Opportunity Information: Apply for 23 604
The NSF National Quantum Virtual Laboratory (NQVL) opportunity is a federal research grant program aimed at speeding up the United States' progress from foundational quantum research to practical, usable quantum technologies. It sits under the broader goals of the National Quantum Initiative (NQI) Act, which is designed to maintain U.S. leadership in quantum information science and technology. The core idea behind this solicitation is that quantum technology will mature faster if researchers do not work in isolation, but instead build platforms and demonstrations in tight partnership with real end-users, potential customers, and application communities across science, engineering, and the wider economy. By bringing those users into repeated cycles of research, development, and demonstration, NSF expects barriers to adoption to drop and new applications to emerge sooner, helping to catalyze a stronger market for quantum technologies.
NQVL is framed as a shared, community-oriented infrastructure rather than a single standalone lab. NSF describes it as an overarching structure to support translation from basic science and engineering into technology, while still pushing scientific and technical frontiers. The program emphasizes "use-inspired" and "application-oriented" quantum technologies, meaning proposals should not only advance the underlying science, but also show credible paths toward demonstration, integration, and real-world relevance. Alongside technology development, NQVL has explicit goals around workforce development, education and training in Quantum Information Science and Engineering (QISE), outreach at multiple levels, and strong attention to broadening participation, diversity, equity, and inclusion. In other words, it is not just about building quantum systems; it is also about expanding who can contribute to and benefit from the quantum ecosystem.
Structurally, NSF lays out a larger NQVL vision that includes several components: Quantum Science and Technology Demonstration (QSTD) projects that validate and showcase capabilities; support for enabling technologies through Transformative Advances in Quantum Systems (TAQS); and a central coordination hub to connect efforts across the community. However, the solicitation described here is focused specifically on proposals for Pilot-phase QSTD projects. These pilot demonstrations are meant to be early, concrete efforts that help validate approaches, reduce risk, and build momentum toward broader, more mature demonstration activities within the eventual NQVL framework.
A major theme of the opportunity is that success requires participation across the full U.S. QISE community, spanning universities, non-profit research and education organizations, and especially industry. NSF explicitly highlights industry involvement as essential and welcomes industry partners as part of the overall structure, which signals that proposals will likely be stronger when they include credible partners who can help drive requirements, provide hardware/software expertise, enable access to platforms, or guide pathways to adoption. Collaboration with other U.S. federal agencies under the NQI umbrella is also encouraged, reinforcing the idea that NQVL is intended to be a national-scale, coordinated effort rather than a collection of disconnected projects.
Eligibility to submit is limited to U.S.-based institutions of higher education (including accredited two-year and four-year institutions such as community colleges) and U.S. non-profit, non-academic organizations that are directly tied to research or educational activities (for example, independent museums, observatories, research laboratories, and professional societies). If a proposal includes funding that would flow to an international branch campus of a U.S. institution (including via subawards or consultants), the applicant must clearly explain why that international performance is beneficial and why the work cannot be done at the U.S. campus. The principal investigator must be a faculty member at the lead organization or a permanent staff person at an eligible non-profit, non-academic organization with authority to act on behalf of that organization, while co-PIs may come from other organizations beyond the lead.
Operationally, there is an important pre-submission requirement: prospective PIs must contact the NQVL Program Officer(s) as early as possible and no later than two weeks before proposal submission. The purpose is to confirm that the project focus and budget fit the solicitation, which suggests NSF expects proposals to align tightly with the pilot QSTD intent and the broader NQVL concept. The opportunity is offered as a discretionary NSF grant in the science and technology R and D category, associated with multiple NSF CFDA listings (47.041, 47.049, 47.070, 47.074, 47.076, 47.084). The original closing date listed for this opportunity is June 11, 2024.Apply for 23 604
- The National Science Foundation in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "NSF National Quantum Virtual Laboratory" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 47.041, 47.049, 47.070, 47.074, 47.076, 47.084.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2023-07-18.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2024-06-11. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Eligible applicants include: Others.
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NSF National Quantum Virtual Laboratory (NQVL) Pilot-phase QSTD Projects: FAQs
What is the NSF National Quantum Virtual Laboratory (NQVL) opportunity?
The National Quantum Virtual Laboratory (NQVL) opportunity is an NSF federal research grant program intended to speed up the United States' progress from foundational quantum research to practical, usable quantum technologies. It aligns with the National Quantum Initiative (NQI) Act goals of maintaining U.S. leadership in quantum information science and technology.
What is the main purpose of NQVL?
