NSF
Each Coordination Hub Award will receive support of $1M/year for three years, with the possibility for one additional year of support if the Coordination Hub can demonstrate a compelling need as it phases out or transitions to other sources of funding.
Deadline: Letter of intent required; Due June 16, 2026
TechAccess: AI-Ready America is a national-scale initiative to accelerate Artificial Intelligence (AI) readiness and adoption across the U.S. by strengthening coordination, leveraging partnerships and resources, filling gaps, and scaling what works — so local and state priorities can lead in shaping an AI-driven economy that benefits all Americans.
Unlike initiatives centered around K – 16 education, AI-Ready America additionally reaches businesses, public-serving organizations, and individuals, among others, expanding access to AI knowledge, tools, and resources. The program also emphasizes practical implementation through hands-on assistance and workforce up-skilling, including experiential learning such as internships, project-based work, and apprenticeships, to ensure stakeholders can effectively apply and innovate with AI.
The program supports:
- State/Territory Coordination Hubs (Coordination Hubs) – one in every state, the District of Columbia (DC), or territory in the United States – connecting partners, strengthening planning and deployment, and rapidly scaling approaches;
- A National Coordination Lead (National Lead) – facilitating collaboration and knowledge sharing among Coordination Hubs, coordinating priority economic sectors, and informing national AI strategies; and
- AI-Ready Catalyst Award Competitions – a series of topic-driven competitions issued over the course of the program to pilot and scale innovative approaches that address critical national AI readiness needs.
This funding opportunity focuses on Coordination Hubs. The National Lead will be funded as an Other Transaction (OT) offered through an Other Transaction Agreement Solutions Offering. AI-Ready Catalyst Award Competitions will be announced through an NSF-approved mechanism, with proposals submitted according to the instructions provided at the time of announcement.
- Eligibility
- The categories of proposers eligible to submit proposals to the National Science Foundation are identified in the NSF Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG), Chapter I.E. Unaffiliated individuals are not eligible to submit proposals in response to this solicitation.
- Geography
- US
- Focus area
- A national program to coordinate readiness and accelerate deployment
- Website
- https://www.nsf.gov/funding/opportunities/techaccess-ai-ready-america