National Science Foundation

The National Science Foundation (abbreviated NSF) is an independent, U.S. government agency that sponsors, funds, and fosters research and development in science and engineering. The NSF became involved in wide area networking in the mid-1980s and founded NSFNET, network connecting academic and research institutions. NSFNET was later connected to the Advanced Research Projects Agency Network (ARPANET), and eventually developed into the Internet. The NSF has gradually withdrawn from its responsibility with the Internet.