NSF Announces New Round of Funding for PFI Program

The National Science Foundation (NSF) plans to fund $9 million in new FY 2003 awards under the Partnerships for Innovation (PFI) Program, according to the program solicitation's recent release. To promote PFI, NSF will sponsor 15-25 partnerships among academe, government and the private sector that explore new approaches to innovation.

The purpose of the program, as defined in the PFI solicitation, is threefold:

• stimulate the transformation of knowledge created by the national research and education enterprise into innovations that create new wealth, build strong local, regional and national economies and improve the national well-being;
• broaden the participation of all types of academic institutions and all citizens in NSF activities to more fully meet the broad workforce needs of the national innovation enterprise; and,
• catalyze or enhance enabling infrastructure necessary to foster and sustain innovation in the long-term.

Applicants are asked to focus on one or a combination of three activities: (1) research, technology transfer, commercialization, (2) workforce education or training, and (3) establish the infrastructure to accomplish or enable innovation. Nonprofit institutions, private sector firms, state and local government entities, trade and professional associations, entrepreneurs, venture capitalists, and federal laboratories are eligible under the PFI program, but all partnerships must include academic institutions as the lead and private sector organizations as partners.

Since FY 2000, the PFI program's initial funding year, nearly $34.5 million has been awarded to colleges and universities across the country. In all, 59 awards have been distributed in 35 states and Puerto Rico. Past awards have led to projects resulting in such societal benefits as improved healthcare and greater computer communications capacities.

Applicants may submit an optional letter of intent by February 27 or turn in a full proposal by April 9. Cost sharing at a level of 10 percent of the requested total amount of NSF funds is required for all proposals. For more information, visit the PFI program solicitation at: http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2003/nsf03521/nsf03521.html

In addition, SSTI has prepared a table of all PFI award-winners arranged by state, listing project titles and award amounts for each awardee. The table is available at: http://www.ssti.org/Digest/Tables/011703t.htm