NQVL is designed to accelerate the translation of quantum science and engineering into real-world technology by encouraging tightly coupled collaboration between researchers and real end-users, customers, and application communities. NSF expects repeated cycles of research, development, and demonstration with users to reduce adoption barriers and help new applications emerge faster.
How does NSF describe NQVL: a single lab or something else?
NSF frames NQVL as shared, community-oriented infrastructure rather than a single standalone laboratory. It is described as an overarching structure that supports technology translation while continuing to push scientific and technical frontiers.
What kinds of quantum work does NQVL emphasize?
The program emphasizes "use-inspired" and "application-oriented" quantum technologies. Proposals are expected to advance underlying science and engineering while also presenting credible paths toward demonstration, integration, and real-world relevance.
What is included in the broader NQVL vision?
NSF outlines an NQVL structure that includes Quantum Science and Technology Demonstration (QSTD) projects, enabling technologies supported through Transformative Advances in Quantum Systems (TAQS), and a central coordination hub to connect efforts across the community.
What specific component is this solicitation focused on?
This solicitation is specifically focused on proposals for Pilot-phase Quantum Science and Technology Demonstration (QSTD) projects, rather than the entire NQVL structure.
What are Pilot-phase QSTD projects?
Pilot-phase QSTD projects are early, concrete demonstration efforts intended to validate approaches, reduce risk, and build momentum toward broader and more mature demonstrations envisioned under the eventual NQVL framework.
Why does NSF stress end-user involvement and partnerships?
NSF states that quantum technology will mature faster when researchers do not work in isolation, but instead build platforms and demonstrations in close partnership with end-users and application communities. This approach is intended to clarify requirements, improve demonstrations, reduce adoption barriers, and accelerate practical deployment.
Is industry participation required or encouraged?
Industry involvement is explicitly highlighted as essential to success. NSF welcomes industry partners as part of the overall structure, and proposals are likely to be stronger when they include credible industry partners that can help drive requirements, contribute expertise, enable access to platforms, or guide pathways to adoption.
Are collaborations with other federal agencies allowed?
Yes. Collaboration with other U.S. federal agencies under the National Quantum Initiative umbrella is encouraged, reflecting NSF's intent for NQVL to be a coordinated national-scale effort.
Does NQVL include workforce development and education goals?
Yes. In addition to technology development, NQVL includes explicit goals around workforce development, education and training in Quantum Information Science and Engineering (QISE), outreach at multiple levels, and attention to broadening participation, diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Who is eligible to submit a proposal as the lead organization?
Eligibility to submit is limited to U.S.-based institutions of higher education (including accredited two-year and four-year institutions such as community colleges) and U.S. non-profit, non-academic organizations directly tied to research or educational activities (for example, independent museums, observatories, research laboratories, and professional societies).
Can a community college submit as the lead?
Yes. Accredited two-year institutions, including community colleges, are included within the eligible institutions of higher education.
Can a non-profit organization submit if it is not a university?
Yes, if it is a U.S. non-profit, non-academic organization directly tied to research or educational activities (such as independent museums, observatories, research laboratories, and professional societies).
Who can serve as the Principal Investigator (PI)?
The PI must be a faculty member at the lead organization or a permanent staff person at an eligible non-profit, non-academic organization, with authority to act on behalf of that organization.
Who can serve as co-Principal Investigators (co-PIs)?
Co-PIs may come from other organizations beyond the lead organization.
Can a proposal include international activities or funding for an international branch campus?
Yes, but if the proposal includes funding that would flow to an international branch campus of a U.S. institution (including through subawards or consultants), the applicant must clearly explain why the international performance is beneficial and why the work cannot be done at the U.S. campus.
Is there a required pre-submission step before applying?
Yes. Prospective PIs must contact the NQVL Program Officer(s) as early as possible and no later than two weeks before proposal submission.
Why does NSF require contacting the NQVL Program Officer(s) before submission?
The purpose is to confirm that the project's focus and budget fit the solicitation, indicating NSF expects proposals to align closely with the pilot QSTD intent and the broader NQVL concept.
What type of funding mechanism is this opportunity?
The opportunity is offered as a discretionary NSF grant in the science and technology research and development (R&D) category.
Which CFDA listings are associated with this opportunity?
The opportunity is associated with multiple NSF CFDA listings: 47.041, 47.049, 47.070, 47.074, 47.076, 47.084.
What is the original closing date for this opportunity?
The original closing date listed is June 11, 2024.
What makes a proposal fit the intent of this solicitation based on the description?
Based on the description, proposals should focus on pilot-phase QSTD demonstrations that are concrete and early-stage, align with the broader NQVL concept of community-shared infrastructure, and incorporate credible pathways to demonstration and real-world relevance, ideally with strong end-user and industry participation.
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