Opportunity Information: Apply for 21 527
The Environmental Convergence Opportunities in Chemical, Bioengineering, Environmental, and Transport Systems (ECO-CBET) grant is a National Science Foundation (NSF) funding opportunity designed to push environmental and sustainability research beyond traditional disciplinary boundaries. The central idea is that many of todays hardest problems like climate change, pollution, sustainable resource use, and resilient infrastructure are too complex for any single field to solve on its own. This program is rooted in the National Academies report "Environmental Engineering for the 21st Century: Addressing Grand Challenges," which lays out five broad societal challenges: sustainably supplying food, water, and energy; curbing climate change and adapting to impacts; designing a future without pollution and waste; creating efficient, healthy, resilient cities; and fostering informed decisions and actions. ECO-CBET aims to fund research that directly contributes to progress on these kinds of challenges by using a convergence research model, meaning teams intentionally integrate methods, knowledge, and ways of thinking from multiple fields into one tightly connected effort rather than running parallel, loosely coordinated projects.
A key emphasis of ECO-CBET is fundamental research that unlocks new foundational understanding of environmental processes and mechanisms, with the explicit goal of enabling future breakthroughs in the design of materials, processes, and systems. In practice, NSF is looking for projects that do more than apply existing tools to environmental problems. Instead, proposals should develop new scientific or engineering knowledge that can open up unanticipated solutions, such as new approaches to separations, new catalytic or electrochemical pathways, improved models of transport in complex media, or new bioengineered systems that change how environmental treatment, monitoring, or resource recovery can be done. The solicitation encourages ambitious, sustained, and coordinated efforts, meaning the work should be structured as a true team science project where the collaboration itself is essential to the research approach and outcomes.
The program is housed within NSF Engineerings Division of Chemical, Bioengineering, Environmental, and Transport Systems (CBET), and it intentionally pulls from CBETs core research communities. The solicitation broadly welcomes convergent teams spanning Chemical Process Systems (including catalysis, electrochemical systems, interfacial engineering, and process systems and reaction engineering), Engineering Biology and Health (including biosensing, cellular and biochemical engineering, and related areas), Environmental Engineering and Sustainability (including environmental sustainability and nanoscale interactions), and Transport Phenomena (including fluid dynamics, multiphase and particulate processes, and thermal transport). The strongest proposals are expected to combine complementary and distinct expertise across these areas, especially by linking communities that do not typically work together. The goal is to spark innovation through deep integration, for example connecting transport and interfacial phenomena with environmental treatment, or combining electrochemical systems with resource recovery and sustainability design, or merging biosensing and environmental systems to enable new monitoring and control strategies.
Team structure is a formal requirement and a major review focus. ECO-CBET proposals must name at least three investigators, and each investigator is expected to bring a genuinely different perspective or skillset that is necessary for the proposed research plan. NSF explicitly encourages creative team formation, including the option to add expertise beyond the usual CBET scope when it strengthens the work. That can include manufacturing expertise (to improve scalability or deployment pathways) and, when appropriate, social, behavioral, and economic sciences to expand real-world impact, decision relevance, adoption, and broader sustainability outcomes. Another stated objective is workforce development: training students and early-career researchers to work effectively across disciplines, since the program views that capability as essential for long-term progress on environmental and sustainability challenges.
While ECO-CBET is not limited to one narrow topic area, the solicitation highlights three priority themes for the current cycle: (1) greenhouse gas mitigation, (2) managing the nitrogen cycle, and (3) sustainable water purification and resource recovery systems. These priority areas signal where NSF is especially interested in seeing convergent, mechanism-driven advances, such as new mitigation pathways and systems for carbon or methane, deeper process understanding and innovative interventions for reactive nitrogen across engineered and natural systems, and next-generation purification and recovery approaches that reduce energy use, waste, and environmental burdens while reclaiming valuable resources.
