Quantum Leap Challenge Institutes (QLCI) — U.S. National Science Foundation funding opportunity
U.S. National Science Foundation · Federal agency

Quantum Leap Challenge Institutes (QLCI)

Posted 21d ago

Quantum Leap Challenge Institutes are large-scale interdisciplinary research projects motivated by major challenges at the frontiers of quantum information science and technology (QIST). Institutes are expected to cataly...

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match
Award $10M–$45M Deadline Fixed Location Alabama Type grant Level Federal Open posted Oct 9, 2026
✦ AI Summary
  • Who can apply: Federal-level applicants (see eligibility for details).
  • Funding amount: $10,000,000 – $45,000,000, total pool ~$300,000,000.
  • Issued by: U.S. National Science Foundation.
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How was this generated?

The “key facts” mode pulls structured fields directly from the official source posting (amount, deadline, eligibility tags). The AI mode adds a short plain-English narrative on top, generated from the same source. Always verify with the agency before applying.

AI-generated. Always verify with the official source.

Who can apply — at a glance

  • Eligible applicants: see the Eligibility tab for the criteria from the official announcement.
  • Where: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming, District of Columbia.
  • Award: $10M–$45M. Total program pool: $300,000,000.
  • Matching funds: not required.
  • Deadline type: Fixed.

Compiled from the official listing's structured fields — always verify with the funder before applying.

About the funder

U.S. National Science Foundation is a federal-level funder.

See all 836 open programs from this agency →

Award amount
$10M–$45M
Deadline
Fixed
Total pool
$300M

About this opportunity

Quantum Leap Challenge Institutes are large-scale interdisciplinary research projects motivated by major challenges at the frontiers of quantum information science and technology (QIST). Institutes are expected to catalyze breakthroughs on important problems underpinning QIST, for example in the focus areas of quantum computation, quantum communication, quantum simulation and/or quantum sensing. Successful institutes will coordinate a variety of approaches to specific educational goals in these fields, including multiple institutions and building upon multiple disciplines, as motivated by the science and engineering challenges. In so doing, Institutes will nurture a culture of discovery, provide workforce development opportunities in the context of cutting-edge research, and demonstrate value-added from synergistic coordination within the institute and with the broader community. collaboration, and new applications for QIST should be fostered by Institutes in support of their coordination goals. The QLCI program can support awards to continue existing Quantum Leap Challenge Institutes or to establish and operate new Quantum Leap Challenge Institutes. In either case, proposers should follow the same guidance for Challenge Institute proposal preparation described in this solicitation. While this is a crosscutting program, proposals responding to this solicitation must be submitted to the Office of Strategic Initiatives (OSI) in the Directorate of Mathematical and Physical Sciences (MPS). They will subsequently be managed by a cross-disciplinary team of NSF Program Directors. The QLCI program enables NSF multidisciplinary centers for quantum research and education as called for in the National Quantum Initiative (NQI) Act1 and an NQI Advisory Committee report, Renewing the National Quantum Initiative: Recommendations for Sustaining American Leadership in Quantum Information Science2. In alignment with the NQI Act, Quantum Leap Challenge Institutes shall pursue research at the frontiers of quantum information technology, and explore solutions to important challenges for the pioneering use of quantum technologies. QLCI Institutes shall also lead workforce development activities as may be needed for sustained leadership in QIST and related topics. Coordination both within each Institute and with new partners and the broader ecosystem should also serve to galvanize the community and catalyze the research and education activities in ways that go beyond what smaller projects could accomplish in isolation. 1 National Quantum Initiative Act, Public Law 115-368, of December 21, 2018. 2 https://www.quantum.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/NQIAC-Report-Renewing-the-National-Quantum-Initiative.pdf

Funding agency

U.S. National Science Foundation
Federal agency

Tags

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Who can apply

Eligibility details aren't on file yet — check the agency source link in the Documents tab for the latest rules.

Geographic eligibility

  • Alabama
  • Alaska
  • Arizona
  • Arkansas
  • California
  • Colorado
  • Connecticut
  • Delaware
  • Florida
  • Georgia
  • Hawaii
  • Idaho
  • Illinois
  • Indiana
  • Iowa
  • Kansas
  • Kentucky
  • Louisiana
  • Maine
  • Maryland
  • Massachusetts
  • Michigan
  • Minnesota
  • Mississippi
  • Missouri
  • Montana
  • Nebraska
  • Nevada
  • New Hampshire
  • New Jersey
  • New Mexico
  • New York
  • North Carolina
  • North Dakota
  • Ohio
  • Oklahoma
  • Oregon
  • Pennsylvania
  • Rhode Island
  • South Carolina
  • South Dakota
  • Tennessee
  • Texas
  • Utah
  • Vermont
  • Virginia
  • Washington
  • West Virginia
  • Wisconsin
  • Wyoming
  • District of Columbia

How to apply

We don't have application instructions on file yet — head straight to the official source.

Apply on agency site
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Source documents

View on agency site
Canonical NOFO, application packet, and forms
No supplemental documents yet.

Direct downloads (NOFO PDFs, application forms, FAQs) will appear here once our team attaches them. For now, the agency site has the canonical packet.

Citation details

Source systemgrants.gov
Source ID364054
PostedOct 9, 2026

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