The U.S. Department of Commerce’s National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has released a Notice of Funding Opportunity for 14 Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) centers. The funding will establish MEP centers in Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, California, Georgia, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Missouri, Montana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Utah and Vermont.
Selected applicants must secure nonfederal matching funds (or cost-share) of at least 50% and will enter into a cooperative agreement with NIST to operate the centers. The new centers will join the MEP National Network™, which comprises MEP centers across the country and includes nearly 1,400 manufacturing advisers and experts at more than 450 MEP service locations, with oversight provided by the MEP program at the federal level.
NIST plans to award up to the following amounts to centers in each location:
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Alabama: $2,191,702
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Alaska: $706,300
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Arkansas: $1,291,618
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California: $15,641,800
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Georgia: $3,227,001
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Louisiana: $1,537,719
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Massachusetts: $2,959,870
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Missouri: $2,656,601
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Montana: $839,900
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Ohio: $6,076,983
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Pennsylvania: $6,110,684
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Puerto Rico: $939,133
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Utah: $1,492,598
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Vermont: $812,300
NIST MEP will host an informational webinar on Tuesday, July 28, 2026, at 1 p.m. EDT to provide general information about this opportunity and guidance on preparing applications.
Additional information about this funding opportunity is available on Grants.gov and on the NIST MEP website. Applications must be received no later than 11:59 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time, on Aug. 21, 2026.
Many states have programs that also support the manufacturing industry. See the SSTI Article, Name it here.