National Science Foundation Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (NSF EPSCoR)
What is NSF EPSCoR?
The U.S. National Science Foundation's EPSCoR program pursues a mission to enhance the research competitiveness of targeted jurisdictions by strengthening science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) capacity and capability through a diverse portfolio of investments from talent development to local infrastructure.
NSF EPSCoR Funding Opportunities
The following is a list of programs for which the University of Iowa is eligible to submit applications:
EPSCoR: Workshop Opportunities (EPS-WO)
Description: Supports workshops in eligible jurisdictions that focus on topics of regional or national importance, and which are relevant to building EPSCoR jurisdictions' research and development capacity.
Sponsor Deadline: Ongoing
EPSCoR Research Infrastructure Improvement-Focused EPSCoR Collaborations Program (RII-FEC)
Description: Supports interjurisdictional teams of EPSCoR investigators to perform research in topics that align with NSF priorities, with the goals of driving discovery and building sustainable STEM capacity.
Sponsor Deadline: January
NOTE: Limited Submission Opportunity; Applicant institutions are limited to no more than one application as lead.
EPSCoR Research Infrastructure Improvement (RII) Program Research Fellows
Description: Builds research capacity by establishing sustainable Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) professional development pathways for early to mid-career investigators.
Sponsor Deadline: April
NOTE: UI is eligible for the NSF track only, not NASA track. Limited Submission Opportunity; Applicant institutions are limited to no more than four applications.
EPSCoR Graduate Fellowship Program (EGFP)
Description: Supports institutions in EPSCoR jurisdictions by providing funding for graduate fellowships for new or continuing students who received the distinction of NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP) Honorable Mention within the last three years.
Sponsor Deadline: June
NOTE: Limited Submission Opportunity; Applicant institutions are limited to no more than one application.
EPSCoR Research Infrastructure Improvement Program: EPSCoR Collaborations for Optimizing Research Ecosystems (E-CORE)
Description: Supports the strengthening of jurisdiction-wide research ecosystems by fostering interconnected networks and building research infrastructure to grow research capacity and competitiveness aligned with jurisdictional priorities.
Sponsor Deadline: July
NOTE: Limited Submission Opportunity; Applicant institutions are limited to no more than one application.
EPSCoR Research Infrastructure Improvement: EPSCoR Research Incubators for STEM Excellence (E-RISE)
Description: Supports the development of sustainable research infrastructure and capacity in EPSCoR jurisdictions through collaborative, hypothesis-driven or problem-driven research and workforce development to improve competitiveness in a selected STEM field.
Sponsor Deadline: August
NOTE: Limited Submission Opportunity; Applicant institutions are limited to no more than one application.
NSF EPSCoR Goals and Objectives
NSF EPSCoR enhances research competitiveness of jurisdictions that have historically received lesser amounts of federal R&D funding but have demonstrated a commitment to developing their research bases.
NSF EPSCoR program seeks to:
- Catalyze the development of research capabilities and the creation of new knowledge that expands jurisdictions’ contributions to scientific discovery, innovation, learning, and knowledge-based prosperity
- Establish sustainable STEM education, training, and professional development pathways that advance jurisdiction-identified research areas and workforce development
- Broaden direct participation of diverse individuals, institutions, and organizations in the project’s science and engineering research and education initiatives
- Effect sustainable engagement of project participants and partners, the jurisdiction, the national research community, and the general public through data-sharing, communication, outreach, and dissemination
- Impact research, education, and economic development beyond the project at academic, government, and private sector levels.
Source: https://www.nsf.gov/funding/initiatives/epscor
NSF EPSCoR Eligibility
Currently, twenty five states and three territories are eligible for NSF EPSCoR funding. Iowa is an eligible NSF EPSCoR state. The CHIPS and Science Act of 2022 froze the NSF EPSCoR jurisdiction eligibility through Fiscal Year 2027.
Below is a map of eligible jurisdictions:
Source: https://www.nsf.gov/funding/initiatives/epscor/epscor-criteria-eligibility