The U.S. National Science Foundation is an independent federal agency that supports science and engineering in all 50 states and U.S. territories. NSF was established in 1950 by Congress to promote the progress of science, advance the national health, prosperity and welfare, and secure the national defense.
The CISE MSI program seeks to expand research opportunities at Minority-Serving Institutions (MSIs). It aims to increase the number of CISE-funded research projects from MSIs and to boost their research capacity for successful submissions to core CISE programs. This program underlines the importance of MSIs in promoting inclusive excellence, fostering innovation, training undergraduate and graduate talent in computer and information science and engineering, and strengthening the long-term competitiveness of the U.S. The grant includes four types of projects: Research Capacity Building Projects, Research Demonstration Projects, Research Partnerships Enhancement Projects, and Research Planning Projects, with varying number of awards, project length, and award sizes aimed at enhancing research capabilities at MSIs.