The U.S. National Science Foundation is an independent federal agency that supports science and engineering in all 50 states and U.S. territories. NSF was established in 1950 by Congress to promote the progress of science, advance the national health, prosperity and welfare, and secure the national defense.
This grant program aims to fund international, interdisciplinary collaborative research centers focusing on use-inspired bioeconomy research to tackle global challenges. It emphasizes broadening participation, team science, and community-engaged research, employing knowledge-to-action frameworks. Research should be co-generated with communities and stakeholders, highlighting international, interdisciplinary collaborations and detailing the roles of each national team within the Global Center. The initiative strongly encourages partnerships between the U.S. and at least two other countries, focusing on addressing global challenges through the bioeconomy which spans various sectors like agriculture, health, security, manufacturing, energy, and environmental realms. This includes research across a range of disciplines supported by NSF, building on biotechnology, biomanufacturing, and contributions from other fields such as chemistry, materials science, and social sciences.