The Major Research Instrumentation Program $($MRI$)$ serves to increase access to shared

scientific and engineering instruments for research and research training in our nation's

institutions of higher education, not$-$for$-$profit museums, science centers and

scientific$/$engineering research organizations. The program provides organizations with

opportunities to acquire major instrumentation that supports the research and research

training goals of the organization and that may be used by other researchers regionally

or nationally.

Each MRI proposal may request support for the acquisition $($Track $1)$ or development

$($Track $2)$ of a single research instrument for shared inter$-$ and$/$or intra$-$organizational

use. Development efforts that leverage the strengths of private sector partners to build

instrument development capacity at MRI submission$-$eligible organizations are

encouraged.

The MRI program assists with the acquisition or development of a shared research

instrument that is$,$ in general, too costly and$/$or not appropriate for support through

other NSF programs. The program does not fund research projects or provide ongoing

support for operating or maintaining facilities or centers.

The instrument acquired or developed is expected to be operational for regular research

use by the end of the award period. For the purposes of the MRI program, a proposal

must be for either acquisition $($Track $1)$ or development $($Track $2)$ of a single, wellintegrated instrument. The MRI program does not support the acquisition or

development of a suite of instruments to outfit research laboratories or facilities, or that

can be used to conduct independent research activities simultaneously.

Instrument acquisition or development proposals that request funds from NSF in the

range $$100,000-$$$4$ million may be accepted from any MRI$-$eligible organization.

Proposals that request funds from NSF less than $$100,000$ may also be accepted from any

MRI$-$eligible organization for the disciplines of mathematics or social, behavioral and

economic sciences and from non$-$Ph$.$D$.-$granting institutions of higher education for all

NSF$-$supported disciplines.