# NSF-DFG Lead Agency Activity in Chemistry, Process Engineering, Fluid Mechanics and Thermodynamics

**Funder:** DFG
**Consortium:** Required — US and German research teams must collaborate
**Application:** Single stage (single collaborative proposal submitted to Lead Agency)
**Frequency:** Continuous
**Eligible countries:** DE, US
**Official call:** https://www.dfg.de/en/research-funding/funding-opportunities/countries-regions/us-nsf-che-cbet
**Last verified:** 1 July 2026

## Eligibility & scope

US-German bilateral Lead Agency call in chemistry (DFG areas 3.11–3.17), process engineering (4.21), and fluid mechanics/thermodynamics (4.22). Proposals submitted to DFG must follow Research Grants Programme requirements. German non-university institution members must comply with Kooperationspflicht. Research teams must justify the need for US-German collaboration. Contact programme officers before submission.

## Summary

The NSF-DFG Lead Agency Activity funds joint US-German research teams in chemistry, process engineering, and fluid mechanics, with continuous submission beginning 1 September 2025 for DFG-led proposals. Each agency funds its own national researchers, and teams must justify the collaborative research need. This is a standing bilateral agreement open to researchers meeting the eligibility standards of their respective country's funder.

## Who should apply

- US and German research teams with complementary expertise and mutual benefit from collaboration
- Chemistry researchers in DFG subject areas 3.11-3.17
- Process engineering, technical chemistry, fluid mechanics, and thermodynamics groups
- German applicants meeting DFG Research Grants eligibility, including non-university members under Kooperationspflicht

## Key dates

- DFG as Lead Agency: continuous submission from 1 September 2025 onwards
- NSF as Lead Agency: see NSF programme page for deadlines
- Single-stage proposal submission to the chosen Lead Agency

## Tips for applicants

- Justify the collaborative need explicitly in your proposal, reviewers screen for genuine bilateral advantage, not convenience.
- Coordinate timelines carefully: if NSF leads, you'll have different deadlines; align your team's submission clock to the chosen agency.
- Structure the budget narrative so that each national side clearly maps to its funder's cost rules and overhead policies.

## Frequently asked questions

### What is the NSF-DFG Lead Agency Activity?

A bilateral funding agreement that supports joint research projects between US and German teams, with each country's agency funding its own researchers.

### When does the NSF-DFG Lead Agency Activity accept proposals?

DFG-led proposals can be submitted continuously from 1 September 2025 onwards; NSF-led submission dates are on the NSF programme page.

### Do both my US and German team members apply together?

No, each researcher applies to their own country's funder, but the proposals must be coordinated and clearly linked as a joint project.

### What research areas are eligible?

Chemistry (DFG subject areas 3.11-3.17), process engineering and technical chemistry (4.21), and fluid mechanics and thermodynamics (4.22).

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Source: [The Great Grantsby](https://grantsby.eu/grants/dfg-nsf-dfg-lead-agency-activity-in-chemistry-process--2026) — EU grant monitoring for academic researchers. Always verify details on the funder's website before applying.