As of April 2026, the NSF will be the Lead Agency. The following US National Science Foundation (NSF) directorates have confirmed participation in the Lead Agency procedure: Directorate for Biological Sciences (BIO); Division of Molecular and Cellular Biosciences (MCB); Division of Integrative Organismal Systems (IOS); Division of Environmental Biology (DEB); Directorate for Geosciences (GEO); Directorate for Mathematical and Physical Sciences (MPS); Division of Astronomical Sciences (AST)
Other directorates are still under discussion, and the website will be updated as soon as the participation of other directorates has been confirmed.

The SNSF and the NSF have agreed on a two-stage procedure. At least 60 calendar days in advance of the date the applicants intend to submit a full proposal, the US applicants are required to submit an expression of interest (EOI) to the NSF describing the entire project. After approval by the NSF, the full proposal can be submitted to the Lead Agency. The full proposal should be submitted within 12 months of the EOI being approved. This procedure also applies if the application is evaluated by the SNSF, and the SNSF will not consider applications without an NSF-approved EOI.