Legal Definitions - National Science Foundation

The National Science Foundation (NSF) is a federal foundation that supports and advances progress in science and engineering. It achieves this by awarding grants, contracts, and other agreements to various institutions such as universities, colleges, academic consortia, and nonprofit and small-business organizations.

The NSF was established in 1950 by the National Science Foundation Act. It operates independently and is responsible for funding research and education in various fields of science and engineering.

• A university receives a grant from the NSF to conduct research on renewable energy sources.
• An academic consortium is awarded a contract from the NSF to develop a new technology for water purification.
• A small-business institution receives funding from the NSF to develop a new medical device.

These examples illustrate how the NSF provides financial support to various institutions to advance scientific research and development. The grants, contracts, and agreements awarded by the NSF enable these institutions to conduct research and develop new technologies that can benefit society.