Opportunity Information: Apply for 18 594
The National Science Foundation (NSF) funding opportunity called Infrastructure Capacity for Biology (ICB) is designed to strengthen the shared research infrastructure that underpins fundamental discoveries in the biological sciences. Rather than primarily funding new hypothesis-driven biological research projects, this program focuses on building, expanding, or significantly improving the resources that many researchers rely on to do cutting-edge work. The central requirement is that the proposed infrastructure must clearly enable, advance, or transform research areas supported by NSF's Directorate for Biological Sciences (BIO), and applicants need to make a strong, evidence-based case that the investment will meaningfully raise the community's ability to conduct leading-edge biological research.
ICB can support a wide range of infrastructure types, as long as they are shared and openly accessible to the broader research community. Examples specifically highlighted include cyberinfrastructure (such as data platforms, computational tools, workflows, repositories, or networked resources), scientific instrumentation, biological collections, living stocks, field stations, and marine laboratories. The common thread is that the infrastructure should not be narrowly limited to a single lab's use; it should function as a community resource with clear plans for access, usage, and broad benefit. In practice, competitive projects are typically those that remove bottlenecks for many users, modernize aging capabilities, expand capacity or functionality, or enable new categories of data collection, curation, analysis, or collaboration that were previously difficult or impossible.
A distinguishing feature of this solicitation is its emphasis on delivering or improving infrastructure rather than inventing entirely new infrastructure concepts or simply keeping long-established infrastructure running. NSF notes that other programs within the Division of Biological Infrastructure (DBI) cover those needs (for example, programs aimed at innovative research that leads to new infrastructure, or programs that support sustained operations of mature facilities). ICB sits in a middle space: it targets projects that will provide, broaden access to, or substantially upgrade infrastructure in ways that immediately and tangibly increase research capacity for today's scientific community. The program frames success not only in terms of building a high-quality resource, but also in terms of the novel and potentially transformative scientific outcomes that will be produced by the users of that resource.
From an administrative standpoint, this is a discretionary grant opportunity administered by NSF under CFDA 47.074, categorized under science and technology and other research and development. The opportunity number is 18-594, with a creation date of September 1, 2018. Proposals are accepted anytime, which signals a rolling submission process rather than a single annual deadline. The stated award ceiling is $1,200,000, and NSF anticipates making around 80 awards, suggesting a relatively active program with the potential to fund a range of infrastructure scales and community needs. Eligibility is listed as "Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification)," which indicates that eligibility rules may be broader or more specific than standard categories and should be verified in the full solicitation text before preparing an application.
Overall, the ICB opportunity is best understood as NSF's mechanism for strengthening the foundational tools, platforms, facilities, and shared resources that enable discovery across biological research. Projects are expected to demonstrate broad community value, clear accessibility, and a persuasive pathway from infrastructure investment to stronger, more innovative science produced by a wide base of users across BIO-supported fields.Apply for 18 594
- The National Science Foundation in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Infrastructure Capacity for Biology" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 47.074.
- This funding opportunity was created on Sep 01, 2018.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Proposals accepted anytime. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $1,200,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 80 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) - NSF Infrastructure Capacity for Biology (ICB)
What is the NSF Infrastructure Capacity for Biology (ICB) funding opportunity?
Infrastructure Capacity for Biology (ICB) is a National Science Foundation (NSF) funding opportunity designed to strengthen shared research infrastructure that supports fundamental discoveries in the biological sciences. The main goal is to build, expand, or significantly improve community resources that many researchers rely on to conduct leading-edge biological research.
What is the primary purpose of ICB compared with typical biology research grants?
ICB is not primarily intended to fund new hypothesis-driven biological research projects. Instead, it focuses on infrastructure investments that enable, advance, or transform research areas supported by NSF's Directorate for Biological Sciences (BIO). The proposal must make a strong, evidence-based case that the infrastructure upgrade or expansion will meaningfully increase the community's ability to do cutting-edge biology research.
What is the central requirement for an ICB-funded project?
The proposed infrastructure must clearly enable, advance, or transform research areas supported by NSF BIO. Applicants are expected to show, with evidence, that the requested investment will raise research capacity for the broader community and not just for a single group.
What kinds of infrastructure can ICB support?
ICB can support a wide range of shared and openly accessible infrastructure types. Examples specifically highlighted include cyberinfrastructure (data platforms, computational tools, workflows, repositories, and networked resources), scientific instrumentation, biological collections, living stocks, field stations, and marine laboratories.
Does ICB support cyberinfrastructure for biology?
