The US National Science Foundation (NSF) has inked an agreement with the Russian ministry of education and science to encourage collaborative research in areas such as energy, nanotechnology and information technology. Early-career scientists applying for NSF grants could improve their chances by collaborating with Russian researchers, suggests John Tsapogas, programme coordinator for the NSF's Office of International Science and Engineering in Arlington, Virginia. The agreement, co-signed on 16 December, allows the Russian ministry to fund US–Russian projects. Tsapogas says that the ministry has a larger budget than other Russian science agencies, so it has a high likelihood of collaborations.