On March 5, 2024, the National Nanotechnology Initiative (NNI) published its supplement to the President’s 2024 budget request. NNI states that the President’s 2024 budget requests an “all-time record” of $2.16 billion for it, with a sustained investment in foundational research that will fuel new discoveries and increase investments in application-driven research and development (R&D) to advance technologies of the future and address national priorities. The President’s 2024 budget request for NNI supports nanoscale science, engineering, and technology R&D at 11 agencies.

Chapter 2 of the supplement provides an overview of the budgets for nanotechnology R&D for 2022 (actual), 2023 (estimated), and 2024 (requested), as well as funding amounts and examples of nanotechnology R&D topics funded under the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer Research (STTR) programs. Chapter 3 presents examples of individual agency and collective NNI progress toward the goals set out in the 2021 NNI Strategic Plan and highlights of agency plans and priorities by Program Component Area (PCA).

The supplement notes that the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST), in its capacity as the National Nanotechnology Advisory Panel, reviewed NNI in 2023. The PCAST report includes three recommendations for updating federal government coordination and support for nanotechnology, reflecting the success of the NNI and the maturity and broad relevance of the field: the President should work with Congress to sunset or substantially revise the 21st Century Nanotechnology R&D Act; the Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) should work with the Executive Director of the National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) to direct the Nanoscale Science, Engineering, and Technology (NSET) Subcommittee to continue leadership for federal coordination of nanotechnology strategic planning, implementation, and outreach; and the NSET Subcommittee should enhance experiential learning programs for nanotechnology students and scientists to create the collaborative, multi-disciplinary workforce needed for nanotechnology and other advanced technologies. According to the supplement, in consultation with OSTP and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), NNI participating agencies “are considering actions to implement PCAST’s recommendations.” The supplement states that the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) “are commencing an additional review of the NNI in 2024, also in accordance with the Act.”