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
$6.5B
Sep 3, 2025 through Sep 2, 2026
Federal Data
Last refreshed Sep 2, 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
$5.4BFY 2026
Federal Data
Spending By Award Type
| Rank | Award Type | Obligations | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Grants | $5,881,050,587 | 90.7% |
| 2 | Contracts | $601,544,047 | 9.3% |
| 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 | $262,313,454 | 4.0% |
| 2 | LEIDOS, INC.UEI X38JVP4R72E1 | $261,900,556 | 4.0% |
| 3 | ASSOCIATION OF UNIVERSITIES FOR RESEARCH IN ASTRONOMY, INC.UEI LFDKLGTB62C4 | $156,486,457 | 2.4% |
| 4 | BATTELLE MEMORIAL INSTITUTEUEI F125YU6SWK59 | $125,905,432 | 1.9% |
| 5 | UNIVERSITY CORPORATION FOR ATMOSPHERIC RESEARCHUEI YEZEE8W5JKA3 | $114,219,311 | 1.8% |
| 6 | WOODS HOLE OCEANOGRAPHIC INSTITUTIONUEI GFKFBWG2TV98 | $90,590,736 | 1.4% |
| 7 | UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTONUEI HD1WMN6945W6 | $87,938,525 | 1.4% |
| 8 | UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN DIEGOUEI UYTTZT6G9DT1 | $86,133,024 | 1.3% |
| 9 | ASSOCIATED UNIVERSITIES INCUEI NZBMKZMW68N3 | $82,005,114 | 1.3% |
| 10 | CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGYUEI U2JMKHNS5TG4 | $78,398,492 | 1.2% |
| 11 | PRESIDENT AND FELLOWS OF HARVARD COLLEGEUEI LN53LCFJFL45 | $75,328,567 | 1.2% |
| 12 | THE TRUSTEES OF COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY IN THE CITY OF NEW YORKUEI F4N1QNPB95M4 | $73,059,104 | 1.1% |
| 13 | UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOISUEI Y8CWNJRCNN91 | $68,930,353 | 1.1% |
| 14 | UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, LOS ANGELESUEI RN64EPNH8JC6 | $67,090,205 | 1.0% |
| 15 | REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, THEUEI GS3YEVSS12N6 | $67,033,835 | 1.0% |
| 16 | REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGANUEI GNJ7BBP73WE9 | $67,032,008 | 1.0% |
| 17 | MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGYUEI E2NYLCDML6V1 | $66,178,431 | 1.0% |
| 18 | THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF COLORADOUEI SPVKK1RC2MZ3 | $64,245,773 | 1.0% |
| 19 | EARTHSCOPE CONSORTIUM INC.UEI PBBNV32ZW7Q6 | $61,968,745 | 1.0% |
| 20 | CORNELL UNIVERSITYUEI G56PUALJ3KT5 | $61,898,505 | 1.0% |
Federal Data
Top Subagencies And Offices
| Rank | Subagency / Office | Obligations | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | National Science FoundationNSF | $6,482,594,634 | 100.0% |
Federal Data
Top Spending Categories
| Rank | Category | Obligations | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mathematical and Physical SciencesAssistance Listing · 47.049 | $1,149,181,692 | 17.7% |
| 2 | STEM Education (formerly Education and Human Resources)Assistance Listing · 47.076 | $886,080,449 | 13.7% |
| 3 | Computer and Information Science and EngineeringAssistance Listing · 47.070 | $870,476,576 | 13.4% |
| 4 | Technology, Innovation, and PartnershipsAssistance Listing · 47.084 | $757,826,990 | 11.7% |
| 5 | GeosciencesAssistance Listing · 47.050 | $690,120,175 | 10.6% |
| 6 | Biological SciencesAssistance Listing · 47.074 | $522,592,149 | 8.1% |
| 7 | EngineeringAssistance Listing · 47.041 | $478,403,561 | 7.4% |
| 8 | Integrative ActivitiesAssistance Listing · 47.083 | $355,792,299 | 5.5% |
| 9 | OPERATION OF GOVERNMENT-OWNED CONTRACTOR-OPERATED (GOCO) R&D FACILITIESPSC · M1HA | $266,900,556 | 4.1% |
| 10 | Social, Behavioral, and Economic SciencesAssistance Listing · 47.075 | $92,969,179 | 1.4% |
| 11 | IT AND TELECOM - BUSINESS APPLICATION/APPLICATION DEVELOPMENT SUPPORT SERVICES (LABOR)PSC · DA01 | $92,909,118 | 1.4% |
| 12 | Polar ProgramsAssistance Listing · 47.078 | $62,903,417 | 1.0% |
| 13 | SUPPORT- MANAGEMENT: LOGISTICS SUPPORTPSC · R706 | $43,250,691 | 0.7% |
| 14 | IT AND TELECOM - BUSINESS APPLICATION SOFTWARE (PERPETUAL LICENSE SOFTWARE)PSC · 7A21 | $39,523,318 | 0.6% |
