U.S. National Science Foundation · United States

Law & Science (LS)

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U.S. National Science Foundation expects to make awards, from a total budget of $5.5 million. Eligible applicant types include unrestricted (i.e., open to any type of entity above), subject to any clarification in text field entitled "Additional Information on Eligibility".

Deadline: Not published yet — check the official call
Grant amount: $5.5 million total budget
Funding rate: No mandatory cost sharing stated; funding percentage not stated
Total budget: $5.5 million
Cost sharing: Not required
Likely applicant types: Companies, SMEs / start-ups, Non-profits, Universities & research, Public bodies, Individuals From source categories or programme rules; the call decides.
Funder: U.S. National Science Foundation
Reference: PD-21-128Y
Assistance listing: 47.075 Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences
Last checked: 13 Nov 2026

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About this call

The Law & Science Program considers proposals that address social scientific studies of law and law-like systems of rules, as well as studies of how science and technology are applied in legal contexts. The Program is inherently interdisciplinary and multi-methodological. Successful proposals describe research that advances scientific theory and understanding of the connections between human behavior and law, legal institutions, or legal processes; or the interactions of law and basic sciences, including biology, computer and information sciences, STEM education, engineering, geosciences, and math and physical sciences. Scientific studies of law often approach law as dynamic, interacting with multiple arenas, and with the participation of multiple actors. Fields of study include many disciplines, and often address problems including, though not limited, to:

• Crime, Violence, and Policing

Read the full text

• Cyberspace

• Economic Issues

• Environmental Science

• Evidentiary Issues

• Forensic Science

• Governance and Courts

• Human Rights and Comparative Law

• Information Technology

• Legal and Ethical Issues related to Science

• Legal Decision Making

• Legal Mobilization and Conceptions of Justice

• Litigation and the Legal Profession

• Punishment and Corrections

• Regulation and Facilitation of Biotechnology (e.g., Gene Editing, Gene Testing, Synthetic Biology) and Other Emerging Sciences and Technologies

• Use of Science in the Legal Processes

LS supports the following types of proposals:

• Standard Research Grants and Grants for Collaborative Research

• Conference Awards

LS also participates in a number of specialized funding opportunities through NSF’s cross-cutting and cross-directorate activities, including, for example:

• Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Program

• Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU)

• Research at Undergraduate Institutions (RUI)

• Grants for Rapid Response Research (RAPID)

• Early-concept Grants for Exploratory Research (EAGER)

For information about these and other programs, please visit the Cross-cutting and NSF-wide Active Funding Opportunities homepage.

Who can apply

Unrestricted (i.e., open to any type of entity above), subject to any clarification in text field entitled "Additional Information on Eligibility"

Applicant categories are a starting point. The official call decides eligibility.

Topics

Science and Technology and other Research and Development

Timing

Proposals accepted anytime

How to apply

Apply through the funder’s official page (link below); it states the procedure, documents and deadline.

From the call text

Who can apply: Not stated in the call text we hold — check the official page
Company stage: Not stated in the call text we hold — check the official page
Single applicant or consortium: Not stated in the call text we hold — check the official page
Where applicants must be based: Not stated in the call text we hold — check the official page
Where to apply: Not stated in the call text we hold — check the official page

Contact

U.S. National Science Foundation · grantsgovsupport@nsf.gov · 703-292-4203

Official sources

Official call page · Funder's programme page

Facts on this page come from the official source and were last checked 13 Nov 2026. The funder's own documents, including later amendments, always take precedence.