FY 2026-2030 Strategic Plan U.S. National Science Foundation Agency Strategic Plan for Fiscal Years 2026 through 2030. Submitter's Note: As per the requirement set forth in section 10 of the GPRA Modernization Act, this StratML rendition was compiled from the source by Claude.ai and has been reviewed in the form at https://stratml.us/forms/Claude/Part1.html National Science Foundation NSF urn:uuid:b2c3d4e5-nsf0-0001-0000-000000000001 The U.S. National Science Foundation is an independent federal agency that supports science and technology in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and U.S. territories. For more than 75 years, NSF has advanced the frontiers of STEM research and innovation. Brian Stone Chief of Staff, Performing the Duties of the NSF Director A prosperous and secure future for all Americans, driven by NSF's strategic investments in research, innovation, infrastructure, STEM education and workforce development. urn:uuid:b2c3d4e5-nsf0-0001-0010-000000000010 To promote the progress of science; to advance the national health, prosperity and welfare; and to secure the national defense. urn:uuid:b2c3d4e5-nsf0-0001-0020-000000000020 Excellence NSF employs rigorous, merit-based systems that are collaborative and transparent. Impact NSF funds science and technology research that drives societal benefits and addresses critical challenges. Integrity NSF adheres to ethical principles to instill trust in science and research. Accountability NSF upholds rigorous and transparent professional standards in the administration of its federal resources. Research & Innovation Ensure American excellence and national security through investments in transformative research and innovation. cc5bbf94-dab1-48e9-9285-fbbac0b6596e 1 Full title: "Goal 1. Ensure American excellence and national security through investments in transformative research and innovation." Scientific progress and technological innovation form the foundation of America's economic strength and global leadership. NSF will continue to play a unique role in supporting research at the cutting edge of discovery, including investing in bold ideas that may not yet attract private investment. Crosscutting partnership strategy: NSF partners directly with industrial, federal, nonprofit and international entities and catalyzes partnerships through programs that require grantees to work with nonacademic partners. Partnership measures: (1) Number of new direct partners and partnerships (Indicator); (2) Funding leveraged from industry, nonprofit and federal partners (Performance Goal); (3) Number of NSF-catalyzed partners (Indicator). Scientific Integrity Uphold tenets of Gold Standard Science while enabling groundbreaking research and innovation. 331aa71d-37f6-40bb-a381-d50e1e02b4fc 1.1 Full title: "Objective 1.1. Uphold tenets of Gold Standard Science while enabling groundbreaking research and innovation." Strategies: (1) Prioritize research funding that accelerates discovery and innovation; (2) Establish and advance partnerships to enhance the impact of NSF research; (3) Implement the administration's executive order on "Restoring Gold Standard Science." Measures: Number of patents resulting from NSF support (Indicator); Number of research products from NSF awards deposited in public access repositories (Indicator). Critical Technologies Advance the golden age of American innovation through the development of critical and emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, quantum information science and biotechnology. 1db7235f-05ca-4175-9b8a-9ec10e11e7e8 1.2 Full title: "Objective 1.2. Advance the golden age of American innovation through the development of critical and emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, quantum information science and biotechnology." Critical and emerging technologies also include advanced manufacturing, advanced wireless, and microelectronics and semiconductors. NSF is the largest federal funder of AI research and development. Strategies: (1) Empower a wide range of organizations and individuals to advance critical and emerging technologies through strategic investments; (2) Strengthen America's leadership in critical and emerging technologies by competitively positioning the nation's talent; (3) Advance innovation through partnerships with government, private and nonprofit sectors. Measures: Funding leveraged from direct NSF partnerships that advance critical and emerging technologies (Performance Goal); Number of startups in NSF's critical and emerging technology portfolio (Indicator). Research Security Support national security by safeguarding the nation's research enterprise against inappropriate foreign influence and misappropriation of U.S.-funded research. 40fc955d-292f-43ea-bc59-13931550dc74 1.3 Full title: "Objective 1.3. Support national security by safeguarding the nation's research enterprise." NSF shares this responsibility with partners in the federal government, law enforcement and intelligence communities. Strategies: (1) Promote the use of research security information and tools through the SECURE Center; (2) Identify and mitigate malign foreign influence through expanded analytical tools. Measure: Enhance NSF's capacity to perform research security risk assessments (Performance Goal). Research Infrastructure Support discovery, innovation and national security through impactful investments in research infrastructure, including facilities, equipment, computational tools, and polar operations. 