Department of Defense Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (DEPSCoR)
What is DEPSCoR?
The U.S. Department of Defense DEPSCoR is a capacity-building program designed to strengthen the basic research infrastructure at institutions of higher education in underutilized states and territories.
DEPSCoR Funding Opportunities
The following is a list of programs for which the University of Iowa is eligible to submit applications:
Defense Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (DEPSCoR) Capacity Building (CB)
Description: Foster new, strategic, multi-thrust efforts to increase basic research capacity in DoD relevant research areas.
Sponsor Deadline: November (Anticipated)
NOTE: Limited Submission Opportunity: Applicant institutions are limited to no more than one application.
Defense Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (DEPSCoR) Research Collaboration (RC)
Description: To create basic research collaborations between a PI who has never served as a PI on a prior DOD directly funded research Prime award and a co-PI who will provide mentorship to the Applicant and has served as a PI on a DOD directly funded research award.
Sponsor Deadline: November (Anticipated)
DEPSCoR Goals and Objectives
DEPSCoR program seeks to increase the number of university researchers and improve the capabilities of institutions of higher education in eligible jurisdictions to perform competitive basic research in science & engineering relevant to the DoD mission & reflect national security priorities. To achieve this DEPSCoR has three efforts:
- Enhance the capabilities of institutions of higher education (IHE) in eligible State/Territories to develop, plan, and execute science and engineering (S&E) research that is relevant to the mission of the DoD and competitive under the peer-review systems used for awarding Federal research assistance
- Increase the number of university researchers in eligible States/Territories capable of performing S&E research responsive to the needs of the DoD
- Increase the probability of long-term growth in the competitively awarded financial assistance that IHE in eligible States/Territories receive from the Federal Government for S&E research
DEPSCoR Eligibility
DEPSCoR eligibility is based on the amount of DoD Science and Engineering Research and Development funds that were obligated to institutions of higher education within the state/territory over a three-year average. Thirty-five states, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands are eligible to participate in DEPSCoR as of Fiscal Year 2024.
Below is a map of eligible states/territories:
