Smart and Connected Communities

National Science Foundaton, Division of Computer and Network Systems

Program Type:

Grant

Eligible Geography:

USA

Summary:

The goal of the NSF Smart and Connected Communities (S&CC) program is to accelerate the creation of the scientific and engineering foundations that will enable smart and connected communities to bring about new levels of economic opportunity and growth, safety and security, health and wellness, and overall quality of life. This goal will be achieved through integrative research projects that pair advances in technological and social dimensions with meaningful community engagement.

The S&CC program encourages researchers to work with community stakeholders to identify and define challenges they are facing, enabling those challenges to motivate use-inspired research questions.

Eligible Recipients:

Anchor Institution; Financial Institution; For-Profit Business; Local Government; Non-Profit Organization; State Government

Eligible Recipients Detail:

Libraries; Public Schools; Higher Education Institutions; Hospitals; Public Safety Entities; State and Local Governments; Tribal Entities; ISPs; Non-Profit Organizations; Small Businesses; Rural Recipients; Electric Utilities/Co-ops; Financial Institutions

Eligible Purpose:

Related Research and Development; Last Mile Infrastructure; Anchor Institution Infrastructure

Eligible Purpose Detail:

This S&CC solicitation will support research projects in the following categories:

-S&CC Integrative Research Grants (SCC-IRG) Tracks 1 and 2. Awards in this category will support fundamental integrative research that addresses technological and social science dimensions of smart and connected communities and pilots solutions together with communities. Track 1 proposals may request budgets ranging between $1,500,001 and $2,500,000, with durations of up to four years. Track 2 proposals may request budgets up to $1,500,000, with durations of up to three years. Note that NSF is working with the Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST) to support joint US-Japan IRG Track 2 proposals (SCC-IRG JST) that address topics related to recovery from COVID-19 and future resilience planning related to pandemics and disasters, including how the proposed research will enable community adjustment to life in the new normal of a post-COVID-19 society.

-S&CC Planning Grants (SCC-PG). Awards in this category are for capacity building to prepare project teams to propose future well-developed SCC-IRG proposals. Each of these awards will provide support for a period of one year and may be requested at a level not to exceed $150,000 for the total budget.

-S&CC Virtual Organization (SCC-VO). Proposals are being sought to establish a Virtual Organization that will: (i) facilitate and foster interaction and exchanges among S&CC PIs and their teams, including community partners; (ii) enable sharing of artifacts and knowledge generated by S&CC projects with the broader scientific and non-academic communities (e.g., local community stakeholders as described in this solicitation); and (iii) facilitate and foster collaboration and information exchange between S&CC researchers, community stakeholders, and others. No more than one S&CC-VO proposal will be funded. Funding of up to $250,000 per year for up to three years may be requested.

Source:

https://broadbandusa.ntia.doc.gov/sites/default/files/bbusa_federalfunding_all_200511.pdf