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ALN 47.076

Advanced Technological Education (ATE)

ATE funds community colleges and their partners to improve how technicians are educated for advanced technology fields such as manufacturing, cybersecurity, biotechnology and energy. Proposals range from small first-time projects to national centers, and each must document an industry workforce need and employer involvement. NSF reviewers rate proposals on Intellectual Merit and Broader Impacts rather than assigning points.

Draft this applicationOfficial program page

Program facts

Agency
Directorate for STEM Education (EDU), Division of Undergraduate Education, U.S. National Science Foundation
Assistance Listing
47.076
Statutory authority
Scientific and Advanced-Technology Act of 1992 (42 U.S.C. 1862h-1862i), as amended
Award ceiling
Up to $475,000 (Track 1 Small Scale), $1,000,000 (Track 2 Projects), $3,000,000 (Track 3 Consortia) or $7,500,000 over five years (Track 4 Centers)
Awards
NSF estimates 45 to 80 new awards a year; about $74 million was anticipated for new and continuing awards in FY2025
Period of performance
Typically 3 years for Small Scale and Projects, 3 to 4 years for Consortia, and 5 years for Centers with a possible 5-year renewal
Cost share
Voluntary committed cost sharing is prohibited
Cycle
Under NSF 24-584, full proposals are due on the first Thursday in October each year, with awards usually made the following summer.

Program goals

  • Improve the education of science and engineering technicians at two-year colleges
  • Build partnerships among two-year colleges, universities, secondary schools, employers and economic development agencies
  • Develop credit-bearing curricula, faculty professional development and career pathways
  • Grow and diversify the skilled technical workforce in advanced technology fields

Scoring rubric

CriterionMerit review

  • Intellectual Merit

    Potential to improve technician student learning, a rationale grounded in research literature, an evaluation plan tied to outcomes, and evidence of institutional and industry support with plans to institutionalize the work.

  • Broader Impacts

    A workforce needs assessment, plans for dissemination and, where relevant, commercialization, adaptability at other institutions, and participation of a wide range of students.

  • Results from Prior NSF Support

    For prior awardees, concrete outcomes and products from earlier NSF grants, placed at the start of the Project Description.

  • Evaluation plan

    An Evaluation Plan subsection inside the Project Description, with an independent evaluator where appropriate and measures tied to project goals.

NSF does not assign point values. Panelists rate each proposal (Excellent to Poor) on the National Science Board criteria of Intellectual Merit and Broader Impacts, using the ATE-specific questions in NSF 24-584. Point fields are 0 because the review is unweighted.

Eligibility

  • Two-year and four-year institutions of higher education, nonprofit non-academic organizations, for-profit organizations, state and local governments, and tribal nations
  • Two-year colleges must hold significant leadership roles; if another organization is the fiscal lead, two-year college faculty must be Co-PIs
  • Track 3 Consortia must be led by a two-year college with one or two other two-year colleges as subawardees
  • Track 1 is the recommended entry point for institutions new to ATE
  • Courses and programs developed must be credit-bearing

Required attachments

  • Project Description (15 pages) beginning with Results from Prior NSF Support and including an Evaluation Plan subsection
  • References Cited
  • Letters of Collaboration describing specific partner roles; generic endorsement letters are not accepted
  • Data Management and Sharing Plan and, if funding postdocs or graduate students, a Mentoring Plan
  • Biographical sketch of the external evaluator in NSF format, if named
  • For Centers, a letter from the president or chief academic officer

Formatting rules

  • Project Description limited to 15 pages
  • Formatting follows the NSF Proposal and Award Policies and Procedures Guide (PAPPG)
  • Supplementary documents not listed in the solicitation or PAPPG cause the proposal to be returned without review
  • Equipment requests normally may not exceed $300,000 over the life of the project

Why applications lose points

  • Putting the evaluation plan in supplementary documents instead of the Project Description
  • Letters of support that endorse the project without stating a specific commitment
  • No two-year college faculty in a PI or Co-PI role
  • A workforce need asserted without employer data or industry partners
  • Including committed cost sharing in the budget, which NSF prohibits for ATE

How ELIXIR CONSUMERS helps with NSF ATE

  1. 1.Drafts the workforce needs section from employer surveys and labor market data stored in the vault, with sources cited
  2. 2.Structures the 15-page Project Description with Results from Prior NSF Support first and the Evaluation Plan subsection in place
  3. 3.Checks Letters of Collaboration for a specific role and commitment before you collect signatures
  4. 4.Exports Research.gov-ready PDFs that your sponsored programs office uploads
How the NOFO Parser works

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Questions, answered

Which track should a first-time college choose?

NSF recommends Track 1 Small Scale Projects, up to $475,000, for institutions with limited ATE experience.

Can a university lead an ATE proposal?

Yes, but two-year college faculty must serve as Co-PIs with significant leadership roles, and Consortia must be led by a two-year college.

Are ATE center planning grants still available?

No. NSF 24-584 removed Track 5 and no longer supports Center Planning or Resource Center proposals.

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