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.
The grant program's main objectives are to support the acquisition and development of advanced multi-user scientific and engineering instrumentation that is too costly or unsuitable for support through other NSF programs. It intends to enable significant advances in fundamental science and engineering by allowing for the acquisition of critical research instrumentation and the development of new instruments with novel capabilities. Furthermore, the program is crafted to foster the training and development of students in using, designing, and building research instrumentation, preparing the next generation of experts in this field. The MRI grant allows proposals to request up to $4 million for either the purchase of instruments or the associated costs in developing one. Institutions are limited in the number of submissions they can make, with specific tracks outlined for different kinds of proposals, ensuring a wide distribution of opportunities for funding.