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U.S. National Science Foundation
Major Research Instrumentation Program
Amount
Up to $4M
Deadline
Nov 16, 2026
Odds
Below 50% historically
Effort
1 to 2 weeks
Can you get this?
✓US-based researchers or institutions only
✓Must support acquisition of major research instruments
✓All career stages eligible
✕Non-US entities are not eligible to apply
✓Not confirmed against the funder's page. Check before you apply.
Your real odds
Award rates run below 50% and fall further in oversubscribed cycles, so NSF MRI is a genuinely difficult competition.
Grants reach up to $4M, and reviewers hold proposals to a high standard on need, institutional support, and research plan, so thin justification will not survive review. There is no second submission in this cycle, which raises the cost of a weak first draft.
What it takes
Confirm eligibility and identify equipment needed1 to 2 weeks
Develop proposal with justification and broader impacts4 to 8 weeks
Submit through grants.gov1 week
Worth knowing
The deadline is November 2026 and the window does not roll, so if you miss it you wait for the next cycle, making early preparation the only real advantage available to you.
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