Federal AgencyFederal data + Paper Trail research
National Science Foundation
National Science Foundation is a top-tier federal awarding agency tracked through official USAspending data.
Total Obligations
$6.6B
Nov 5, 2025 through Nov 4, 2026
Federal Data
Last refreshed Nov 4, 2026
Paper Trail Research
What This Agency Does
This starter agency record was created from USAspending reference data. Paper Trail editorial research has not yet been added.
Federal Data
Spending Over Time
$8.8BFY 2022
$9.1BFY 2023
$8.9BFY 2024
$8.9BFY 2025
$6.6BFY 2026
$1.4MFY 2027
Federal Data
Spending By Award Type
| Rank | Award Type | Obligations | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Grants | $5,940,881,523 | 90.5% |
| 2 | Contracts | $623,277,739 | 9.5% |
| 3 | Direct payments | $0 | 0.0% |
| 4 | Loans | $0 | 0.0% |
| 5 | Other assistance | $0 | 0.0% |
Federal Data
Top Recipients
| Rank | Recipient | Obligations | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTINUEI V6AFQPN18437 | $261,904,329 | 4.0% |
| 2 | LEIDOS, INC.UEI X38JVP4R72E1 | $243,277,423 | 3.7% |
| 3 | ASSOCIATION OF UNIVERSITIES FOR RESEARCH IN ASTRONOMY, INC.UEI LFDKLGTB62C4 | $149,623,252 | 2.3% |
| 4 | ASSOCIATED UNIVERSITIES INCUEI NZBMKZMW68N3 | $147,991,616 | 2.3% |
| 5 | BATTELLE MEMORIAL INSTITUTEUEI F125YU6SWK59 | $129,803,309 | 2.0% |
| 6 | UNIVERSITY CORPORATION FOR ATMOSPHERIC RESEARCHUEI YEZEE8W5JKA3 | $112,103,191 | 1.7% |
| 7 | UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN DIEGOUEI UYTTZT6G9DT1 | $105,403,727 | 1.6% |
| 8 | WOODS HOLE OCEANOGRAPHIC INSTITUTIONUEI GFKFBWG2TV98 | $100,261,656 | 1.5% |
| 9 | UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTONUEI HD1WMN6945W6 | $97,550,140 | 1.5% |
| 10 | CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGYUEI U2JMKHNS5TG4 | $78,008,743 | 1.2% |
| 11 | REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGANUEI GNJ7BBP73WE9 | $77,560,667 | 1.2% |
| 12 | PRESIDENT AND FELLOWS OF HARVARD COLLEGEUEI LN53LCFJFL45 | $75,616,649 | 1.2% |
| 13 | FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITYUEI JF2BLNN4PJC3 | $71,746,061 | 1.1% |
| 14 | UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, LOS ANGELESUEI RN64EPNH8JC6 | $70,957,929 | 1.1% |
| 15 | THE TRUSTEES OF COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY IN THE CITY OF NEW YORKUEI F4N1QNPB95M4 | $70,547,556 | 1.1% |
| 16 | REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, THEUEI GS3YEVSS12N6 | $67,676,520 | 1.0% |
| 17 | THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF COLORADOUEI SPVKK1RC2MZ3 | $67,457,142 | 1.0% |
| 18 | UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOISUEI Y8CWNJRCNN91 | $64,234,528 | 1.0% |
| 19 | REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTAUEI KABJZBBJ4B54 | $59,084,655 | 0.9% |