| 15 | SUPPORT- PROFESSIONAL: OTHERPSC · R499 | $30,438,180 | 0.5% |
| 16 | International Science and EngineeringAssistance Listing · 47.079 | $14,704,100 | 0.2% |
| 17 | IT AND TELECOM- INTEGRATED HARDWARE/SOFTWARE/SERVICES SOLUTIONS, PREDOMINANTLY SERVICESPSC · D318 | $14,563,714 | 0.2% |
| 18 | GENERAL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY R&D SERVICES; GENERAL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY; BASIC RESEARCHPSC · AJ11 | $13,394,418 | 0.2% |
| 19 | SUPPORT- PROFESSIONAL: PROGRAM MANAGEMENT/SUPPORTPSC · R408 | $10,334,237 | 0.2% |
| 20 | IT AND TELECOM- OTHER IT AND TELECOMMUNICATIONSPSC · D399 | $9,970,099 | 0.2% |
| 21 | IT and Telecom - End User: Help Desk;Tier 1-2,Workspace,Print,Output,Productivity Tools (HW/Perp SW)PSC · 7E20 | $8,928,021 | 0.1% |
| 22 | SUPPORT- PROFESSIONAL: PROGRAM EVALUATION/REVIEW/DEVELOPMENTPSC · R410 | $7,648,367 | 0.1% |
| 23 | IT AND TELECOM - APPLICATION DEVELOPMENT SOFTWARE (PERPETUAL LICENSE SOFTWARE)PSC · 7A20 | $7,174,936 | 0.1% |
| 24 | IT AND TELECOM - BUSINESS APPLICATION/APPLICATION DEVELOPMENT SOFTWARE AS A SERVICEPSC · DA10 | $7,008,278 | 0.1% |
| 25 | SPECIAL STUDIES/ANALYSIS- EDUCATIONALPSC · B542 | $5,286,131 | 0.1% |
| 26 | SPECIAL STUDIES/ANALYSIS- SCIENTIFIC DATAPSC · B529 | $4,465,940 | 0.1% |
Federal Data · Geography Preview
Spending By State
| Rank | State | Obligations | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CaliforniaCA | $727,656,030 | 11.2% |
| 2 | TexasTX | $468,495,124 | 7.2% |
| 3 | MassachusettsMA | $422,371,306 | 6.5% |
| 4 | VirginiaVA | $422,073,870 | 6.5% |
| 5 | New YorkNY | $358,912,189 | 5.5% |
| 6 | ColoradoCO | $332,543,137 | 5.1% |
| 7 | North CarolinaNC | $225,454,391 | 3.5% |
| 8 | IllinoisIL | $219,434,220 | 3.4% |
| 9 | FloridaFL | $208,050,353 | 3.2% |
| 10 | PennsylvaniaPA | $207,655,830 | 3.2% |
| 11 | ArizonaAZ | $186,436,673 | 2.9% |
| 12 | District Of ColumbiaDC | $165,687,546 | 2.6% |
| 13 | OhioOH | $126,752,781 | 2.0% |
| 14 | WashingtonWA | $124,450,370 | 1.9% |
| 15 | MarylandMD | $120,583,343 | 1.9% |
| 16 | MichiganMI | $119,863,132 | 1.8% |
| 17 | GeorgiaGA | $111,851,184 | 1.7% |
| 18 | IndianaIN | $102,027,855 | 1.6% |
| 19 | LouisianaLA | $86,920,758 | 1.3% |
| 20 | New JerseyNJ | $82,754,394 | 1.3% |
| 21 | WisconsinWI | $80,045,689 | 1.2% |
| 22 | AlabamaAL | $76,123,606 | 1.2% |
| 23 | South CarolinaSC | $65,962,220 | 1.0% |
| 24 | OklahomaOK | $65,734,444 | 1.0% |
| 25 | OregonOR | $64,108,787 | 1.0% |
| 26 | New MexicoNM | $61,843,696 | 1.0% |
| 27 | MissouriMO | $60,747,791 | 0.9% |
| 28 | Rhode IslandRI | $58,516,094 | 0.9% |
| 29 | AlaskaAK | $56,637,032 | 0.9% |
| 30 | TennesseeTN | $56,299,837 | 0.9% |
| 31 | IowaIA | $54,760,517 | 0.8% |
| 32 | NebraskaNE | $52,708,916 | 0.8% |
| 33 | MinnesotaMN | $52,446,966 | 0.8% |
| 34 | ConnecticutCT | $51,880,297 | 0.8% |
| 35 | UtahUT | $45,787,642 | 0.7% |
| 36 | DelawareDE | $38,747,580 | 0.6% |
| 37 | New HampshireNH | $37,314,682 | 0.6% |
| 38 | IdahoID | $36,554,470 | 0.6% |
| 39 | KansasKS | $34,207,409 | 0.5% |
| 40 | HawaiiHI | $33,711,089 | 0.5% |
| 41 | KentuckyKY | $32,418,960 | 0.5% |
| 42 | MontanaMT | $31,202,213 | 0.5% |
| 43 | NevadaNV | $30,844,195 | 0.5% |
| 44 | North DakotaND | $30,683,626 | 0.5% |
| 45 | West VirginiaWV | $29,291,782 | 0.5% |
| 46 | Puerto RicoPR | $29,159,533 | 0.4% |
| 47 | VermontVT | $23,706,684 | 0.4% |
| 48 | MississippiMS | $20,151,242 | 0.3% |
| 49 | MaineME | $14,800,821 | 0.2% |
| 50 | ArkansasAR | $13,601,710 | 0.2% |
| 51 | South DakotaSD | $12,741,048 | 0.2% |
| 52 | WyomingWY | $11,375,023 | 0.2% |
| 53 | U.S. Virgin IslandsVI | $1,139,479 | 0.0% |
| 54 | GuamGU | $486,277 | 0.0% |
| 55 | 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
- Sep 2, 2026
- Research Last Reviewed
- Not available