NSF 23-602: Facility and Instrumentation Request Process (FIRP)
Closed
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 2023.
U.S. National Science Foundation offered grants to any type of organization. It expected to make about 15 awards worth $20.0 million in total. It is no longer open on Grants.gov.
From the official notice on Grants.gov, last changed September 25, 2026. Checked November 7, 2026.
- Total funding$20.0 million
- Expected awards15
- Cost sharingNot required
- Funding typeGrant
Key dates
| Posted | July 6, 2023 |
|---|---|
| Archived by Grants.gov | September 26, 2026 |
Who can apply
This opportunity was open to any type of organization.
- Unrestricted (i.e., open to any type of entity above), subject to any clarification in text field entitled "Additional Information on Eligibility"
Is this a realistic fit?
- Most of the program's money (71% over five years) went to colleges and universities.
- No cost sharing or match is required.
What the grant funds
The Facility and Instrumentation Request Process (FIRP) solicitation describes the mechanism by which the research community can propose projects that require access to instrumentation and facilities sponsored by the Facilities for Atmospheric Research and Education (FARE) Program in the Division of Atmospheric and Geospace Sciences (AGS). FARE provides funding to a variety of organizations to make specialized instrumentation and facilities available to the atmospheric science research community through the Lower Atmosphere Observing Facilities (LAOF) and the Community Instruments and Facilities (CIF) programs. FIRP allows for parallel evaluation of intellectual merit and broader impacts along with the feasibility of the proposed project. All proposals to AGS that require the use of FARE-sponsored assets must be submitted through this solicitation. The FIRP solicitation offers three proposal submission tracks based on the type and purpose of the request: Track 1 - Education and Outreach. Track 2 - Single Facility Request. Track 3 - Field Campaigns. Preference for funding will be given to proposals submitted to programs in the Division of Atmospheric and Geospace Sciences (AGS) in the Geosciences Directorate (GEO). If you are planning to submit a proposal to a program outside AGS, including NSF-wide or Directorate-wide solicitations, please contact the FARE program director, Shree Mishra at fare@nsf.gov to discuss the timelines, review process, and budget request for the use of FARE assets.
Who has won Geosciences grants before
From fiscal 2021 to 2025, Geosciences (47.050) awarded $5.4 billion across 7,605 grant awards, an average of $710,829 per award.
| Recipient | State | Awards | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| University Corporation for Atmospheric Research | Colorado | 78 | $725 million |
| Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution | Massachusetts | 288 | $627 million |
| Texas a & M Research Foundation | Texas | 3 | $287 million |
| University of California San Diego | California | 170 | $223 million |
| The Trustees of Columbia University in the City of New York | New York | 160 | $193 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 23-602 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 Facility and Instrumentation Request Process (FIRP)?
U.S. National Science Foundation accepted applications from any type of organization.
What is the deadline for Facility and Instrumentation Request Process (FIRP)?
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 $20.0 million in total across about 15 awards.
Who has won Geosciences grants before?
The largest recipients over five fiscal years were University Corporation for Atmospheric Research, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Texas a & M Research Foundation. The program made 7,605 awards worth $5.4 billion in that time.