Well Told Grants

Grants / National Science Foundation / U.S. National Science Foundation

NSF 20-589: Division of Materials Research: Topical Materials Research Programs: Biomaterials (BMAT), Condensed Matter Physics (CMP), Metals and Metallic Nanostructures (MMN), Polymers (POL)

Closed Closed Opportunity NSF 20-589

This grant is closed. A newer notice from the same program is open now: Major Research Instrumentation Program: (MRI) (NSF 27-500). Status: Closes January 29, 2027 (83 days left). It is in our archive of U.S. National Science Foundation notices from 2025.

U.S. National Science Foundation offered grants to the applicants described in the notice. It expected to make $38.0 million in total. It is no longer open on Grants.gov.

From the official notice on Grants.gov, last changed June 7, 2025. Checked November 7, 2026.

Other notices with this title

U.S. National Science Foundation has posted this title under other numbers: earlier or later rounds, or the same competition for another area. Each has its own dates and may change its rules.

NoticePostedDeadlineStatus
NSF 17-580June 6, 2025ClosedClosed

Key dates

PostedJune 6, 2025
Archived by Grants.govJune 7, 2025

Who can apply

This opportunity was open to the applicants described in the notice.

*Who May Submit Proposals: Proposals may only be submitted by the following: -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. -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. *Who May Serve as PI: See "Limit on Number of Proposals per PI or Co-PI" below.

Is this a realistic fit?

What the grant funds

Research supported by the Division of Materials Research (DMR) focuses on advancing fundamental understanding of materials, materials discovery, design, synthesis, characterization, properties, and materials-related phenomena. DMR awards enable understanding of the electronic, atomic, and molecular structures, mechanisms, and processes that govern nanoscale to macroscale morphology and properties; manipulation and control of these properties; discovery of emerging phenomena of matter and materials; and creation of novel design, synthesis, and processing strategies that lead to new materials with unique characteristics. These discoveries and advancements transcend traditional scientific and engineering disciplines. The Division supports research and education activities in the United States through funding of individual investigators, teams, centers, facilities, and instrumentation. Projects supported by DMR are essential for the development of future technologies and industries that meet societal needs, as well preparation of the next generation of materials researchers. This solicitation applies to the following four DMR Topical Materials Research Programs that fund research and educational projects by individual investigators or small groups: Biomaterials (BMAT), Condensed Matter Physics (CMP), Metals and Metallic Nanostructures (MMN), and Polymers (POL). It does not apply to the following four DMR Topical Materials Research Programs, which have their own solicitations: Ceramics (CER), Electronic and Photonic Materials (EPM), and Solid State and Materials Chemistry (NSF 20-588) and Condensed Matter and Materials Theory (CMMT) (NSF 20-582). All proposals submitted to these four DMR Topical Materials Research Programs (other than the following exceptions) must be submitted through this solicitation, otherwise they will be returned without review. Exceptions are proposals through mechanisms that have their own solicitation, such as the Faculty Early Career Development Program (CAREER) and the Facilitating Research at Primarily Undergraduate Institutions: Research in Undergraduate Institutions and Research Opportunity Awards(RUI/ROA) program. CAREER proposals must be submittedto the CAREERprogram by the deadline date specified in the program solicitation. RUI/ROA proposals should be submitted through the RUI/ROA solicitation by the deadline date of this DMR-TMRP BMAT, CMP, MMN, POL solicitation.

Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development.

Who has won Mathematical and Physical Sciences grants before

From fiscal 2021 to 2025, Mathematical and Physical Sciences (47.049) awarded $8.5 billion across 14,898 grant awards, an average of $568,976 per award.

Largest recipients, fiscal 2021 to 2025
RecipientStateAwardsAmount
Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Inc.Arizona22$725 million
Associated Universities IncVirginia18$646 million
California Institute of TechnologyCalifornia148$316 million
Cornell UniversityNew York179$256 million
Florida State UniversityFlorida92$228 million

Top states: California ($1.2 billion), Arizona ($814 million), Virginia ($777 million), New York ($719 million), Illinois ($475 million).

Applying now

This notice no longer takes applications. Apply under the newer notice, NSF 27-500, which is open now.

The notice on Grants.gov keeps its full text and attachments, which is useful for planning a resubmission.

Questions people ask

Is NSF 20-589 still open?

No. It is no longer open on Grants.gov. A newer notice is open: NSF 27-500, closes January 29, 2027 (83 days left).

Who can apply for Division of Materials Research: Topical Materials Research Programs: Biomaterials (BMAT), Condensed Matter Physics (CMP), Metals and Metallic Nanostructures (MMN), Polymers (POL)?

U.S. National Science Foundation accepted applications from the applicants described in the notice. The notice adds further conditions, so read its eligibility section.

What is the deadline for Division of Materials Research: Topical Materials Research Programs: Biomaterials (BMAT), Condensed Matter Physics (CMP), Metals and Metallic Nanostructures (MMN), Polymers (POL)?

Closed. Applications are no longer accepted; the program's newer notices are on this page when there are any.

How much funding is available?

About $38.0 million in total.

Who has won Mathematical and Physical Sciences grants before?

The largest recipients over five fiscal years were Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Inc., Associated Universities Inc, California Institute of Technology. The program made 14,898 awards worth $8.5 billion in that time.

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