CHIPS R&D Funding Opportunities

President Biden signed the bipartisan CHIPS and Science Act into law on August 9, 2022. The Department of Commerce is overseeing $50 billion to revitalize the U.S. semiconductor industry and strengthen the country’s economic and national security. Of that sum, CHIPS for America within the U.S. Department of Commerce is responsible for administering $11 billion to advance U.S. leadership in semiconductor research and development (R&D) through four programs:    

• The CHIPS National Semiconductor Technology Center  (NSTC) Program
• The CHIPS National Advanced Packaging Manufacturing Program   (NAPMP) 
• The CHIPS Metrology Program   
• The CHIPS Manufacturing USA Program

CHIPS for America has released the following Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) and Notice of Intent (NOI) for CHIPS R&D Programs:  

April 16, 2024: NOFO: CHIPS Metrology Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR)

• U.S. Department of Commerce issued a NOFO to seek applications from eligible small businesses to explore the technical merit or feasibility of an innovative idea or technology for developing a viable product or service for introduction in the commercial microelectronics marketplace.  
• The CHIPS for America program anticipates up to approximately $54 million in funding across multiple topics on research projects for critically needed measurement services, tools, and instrumentation; innovative manufacturing metrologies; novel assurance and provenance technologies and advanced metrology research and development (R&D) testbeds to help secure U.S. leadership in the global semiconductor industry.
• Full Applications are due June 14, 2024, and must be received at Grants.gov no later than 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time. Applications received after this deadline will not be reviewed or considered.
• CHIPS for America will provide a briefing on details of the NOFO on April 18, 2024, at 3:30pm ET. Webinar participants must register in advance. 

February 28, 2024: NOFO: CHIPS NAPMP Materials and Substrates Research and Development

• The U.S. Department of Commerce issued a NOFO to seek applications for R&D activities that will establish and accelerate domestic capacity for advanced packaging substrates and substrate materials, a key technology for manufacturing semiconductors.
• The CHIPS for America program anticipates awarding approximately $300 million in amounts up to approximately $100 million over up to 5 years per award. Program awards may be leveraged by voluntary co-investment. 
• On March 1, 2024, CHIPS for America hosted a briefing on details of the NOFO. The presentation can be found here.
• Mandatory concept papers were due April 12, 2024.
• Concept papers received after this deadline will not be reviewed or considered. Review of the concept papers and feedback to applicants is expected to be completed on or about May 10, 2024.

January 31, 2024: NOI: CHIPS Manufacturing USA Institute

• CHIPS for America is investing at least $200 million in a CHIPS Manufacturing USA Institute to create the first-of-its-kind digital twin institute to lead the world in revolutionizing semiconductor and advanced packaging manufacturing.   

• In February, CHIPS for America’s Eric Forsythe, Director of the CHIPS Manufacturing USA Institute Program, provided a briefing about the program’s vision, strategy, and next steps. The presentation can be found on the CHIPS events page.