Accelerating Federal Technology Transfer (AFTT) Program | 2024 NIST AFTT 01

Opportunity Information: Apply for 2024 NIST AFTT 01

The Accelerating Federal Technology Transfer (AFTT) Program is a National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) funding opportunity designed to strengthen how federal research and inventions make their way into real-world use. The core aim is to promote, educate, and facilitate federal technology transfer by building better outreach, training, and practical tools that help non-federal partners (especially industry and academia) work more effectively with federal laboratories. Rather than focusing on conducting new laboratory research, this program is about improving the systems and pathways that move federally developed technologies, intellectual property, and research resources into commercialization and broader public benefit.

This opportunity is offered as a cooperative agreement, meaning the selected awardee is expected to work closely with the Federal Laboratory Consortium (FLC) Executive Board, including NIST. In practice, that collaboration is central to the program: the awardee is not operating independently but is co-developing deliverables with federal technology transfer leadership. The work is framed around developing and sharing best practices, creating educational and outreach programs, and building tools and services that make it easier for external organizations to find, understand, and use federal technology transfer mechanisms. The program emphasizes practical enablement, such as helping non-federal partners navigate federal intellectual property opportunities, connect to user facilities, and access other federal research and development resources that can support product development and commercialization.

A major component of the AFTT program is building an education and training infrastructure for relevant stakeholders involved in technology transfer and research commercialization. That includes creating programs, materials, and services that raise awareness and improve capabilities across the ecosystem, from researchers and tech transfer professionals to companies, universities, and regional innovation organizations. The program also prioritizes active engagement with industry, academia, and state and local governments to widen access to federal R&D collaborations and technology transfer opportunities, both regionally and nationally. In other words, the awardee is expected to help increase both the reach and the usability of federal laboratory innovations by lowering barriers to engagement and making the process clearer and more navigable for external partners.

Eligibility is broad and open to all non-federal entities. Examples listed include colleges and universities, nonprofit organizations, for-profit organizations, state and local governments, Indian tribes, hospitals, and even foreign organizations. Individuals and unincorporated sole proprietors are not eligible because they do not meet the program definition of non-federal entities for this notice of funding opportunity. Federal entities cannot receive funding under this competition, but they may participate as unfunded collaborators, which aligns with the program model of coordinated work across the federal tech transfer community.

Administratively, the opportunity is identified as "Accelerating Federal Technology Transfer (AFTT) Program" with funding opportunity number 2024 NIST AFTT 01. It is categorized as discretionary funding and sits under the science and technology and other research and development activity category, with CFDA number 11.620. The application deadline listed is May 28, 2024. NIST anticipates making a single award under this solicitation (expected awards: 1). The award ceiling is not provided in the source text, so applicants would need to review the full notice for budget limits, period of performance, and specific required deliverables.

• The National Institute of Standards and Technology in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Accelerating Federal Technology Transfer (AFTT) Program" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 11.620.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2024-03-28.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2024-05-28. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others.

Apply for 2024 NIST AFTT 01

[Watch] Creating a grant proposal using the step-by-step wizard inside the applicant portal: