National Science Foundation
The National Science Foundation (NSF) 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, NSF is 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.

The Advanced Technological Education program endeavors to improve the skills of technicians, whose work is vitally important to the nation’s prosperity. ATE programs are led by two-year college educators who work in partnership with business, industry, government, and other educators. The goal of the National Science Foundation, which funds ATE Centers and Projects through competitive grants, is to make the best practices in technician education standard operating procedures for educators throughout the United States.