15 U.S.C. § 3707: National Science Foundation Cooperative Research Centers

(a) Establishment and provisionsThe National Science Foundation shall provide assistance for the establishment of Cooperative Research Centers. Such Centers shall be affiliated with a university, or other nonprofit institution, or a group thereof. The objective of the Centers is to enhance technological innovation as provided in section 3705(a) of this title through the conduct of activities as provided in section 3705(b) of this title. (b) Planning grantsThe National Science Foundation is authorized to make available nonrenewable planning grants to universities or nonprofit institutions for the purpose of developing the plan, as described under section 3705(c)(3) of this title. (c) Terms and conditionsGrants, contracts, and cooperative agreements entered into by the National Science Foundation in execution of the powers and duties of the National Science Foundation under this chapter shall be governed by the National Science Foundation Act of 1950 [42 U.S.C. 1861 et seq.] and other pertinent Acts.