Opportunity Information: Apply for 24 606
The National Science Foundation (NSF) Pathways to Enable Open-Source Ecosystems (POSE) program is designed to help promising open-source research outputs grow into durable, self-sustaining open-source ecosystems (OSEs) that can deliver technology solutions with real national or societal impact. NSF is targeting the gap that often appears after a research team releases an open-source product: the code, model, hardware design, specification, programming language, or data platform may be technically strong and publicly available, but it may not yet have the governance, community structure, processes, and operational infrastructure needed to attract broad adoption and sustained, distributed contributions over time. POSE focuses on turning those open research artifacts into ecosystems with a leadership team, a formal managing organization, clear governance rules, secure and efficient development practices, and a growing base of external contributors and users across academia, industry, and government.
A central point of POSE is what it does and does not fund. It is not a program for building new open-source tools from scratch or paying primarily for feature development of an existing tool. It is also not meant to bankroll open-source projects that are already mature, well-resourced, and broadly established. Instead, POSE funds the creation of new managing organizations and the practical scaffolding that enables community-driven development to thrive: governance models, contributor onboarding, maintenance workflows, release and quality processes, security practices, community coordination mechanisms, and the infrastructure required to keep an ecosystem healthy and sustainable. NSF positions this as a translational pathway that complements, but is distinct from, commercialization-oriented NSF efforts like I-Corps and SBIR/STTR. Where those programs help translate research into startups and products, POSE helps translate open-source research artifacts into a managed ecosystem that can scale through open collaboration.
The solicitation offers two proposal tracks. Phase I, called OSE Scoping and Planning, is meant for teams with an open-source research product that already has a small external user community, even if there are not yet meaningful external developer contributions. Phase I funding supports the groundwork needed to plan a successful ecosystem: scoping activities to understand what governance, operational structure, and community mechanisms are required, plus training for teams learning how to build and run an ecosystem. Importantly, Phase I awardees are not required to apply later for Phase II. Phase II, called Establishment and Expansion, is meant for projects that already have small but real communities of both external users and external content developers. Phase II supports the actual transition into a sustainable and robust OSE, with the expectation that the team has already done the planning and can present a detailed execution plan for community-driven, distributed development and for deploying the open-source tools into operational environments. A prior Phase I award is not required to apply to Phase II; teams can come in directly to Phase II if they have already completed scoping and planning through other means.
Eligibility to submit is broad within the U.S. context and includes U.S.-based for-profit organizations (including small businesses), non-profit non-academic organizations (such as museums, observatories, research labs, and professional societies tied to education or research), state and local governments, U.S.-accredited institutions of higher education (two-year and four-year, including community colleges), Tribal Nations that are federally recognized, and other eligible entities as defined by NSF. If a proposal from a U.S. institution of higher education involves funding work at an international branch campus, the proposer must clearly explain why the branch campus is beneficial and why the work cannot be performed at the U.S. campus.
PI eligibility depends on the proposing organization type. For institutions of higher education, by the deadline the PI, co-PI, and other Senior/Key Personnel generally must hold a tenured or tenure-track role, a primary full-time paid research or teaching appointment, or a staff leadership role in an Open-Source Program Office (or equivalent) at a U.S.-based campus; individuals primarily appointed at overseas branch campuses are not eligible. Foreign academic collaborators may participate if they provide essential expertise, but they may not receive NSF funding. Likewise, individuals with primary appointments at non-U.S.-based non-profit or for-profit organizations are not eligible for funded roles. For all other eligible proposing organizations (for example, a company or non-profit), the PI must be an employee of the proposing organization, normally resident in the United States, and acting in that employee capacity while carrying out PI responsibilities (temporary travel outside the U.S. is allowed).
Key administrative details include that this is an NSF discretionary grant opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number 24-606) in the science and technology research and development category, with an award ceiling of $1,500,000 and an expectation of about 50 awards. The original closing date listed is 2025-01-14. Overall, POSE is best understood as NSF support for building the organizational and community machinery around an existing open-source research product so it can scale safely, securely, and sustainably, rather than funding the core technical build itself.Apply for 24 606
- The National Science Foundation in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Pathways to Enable Open-Source Ecosystems" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 47.041, 47.049, 47.050, 47.070, 47.074, 47.075, 47.076, 47.079, 47.083, 47.084.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2024-09-14.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2025-01-14. (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 $1,500,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 50 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) - NSF Pathways to Enable Open-Source Ecosystems (POSE)
What is the NSF POSE program?
NSF Pathways to Enable Open-Source Ecosystems (POSE) is a National Science Foundation program designed to help promising open-source research outputs grow into durable, self-sustaining open-source ecosystems (OSEs) that can deliver technology solutions with real national or societal impact.
What problem is POSE trying to solve?
POSE targets the common gap that appears after a research team releases an open-source product. Even if the artifact is technically strong and publicly available, it may still lack the governance, community structure, processes, and operational infrastructure needed for broad adoption and sustained, distributed contributions over time.
What kinds of open-source research outputs does POSE focus on?
POSE is focused on open-source research artifacts such as code, models, hardware designs, specifications, programming languages, and data platforms that are already released but need the organizational and operational scaffolding to evolve into sustainable ecosystems.
What is an "open-source ecosystem" (OSE) in the context of this opportunity?