| 20 | CORNELL UNIVERSITYUEI G56PUALJ3KT5 | $58,812,486 | 0.9% |
Federal Data
Top Subagencies And Offices
| Rank | Subagency / Office | Obligations | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | National Science FoundationNSF | $6,564,159,262 | 100.0% |
Federal Data
Top Spending Categories
| Rank | Category | Obligations | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mathematical and Physical SciencesAssistance Listing · 47.049 | $1,259,187,463 | 19.2% |
| 2 | Computer and Information Science and EngineeringAssistance Listing · 47.070 | $839,873,223 | 12.8% |
| 3 | STEM Education (formerly Education and Human Resources)Assistance Listing · 47.076 | $834,210,592 | 12.7% |
| 4 | Technology, Innovation, and PartnershipsAssistance Listing · 47.084 | $720,571,699 | 11.0% |
| 5 | GeosciencesAssistance Listing · 47.050 | $681,918,454 | 10.4% |
| 6 | Biological SciencesAssistance Listing · 47.074 | $506,869,524 | 7.7% |
| 7 | EngineeringAssistance Listing · 47.041 | $469,202,926 | 7.1% |
| 8 | Integrative ActivitiesAssistance Listing · 47.083 | $461,406,963 | 7.0% |
| 9 | OPERATION OF GOVERNMENT-OWNED CONTRACTOR-OPERATED (GOCO) R&D FACILITIESPSC · M1HA | $248,277,423 | 3.8% |
| 10 | IT AND TELECOM - BUSINESS APPLICATION/APPLICATION DEVELOPMENT SUPPORT SERVICES (LABOR)PSC · DA01 | $110,142,211 | 1.7% |
| 11 | Social, Behavioral, and Economic SciencesAssistance Listing · 47.075 | $88,725,123 | 1.4% |
| 12 | Polar ProgramsAssistance Listing · 47.078 | $60,744,754 | 0.9% |
| 13 | SUPPORT- MANAGEMENT: LOGISTICS SUPPORTPSC · R706 | $47,148,568 | 0.7% |
| 14 | SUPPORT- PROFESSIONAL: OTHERPSC · R499 | $36,030,799 | 0.5% |
| 15 | IT AND TELECOM - BUSINESS APPLICATION SOFTWARE (PERPETUAL LICENSE SOFTWARE)PSC · 7A21 | $35,031,681 | 0.5% |
| 16 | International Science and EngineeringAssistance Listing · 47.079 | $18,170,802 | 0.3% |
| 17 | IT AND TELECOM- INTEGRATED HARDWARE/SOFTWARE/SERVICES SOLUTIONS, PREDOMINANTLY SERVICESPSC · D318 | $16,436,516 | 0.3% |
| 18 | ENVIRONMENTAL SYSTEMS PROTECTION- ENVIRONMENTAL REMEDIATIONPSC · F108 | $13,741,502 | 0.2% |
| 19 | GENERAL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY R&D SERVICES; GENERAL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY; BASIC RESEARCHPSC · AJ11 | $13,404,927 | 0.2% |
| 20 | IT AND TELECOM- OTHER IT AND TELECOMMUNICATIONSPSC · D399 | $12,856,205 | 0.2% |
| 21 | SUPPORT- PROFESSIONAL: PROGRAM MANAGEMENT/SUPPORTPSC · R408 | $11,921,817 | 0.2% |
| 22 | SUPPORT- PROFESSIONAL: PROGRAM EVALUATION/REVIEW/DEVELOPMENTPSC · R410 | $10,515,718 | 0.2% |
| 23 | IT and Telecom - End User: Help Desk;Tier 1-2,Workspace,Print,Output,Productivity Tools (HW/Perp SW)PSC · 7E20 | $9,077,385 | 0.1% |
| 24 | IT AND TELECOM - APPLICATION DEVELOPMENT SOFTWARE (PERPETUAL LICENSE SOFTWARE)PSC · 7A20 | $7,225,881 | 0.1% |
