mechanical and Manufacturing Innovation (ENG/CMMI).

Infrastructure systems are complex networks that integrate physical components with operational and organizational processes. These systems are essential for public health, economic vitality, and national security, but they are susceptible to disruptions from natural disasters, technological failures, and malicious attacks. The ISP program supports research into these vulnerabilities, including the impacts of cascading failures across systems and the effects of dramatic changes in use and environment. The program especially values research that enhances system performance and resilience in uncertain and dynamic environments.

Proposals should include multidisciplinary or interdisciplinary approaches that expand the boundaries of current research. The ISP program encourages studies on innovative system design, real-world data analytics, socio-technical system integration, and efforts that standardize and disseminate data on people-infrastructure interactions. It supports the development of large-scale databases that could be used to benchmark models and validate research outcomes. Special emphasis is placed on research relevant to national hazard programs such as the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program (NEHRP) and the National Windstorm Impact Reduction Program (NWIRP).

The ISP program encourages the use of NSF’s Natural Hazards Engineering Research Infrastructure (NHERI), which includes experimental, computational, and data resources. It is important to note that the ISP program does not support research solely focused on individual components of infrastructure or that centers on topics such as geotechnical engineering, material science, wireless technology, or hydrologic engineering without a broader systems approach.

Principal Investigators are urged to submit a one-page project summary to the program officers prior to developing a full proposal, especially for multidisciplinary topics or when overlapping jurisdiction with other agencies might exist. Proposals may be submitted at any time and are accepted through either Research.gov or Grants.gov following respective submission guidelines outlined in the NSF Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG) or the NSF Grants.gov Application Guide.

For further inquiries, applicants may contact Daan Liang at ISP@nsf.gov or (703) 292-2441. The program does not operate on a set deadline, accepting proposals on a rolling basis. The most recent program information was published on January 24, 2025.