Opportunity Information: Apply for PD 26 1341
The National Science Foundation (NSF) Professional Formation of Engineers (PFE) opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number PD 26 1341) is a discretionary grant program within NSF's broader ENGINEER program that focuses on strengthening the U.S. engineering workforce by tightly linking engineering research with engineering education. At its core, PFE is about how people actually become engineers over time, not only through coursework, but also through the beliefs, norms, habits, and professional value systems that shape engineering identity and practice. The program treats "professional formation" as something that happens through a mix of formal and informal experiences, and it encourages projects that study, design, test, and scale better ways to educate and develop both future engineers and engineers already in the workforce.
The central goal of PFE is to help produce an engineering workforce that is ethical, globally aware, and able to keep pace with a fast-changing technical landscape. NSF frames this as a national competitiveness issue as well as a workforce development challenge: the U.S. needs engineers who can contribute to emerging technologies, support industrial growth, and compete effectively in global markets. Because engineering work increasingly crosses borders, disciplines, and sectors, PFE emphasizes the formation of engineers who can adapt, continue learning, and operate responsibly in complex social and technological environments.
PFE-funded efforts can focus on many different learning contexts. Projects may center on traditional classroom education, but they can also be grounded in informal or co-curricular settings such as maker spaces, design clubs, student organizations, and other hands-on learning communities. The opportunity also explicitly includes workplace-based development, recognizing that cooperative education programs, internships, community-engaged experiences, and research lab training are often where professional habits and expectations become real. In practice, this means a proposal might address how to make internships more meaningful and equitable, how to structure mentoring in research groups, how maker spaces influence retention and identity, or how classroom-to-workplace transitions can be improved.
The scope also spans multiple scales of analysis, from close-up studies of mentor-mentee relationships to large-scale online learning systems and professional development programs. PFE recognizes that professional formation is shaped by individual relationships and local culture, but it is also shaped by systems, incentives, and structures that operate at institutional or national scale. As a result, strong projects often look at pathways rather than isolated interventions: how learners enter engineering, how they persist, how they gain recognized skills, and how they progress into professional roles.
A major theme in the solicitation is building and maintaining clear pathways to and through the engineering profession. These pathways can include formal education (such as degree programs), informal learning (like self-directed or community learning), apprenticeships, credentialing systems, and licensure. NSF also highlights that engineering does not operate in a vacuum; professional formation includes how engineers relate to other professionals, technical workers, and community members. That framing opens the door to projects that examine interdisciplinary collaboration, technician-to-engineer pathways, partnerships with industry and communities, and the social infrastructure that supports engineering practice.
PFE also calls attention to transitions across and within academia and industry, which are often friction points where talent is lost or skills are underused. This can include transitions from two-year to four-year programs, undergraduate to graduate study, education to employment, or early-career to mid-career reskilling. It can also include movement between industry and academia, such as engineers returning for advanced study or faculty building closer ties to contemporary engineering practice. Projects that clarify these transitions, reduce barriers, and create more coherent development experiences fit well with the stated intent of the program.
Finally, PFE explicitly states that improving professional formation requires expertise in both engineering and the social sciences. That is an important signal that NSF is looking for work that combines technical understanding of engineering practice with rigorous approaches to studying people, organizations, culture, learning, and systems. In other words, competitive projects are likely to be interdisciplinary, combining engineering education research, learning sciences, organizational research, sociology, psychology, or related fields with authentic engagement from engineering stakeholders.
Administratively, this opportunity is offered by the U.S. National Science Foundation under CFDA 47.041, uses a grant funding instrument, and falls under the Science and Technology and other Research and Development activity category. Eligibility is listed as unrestricted, indicating a broad pool of applicants may be able to apply, subject to NSF's standard proposal requirements. The source data lists an original closing date of 2076-10-06 and does not specify an award ceiling or expected number of awards in the provided excerpt, so applicants would typically rely on the full solicitation text and NSF guidance for current deadlines, budget expectations, and review criteria.Apply for PD 26 1341
- The U.S. National Science Foundation in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Professional Formation of Engineers (PFE)" 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 2026-04-17.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2076-10-06.
