Innovation Corps Program | Apply Online

Opportunity Summary:

The National Science Foundation (NSF) Innovation Corps (I-Corps) Program is a grant opportunity designed to help move NSF-supported research closer to real-world use. The program is centered on building a stronger national innovation ecosystem by taking promising scientific discoveries and helping research teams assess whether those discoveries can realistically become viable technologies, products, services, or processes that deliver public benefit. Rather than funding basic research itself, I-Corps is meant to help teams evaluate and accelerate the transition of research outcomes that were developed under previous or currently active NSF awards, with the longer-term goal of positioning those innovations to attract outside, third-party investment or partnership support.

A key feature of the I-Corps opportunity is that it combines modest project funding with structured mentoring and guidance. The intent is to give teams practical resources to determine "transition readiness" of a technology, meaning whether it is mature enough and aligned enough with market or user needs to justify moving forward. The program is explicitly designed to drive decision-making and execution, not just exploration. NSF lays out three primary outcomes expected from an I-Corps project: first, the team should arrive at a clear go/no-go decision about whether the proposed product or service idea is viable; second, if the decision is to proceed, the team should produce a transition plan that explains how the effort will move forward beyond the I-Corps period (for example, what development steps, partnerships, or funding sources are needed next); and third, the team should produce a technology demonstration that can be shown to potential partners, stakeholders, or funders to support follow-on engagement.

From an administrative and funding standpoint, this is a discretionary NSF grant opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number 11-560) within the broad category of science and technology research and development. NSF anticipated making about 25 awards under the solicitation, with an estimated total funding amount of $1,250,000. Individual awards are capped at $50,000, and there is no cost-sharing or matching requirement, which means applicants are not required to provide additional funds to receive an award. The opportunity is tied to multiple NSF CFDA program areas, reflecting that I-Corps is cross-disciplinary and can apply to innovations arising from engineering, mathematical and physical sciences, geosciences, computer and information science and engineering, biological sciences, social, behavioral, and economic sciences, education and human resources, and cyberinfrastructure-related work.

Eligibility is primarily aimed at U.S.-based academic institutions submitting on behalf of their faculty. Eligible organizations include accredited U.S. universities and colleges, including two-year and four-year institutions and community colleges, provided they have a campus located in the United States. The solicitation also notes potential eligibility for other federal agencies and Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDCs), but those applicants are directed to contact the appropriate NSF program before investing time in preparing a proposal, which signals that eligibility or fit may depend on prior confirmation.

The solicitation uses recurring submission windows rather than a single annual deadline. Proposals are due by 5 p.m. local time for the proposer, with windows that run quarterly on an ongoing basis: October 1 to December 15, January 1 to March 15, April 1 to June 15, and July 1 to September 15 (annually). Earlier windows listed in the original rollout included dates in August and September 2011, with subsequent annual cycles continuing after that. The posted date of the opportunity was July 29, 2011, and a current closing date is listed as September 15, 2012, reflecting the rolling-window structure during that period.

NSF also planned regular informational support for applicants through a standing webinar series. Beginning in August 2011, a webinar was scheduled for the first Tuesday of every month to answer questions about the program, with details posted to the I-Corps website as they became available. For practical help with access or linking issues related to the full announcement, NSF directed applicants to NSF grants.gov support at grantsgovsupport@nsf.gov. The official reference for the full solicitation is NSF Publication 11-560.

Browse more opportunities from the same agency: National Science Foundation

Browse more opportunities from the same category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development

Next opportunity: Advancing Digitization of Biological Collections

Previous opportunity: Frank Charles Park Management 2011, New York City

USGrants.org Applicant Portal:

Are you interested in learning about about how to apply for this government funding opportunity? You can create a free applicant account and receive instant access to our applicant portal that many business owners like you have benefited from.

Apply for 11 560

 

[Watch] how do funding administrators access proposals?

Applicants also applied for:

Applicants who have applied for this opportunity (11 560) also looked into and applied for these:

 

Grant application guides and resources

It is always free to apply for government grants. However the process may be very complex depending on the funding opportunity you are applying for. Let us help you!

Apply for Grants

 

 

Premium leads for funding administrators, grant writers, and loan issuers

Thousands of people visit our website for their funding needs every day. When a user creates a grant proposal and files for submission, we pass the information on to funding administrators, grant writers, and government loan issuers.

If you manage government grant programs, provide grant writing services, or issue personal or government loans, we can help you reach your audience.

Subscribe to Leads

 

Request more information:

Would you like to learn more about this funding opportunity, similar opportunities to "11 560", eligibility, application service, and/or application tips? Submit an inquiry below:

Don't forget to subscribe to our grant alerts mailing list to receive weekly alerts on new and updated grant funding opportunities like this one in your email.