TechAccess: AI-Ready America is a national-scale initiative
to accelerate Artificial Intelligence (AI) readiness and adoption across the
U.S. by strengthening coordination, leveraging partnerships and resources,
filling gaps, and scaling what works — so local and state priorities can lead
in shaping an AI-driven economy that benefits all Americans.
Unlike initiatives centered around K – 16 education,
AI-Ready America additionally reaches businesses, public-serving organizations,
and individuals, among others, expanding access to AI knowledge, tools, and
resources. The program also emphasizes practical implementation through
hands-on assistance and workforce up-skilling, including experiential learning
such as internships, project-based work, and apprenticeships, to ensure
stakeholders can effectively apply and innovate with AI.
The program supports:
- State/Territory Coordination Hubs (Coordination Hubs) – one
in every state, the District of Columbia (DC), or territory in the United
States – connecting partners, strengthening planning and deployment, and
rapidly scaling approaches;
A National Coordination Lead (National Lead) – facilitating
collaboration and knowledge sharing among Coordination Hubs, coordinating
priority economic sectors, and informing national AI strategies; and
AI-Ready Catalyst Award Competitions – a series of
topic-driven competitions issued over the course of the program to pilot and
scale innovative approaches that address critical national AI readiness needs.
The program goals are to:
- Enable all Americans to be AI-literate and AI-ready.
Empower businesses — especially small and emerging
enterprises — to adopt AI to increase competitiveness, productivity, and
growth.
Support local governments and organizations in harnessing
the power of AI to improve public services and spur local innovation.
Strengthen workforce capacity to apply and innovate with AI
across education, business and economic sectors, and public services.
This funding opportunity focuses on Coordination Hubs. The
National Lead will be funded as an Other Transaction (OT) offered through an
Other Transaction Agreement Solutions Offering. AI-Ready Catalyst Award
Competitions will be announced through an NSF-approved mechanism, with
proposals submitted according to the instructions provided at the time of
announcement.
Awards: Each Coordination Hub Award will receive support of
$1M/year for three years, with the possibility for one additional year of
support if the Coordination Hub can demonstrate a compelling need as it phases
out or transitions to other sources of funding. Each Coordination Hub award
will be made as a Standard Grant or Continuing Grant.
Cost Sharing Requirements: Inclusion of voluntary committed
cost sharing is prohibited.
Indirect Cost (F&A) Limitations: Not Applicable
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