- Eligible applicants include: Unrestricted.
[Watch] Creating a grant proposal using the step-by-step wizard inside the applicant portal:
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) - NSF Professional Formation of Engineers (PFE) (PD 26 1341)
What is the NSF Professional Formation of Engineers (PFE) opportunity?
The Professional Formation of Engineers (PFE) opportunity is a discretionary grant program from the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF). It sits within NSF's broader ENGINEER program and focuses on strengthening the U.S. engineering workforce by tightly linking engineering research with engineering education.
What is the Funding Opportunity Number for this program?
The Funding Opportunity Number listed for this opportunity is PD 26 1341.
What does NSF mean by "professional formation" in PFE?
In PFE, "professional formation" refers to how people become engineers over time through more than coursework alone. It includes the development of beliefs, norms, habits, and professional value systems that shape engineering identity and engineering practice. NSF treats formation as something that happens through a mix of formal and informal experiences.
What is the central goal of PFE?
The central goal of PFE is to help produce an engineering workforce that is ethical, globally aware, and able to keep pace with a fast-changing technical landscape. NSF frames this as both a workforce development challenge and a national competitiveness issue.
Why does NSF connect PFE to national competitiveness?
The solicitation framing ties professional formation to the need for U.S. engineers who can contribute to emerging technologies, support industrial growth, and compete effectively in global markets. Because engineering work increasingly crosses borders, disciplines, and sectors, PFE emphasizes adaptability, continuous learning, and responsible practice.
What kinds of project activities does PFE encourage?
PFE encourages projects that study, design, test, and scale improved ways to educate and develop engineers. This can apply to future engineers (learners and students) as well as engineers already in the workforce.
Does PFE only fund traditional classroom-based education projects?
No. While PFE can include traditional classroom education, it also supports projects grounded in informal and co-curricular settings (for example, maker spaces, design clubs, student organizations, and other hands-on learning communities) as well as workplace-based development.
What are examples of non-classroom contexts that fit PFE?
Examples explicitly aligned with the opportunity description include maker spaces, design clubs, student organizations, and other hands-on learning communities, along with cooperative education programs, internships, community-engaged experiences, and research lab training.
How does PFE view internships, co-ops, and workplace experiences?
PFE recognizes that workplace-based development is often where professional habits and expectations become real. The opportunity description indicates that proposals could focus on making internships more meaningful and equitable, structuring mentoring in research groups, or improving classroom-to-workplace transitions.
What "scales" of research or intervention are relevant for PFE?
PFE spans multiple scales of analysis, ranging from close-up studies (such as mentor-mentee relationships) to large-scale systems (such as online learning systems and professional development programs). The program acknowledges that formation is shaped both by local relationships/culture and by larger systems, incentives, and structures.
Does PFE prefer isolated interventions or pathway-focused work?
The opportunity description suggests that strong projects often look at pathways rather than isolated interventions. This includes how learners enter engineering, persist, gain recognized skills, and progress into professional roles.
What does PFE mean by "pathways to and through the engineering profession"?
PFE highlights building and maintaining clear pathways that can include formal education (such as degree programs), informal learning (including self-directed or community learning), apprenticeships, credentialing systems, and licensure.
Can PFE projects address relationships between engineers and other groups?
Yes. The opportunity description notes that engineering does not operate in a vacuum, and that professional formation includes how engineers relate to other professionals, technical workers, and community members. This opens the door to work on interdisciplinary collaboration, technician-to-engineer pathways, partnerships with industry and communities, and the social infrastructure supporting engineering practice.
What kinds of transitions does PFE emphasize?
PFE calls attention to transitions across and within academia and industry that can be friction points where talent is lost or skills are underused. Examples described include transitions from two-year to four-year programs, undergraduate to graduate study, education to employment, early-career to mid-career reskilling, and movement between industry and academia.
