The NASA Ames Research Center Office of the Center Chief Technologist (CCT) is pleased to announce the FY25 Center Innovation Fund (CIF) Request for Proposals (RFP). The purpose of the CIF is to stimulate and encourage creativity, innovation and collaboration within Ames, and between Ames and other NASA Centers in addressing the technology needs of NASA and the Nation. It is intended for exploratory investigations that offer breakthrough technologies. The ideas supported must align with Center priorities and leverage Center capabilities, but they do not necessarily need to correspond to the Centers Core Competencies. CIF proposals must be technologically oriented and may be viewed as ‘seedlings’ that will enable the next generation technology and exploration. The target technology readiness level (TRL) is 1-3. It is incumbent upon the proposer to demonstrate clearly the true innovation of the proposed project compared with existing state-of-the-art, and to demonstrate how the proposal supports Agency objectives and Center priorities.

CIF Development Schedule and Deadlines

The projected schedule for the FY25 CIF is provided here. Any changes to this schedule will be reflected on the CCT webpage. Please check the CCT webpage periodically for any updates.

Calendar Year 2024 Activities

March 11	Request For Proposals (RFP) issued (target)
June 7	Last day to submit questions to the RFP Q&A
June 24	Proposal and summary chart due, 5:00 p.m. (PST)
Early- to Mid-Aug	HQ CIF Confirmation Review (target)
Late August	Notification of award (target)
October 1	Start date and release of available award funds (target)
October 31	Deadline for PI to validate CIF data in TechPort

Calendar Year 2025 Activities

April/May	In-lab/office mid-term progress reviews, as available (target)
October	Brief results at Ames Research and Technology Showcase (target)
November 30	Final Report due, 5:00 p.m. (PST) (target)
November 30	Executive Summary due, 5:00 p.m. (PST) (target)
November 30	Deadline for PI to validate CIF data in TechPort

Ames CIF Program Contact Information

Questions regarding the Ames CIF Program should be directed to Jill Bauman at jill.bauman@nasa.gov.