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National Quantum and Nanotechnology Infrastructure (NQNI) Grant - FAQs

1) What is the National Quantum and Nanotechnology Infrastructure (NQNI) opportunity?

NQNI is a U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) grant program focused on building a nationwide, open-access network of university-based research user facilities. The program is framed as a broad infrastructure investment to expand U.S. capacity in quantum and nanotechnology research by increasing practical access to advanced tools, facilities, and specialized staff expertise.

2) What is NSF trying to achieve through NQNI?

The central goal is to expand U.S. research capacity by enabling researchers across many institutions and sectors to access advanced infrastructure that they may not have locally. NSF aims to accelerate progress in quantum information science and engineering (QISE) and closely related nanoscale and enabling technology areas.

3) What kinds of facilities does NQNI fund?

The solicitation is designed to select multiple university user facility "Sites" that will serve as the backbone of the national NQNI network. These Sites are expected to operate like national user facilities at the campus level and provide broad user access to advanced infrastructure and expertise.

4) What is an NQNI "Site" in this program?

A Site is a university-based research user facility selected through the competition. It is intended to serve as an open-access platform for a broad community of users, not just a local campus laboratory. Sites are expected to provide pathways for external users to access tools, obtain training, and receive technical support.

5) What does "open-access" mean in the context of NQNI?

Based on the listing, open-access means the Site is expected to function as a shared resource that supports a broad user community and reduces barriers to entry. Sites are evaluated on how well they plan to provide external users with practical ways to use the tools and benefit from staff expertise.

6) Who is the intended user community for NQNI Sites?

The program emphasizes access for researchers from many institutions and sectors. The listing highlights external academic and other users and describes a broad user community working across QISE and nanoscale research and development.

7) What types of capabilities are Sites expected to demonstrate?

Sites are expected to demonstrate strong technical capabilities and instrumentation, particularly in fabrication and characterization. They also must show that their facilities and personnel can meet both current and future demand from a broad user community.

8) What types of resources might be available through NQNI Sites?

The listing specifically references access to advanced tools, cleanrooms, fabrication lines, characterization equipment, and specialized staff expertise needed to use these resources effectively.

9) Is NQNI focused only on quantum research?

No. While NSF highlights quantum information science and engineering (QISE) as a key target, the program is also intended to support closely tied areas such as nanoscience, nanoengineering, semiconductors, artificial intelligence hardware and systems, advanced manufacturing, and biotechnology.

10) What is NSF looking for beyond impressive equipment?

Beyond instrumentation, applicants are judged on the quality and credibility of their plans to operate as open-access resources. This includes how external users will access tools, how training will be delivered, and how technical support will be provided.

11) What role do training and workforce development play in this opportunity?

Training, education, and workforce development are described as a major part of the evaluation. NSF is looking for facilities that can provide structured training programs (for tool use and process flows), educational and outreach activities that broaden participation, and workforce development efforts that help build a skilled talent pipeline.

12) What kinds of outcomes are NQNI Sites expected to deliver?

The listing describes two broad categories of outcomes: (1) technical outputs, such as devices, measurements, prototypes, and research enablement; and (2) human capital outcomes, such as training, upskilling, and community building.

13) How many awards does NSF expect to make under this opportunity?

The expected number of awards listed is 16.

14) What is the application deadline (closing date) for this opportunity?

The original closing date listed is May 14, 2026.

15) Is an award ceiling amount provided in the listing?

No. The listing states that an award ceiling amount is not provided.

16) What type of grant is this?

This is listed as a discretionary NSF grant in the science and technology research and development category.

17) What CFDA numbers are associated with this opportunity?

The opportunity is associated with CFDA numbers 47.041, 47.049, 47.074, 47.075, 47.076, and 47.079.

18) Who is eligible to serve as Principal Investigator (PI)?

Eligibility to serve as PI is restricted. By the submission deadline, the PI must hold either (a) a tenured or tenure-track position, or (b) a full-time paid appointment to a research position, at a U.S.-based campus of an institution of higher education (IHE) that is eligible to submit to the solicitation.

19) Does the program include a network coordination component?

Yes. The opportunity includes an additional later-stage selection step: after NSF selects the Site awards, NSF plans to choose an NQNI Coordinating Office from among the funded Sites.

20) What is the purpose of the NQNI Coordinating Office?

The Coordinating Office is intended to enhance and align network-wide impact by coordinating activities across Sites so the network functions as more than the sum of its parts. The listing emphasizes strengthening shared practices, amplifying national impact, and better serving the broader community.

21) When is the Coordinating Office selected?

The listing indicates it is a later-stage selection step that occurs after NSF selects the Site awards, and that the Coordinating Office will be chosen from among the funded Sites.

22) Are Sites expected to serve only local campus investigators?

No. The solicitation emphasizes that a Site is not just a lab for local investigators. It is intended to be a shared platform that expands access and enables experiments and prototyping that many researchers could not conduct at their home institutions.

23) Why does NSF describe this as an infrastructure investment?

NSF frames NQNI as a broad infrastructure investment meant to expand national capacity by providing practical access to advanced tools, facilities, and staff expertise and by building a nationwide network of user facilities.