Advanced Technological Education | 24 584

Opportunity Information: Apply for 24 584

The National Science Foundation (NSF) Advanced Technological Education (ATE) program is a grant opportunity designed to strengthen the education and training of technicians for high-technology fields that are central to the U.S. economy. The program is especially centered on two-year Institutions of Higher Education, particularly community colleges, because they are a primary pipeline for preparing science and engineering technicians. ATE projects are expected to connect education directly to workforce and industry needs, with an emphasis on building strong partnerships among community colleges and other academic institutions (including grades 7-12), employers, and economic development organizations.

A key expectation in ATE is that the work leads to credit-bearing instruction. Courses and programs supported by ATE funding are required to be credit-bearing, reinforcing the idea that technician education should be embedded in formal, stackable academic pathways leading to certificates and associate degrees. At the same time, the program recognizes real-world workforce needs, so educational materials developed through ATE can also be used for incumbent worker education (training people already employed). Those materials may also be adapted and formally implemented as credit-bearing courses, helping colleges turn short-term training innovations into sustainable academic programs.

ATE supports a wide range of activities aimed at improving technician education systems and outcomes. Common project types include curriculum development in advanced technology areas, professional development for college faculty and secondary school teachers, and career pathway development for both students entering the workforce and incumbent workers seeking upskilling. The program also supports other efforts that strengthen the technician education ecosystem, including applied research projects that build evidence and practical knowledge about what works in technician education, how to improve recruitment and retention, and how to align training with evolving technical fields.

Partnerships are a major theme throughout ATE. NSF encourages proposals that connect with organizations capable of influencing technician education and regional industry needs. Examples specifically mentioned include National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Manufacturing Extension Partnerships (MEPs), which support manufacturing and business innovation, and Manufacturing USA institutes, which often focus on advanced manufacturing technologies and workforce development challenges. These kinds of collaborations can help ensure that curricula, labs, credentials, and work-based learning experiences match current and emerging technical skill demands.

ATE also places strong value on broadening participation in STEM technician education. NSF explicitly encourages proposals from Minority Serving Institutions and from other institutions and partnerships that can demonstrate effective strategies to recruit, retain, and support completion for a wide range of learners, including individuals from underrepresented and underserved communities. The focus is not only on access, but on successful outcomes such as certificates, degrees, and program completion in technician education programs that award associate degrees.

Eligibility to submit proposals is relatively broad, but still structured. Eligible applicants include U.S.-based for-profit organizations (including small businesses) with strong scientific, engineering, research, or education capacity; non-profit, non-academic organizations such as museums, observatories, research labs, and professional societies tied to education or research; state and local governments; accredited two-year and four-year U.S. Institutions of Higher Education (including community colleges); Tribal Nations that are federally recognized; and other eligible entities identified in the solicitation. For U.S. institutions with international branch campuses, proposals that route funds to an international branch campus must clearly explain why that international performance is beneficial and why the work cannot be done at the U.S. campus, including if the international campus is involved through subawards or consulting arrangements.

The program has specific leadership expectations tied to its mission of elevating two-year colleges. Even when a four-year university or another type of organization serves as the primary fiscal lead, two-year IHE faculty must have significant leadership roles, and they must be named as Co-PIs. Similarly, if a secondary school or school district submits a proposal, community college faculty must be included as Co-PIs to ensure the project is anchored in two-year technician education pathways. For Consortium proposals (identified as Track-3 in the source text), there is an additional restriction: the PI cannot hold a leadership role in an active ATE Center, which helps avoid conflicts and ensures broader distribution of leadership opportunities across the ATE portfolio.

From the published opportunity data, this is a discretionary NSF grant in the science and technology / research and development category (CFDA 47.076). The funding opportunity number is 24-584, with an original closing date of October 3, 2024. The award ceiling is listed as $7,500,000, and NSF anticipates making about 80 awards. Overall, ATE is aimed at producing measurable improvements in technician education capacity, quality, and equity, while strengthening the connections among community colleges, secondary education, industry, and regional economic needs.

• The National Science Foundation in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Advanced Technological Education" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 47.076.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2024-06-25.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2024-10-03. (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 $7,500,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 80 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others.

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