NIST Announces Funding Opportunity for 14 MEP Centers to Advance Small and Medium-Sized U.S. Manufacturers

GAITHERSBURG, Md. — 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 to improve U.S. industrial competitiveness by helping small and medium-sized manufacturers adopt advanced manufacturing technologies. The funding will establish MEP centers in Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, California, Georgia, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Missouri, Montana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Utah and Vermont.

Small and medium-sized manufacturers make up 98% of the U.S. manufacturing base. NIST MEP facilitates cooperation among private sector industry partners, government agencies, academic institutions, economic development organizations and other manufacturing ecosystem stakeholders for advanced manufacturing technologies demonstration, deployment and adoption.

“This new funding opportunity and competition will help to strengthen manufacturing across the United States and expand the impact of the MEP program,” said Under Secretary of Commerce for Standards and Technology and NIST Director Arvind Raman. “With a renewed focus on advanced technology adoption and strong partnerships, MEP can help supercharge the American manufacturing ecosystem and improve America’s industrial competitiveness via our small and medium-sized manufacturers.”

The new funding creates MEP centers that will strengthen manufacturing ecosystems by encouraging the adoption or scale-up of advanced technologies to improve production capacity and capability, supporting supply chain integration and developing a strong manufacturing workforce.

Advanced manufacturing technologies are those that integrate innovations such as robotics, artificial intelligence (AI), automation, advanced materials, additive manufacturing or biotechnology into a manufacturing environment to optimize production, improve efficiency or create new, highly customized products.

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 trusted 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: 

• Alabama: $2,191,702
• Alaska: $706,300
• Arkansas: $1,291,618
• California: $15,641,800
• Georgia: $3,227,001
• Louisiana: $1,537,719
• Massachusetts: $2,959,870
• Missouri: $2,656,601
• Montana: $839,900
• Ohio: $6,076,983
• Pennsylvania: $6,110,684
• Puerto Rico: $939,133
• Utah: $1,492,598
• 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.