In this program, an OSE is more than an open repository. It is an ecosystem with a leadership team, a formal managing organization, clear governance rules, secure and efficient development practices, and a growing base of external contributors and users across academia, industry, and government.
What does POSE fund?
POSE funds the creation of new managing organizations and the practical scaffolding needed for community-driven development to thrive. Examples include governance models, contributor onboarding, maintenance workflows, release and quality processes, security practices, community coordination mechanisms, and operational infrastructure that keeps an ecosystem healthy and sustainable.
What does POSE NOT fund?
POSE is not intended to fund building new open-source tools from scratch, and it is not meant to pay primarily for feature development of an existing tool. It is also not intended to bankroll open-source projects that are already mature, well-resourced, and broadly established.
How is POSE different from NSF commercialization programs like I-Corps and SBIR/STTR?
POSE is positioned as a translational pathway that is distinct from commercialization-oriented NSF efforts such as I-Corps and SBIR/STTR. Those programs help translate research into startups and products, while POSE helps translate open-source research artifacts into a managed ecosystem that can scale through open collaboration.
What proposal tracks (phases) are available?
The solicitation offers two proposal tracks: Phase I (OSE Scoping and Planning) and Phase II (Establishment and Expansion).
What is Phase I (OSE Scoping and Planning) intended for?
Phase I is intended for teams that already have an open-source research product with a small external user community, even if there are not yet meaningful external developer contributions.
What activities does Phase I support?
Phase I supports groundwork needed to plan a successful ecosystem, including scoping activities to understand what governance, operational structure, and community mechanisms are required, along with training for teams learning how to build and run an ecosystem.
Do Phase I awardees have to apply for Phase II later?
No. Phase I awardees are not required to apply later for Phase II.
What is Phase II (Establishment and Expansion) intended for?
Phase II is intended for projects that already have small but real communities of both external users and external content developers.
What does Phase II support?
Phase II supports the actual transition into a sustainable and robust open-source ecosystem, with the expectation that the team has already done planning and can present a detailed execution plan for community-driven, distributed development and for deploying the open-source tools into operational environments.
Is a prior Phase I award required to apply for Phase II?
No. A prior Phase I award is not required to apply to Phase II. Teams may apply directly to Phase II if they have already completed scoping and planning through other means.
Who is eligible to submit a proposal?
Eligibility to submit is broad within the U.S. context and includes U.S.-based for-profit organizations (including small businesses), non-profit non-academic organizations (such as museums, observatories, research labs, and professional societies tied to education or research), state and local governments, U.S.-accredited institutions of higher education (two-year and four-year, including community colleges), federally recognized Tribal Nations, and other eligible entities as defined by NSF.
Can a proposal involve work at an international branch campus of a U.S. institution?
Yes, but if a proposal from a U.S. institution of higher education involves funding work at an international branch campus, the proposer must clearly explain why the branch campus is beneficial and why the work cannot be performed at the U.S. campus.
Who can serve as PI, co-PI, or Senior/Key Personnel at an institution of higher education?
For institutions of higher education, by the deadline the PI, co-PI, and other Senior/Key Personnel generally must hold a tenured or tenure-track role, a primary full-time paid research or teaching appointment, or a staff leadership role in an Open-Source Program Office (or equivalent) at a U.S.-based campus.
Are individuals primarily appointed at overseas branch campuses eligible as PI/co-PI/Senior Personnel for university proposals?
No. Individuals primarily appointed at overseas branch campuses are not eligible under the stated PI eligibility guidance for institutions of higher education.
Can foreign academic collaborators participate?
Yes. Foreign academic collaborators may participate if they provide essential expertise, but they may not receive NSF funding.
Can non-U.S.-based organizations receive NSF funding through this opportunity?
No. Individuals with primary appointments at non-U.S.-based non-profit or for-profit organizations are not eligible for funded roles, and foreign academic collaborators may not receive NSF funding.
What are the PI requirements for proposals from companies or other non-university eligible organizations?
For eligible proposing organizations other than institutions of higher education (for example, a company or non-profit), the PI must be an employee of the proposing organization, normally resident in the United States, and acting in that employee capacity while carrying out PI responsibilities. Temporary travel outside the U.S. is allowed.
What is the Funding Opportunity Number for this solicitation?
The NSF POSE solicitation is identified as Funding Opportunity Number 24-606.
What type of grant opportunity is this?
This is an NSF discretionary grant opportunity in the science and technology research and development category.
What is the maximum award amount (award ceiling)?
The award ceiling is $1,500,000.
How many awards does NSF expect to make?
NSF expects to make about 50 awards.
What is the closing date listed for this opportunity?
The original closing date listed is 2025-01-14.
What is the simplest way to describe what NSF is paying for through POSE?
POSE is best understood as NSF support for building the organizational and community machinery around an existing open-source research product so it can scale safely, securely, and sustainably, rather than funding the core technical build itself.
Does POSE require that an open-source product already be publicly available?
The opportunity description emphasizes teams that have already released an open-source product and are now facing the common post-release gap (governance, community processes, and operational infrastructure). It is framed around turning existing open research artifacts into ecosystems.
How mature should a project be before applying?
POSE is aimed at projects that are past the initial release stage but not yet mature, well-resourced, and broadly established. Phase I fits projects with a small external user community. Phase II fits projects with small but real communities of both external users and external content developers.
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