In terms of funding, ECO-CBET awards are large, multi-year team grants. Typical awards are expected to fall between $1.5 million and $1.7 million total over four years, with budgets expected to match the scope and complexity of the work. Pending availability of funds, NSF indicates that awards may be eligible for a single renewal, extending total support up to eight years, but renewal is not automatic and would require a competitive merit review. The opportunity is labeled as a discretionary NSF grant under CFDA 47.041, with an anticipated number of awards around six for the referenced cycle. NSF also notes that, assuming adequate budget, the competition is expected to run annually, though the priority topic areas may shift in future years as agency and societal needs evolve.
Administrative details from the posted notice include Funding Opportunity Number 21-527, an NSF release date of November 13, 2020, and an original closing date of May 7, 2021. Eligibility is listed broadly as "Others" with further clarification in the official eligibility text, which typically means applicants should consult the full NSF solicitation and standard NSF eligibility rules to confirm institutional and organizational fit before preparing a proposal. Overall, ECO-CBET is best understood as a program for high-impact, interdisciplinary teams proposing foundational, tightly integrated research that can change what is possible in environmental engineering and sustainability by combining chemical process systems, transport science, and bioengineering with environmental and sustainability expertise.Apply for 21 527
- The National Science Foundation in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Environmental Convergence Opportunities in Chemical, Bioengineering, Environmental, and Transport Systems" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 47.041.
- This funding opportunity was created on Nov 13, 2020.
- Applicants must submit their applications by May 07, 2021. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $1,700,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 6 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): NSF ECO-CBET Grant
What is the ECO-CBET grant opportunity?
ECO-CBET (Environmental Convergence Opportunities in Chemical, Bioengineering, Environmental, and Transport Systems) is a National Science Foundation (NSF) funding opportunity aimed at advancing environmental and sustainability research through a convergence research model. It is designed for projects that integrate multiple disciplines into a single, tightly connected research effort focused on major environmental challenges.
What does "convergence research" mean in this program?
In ECO-CBET, convergence research means the team intentionally integrates methods, knowledge, and ways of thinking from multiple fields into one coordinated approach. It is not meant to be a set of parallel projects that are only loosely connected; the collaboration itself should be essential to the research plan and outcomes.
What kinds of problems is ECO-CBET trying to address?
The program targets complex environmental and sustainability challenges that cannot be solved by a single discipline, including issues such as climate change, pollution, sustainable resource use, and resilient infrastructure. The solicitation is rooted in the National Academies report "Environmental Engineering for the 21st Century: Addressing Grand Challenges," which frames five broad societal challenges around sustainability, climate, pollution and waste, resilient cities, and informed decision-making.
What type of research is NSF looking for under ECO-CBET?
ECO-CBET emphasizes fundamental research that produces new foundational understanding of environmental processes and mechanisms. NSF is looking for proposals that go beyond applying existing tools, and instead develop new scientific or engineering knowledge that can enable future breakthroughs in materials, processes, and systems.
Does ECO-CBET support applied or implementation-only projects?
Based on the program description, the emphasis is on fundamental, mechanism-driven research rather than projects that primarily apply established methods. Projects are expected to unlock new understanding that can lead to unanticipated solutions and future breakthroughs.
What are examples of the kinds of advances ECO-CBET hopes to enable?
The solicitation describes advances such as new approaches to separations, new catalytic or electrochemical pathways, improved models of transport in complex media, and new bioengineered systems that change how environmental treatment, monitoring, or resource recovery can be done.
Which NSF unit hosts this program?
ECO-CBET is housed within NSF Engineering, specifically within the Division of Chemical, Bioengineering, Environmental, and Transport Systems (CBET).
Which research communities and areas are considered a fit for ECO-CBET?
The program pulls from CBET core research communities and welcomes convergent teams spanning areas such as:
- Chemical Process Systems (including catalysis, electrochemical systems, interfacial engineering, process systems, and reaction engineering)
- Engineering Biology and Health (including biosensing, cellular and biochemical engineering, and related areas)
- Environmental Engineering and Sustainability (including environmental sustainability and nanoscale interactions)
- Transport Phenomena (including fluid dynamics, multiphase and particulate processes, and thermal transport)
How important is team structure in ECO-CBET proposals?
