The Centers of Research Excellence in Science and Technology (CREST) Program by the National Science Foundation supports the establishment of research centers at Minority-Serving Institutions (MSIs). The program enhances institutional research capabilities and fosters the integration of education and research, particularly for institutions serving underrepresented groups in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). It promotes the development of new knowledge, increases faculty research productivity, and expands opportunities for students historically underrepresented in STEM fields.

The CREST program offers Phase I and Phase II Center awards. Phase I awards provide up to one and a half million dollars annually for five years, with a maximum total of seven and a half million dollars. These grants focus on building institutional research capacity in specific NSF-supported STEM areas. Successful Phase I awardees may compete for Phase II funding to continue advancing their research goals, provided they demonstrate significant progress and impact. The program also offers Partnership Supplements, which provide up to one hundred thousand dollars to strengthen collaborations with research centers, industry, K-12 schools, and other entities.

Eligible institutions must be Minority-Serving Institutions offering graduate degrees in NSF-supported STEM disciplines, with at least fifty percent of their student enrollment belonging to minority groups underrepresented in STEM. Institutions primarily serving students with disabilities are also eligible. Each eligible institution may submit only one preliminary proposal per competition cycle, and an institution may hold only one active CREST Center award at a time. The Principal Investigator must hold a full-time faculty appointment at the submitting institution.

The application process begins with a required preliminary proposal, which must include a detailed project description, research objectives, management plan, and evaluation strategy. Institutions invited to submit a full proposal must outline a plan for at least three to five related research subprojects that align with the center's unifying research theme. Proposals are evaluated based on intellectual merit, broader impacts, the potential to achieve national research competitiveness, and alignment with the NSF's goal of broadening participation in STEM. Applications must demonstrate the integration of research and education while providing strategies to recruit, retain, and mentor students and faculty from underrepresented groups.

CREST Centers are expected to produce measurable outcomes, such as increased student participation, improved faculty research capacity, and the ability to secure external funding from federal, state, or private sources. Centers must also establish an external advisory committee to provide oversight and ensure progress aligns with the center's vision. Awardees are encouraged to leverage partnerships with other academic institutions, industry partners, and informal science organizations to enhance the center's impact.

Deadlines for preliminary proposals fall on the first Friday in December every other year, with invited full proposals due on the first Friday in December of the following year. Awardees must submit annual project reports and participate in NSF evaluations to assess their progress. The CREST program is designed to transform MSIs into competitive research institutions that address national priorities for workforce diversity and STEM innovation while creating lasting institutional change.