The Smart and Connected Communities (S&CC) program, as detailed in the National Science Foundation (NSF) solicitation NSF 25-527, aims to catalyze high-risk, high-reward research that promotes the development and integration of intelligent technologies into community environments. The funder, the U.S. National Science Foundation, is an independent federal agency that supports fundamental research and education across all fields of science and engineering. The S&CC program is a collaborative initiative drawing participation from multiple NSF directorates and divisions, including Computer and Information Science and Engineering, Engineering, STEM Education, Geosciences, and Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences.

The program's objective is to foster innovative and interdisciplinary research that significantly improves quality of life through advancements in economic opportunity, health and wellness, safety and security, and access to essential services. Eligible projects must demonstrate strong partnerships between researchers and community stakeholders, leading to impactful, use-inspired outcomes. Communities are defined by geographic boundaries such as cities, counties, tribal regions, or neighborhoods and must be capable of engaging with the research activities meaningfully.

The S&CC program offers three proposal categories: Development Grants (SCC-DG), Integrative Research Grants (SCC-IRG), and Large-Scale Research Grants (SCC-LSR). SCC-DGs support one-year projects with a budget of up to $150,000 aimed at preparing teams for future IRG or LSR proposals. SCC-IRGs provide funding up to $1.5 million for 3–4 years to support interdisciplinary research addressing community challenges. SCC-LSRs offer between $4 million and $5 million over 4–5 years for large-scale efforts that tackle complex, cross-disciplinary challenges with significant societal impact. Proposals must include detailed plans for integration across disciplines, robust community engagement, and evaluation metrics.

Eligibility is limited to U.S.-based two- and four-year institutions of higher education (IHEs) and U.S.-located nonprofit, non-academic organizations engaged in education or research. Preliminary proposals are required for SCC-IRG and SCC-LSR categories and must be submitted through Research.gov. Full proposals can be submitted via Research.gov or Grants.gov, but only if a preliminary proposal has been previously accepted. Proposal components include cover sheets, summaries, project descriptions, and personnel documentation. Collaborative proposals must be managed through a lead institution with subawards to partners.

Evaluation criteria follow NSF’s standard merit review principles, assessing both intellectual merit and broader societal impacts. Proposals must also adhere to NSF’s reporting requirements, including annual progress reports, final reports, and public summaries. A unique requirement of S&CC awardees is participation in an annual Principal Investigator (PI) meeting and submission of a project video and one-page graphic summary.

The current cycle includes preliminary proposal deadlines on February 20, 2025, September 8, 2025, and January 12, 2026, with corresponding full proposal target dates on April 4, 2025, November 10, 2025, and March 9, 2026. The program anticipates awarding between 20 and 40 grants annually with a total funding pool of approximately $23.26 million, subject to proposal quality and available funds.