OpenOpportunity 26-512

Unlocking Dataset Value for AI-Enabled Scientific Discovery (AI Datasets)

At a glance

Unlocking Dataset Value for AI-Enabled Scientific Discovery (AI Datasets) is an open federal grant opportunity from U.S. National Science Foundation. Applications are due November 4, 2026. Total estimated funding is $100M across about 50 awards. Applicant types listed as eligible include others (see notice). Cost sharing is not required. It is funded under Assistance Listing 47.041 (Engineering) and 4 other listings.

Summary assembled from the official notice's fields. The official notice governs.

Key facts

Posted: Jul 21, 2026
Close date: Nov 4, 2026
Archive date: Dec 4, 2026
Award floor: Not specified
Award ceiling: Not specified
Est. total funding: $100,000,000
Expected awards: 50
Cost sharing: Not required
Funding instrument: Grant
Opportunity category: Discretionary

Who can apply

Others (see notice)

Additional information on eligibility (from the notice)

*Who May Submit Proposals: Proposals may only be submitted by the following: -For-profit organizations: U.S.-based commercial organizations, including small businesses, with strong capabilities in scientific or engineering research or education and a passion for innovation. -Non-profit, non-academic organizations: Independent museums, observatories, research laboratories, professional societies and similar organizations located in the U.S. that are directly associated with educational or research activities. -Other Federal Agencies and Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDCs): Prospective proposers from other Federal Agencies and FFRDCs, including NSF sponsored FFRDCs, must follow the guidance in PAPPG Chapter I.E.2 regarding limitations on eligibility. -State and Local Governments -Institutions of Higher Education (IHEs): Two- and four-year IHEs (including community colleges) accredited in, and having a campus located in the US, acting on behalf of their faculty members. Special Instructions for International Branch Campuses of US IHEs: If the proposal includes funding to be provided to an international branch campus of a US institution of higher education (including through use of sub-awards and consultant arrangements), the proposer must explain the benefit(s) to the project of performance at the international branch campus, and justify why the project activities cannot be performed at the US campus. -Tribal Nations: An American Indian or Alaska Native tribe, band, nation, pueblo, village, or community that the Secretary of the Interior acknowledges as a federally recognized tribe pursuant to the Federally Recognized Indian Tribe List Act of 1994, 25 U.S.C. §§ 5130-5131.

Based on the published notice. Review the official notice for complete eligibility requirements.

What it funds

Official synopsis as published by the agency, formatted for readability.

This program will advance scientific community datasets to enable scientific discovery and innovation using artificial intelligence (AI) and other methods. Its goal is to increase the value that can be derived from existing scientific datasets by leveraging novel methods and artificial intelligence (AI). This will unlock new AI-driven insights. It can enable interdisciplinary research. It also enables investigations outside of the original motivation for data collection and analysis.

The program seeks to 1) apply AI-based capabilities to feature extraction and metadata generation, and the integration of multiple datasets. 2) Develop robust data pipelines necessary for automated analysis of existing datasets and similar use-cases by AI tools and systems. 3) Augment and/or harmonize existing datasets to better enable use by AI data pipelines and automated analysis.

Proposals should address dataset security and integrity. Governance and the process for scientific communities to contribute to the datasets should also be addressed. Proposals are encouraged to leverage existing resources. These may include NSF data platforms, the NSF Integrated Data Systems and Services program, the NSF-led National AI Research Resource, the Genesis Mission platform, or other national infrastructure.

NSF is open to exploring partnerships with philanthropy, private industry, or the non-profit sector to support additional proposals or collaborative opportunities that will advance AI-driven scientific discovery through unlocking the value of high-impact scientific datasets.

Expanding Participation in STEM, NSF Priorities, and Gold Standard Science:

NSF prioritizes cutting-edge discovery science and engineering research, advancing technology and innovation, and creating opportunities for all Americans. NSF has established priorities set forth by Congress, the administration and the NSF director to promote NSF's mission. Proposers should review the list of NSF priorities and are encouraged to align their proposals with them, where appropriate. NSF also expects the highest standards of scientific rigor, integrity and adherence tenets of Gold Standard Science in proposals, as appropriate for the field of science and research modality.

Additional information from the agency ↗

Assistance Listings

What is an ALN?

Reported obligations under ALN 47.041

Historical data · not a prediction

FY24

$752M

FY25

$728M

FY26

$182M est.

Source: SAM.gov Assistance Listing 47.041. Program-wide totals, not awards from this specific opportunity.

Agency contact (as published)

U.S. National Science Foundation
grantsgovsupport@nsf.gov
703-292-4203

Quick answers

When is the deadline for “Unlocking Dataset Value for AI-Enabled Scientific Discovery (AI Datasets)”?

According to the official notice, applications are due November 4, 2026. Confirm the deadline and submission time on Grants.gov before applying.

Who is eligible to apply for “Unlocking Dataset Value for AI-Enabled Scientific Discovery (AI Datasets)”?

The official notice lists these applicant types as eligible: Others (see notice). Additional restrictions may apply; review the full notice.

How much funding is available through “Unlocking Dataset Value for AI-Enabled Scientific Discovery (AI Datasets)”?

Per the notice, total estimated program funding is $100,000,000 and the agency expects to make about 50 awards.

How do I apply for “Unlocking Dataset Value for AI-Enabled Scientific Discovery (AI Datasets)”?

Applications are submitted through the official source, not through GrantsJunction. Open the official notice on Grants.gov (opportunity 26-512), and review the full announcement and application package. Organizations applying through Grants.gov generally need an active SAM.gov registration and a Grants.gov account, which can take several weeks to set up.

Matched on shared Assistance Listings, agency, categories and eligible applicant types.

Closes in 12 daysALN 47.041, 47.049…