National Science Foundation (): Budget Request to Congress Overview for Fiscal Year
This report provides an in-depth analysis of the core documents of the fiscal year budget request submitted in (year) and (month). It reveals the top-level design and funding allocation logic aimed at strengthening U.S. technological leadership and national security foundations, through strategic resource realignment and prioritized investments in key areas such as artificial intelligence, quantum information science, and biotechnology, within a fiscally constrained environment.
Detail
Published
22/12/2025
Key Chapter Title List
- Budget Request Overview and Strategic Priorities
- Research and Related Activities (R&RA) Overview
- NSF Summary Tables
- Research and Infrastructure Funding Status
- NSF-Wide Investments
- Major Research Equipment and Facilities Construction (MREFC) Overview
- Organizational Excellence and Agency Operations and Award Management (AOAM)
- Performance and Management
- NSF Authorizations and Other Reports
- Congressional Report on Computer Science Education Research
- EPSCoR Program Report to Congress for Fiscal Year 2024
- CHIPS and Science Act Fiscal Year 2026 Spending Plan
Document Introduction
This report is an in-depth analysis based on the official "Fiscal Year 2026 Budget Request" document submitted by the National Science Foundation (NSF) to Congress on May 30, 2025. The total request amounts to $3,903.15 million (excluding mandatory appropriations), reflecting strategic resource adjustments in a constrained budgetary environment. The core argument of the report is that NSF is shifting public funding from broad support for traditional basic science towards focused investments in specific frontier areas that are expected to drive economic growth, enhance U.S. technological leadership, and directly serve national security and critical industrial needs.
The structured presentation of the request document first clarifies the strategic budget priorities. Artificial Intelligence (with a proposed investment of $655.23 million) is placed at the forefront, with goals not only to advance the theoretical foundations of trustworthy AI but also to emphasize breakthroughs in specific application domains to maintain U.S. global dominance in this field. Closely following are Quantum Information Science ($231.15 million) and the Directorate for Technology, Innovation and Partnerships ($350 million), the latter accelerating technology commercialization through programs like SBIR/STTR. Furthermore, areas such as Biotechnology ($248.59 million), Advanced Manufacturing ($110.1 million), Microelectronics and Semiconductors ($65.75 million), and Advanced Wireless ($59.46 million) are also listed as key directions for continued investment. These investments aim to directly address challenges from global competitors and ensure the security and autonomy of strategic supply chains in areas like semiconductors and the bioeconomy.
The report provides a detailed analysis of NSF's internal resource reallocation. The total FY 2026 request shows a significant decrease of 56.9% compared to the current FY 2024 plan, with the Research and Related Activities (R&RA) account decreasing by 60.8%. Budget requests for various scientific directorates (such as BIO, CISE, EDU, ENG, MPS, etc.) all show substantial cuts, ranging from 44.6% to 75%. In contrast, the Major Research Equipment and Facilities Construction (MREFC) account increased by 7.3%, focusing on supporting ongoing projects like the Leadership-Class Computing Facility ($201 million) and Antarctic Infrastructure Recapitalization ($24 million). This adjustment signals NSF's attempt to ensure investments in hard infrastructure and strategic technology areas critical to national competitiveness within a limited total budget by compressing funding for some basic research.
Research security is another prominent theme in this budget request. NSF is expanding its research security strategy and policy capabilities to implement relevant provisions of the CHIPS and Science Act. Specific activities include supporting the Securing America's Research Enterprise initiative and the Research Security Research program, aiming to identify and mitigate risks of foreign interference and protect U.S.-funded research endeavors. This reflects deep U.S. concerns regarding the vulnerabilities of its research system and intellectual property protection amid intensifying global technological competition.
Additionally, the report includes several legally mandated authorization reports, such as the "Congressional Report on Computer Science Education Research" and the "EPSCoR Program Report to Congress for Fiscal Year 2024," providing detailed data on the performance and fund allocation of specific programs. The "CHIPS and Science Act Fiscal Year 2026 Spending Plan" specifies that $50 million will be allocated for microelectronics workforce development activities, directly serving the talent needs of the domestic semiconductor industry.
In summary, this budget request document is not merely a financial plan but a strategic declaration on how the United States intends to maintain its scientific and technological hegemony in the new era. It clearly reveals the trend of resources tilting towards areas deemed critical to national strength, such as artificial intelligence, quantum technology, semiconductors, and biomanufacturing, and elevates research security to an unprecedented level. Its policy orientation and resource allocation logic hold significant reference value for understanding the future landscape of U.S. technological competition.