The National Science Foundation
is an independent federal agency created by Congress in 1950
"to promote the progress of science; to advance the national
health, prosperity, and welfare; to secure the national defense...
." With an annual budget of about $5.5 billion, we are
the funding source for approximately 20 percent of all federally
supported basic research conducted by America's colleges and
universities. In many fields, such as mathematics, computer
science and the social sciences, NSF is the major source of
federal backing. (more)