Does PFE support projects focused on reducing barriers during transitions?
Yes. Projects that clarify transitions, reduce barriers, and create more coherent development experiences are described as fitting well with the stated intent of the program.
Is interdisciplinary expertise expected in PFE proposals?
The opportunity explicitly states that improving professional formation requires expertise in both engineering and the social sciences. Competitive work is therefore expected to combine authentic engagement with engineering stakeholders and rigorous approaches to studying people, organizations, culture, learning, and systems.
What social science or related disciplines are mentioned as relevant?
The description points to interdisciplinary combinations that may include engineering education research, learning sciences, organizational research, sociology, psychology, or related fields, alongside technical understanding of engineering practice.
What agency offers this funding opportunity?
This opportunity is offered by the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF).
What is the CFDA number associated with this opportunity?
The CFDA number listed is 47.041.
What type of funding instrument is used?
The opportunity uses a grant funding instrument.
What is the activity category for this opportunity?
The activity category is listed as Science and Technology and other Research and Development.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is listed as unrestricted, indicating a broad pool of applicants may be able to apply, subject to NSF's standard proposal requirements.
Is the award ceiling provided in the information excerpt?
No. The provided information does not specify an award ceiling.
Is the expected number of awards provided in the information excerpt?
No. The provided information does not state the expected number of awards.
What is the closing date listed in the source data?
The source data lists an original closing date of 2076-10-06.
Should applicants rely on the excerpted closing date and budget details?
The excerpt notes that applicants would typically rely on the full solicitation text and NSF guidance for current deadlines, budget expectations, and review criteria, since those details are not fully specified in the provided information.
Browse more opportunities from the same category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development
Previous opportunity: Limited Competition for the Continuation of the Caring for OutPatiEnts after Acute Kidney Injury (COPE-AKI) Clinical Centers (U01 Clinical Trial Required)
Applicant Portal:
Are you interested in learning about about how to apply for this government funding opportunity? You can create a free applicant account and receive instant access to our applicant portal that many business owners like you have benefited from.
Apply for PD 26 1341
Applicants also applied for:
Applicants who have applied for this opportunity (PD 26 1341) also looked into and applied for these:
| Funding Opportunity |
|---|
| NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts (NIAC) Phase I Apply for NNH26ZTR001N 27NIAC A1 Funding Number: NNH26ZTR001N 27NIAC A1 Agency: NASA Headquarters Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $225,000 |
| NIJ FY 2026 Invited to Apply - Advancing the Understanding of 3D Algorithms for Firearm Identification Apply for O NIJ 2026 172787 Funding Number: O NIJ 2026 172787 Agency: National Institute of Justice Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $500,000 |
| NIJ FY 2026 Invited to Apply - Operation of the Secretariat of SC 37 under JTC 1 of ISO/IEC Apply for O NIJ 2026 172785 Funding Number: O NIJ 2026 172785 Agency: National Institute of Justice Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $60,000 |
| NIJ FY 2026 Invited to Apply - A Universal Method for the Detection of Gunshot Residue using Vibrational Spectroscopy Apply for O NIJ 2026 172786 Funding Number: O NIJ 2026 172786 Agency: National Institute of Justice Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $402,889 |
| NIJ FY 2026 Invited to Apply - Novel Psychoactive Substance Discovery, Education, and Reporting Institute Apply for O NIJ 2026 172784 Funding Number: O NIJ 2026 172784 Agency: National Institute of Justice Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $1,000,000 |
| The Science, Mathematics and Research for Transformation (SMART) Scholarship for Service Program Cooperative Agreement Apply for W911NF 27 R A001 Funding Number: W911NF 27 R A001 Agency: Dept of the Army -- Materiel Command Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $1,300,000,000 |
| Cooperative Agreement for Affiliated Partner with the Southern Appalachian Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU) Apply for G27AS00165 Funding Number: G27AS00165 Agency: Geological Survey Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $330,000 |
