The original Taq polymerase used in the original PCR was published here https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/instance/232952/pdf/jb... and funded by the U. Cincinnati. The NSF funding (along with Atomic Energy COmmission funding!) paid for the initial capture and isolation of Taq, but that is just one of many things that had to be done for PCR to happen. I think the NSF is stretching here to say they made a sigifnicant contribution to CRIPSR.
In summary: NSF funding is great. It played an important role in a key component of PCR. But it's still a stretch for them to tout their involvement with PCR per-se.
In summary: NSF funding is great. It played an important role in a key component of PCR. But it's still a stretch for them to tout their involvement with PCR per-se.