National Strategy for Trusted Identities in Cyberspace (NSTIC) Pilots Trusted Online Credentials for Accessing Government Services Cooperative Agreement Program | Apply Online

Opportunity Summary:

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) announced a cooperative agreement funding opportunity to support pilot projects that test trusted online identity credentials for accessing government services. The program sits under the National Strategy for Trusted Identities in Cyberspace (NSTIC) and is aimed at moving identity and access solutions beyond theory by funding real-world demonstrations. The central idea is to help individuals and organizations use secure, efficient, easy-to-use, and interoperable credentials to sign in to online government services in ways that strengthen public confidence while also protecting privacy, preserving user choice, and encouraging innovation across the identity marketplace.

The opportunity is designed around the NSTIC Guiding Principles, which set clear expectations for what the pilots should deliver. Proposed identity solutions are expected to be privacy-enhancing and voluntary, meaning people are not forced into a single credential and privacy protections are built in from the start rather than added later. They must be secure and resilient, so the pilots should show strong authentication and risk management practices that can hold up under real operational conditions. They must be interoperable, allowing credentials to work across different programs and contexts rather than being locked into one agency or one vendor. Finally, they should be cost-effective and easy to use, reflecting the practical reality that adoption depends on both affordability and a smooth user experience for the public and for agencies.

NIST is specifically looking to fund projects that test or demonstrate approaches that either do not exist today or are not yet widely adopted in the marketplace. In other words, this is not simply about deploying a standard login tool; it is about piloting credible, forward-looking identity solutions that could meaningfully improve how people access government benefits, services, and information online. The pilots are expected to generate evidence about what works, what does not, and what it would take to scale a trusted credential approach more broadly.

Applications are expected to include several key characteristics that signal the pilot is realistic, collaborative, and capable of scaling. First, the trusted credential must be used by at least two government programs, and this explicitly includes state-administered human services programs. That requirement pushes applicants to prove their solution can operate across program boundaries and address the needs of real service delivery environments, including areas like public assistance where identity proofing and access controls can be especially sensitive. Second, each project must include a private provider that supplies at least part of the identity credential, reinforcing NSTICs vision of an identity ecosystem where government can rely on a broader market of credential providers rather than building every component internally. Third, applicants must explain why the solution is replicable elsewhere, meaning the design and implementation should be transferable to other jurisdictions, agencies, or service contexts without needing to be completely reinvented.

The funding instrument is a cooperative agreement, which generally signals substantial involvement by the federal sponsor compared to a standard grant. Practically, that often means closer coordination with NIST during the project, clearer expectations around reporting and outcomes, and an emphasis on producing learnings that can inform future standards, guidance, or broader adoption. The opportunity is categorized as discretionary funding and is aligned with science and technology and other research and development activities. It is associated with CFDA 11.609, Measurement and Engineering Research and Standards, and it does not require cost sharing or matching funds.

Eligibility is focused on U.S.-based state, local, and Indian tribal governments (including U.S. territories) and nonprofit organizations. Applicants are allowed to apply on their own or as part of a broader team or consortium. The structure is intentionally flexible: an eligible lead organization may include subawardees, contractors, or other collaborators to assemble the mix of government programs, technology implementers, and credential providers needed to run a meaningful pilot. Within a consortium, eligible subawardees can include U.S. nonprofits, accredited institutions of higher education, commercial organizations, and state, tribal, and local governments. Federal agencies can participate in the projects but cannot receive NIST funding, which preserves the focus on enabling non-federal entities and cross-sector partners to carry out the pilots.

Key dates and administrative details are straightforward. The opportunity was posted and created on April 16, 2013, and required electronic applications to be received by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on Thursday, May 16, 2013, with late applications not reviewed or considered. The archive date is June 17, 2013. The funding opportunity number is 2013 NIST NSTIC 02, and the official title is National Strategy for Trusted Identities in Cyberspace (NSTIC) Pilots Trusted Online Credentials for Accessing Government Services Cooperative Agreement Program. For applicants needing help accessing the full announcement, the listed technical contact is Christopher Hunton, Grants Technical Assistant, at 301-975-5718.

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