| Space Technology Research Institutes Apply for NNH26ZTR001N 26STRI B3 Funding Number: NNH26ZTR001N 26STRI B3 Agency: NASA Headquarters Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $13,000,000 |
| Genesis Mission Graduate Fellowship Pilot Apply for DE FOA 0003673 Funding Number: DE FOA 0003673 Agency: Office of Science Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $20,000,000 |
| NIJ FY 2026 Evaluation of the Effectiveness of the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) Byrne State Crisis Intervention Program (SCIP) Apply for O NIJ 2026 172798 Funding Number: O NIJ 2026 172798 Agency: National Institute of Justice Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $5,943,493 |
| NIJ FY 2026 Research and Evaluation on School Safety Apply for O NIJ 2026 172796 Funding Number: O NIJ 2026 172796 Agency: National Institute of Justice Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $5,000,000 |
| NIJ FY 2026 Crime and Justice Research Apply for O NIJ 2026 172801 Funding Number: O NIJ 2026 172801 Agency: National Institute of Justice Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $5,000,000 |
| NIJ FY 2026 Research and Evaluation on Justice System Responses to Illegal Immigration Apply for O NIJ 2026 172800 Funding Number: O NIJ 2026 172800 Agency: National Institute of Justice Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $3,000,000 |
| NIJ FY 2026 Research on Gender Dysphoria and Violent Crime Apply for O NIJ 2026 172802 Funding Number: O NIJ 2026 172802 Agency: National Institute of Justice Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $1,000,000 |
| NIJ FY 2026 Research and Evaluation on Human Trafficking Apply for O NIJ 2026 172799 Funding Number: O NIJ 2026 172799 Agency: National Institute of Justice Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $2,500,000 |
| Cooperative Agreement for affiliated Partner with Great Lakes-Northern Forest Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit Apply for G27AS00049 Funding Number: G27AS00049 Agency: Geological Survey Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $485,000 |
| Cooperative Agreement for affiliated Partner with Chesapeake Watershed Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit Apply for G27AS00048 Funding Number: G27AS00048 Agency: Geological Survey Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $450,000 |
| Cooperative Agreement for affiliated Partner with Rocky Mountain Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit Apply for G27AS00042 Funding Number: G27AS00042 Agency: Geological Survey Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $100,000 |
| Cooperative Agreement for affiliated Partner with Northern Great Plains Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit Apply for G27AS00052 Funding Number: G27AS00052 Agency: Geological Survey Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $450,000 |
| Cooperative Agreement for Affiliated Partner with the Great Lakes-Northern Forest Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU) Apply for G27AS00079 Funding Number: G27AS00079 Agency: Geological Survey Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $150,000 |
Grant application guides and resources
It is always free to apply for government grants. However the process may be very complex depending on the funding opportunity you are applying for. Let us help you!
Apply for Grants
Inside Our Applicants Portal
Access Applicants Portal
- Grants Repository - Access current and historic funding opportunities with ease. Thousands of funding opportunities are published every week. We can help you sort through the database and find the eligible ones to apply for.
- Applicant Video Guides - The grant application process can be challenging to follow. We can help you with intuitive video guides to speed up the process and eliminate errors in submissions.
- Grant Proposal Wizard - We have developed a network of private funding organizations and investors across the United States. We can reach out and submit your proposal to these contacts to maximize your chances of getting the funding you need.
Premium leads for funding administrators, grant writers, and loan issuers
Thousands of people visit our website for their funding needs every day. When a user creates a grant proposal and files for submission, we pass the information on to funding administrators, grant writers, and government loan issuers.
If you manage government grant programs, provide grant writing services, or issue personal or government loans, we can help you reach your audience.
Learn More
Request more information:
Would you like to learn more about this funding opportunity, similar opportunities to "PD 26 1341", eligibility, application service, and/or application tips? Submit an inquiry below:
Don't forget to subscribe to our grant alerts mailing list to receive weekly alerts on new and updated grant funding opportunities like this one in your email.