NSF 26-508: TechAccess: AI-Ready America
Closed
This grant is closed. Who won this program's grants before is below, and similar open grants are at the end of the page. It is in our archive of U.S. National Science Foundation notices from 2026.
U.S. National Science Foundation offered grants of up to $4.0 million (at least $3.0 million) to any type of organization. It expected to make $224 million in total. Applications closed on July 16, 2026.
From the official notice on Grants.gov, last changed July 30, 2026. Checked November 7, 2026.
- Award ceiling$4.0 million
- Award floor$3.0 million
- Total funding$224 million
- Cost sharingNot required
- Funding typeGrant
Key dates
| Posted | March 25, 2026 |
|---|---|
| Deadline | July 16, 2026 |
| Archived by Grants.gov | August 15, 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 money in the 4 programs behind this notice (84% over five years) went to colleges and universities.
- No cost sharing or match is required.
What the grant funds
TechAccess: AI‑Ready America is a national-scale initiative to accelerate Artificial Intelligence (AI) readiness and adoption across the U.S. by strengthening coordination, leveraging partnerships and resources, filling gaps, and scaling what works—so local and state priorities can lead in shaping an AI-driven economy that benefits all Americans. Unlike initiatives centered around K–16 education, AI‑Ready America additionally reaches businesses, public-serving organizations, and individuals, among others, expanding access to AI knowledge, tools, and resources. The program also emphasizes practical implementation through hands‑on assistance and workforce upskilling, including experiential learning such as internships, project‑based work, and apprenticeships, to ensure stakeholders can effectively apply and innovate with AI. The program supports: (1) State/Territory Coordination Hubs (Coordination Hubs) – one inevery state, the District of Columbia (DC), or territory inthe United States – connecting partners, strengthening planning and deployment, and rapidly scaling approaches; (2) A National Coordination Lead (National Lead) – facilitating collaboration and knowledge sharing among Coordination Hubs, coordinating priority economic sectors, and informing national AI strategies; and (3) AI-Ready Catalyst Award Competitions – a series of topic-driven competitions issued over the course of the program to pilot and scale innovative approaches that address critical national AI readiness needs. This funding opportunity focuses on Coordination Hubs. The National Lead will be funded as an Other Transaction (OT) offered through an Other Transaction Agreement Solutions Offering.AI-Ready Catalyst Award Competitions will be announced through an NSF-approved mechanism, with proposals submitted according to the instructions provided at the time of announcement.
Who has won STEM Education (formerly Education and Human Resources) grants before
From fiscal 2021 to 2025, STEM Education (formerly Education and Human Resources) (47.076) awarded $6.7 billion across 7,210 grant awards, an average of $932,576 per award.
| Recipient | State | Awards | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Regents of the University of California | California | 47 | $137 million |
| The Leland Stanford Junior University | California | 16 | $123 million |
| Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Massachusetts | 12 | $122 million |
| University of Wisconsin System | Wisconsin | 64 | $92.1 million |
| North Carolina State University | North Carolina | 79 | $91.2 million |
Who has won Computer and Information Science and Engineering grants before
From fiscal 2021 to 2025, Computer and Information Science and Engineering (47.070) awarded $5.3 billion across 10,918 grant awards, an average of $481,712 per award.
| Recipient | State | Awards | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Texas at Austin | Texas | 168 | $379 million |
| University of California, San Diego | California | 201 | $222 million |
| University of Illinois | Illinois | 208 | $208 million |
| Carnegie-Mellon University | Pennsylvania | 296 | $153 million |
| Georgia Tech Research Corp | Georgia | 211 | $142 million |
Who has won Technology, Innovation, and Partnerships grants before
From fiscal 2021 to 2025, Technology, Innovation, and Partnerships (47.084) awarded $2.2 billion across 3,853 grant awards, an average of $582,437 per award.
| Recipient | State | Awards | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arizona State University | Arizona | 27 | $44.7 million |
| Activate Global Inc | California | 2 | $39.0 million |
| Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Massachusetts | 43 | $30.7 million |
| North Dakota State University | North Dakota | 3 | $29.0 million |
| Cornell University | New York | 33 | $27.0 million |
Other programs behind this notice
Applying now
This notice no longer takes applications. Agencies often post the same opportunity again under a new number, so check the program's notices on Grants.gov and the similar open grants below.
The notice on Grants.gov keeps its full text and attachments, which is useful for planning a resubmission.
Questions people ask
Is NSF 26-508 still open?
No. It closed on July 16, 2026.
Who can apply for TechAccess: AI-Ready America?
U.S. National Science Foundation accepted applications from any type of organization.
What is the deadline for TechAccess: AI-Ready America?
Closed July 16, 2026. Applications are no longer accepted; the program's newer notices are on this page when there are any.
How much funding is available?
Awards of up to $4.0 million each. About $224 million in total.
Who has won WIOA Dislocated Worker National Reserve Demonstration Grants grants before?
The largest recipients over five fiscal years were National Urban League, Inc., Jobs for Americas Graduates, State of Connecticut Labor Dept. The program made 124 awards worth $260 million in that time.