NSF AI-Ready America (TechAccess)

NSF AI-Ready America, branded in the record as TechAccess, sits under NSF TIP and aims to make Americans AI-literate and AI-ready. It is built to support state and territorial coordination across education, business, and public services, with an explicit push to help organizations adopt AI and strengthen local workforce capacity. The program is more civic infrastructure than startup support. The core hub awards provide $1 million per year for three years, with one optional additional year, and the solicitation allows up to 56 hubs across states, the District of Columbia, and U.S. territories. A National Coordination Lead can receive up to $3 million per year for up to five years, and the initiative also includes AI-Ready Catalyst competitions at $5 million and $10 million. Round 1 set a letter of intent deadline of June 16, 2026 and a full proposal deadline of July 16, 2026. Eligibility is aimed at state agencies, universities, and nonprofits that can serve as statewide coordination vehicles. For applicants, the central test is whether they can organize broad AI readiness rather than deliver a narrow product, since the program is designed to knit together jurisdictions and institutions. That makes it best suited to public-facing infrastructure groups with reach across a state or territory.

Each grant below is a distinct funding opportunity with its own eligibility, scope, and deliverables.