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Below is a summary assembled by the Research & Innovation Office (RIO). Please see the full solicitation for complete information about the funding opportunity.ÌýÌýÌý

Program SummaryÌý

TechAccess: AI-Ready America is a national-scale initiative to accelerate Artificial Intelligence (AI) readiness and adoption across the U.S. by strengthening coordination, leveraging partnerships and resources, filling gaps, and scaling what works — so local and state priorities can lead in shaping an AI-driven economy that benefits all Americans.

Unlike initiatives centered around K – 16 education, AI-Ready America additionally reaches businesses, public-serving organizations, and individuals, among others, expanding access to AI knowledge, tools, and resources. The program also emphasizes practical implementation through hands-on assistance and workforce up-skilling, including experiential learning such as internships, project-based work, and apprenticeships, to ensure stakeholders can effectively apply and innovate with AI.

The program supports:

1. State/Territory Coordination Hubs (Coordination Hubs) – one in every state, the District of Columbia (DC), or territory in the United States – connecting partners, strengthening planning and deployment, and rapidly scaling approaches;
2. A National Coordination Lead (National Lead) – facilitating collaboration and knowledge sharing among Coordination Hubs, coordinating priority economic sectors, and informing national AI strategies; and
3. AI-Ready Catalyst Award Competitions – a series of topic-driven competitions issued over the course of the program to pilot and scale innovative approaches that address critical national AI readiness needs.

This opportunity focuses on Coordination Hubs. The National Lead will be funded as an Other Transaction (OT) offered through an Other Transaction Agreement Solutions Offering. AI-Ready Catalyst Award Competitions will be announced through an NSF-approved mechanism, with proposals submitted according to the instructions provided at the time of announcement.

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• С»ÆÊé InternalÌýDeadline: 11:59pm MT April 22, 2026
• Sponsor Letter of Intent Deadline: 5:00pm MT June 16, 2026
• Sponsor Proposal Deadline: 5:00pm MT July 16, 2026

Internal Application Requirements (all in PDF format)

• Project Summary (3 pages maximum): Please include the following components and reference the solicitation for full details: 1) Section 1 – Vision and Approach to Responsibilities: Describe your vision for advancing statewide AI readiness and how it aligns with program goals and the responsibilities noted in the Program Description. 2) Section 2 – Organizational Background, Team Expertise, and Partnership Rationale: Describe the lead organization's profile, team expertise, and partnership rationale. 3) Section 3 – Current State of AI Planning and Coordination: Provide an overview of existing efforts in the state/territory and explain how the proposed Coordination Hub will build on these efforts to accelerate progress. 4) Section 4 – Work Plan, Milestones, and Performance Metrics: Present a clear work plan for each area of responsibility described in the Vision and Approach to Responsibilities described in Section 1. 5) Section 5 – Resource Mobilization and Leveraging Additional Support: Explain strategies for attracting additional resources to complement NSF funding and enable full implementation of the Coordination Hub's responsibilities.
• PI Curriculum VitaeÌý
• Budget Overview (1 page maximum): A basic budget outlining project costs is sufficient; detailed OCG budgets are not required.

To access the online application, visit:

Limited Submission Guidelines

Coordination Hubs are limited to one proposal per institution.

Award InformationÌý

• Number of Awards: Up to 56 total (one per state, D.C., or U.S. territory)Ìý
• Selection Rounds: 3 rounds – 10 in Round 1, 20 in Round 2, remaining in Round 3Ìý
• Amount: $1M per year for 3 years

Review Criteria

In addition to intellectual merit and broader impacts, the below criteria will be used to evaluate internal proposals.Ìý

1. Presents a clear vision and approach for advancing statewide AI readiness in alignment with program goals, national AI-readiness priorities, and responsibilities of the Coordination Hub.
2. Has a lead organization and partners that demonstrate statewide/territory-wide convening and coordination capacity, along with the expertise needed to implement the responsibilities effectively.
3. Reflects an understanding of current state/territory efforts in AI and related areas and offers strategies to address gaps and accelerate progress.
4. Includes realistic milestones, measurable outcomes, and mechanisms for evidence-based implementation and scaling of efforts.
5. Outlines credible strategies for mobilizing additional resources to expand impact beyond NSF funding.