EPSCoR Research Infrastructure Improvement Program: Focused EPSCoR Collaborations Program (FEC)
OpenU.S. National Science Foundation
Deadline: Jan 27, 2026federal
Updated: Oct 30, 2025
Summary
The Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) aims to enhance research infrastructure and R&D capacity in eligible jurisdictions through partnerships among government, higher education, and industry. Eligible applicants include institutions in jurisdictions meeting EPSCoR criteria, accredited higher education institutions, not-for-profit organizations, and Tribal Governments. Proposals can be submitted collaboratively or by a single organization, and must include researchers from at least two EPSCoR jurisdictions; interested parties should consult the EPSCoR website for specific eligibility details.
Full Description
Description
The Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) is designed to fulfill the mandate of the National Science Foundation (NSF) to promote scientific progress nationwide. EPSCoR eligibility status is yearly updated and reported in the EPSCoR website (see EPSCoR eligibility).
Through this program, NSF establishes partnerships with government, higher education, and industry that are designed to affect sustainable improvements in a jurisdiction's research infrastructure, Research and Development...
(R&D) capacity, and hence, its R&D competitiveness.
The FEC program (formerly known as “EPSCoR Track-2 program”) builds interjurisdictional collaborative teams of EPSCoR investigators in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) focus areas consistent with the currentNational Science Foundation Strategic Plan. Projects are investigator-driven and must include researchers from at least two EPSCoR eligible jurisdictions with complementary expertise and resources necessary to address challenges, which neither party could address as well or as rapidly independently. FEC projects have a comprehensive and integrated vision to drive discovery and build sustainable STEM capacity that exemplifies institutional, geographic, and disciplinary diversity. The projects’ STEM research and education activities seek to broaden participation through the strategic inclusion and integration of all individuals, institutions, and sectors. Additionally, EPSCoR recognizes that the development of early-career faculty is critical to sustaining and advancing research capacity.
Eligibility
Eligible applicants
Miscellaneous
- Other
Additional information
*Who May Submit Proposals: Proposals may only be submitted by the following:
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- Institutions or organizations in jurisdictions that meet the EPSCoReligibilitycriteria.
- Institutions of higher education (PhD-granting and non-PhD-granting), acting on behalf of their faculty members, that are accredited in and have a campus in the United States, its territories, or possessions. Distinct academic campuses (e.g., that award their own degrees, have independent administrative structures, admissions policies, alumni associations, etc.) within multi-campus systems qualify as separate submission-eligible organizations. Campuses that plan to submit a proposal through the Sponsored Projects Office of other campuses or organizations should contact NSF to discuss eligibility as early as possible and at least six weeks before submitting such a proposal.
- Not-for-profit, non-degree-granting domestic U.S. organizations, acting on behalf of their employees, that include (but are not limited to) independent museums and science centers, observatories, research laboratories, professional societies, and similar organizations that are directly associated with the Nation's research or educational activities. These organizations must have an independent, permanent administrative organization (e.g., an office of sponsored research) located in the United States, its territories, or possessions, and have 501(c)(3) tax status.
- Tribal Governments with the governing body of any Indian or Alaska Native tribe, band, nation, pueblo, village, or community that the Secretary of the Interior acknowledges to exist as an Indian tribe under the Federally Recognized Indian Tribe List Act of 1994 (25 U.S.C. 479a, et seq.) or Indigenous communities that are not recognized by the Federally Recognized Indian Tribe List Act of 1994 (25 U.S.C. 479a, et seq.).
- Emerging Research Institutions as defined in42 §USC 18901as institutions of higher education with an established undergraduate or graduate program that have less than $50,000,000 in Federal research expenditures;
- Minority-serving institutions, asdefinedin 42 §USC 18901; and;
- Primarily Undergraduate Institutions (PUIs), including two-year colleges, that award associate degrees, bachelor's degrees, and/or master's degrees in NSF-supported fields, but have awarded 20 or fewer Ph.D./D.Sci. degrees in all NSF-supported fields during the combined previous two academic years.
- Principal Investigators of proposed FEC projects must be affiliated with and employed by eligible organizations in EPSCoR jurisdictions.
- Each EPSCoR jurisdiction participating in a proposed project must be represented by a PI or at least one co-PI. The PI and co-PIs must all have research expertise relevant to the research being proposed.
- PIs and Co-PIs on current FEC (previously known as NSF EPSCoR RII Track-2 FEC) awards with end dates (including any No Cost Extensions) after October 31 of the year of submission are not eligible to submit proposals
Grantor contact information
Description
NSF grants.gov support
grantsgovsupport@nsf.gov
If you have any problems linking to this funding announcement, please contact the email address above.
Apply on official siteUpdated Oct 30, 2025
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