Yes. The opportunity explicitly highlights cyberinfrastructure, including data platforms, computational tools, workflows, repositories, and networked resources, as examples of infrastructure that may be supported, as long as they are shared and broadly accessible.
Does ICB support scientific instruments and equipment?
Yes. Scientific instrumentation is listed as an example of infrastructure ICB can support, with the expectation that it functions as a shared resource for a broader research community rather than being dedicated to a single laboratory.
Are biological collections, living stocks, field stations, and marine labs eligible infrastructure types?
Yes. The solicitation highlights biological collections, living stocks, field stations, and marine laboratories as examples of the types of infrastructure that can be supported, provided they are shared and openly accessible to the broader research community.
Does the infrastructure need to be shared, or can it be limited to one lab?
A core theme of ICB is that the infrastructure should not be narrowly limited to a single lab's use. It should function as a community resource, with clear plans for access, usage, and broad benefit.
What does NSF mean by "shared" and "openly accessible" infrastructure in this context?
Based on the opportunity description, "shared" and "openly accessible" means the resource is intended for broad use by the research community, with explicit plans that explain how users will access and use the infrastructure and how the benefits will extend beyond a single group.
What types of projects tend to be competitive under ICB?
Competitive projects are typically those that remove bottlenecks for many users, modernize aging capabilities, expand capacity or functionality, or enable new categories of data collection, curation, analysis, or collaboration that were previously difficult or impossible.
Is ICB intended to create entirely new infrastructure concepts?
The solicitation emphasizes delivering or improving infrastructure rather than inventing entirely new infrastructure concepts. It is positioned as supporting projects that provide, broaden access to, or substantially upgrade infrastructure in ways that immediately and tangibly increase current research capacity.
Is ICB intended to fund the long-term sustained operations of mature facilities?
The description indicates that ICB is not primarily aimed at simply keeping long-established infrastructure running. NSF notes that other programs within the Division of Biological Infrastructure (DBI) cover needs like sustained operations of mature facilities.
How is ICB positioned relative to other DBI programs?
ICB is described as occupying a middle space. It targets projects that will provide, broaden access to, or substantially upgrade existing infrastructure to increase research capacity now, rather than focusing on innovative research that leads to new infrastructure or supporting ongoing operations of mature, long-established facilities.
How does NSF define success for an ICB project?
Success is framed not only as building or improving a high-quality resource, but also as enabling novel and potentially transformative scientific outcomes produced by the users of that infrastructure. In other words, the infrastructure should be a catalyst for stronger, more innovative science across a broad user base.
What should a proposal emphasize to align with the ICB goals?
Based on the provided description, proposals should emphasize broad community value, clear accessibility and usage plans, and an evidence-based pathway showing how the infrastructure investment will increase capacity and lead to stronger scientific outcomes across BIO-supported fields.
What is the opportunity number and when was it created?
The opportunity number is 18-594, and the creation date is September 1, 2018.
Is there a fixed deadline to apply, or is submission rolling?
Proposals are accepted anytime, which indicates a rolling submission process rather than a single annual deadline.
What is the maximum award amount (award ceiling) for this opportunity?
The stated award ceiling is $1,200,000.
How many awards does NSF anticipate making under ICB?
NSF anticipates making around 80 awards.
What type of grant is ICB from an administrative standpoint?
It is described as a discretionary grant opportunity administered by NSF.
What is the CFDA number and program category listed for this opportunity?
The CFDA number is 47.074, and it is categorized under science and technology and other research and development.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is listed as "Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification)," which means eligibility rules may be broader or more specific than standard categories. The description indicates applicants should verify eligibility in the full solicitation text before preparing an application.
Why does the opportunity stress an evidence-based case for investment?
The program requires applicants to demonstrate that the infrastructure investment will meaningfully raise the community's ability to conduct leading-edge biological research. The emphasis on evidence supports the program's goal of funding upgrades or expansions that produce tangible, near-term improvements in research capacity and outcomes.
What does it mean that ICB strengthens the "foundational" tools and resources for biology?
It means ICB aims to improve the underlying platforms, facilities, tools, and shared resources that many researchers depend on. The focus is on enabling discovery across biological research by strengthening the infrastructure that makes that research possible.
Does the infrastructure need to connect to NSF BIO-supported fields specifically?
Yes. The central requirement is that the infrastructure must enable, advance, or transform research areas supported by NSF's Directorate for Biological Sciences (BIO).
What kinds of benefits should the broader community expect from an ICB award?
The opportunity description emphasizes benefits such as removing research bottlenecks, modernizing outdated capabilities, expanding capacity or functionality, and enabling new modes of data collection, curation, analysis, and collaboration, all delivered through infrastructure that is shared and broadly accessible.
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