TechAccess: AI-Ready America

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 upskilling, including experiential learning such as internships, project‑based work, and apprenticeships, to ensure stakeholders can effectively apply and innovate with AI.

The program supports:

(1) 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;

(2) A National Coordination Lead (National Lead) – facilitating collaboration and knowledge sharing among Coordination Hubs, coordinating priority economic sectors, and informing national AI strategies; and

(3) 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.

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.

Application Instructions

Please submit as one combined pdf labeled with PI’s Lastname, Firstname:

1. A one‐page letter of intent with a description of proposed aims and approach.
2. If the final application requires a statement of broader impacts, please summarize your plans to address the specific requirements on an additional page.
3. CV (not biosketch) of the PI including past grant funding.

to limitedsubs@uw.edu by 5:00 PM Wednesday, May 6, 2026. Late pre-proposals will not be considered. A required LOI is due to the sponsor 6/16/2026 if given the go‐ahead by the Limited Submissions review committee. Full proposals are due 7/16/2026.