| 25 | IT AND TELECOM - BUSINESS APPLICATION/APPLICATION DEVELOPMENT SOFTWARE AS A SERVICEPSC · DA10 | $6,589,046 | 0.1% |
| 26 | SPECIAL STUDIES/ANALYSIS- SCIENTIFIC DATAPSC · B529 | $5,896,455 | 0.1% |
Federal Data · Geography Preview
Spending By State
| Rank | State | Obligations | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CaliforniaCA | $732,446,340 | 11.2% |
| 2 | VirginiaVA | $495,584,326 | 7.5% |
| 3 | TexasTX | $465,307,862 | 7.1% |
| 4 | MassachusettsMA | $402,770,845 | 6.1% |
| 5 | New YorkNY | $354,089,513 | 5.4% |
| 6 | ColoradoCO | $308,309,715 | 4.7% |
| 7 | FloridaFL | $219,977,848 | 3.4% |
| 8 | IllinoisIL | $209,325,838 | 3.2% |
| 9 | PennsylvaniaPA | $206,652,729 | 3.1% |
| 10 | North CarolinaNC | $195,733,168 | 3.0% |
| 11 | ArizonaAZ | $192,938,933 | 2.9% |
| 12 | District Of ColumbiaDC | $173,139,735 | 2.6% |
| 13 | WashingtonWA | $141,129,300 | 2.1% |
| 14 | MichiganMI | $134,643,140 | 2.1% |
| 15 | OhioOH | $124,879,909 | 1.9% |
| 16 | MarylandMD | $113,489,873 | 1.7% |
| 17 | GeorgiaGA | $110,545,067 | 1.7% |
| 18 | IndianaIN | $100,177,804 | 1.5% |
| 19 | New JerseyNJ | $92,886,662 | 1.4% |
| 20 | LouisianaLA | $90,410,060 | 1.4% |
| 21 | AlabamaAL | $81,043,993 | 1.2% |
| 22 | WisconsinWI | $75,640,400 | 1.2% |
| 23 | New MexicoNM | $70,514,496 | 1.1% |
| 24 | MinnesotaMN | $70,252,902 | 1.1% |
| 25 | South CarolinaSC | $70,179,565 | 1.1% |
| 26 | ConnecticutCT | $67,384,512 | 1.0% |
| 27 | OregonOR | $64,747,746 | 1.0% |
| 28 | AlaskaAK | $61,750,648 | 0.9% |
| 29 | Rhode IslandRI | $58,569,404 | 0.9% |
| 30 | MissouriMO | $56,988,187 | 0.9% |
| 31 | IowaIA | $55,286,943 | 0.8% |
| 32 | NebraskaNE | $53,198,332 | 0.8% |
| 33 | TennesseeTN | $50,791,772 | 0.8% |
| 34 | NevadaNV | $48,813,309 | 0.7% |
| 35 | OklahomaOK | $48,366,701 | 0.7% |
| 36 | UtahUT | $47,784,144 | 0.7% |
| 37 | KansasKS | $41,793,583 | 0.6% |
| 38 | DelawareDE | $41,250,795 | 0.6% |
| 39 | New HampshireNH | $40,651,659 | 0.6% |
| 40 | HawaiiHI | $39,266,980 | 0.6% |
| 41 | KentuckyKY | $32,787,815 | 0.5% |
| 42 | IdahoID | $32,651,677 | 0.5% |
| 43 | MontanaMT | $32,547,008 | 0.5% |
| 44 | West VirginiaWV | $32,195,744 | 0.5% |
| 45 | VermontVT | $28,478,639 | 0.4% |
| 46 | North DakotaND | $27,474,508 | 0.4% |
| 47 | Puerto RicoPR | $23,384,479 | 0.4% |
| 48 | MississippiMS | $19,834,020 | 0.3% |
| 49 | MaineME | $15,984,821 | 0.2% |
| 50 | ArkansasAR | $14,622,305 | 0.2% |
| 51 | South DakotaSD | $13,798,550 | 0.2% |
| 52 | WyomingWY | $12,067,556 | 0.2% |
| 53 | U.S. Virgin IslandsVI | $3,125,744 | 0.0% |
| 54 | American SamoaAS | $0 | 0.0% |
Documentation
Sources And Transparency
Obligations are commitments by the federal government to spend money. They are not necessarily cash already paid to a recipient.
- Federal Data Last Updated
- Nov 4, 2026
- Research Last Reviewed
- Not available