Manufacturing USA Institute Project Calls (America Makes & Network)
Manufacturing USA — National Network for Manufacturing Innovation (NIST/DoD/DOE coordinated; America Makes operated by NCDMM)
Project calls $1M–$12M+ total
Federal advanced-manufacturing R&D calls
Manufacturing USA is a network of 16 federally-sponsored manufacturing innovation institutes (America Makes for additive/3D printing, ARM for robotics, MxD and CESMII for digital/smart manufacturing, NIIMBL for biopharma, NextFlex for flexible electronics, and more). Each institute periodically issues competitive 'project calls' that fund member-led applied-manufacturing R&D and technology-maturation projects, typically co-funded by a federal sponsor (most often the DoD Manufacturing Technology Office / IBAS, also DOE and Commerce/NIST). Small and mid-sized manufacturers participate by becoming an institute member and either leading or joining a project team; awards flow to the project team to develop and de-risk new manufacturing processes. This record covers the recurring project-call funding mechanism across the network, using America Makes (additive manufacturing) as the primary, best-documented example.
- Funding type
- Grant
- Level
- Federal
- Amount range
- Project calls $1M–$12M+ total
- Realistic amount
- A small manufacturer joining a project team typically captures a sub-award in the tens to lo…
- Deadline
- Rolling — individual institutes open project calls on their own schedules throughout the year
- Status
- active
- States
- Nationwide
- Payment model
- milestone
Who qualifies
- Lead proposer must be a current member of the relevant Manufacturing USA institute (e.g. America Makes) in good standing
- Members receiving federal funds must have dues paid in full — satisfied by cash, a minimum of $15,000 in cost-share credit, or a combination (America Makes rule)
- Membership is limited to U.S.-based organizations
- Lead proposer must be registered in SAM.gov with a CAGE Code and UEI before submitting
- Project topic must match the specific call's scope (e.g. additive metals, flexible electronics, smart manufacturing)
- Cost-share is required per the call's terms
Hard requirements
- Must be an incorporated business
What it covers
Eligible expenses
- Applied manufacturing R&D labor
- Materials, feedstock, and consumables for process development
- Equipment time and prototyping
- Technology maturation and demonstration
- Subcontracted technical services (e.g. testing, characterization)
Ineligible expenses
- General operating costs unrelated to the funded project
- Construction or real estate
- Lobbying
- Costs incurred outside the project period of performance
How to apply
-
1
Join the relevant institute
Identify the institute whose focus matches your technology (America Makes for additive, ARM for robotics, MxD/CESMII for digital/smart manufacturing, etc.) and become a member. Membership dues can be partly offset by documented cost-share.
~10 hrs
-
2
Register in SAM.gov and obtain UEI/CAGE
Complete System for Award Management registration and obtain a Unique Entity ID and CAGE Code — required before any proposal submission.
~8 hrs
-
3
Monitor and select an open project call
Watch the institute's project-call page and the Manufacturing USA opportunities page. Review the RFP scope, total budget, cost-share terms, and team requirements.
~6 hrs
-
4
Form a project team and write the proposal
Assemble a team (often a manufacturer + a university or another member), define the technical approach, milestones, deliverables, budget, and cost-share. Submit by the call deadline.
~60 hrs
-
5
Selection, negotiation, and award
The institute reviews proposals against the call's technical and impact criteria, selects winners, and negotiates a project agreement. Funding is disbursed against milestones over the project's period of performance.
~12 hrs
You do not have to lead a project to benefit — joining an existing member team (often led by a university or a larger member) as the manufacturing partner is the lower-friction path, and your in-kind contribution (machine time, engineering hours) can double as cost-share. Pick the single institute whose technology roadmap matches yours rather than joining several.
Deadline & timing
Each institute publishes its own calls. As of mid-2026, open America Makes calls included MIAMI and INSITE (proposals due July 9, 2026) and NextFlex Project Call 11.0 (due May 13, 2026). Monitor the Manufacturing USA opportunities page and each institute's site (e.g. americamakes.us) for the next windows.
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Last reviewed 2026. GrantCompass is an independent funding-discovery tool and is not affiliated with any government agency. Always confirm details on the official program page.