NSF encourages engineering applications in a recent dear colleague letter. The deadline is Dec 1, 2023 for preliminary proposals. https://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=nsf23124 CREST Center awards provide funding (up to $7.5M) for five years of research. The DCL notes “Successful completed projects under this DCL could further compete for an Engineering Research Center (ERC) as a lead institution.”