Direct comparison
NIH S10 vs NSF MRI Grant Comparison
Compare NIH S10 (SIG/HEI) and NSF MRI: award size, tracks, eligibility, and indirect-cost rules for shared scientific instrumentation grants.
Written and maintained by CASRAI Editorial Board
Last updated
Ask CASRAI · free to try
Ask about NIH S10 vs NSF MRI Grant Comparison
Ask your first 2 questions free below. Subscribers get 150 a day for $29 a month.
An AI assistant specialized in research administration. It cites the sources behind every answer, labels web answers and says when it can't answer.
Answers draw on CASRAI's guides and dictionary plus the federal and funder documents we index: Federal Register, Grants.gov, Regulations.gov and UKRI.
Works on this site and inside Claude, Cursor and the AI tools you already use.
Everything CASRAI publishes — this page, the dictionary, the guides and the news — stays free to read, with no account and no card.
How do NIH S10 (SIG/HEI), NSF MRI compare side by side?
The table below compares NIH S10 (SIG/HEI), NSF MRI across 10 procurement-relevant dimensions, from administering agency through typical instruments.
Side-by-side comparison
| Dimension | NIH S10 (SIG/HEI) | NSF MRI |
|---|---|---|
| Administering agency | NIH, Office of Research Infrastructure Programs (ORIP/DPCPSI) | National Science Foundation (NSF) |
| What it funds | A single high-cost, commercially available instrument for shared use | Acquisition of a commercial instrument OR development of a new instrument with novel capabilities |
| Award range | SIG: $50,000-$750,000. HEI: $750,001-$2,000,000 | Track 1: >$100,000-<$1.4M. Track 2: $1.4M-$4M. Track 3 (helium-conserving): $100,000-$4M |
| Formal applicant | The institution, not an individual PI | The institution, not an individual PI |
| Minimum user group | At least 3 "Major Users," each PD/PI of a distinct active NIH award | Documented multi-user group; no numeric minimum identified in materials reviewed -- confirm against live solicitation |
| Per-institution submission limit | Not identified in materials reviewed -- confirm against the live NOFO | Track 1: up to 2. Track 2: 1. Track 3: 1 (per competition) |
| Cost sharing | Not established from a primary source for this page -- confirm against live NOFO | Waived for new awards for a 5-year period starting FY 2023 -- confirm current status |
| Indirect (F&A) costs | Not permitted -- treated as capital equipment, not a research project | Could not be independently verified for this page -- confirm against live solicitation |
| Current submission status (as of Aug 2026) | NIH reissues SIG/HEI FOAs on a recurring cycle -- confirm current deadline on grants.nih.gov | FY2026 window paused; new submissions anticipated to reopen ~Oct 15-Nov 16, 2026 |
| Typical instruments | Confocal/light microscopes, flow cytometers, sequencers, mass spectrometers, X-ray diffractometers, high-field NMR | Mass spectrometers, NMR systems, imaging platforms, and comparable major multi-user equipment |
Common questions
Common questions about NIH S10 (SIG/HEI) vs NSF MRI
What is the main difference between NIH S10 and NSF MRI?
+
They are parallel shared-instrumentation mechanisms from different agencies. NIH S10 (SIG/HEI) is a two-tier program capped at $2,000,000 and built around a minimum of three NIH-funded "Major Users." NSF MRI is a three-track program capped at $4,000,000 that explicitly distinguishes acquisition from development proposals and includes a dedicated track for helium-conserving equipment.
Can a single principal investigator apply for NIH S10 or NSF MRI?
+
No. Both programs require the institution, not an individual PI, to be the formal applicant on behalf of a documented multi-user group.
Which program funds larger awards, NIH S10 or NSF MRI?
+
NSF MRI's ceiling is higher: up to $4,000,000 under Track 2 or Track 3, compared with S10's High-End Instrumentation (HEI) Grant ceiling of $2,000,000.
Is NSF currently accepting new MRI proposals?
+
As of this writing, NSF had paused the previously scheduled FY 2026 MRI submission window to prioritize funding additional FY 2025 cohort proposals, with new submissions anticipated to reopen in a window tentatively scheduled for October 15-November 16, 2026. Confirm current status directly with NSF.
Does either program cover indirect (F&A) costs?
+
NIH S10 explicitly does not permit facilities-and-administrative costs to be charged against the award. NSF MRI's indirect-cost treatment could not be independently verified for this page -- confirm against the live MRI solicitation.
