FY 2027 Performance Plan and FY 2025 Performance Report

Footnotes

[1] NSF partnerships support more than one objective, so measures of partnerships are present both within objectives and as a stand-alone strategy.

[2] The NSF Public Access Repository is available at NSF Public Access Repository.

[3] Critical and emerging technologies also include advanced manufacturing, advanced wireless and microelectronics and semiconductors, as outlined by the Office of Science and Technology Policy and Office of Management and Budget in memo M-25-34/NSTM-2, "Fiscal Year (FY) 2027 Administration Research and Development Budget Priorities and Cross-Cutting Actions."

[4] NSF engages in direct partnerships with external entities such as other U.S. federal agencies, industry and private foundations. NSF also catalyzes partnerships through programs that require or encourage recipients to work in collaboration with others.

[5] I-Corps Biennial Report, 2023.

[6] "Startups" are defined as businesses associated with awards in the NSF I-Corps program plus all awards in the Seed Fund (Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer programs). NSF's CET portfolio is defined in the strategic plan as awards that focus on AI, quantum information sciences, biotechnology, microelectronics and semiconductors, advanced manufacturing and advanced wireless technologies. For this measure, the CET portfolio is operationally defined as the six key technology areas for those CETs, as described in the TIP Impact Explorer.

[7] "Flagship talent development initiatives" are defined as the Graduate Research Fellowship Program, CyberCorps®: Scholarship for Service program and NSF Research Traineeship program. NSF's CET portfolio is defined in the strategic plan as awards that focus on AI, quantum information sciences, biotechnology, microelectronics and semiconductors, advanced manufacturing and advanced wireless technologies.

[8] Data from the Census' American Community Survey via National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics.

[9] A map of all EPSCoR eligible jurisdictions available.

[10] The "CHIPS and Science Act of 2022" (P.L. 117-167) Sec.10325(a)(3) directs NSF to dedicate an increasing percentage of funds in key research and STEM accounts to institutions and local researchers in EPSCoR jurisdictions, as practicable and consistent with merit review.

[11] Reforming the Federal Hiring Process and Restoring Merit to Government Service.

[12] Ensuring Continued Accountability in Federal Hiring.

[13] The FY 2024 time-to-hire figure was updated in FY 2026 to reflect subsequent data quality control and align with year-end human capital reporting.

[14] Prior to FY 2026 NSF measured the percentage of proposals that met the six-month target. Starting in FY 2026, NSF will measure the overall average to improve accountability.

[15] This includes all funds NSF receives from partners and obligates to recipients, as well as some funds that partners award directly to recipients via jointly run programs.

[16] More information on ETAP can be found at NSF Education and Training Application's website.

[17] NSF's FY 2025 Agency Financial Report.