National Facilities
Last verified by NonDilute: 2026-06-08. Official notice and agency instructions control.
If you operate a specialized national research facility serving multiple disciplines, this program funds your operational costs and user access services.
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What this is
The National Facilities program provides operational funding for a small number of highly specialized, shared-use research facilities across the U.S. that offer capabilities available nowhere else. These facilities serve researchers in materials science, physics, chemistry, biology, geosciences, and engineering, and also support educational activities, curriculum development, and public engagement. This is not a competitive grants program for individual research projects; it funds the institutions that operate and maintain the facilities themselves.
Who can apply
Open to any entity type (universities, non-profits, companies, government labs) that operates or manages a national user facility with unique, specialized instrumentation serving the broad scientific research community. Individual researchers and small teams cannot apply unless they represent an eligible facility-operating institution.
Eligible applicant types
- Unrestricted (i.e., open to any type of entity above), subject to any clarification in text field entitled "Additional Information on Eligibility"
Full description — from the agency
The National Facilities program supports the operation of national user facilities: National Facilities areresearch facilities with specialized instrumentation available to the scientific research community in general and the materials research community in particular.These facilities provide unique research capabilities that can be located at only a few highly specialized laboratories in the Nation. They provide open user service for scientists and engineers from a broad range of disciplines including biology, chemistry, geosciences, materials research. and physics. Theyinclude facilities and resources for research using high magnetic fields, ultraviolet and x-ray synchrotron radiation, neutron scattering, and nanofabrication. Theyserve as science and technology-related resources and experiences for students. Theyconduct student and teacher education, general public awareness activities, curriculum development, and educational research.
Topics: national user facilities · synchrotron radiation · neutron scattering · nanofabrication · research infrastructure · materials research · shared-use facilities
Public-source funding discovery only. This summary is generated from public agency data and may be incomplete or stale. NonDilute is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or acting on behalf of any government agency. Official notices and agency instructions control. NonDilute does not determine eligibility, provide grant-writing advice, or guarantee funding.