Team structure is a formal requirement and a major review focus. The opportunity is designed as a team science program where the integrated collaboration is central to both the approach and the expected outcomes.
How many investigators are required on an ECO-CBET proposal?
ECO-CBET proposals must name at least three investigators.
Do the investigators need to have different backgrounds?
Yes. Each investigator is expected to bring a genuinely different perspective or skillset that is necessary for the proposed research plan. Strong proposals are expected to combine complementary and distinct expertise, particularly by linking communities that do not typically work together.
Can teams include expertise outside the typical CBET scope?
Yes. NSF explicitly encourages creative team formation, including adding expertise beyond the usual CBET scope when it strengthens the project. The description specifically notes that manufacturing expertise may be included to improve scalability or deployment pathways, and that social, behavioral, and economic sciences may be included when appropriate to expand real-world impact and decision relevance.
Is workforce development part of the program goals?
Yes. A stated objective is workforce development, including training students and early-career researchers to work effectively across disciplines, which the program views as essential for long-term progress on environmental and sustainability challenges.
Are there priority topics for the current cycle?
Yes. The solicitation highlights three priority themes for the current cycle:
- Greenhouse gas mitigation
- Managing the nitrogen cycle
- Sustainable water purification and resource recovery systems
What kinds of work fit within the greenhouse gas mitigation priority?
The description signals interest in convergent, mechanism-driven advances such as new mitigation pathways and systems for carbon or methane.
What does "managing the nitrogen cycle" mean in this context?
Within the solicitation summary, this priority focuses on deeper process understanding and innovative interventions for reactive nitrogen across engineered and natural systems, supported by convergent, mechanism-driven research.
What does NSF mean by "sustainable water purification and resource recovery systems"?
The program highlights next-generation purification and recovery approaches that reduce energy use, waste, and environmental burdens while reclaiming valuable resources, grounded in new understanding of mechanisms and processes.
How much funding is typical for an ECO-CBET award?
Typical awards are expected to range from about $1.5 million to $1.7 million total over four years, with budgets expected to match the scope and complexity of the work.
How long do ECO-CBET awards last?
The typical award duration described is four years.
Is renewal possible?
Pending availability of funds, awards may be eligible for a single renewal, extending total support up to eight years. Renewal is not automatic and would require a competitive merit review.
How many awards does NSF expect to make?
The notice indicates an anticipated number of awards around six for the referenced cycle.
Is ECO-CBET expected to be offered again in future years?
NSF notes that, assuming adequate budget, the competition is expected to run annually. However, the priority topic areas may shift in future years as agency and societal needs evolve.
What is the Funding Opportunity Number for ECO-CBET?
The Funding Opportunity Number listed is 21-527.
What are the posted release and closing dates in the notice?
The NSF release date listed is November 13, 2020, and the original closing date listed is May 7, 2021.
What is the CFDA number associated with this NSF grant?
The opportunity is labeled under CFDA 47.041.
Who is eligible to apply?
The notice lists eligibility broadly as "Others" and indicates that additional clarification is contained in the official eligibility text. Applicants are expected to consult the full NSF solicitation and standard NSF eligibility rules to confirm whether their institution or organization is eligible.
What makes a proposal "strong" or well-aligned with ECO-CBET based on the notice?
Based on the description provided, strong proposals are expected to: (1) be truly convergent and tightly integrated across disciplines, (2) pursue fundamental, mechanism-driven research that creates new knowledge rather than only applying existing tools, (3) assemble a team of at least three investigators with distinct and necessary expertise, and (4) connect complementary CBET areas, particularly communities that do not typically collaborate.
Does the program encourage specific cross-disciplinary combinations?
Yes. Examples in the description include linking transport and interfacial phenomena with environmental treatment, combining electrochemical systems with resource recovery and sustainability design, and merging biosensing with environmental systems to enable new monitoring and control strategies.
Why does NSF emphasize integration instead of loosely coordinated projects?
The program rationale is that todays hardest environmental and sustainability problems are too complex for any single field to solve on its own. ECO-CBET is designed to push beyond traditional disciplinary boundaries by building a unified research effort where integration is central to generating breakthroughs.
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