01a3fdd8-85a2-4ff5-84dd-0433c9ae7459 1.4 Full title: "Objective 1.4. Support discovery, innovation and national security through impactful investments in research infrastructure." NSF will continue to operate infrastructure in the Arctic and Antarctic, advancing U.S. national security interests. Strategies: (1) Target research infrastructure investments to meet evolving critical American science, innovation and national security needs; (2) Integrate nontraditional research infrastructure (test beds, virtual laboratories) into NSF's portfolio; (3) Amplify NSF investment through strategic, policy-aligned partnerships. Measures: Percentage of NSF research infrastructure achieving facility uptime goals (Performance Goal); Number of research translation activities in NSF-supported research infrastructure (Indicator). STEM Talent Advance American leadership in science and technology by empowering STEM talent. 8b731caf-2a2c-454d-acec-190408286e0c 2 Full title: "Goal 2. Advance American leadership in science and technology by empowering STEM talent." STEM-related fields employ 25% of the U.S. workforce, yet skill gaps and shortages persist in critical fields such as AI, quantum information science, advanced manufacturing and biotechnology. This Goal is also supported by the crosscutting partnership strategy described under Goal 1. STEM Workforce Support the growth of positions in critical and emerging technologies by developing the next-generation STEM workforce. dfa67fa4-52f5-45ce-b8ae-b9277d32ddb6 2.1 Full title: "Objective 2.1. Support the growth of positions in critical and emerging technologies by developing the next-generation STEM workforce." Strategies: (1) Prepare individuals for STEM careers by integrating formal and experiential learning; (2) Collaborate with industry to advance research-backed approaches that build skills and knowledge; (3) Prepare the next generation by supporting research on innovation and technology-based teaching techniques. Measures: Proportion of funding in NSF flagship talent development initiatives allocated to critical and emerging technologies (Performance Goal); Workers in STEM occupations as a percentage of the U.S. workforce (Indicator). STEM Capacity Expand opportunities for discovery and innovation by building STEM capacity across regions and a range of organizations, including community colleges, nonprofits and businesses. 9880b3b1-601e-4dc7-9554-790ff19b1b02 2.2 Full title: "Objective 2.2. Expand opportunities for discovery and innovation by building STEM capacity across regions and a range of organizations, including community colleges, nonprofits and businesses." Strategies: (1) Expand geographic coverage through increased funding to NSF EPSCoR jurisdictions; (2) Create multiple entry points for a range of organizations to access NSF resources; (3) Reinforce STEM capacity by developing resources and facilitating collaborative practices. Measure: Proportion of NSF's research funding to institutions in EPSCoR jurisdictions (Performance Goal). Statutory basis: CHIPS and Science Act of 2022, Sec. 10325(a)(3). Operational Excellence Accelerate NSF's impact by optimizing capability and modernizing operations. c5838852-b015-48ce-8cbe-86bd9ad4fd72 3 Full title: "Goal 3. Accelerate NSF's impact by optimizing capability and modernizing operations." NSF will modernize agency operations to reduce the burden on the research community and ensure greater efficiency and accountability for the use of public funds. Workforce Capability Advance NSF's mission by ensuring the agility and capability of the agency's workforce through merit-based hiring, skills development, and performance management. 66dcd1c6-e982-46ad-b849-62305a0f7aa6 3.1 Full title: "Objective 3.1. Advance NSF's mission by ensuring the agility and capability of the agency's workforce." Strategies: (1) Secure top talent by making merit-based hiring efficient and effective; (2) Reskill the workforce and expand experiential learning to address competency gaps; (3) Strengthen performance management to promote high-caliber work. Measure: Average number of calendar days to hire staff (Performance Goal). Accountability Ensure accountable agency operations through Gold Standard Science and maintain effective use of federal funds by streamlining policies, reducing administrative burden, and improving oversight. 9977a535-8640-467a-ab87-f4db4d3e3eca 3.2 Full title: "Objective 3.2. Ensure accountable agency operations through Gold Standard Science and maintain effective use of federal funds." Agency Priority Goal (FY 2026-2027): By Sept. 30, 2027, streamline two functions of the proposal and award management process to reduce burden on applicants and recipients of NSF awards, and ensure more efficient use of and greater accountability for public funds. Goal leads: Chief Science Officer and Head of Award Management. Strategies: (1) Reduce administrative burden by streamlining policies and processes; (2) Improve oversight of federal resources through enhanced accountability and transparency; (3) Enhance operational efficiency by leveraging technologies and automation. Measure: Reduce administrative burden on applicants and recipients of NSF funding (Agency Priority Goal). 2026-10-01 2030-09-30 2026-01-01 https://www.nsf.gov/about/performance/strategic-plan/nsf-fy-2026-2030 Owen Ambur Owen.Ambur@verizon.net