External Funding Opportunities

E-CORE RII stands for EPSCoR Collaborations for Optimizing Research Ecosystems Research Infrastructure Improvement Program (E-CORE RII).

The E-CORE RII program solicitation invites proposals that support jurisdictions in building capacity in one or more targeted research infrastructure cores that underlie the jurisdiction’s research ecosystem, including:

• jurisdiction-wide research administration
• research facilities
• higher education pathways
• STEM education (K-16) pathways
• broadening participation
• workforce development
• national and global partnerships
• community engagement and outreach
• economic development and use-inspired research
• early career research trainee pathways

E-CORE RII projects must be designed to support the sustainability of the infrastructure core(s) beyond the award period. In E-CORE RII’s support of one or more research infrastructure cores in an EPSCoR-eligible jurisdiction, the program will also support the development and growth of new jurisdictional networks, and the leveraging of existing jurisdictional networks, that can drive demonstrable and sustainable impact to advance the jurisdiction-wide research ecosystem.

Full Proposal Deadline: July 8, 2025

E-RISE RII stands for EPSCoR Research Incubators for STEM Excellence Research Infrastructure Improvement.

The E-RISE RII program solicitation calls for proposals that support the incubation of research teams and products in a scientific topical area that links to research priorities identified in the submitting jurisdiction’s approved Science and Technology (S&T) Plan. E-RISE RII invites innovative proposals that will lead to development and implementation of sustainable broad networks of individuals, institutions, and organizations that will transform the science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) research capacity and competitiveness in a jurisdiction within the chosen field of research.

E-RISE RII projects must be designed to incubate (i) areas of research capacity building within a chosen research topic; (ii) development of a skilled workforce that is relevant to the project and its outcomes; (iii) promotion of diversity, equity, access, and a culture of inclusion of different types of academic institutions (see below) and non-academic sectors (e.g., industry and government); (iv) integration of the research with societal impacts in a timebound manner; and (v) sustainability of a clear pathway towards preserving the resulting research incubator’s team and products beyond E-RISE RII funding.

Full Proposal Deadline: August 12, 2025

EPSCoR Graduate Research Fellowship Program (EGRFP)

The EGRFP solicitation is a new three-year pilot program that responds directly to input from recent studies and legislation, including the Envisioning the Future of NSF EPSCoR report and the CHIPS and Science Act (Public Law 117-167). The EGFP is intended to advance graduate talent recruitment, development, and retention at graduate institutions in the eligible EPSCoR states and territories, hereafter referred to as EPSCoR jurisdictions. Through the EGFP’s investments, NSF intends to help build additional capacity for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) research and in turn promote innovation and economic growth in EPSCoR jurisdictions and across the Nation.

EGFP is designed to enhance the STEM research capacity and competitiveness of EPSCoR jurisdictions by providing funding to graduate degree-awarding institutions that will allow them to recruit NSF EPSCoR Graduate Fellows. Awardee institutions will select fellowship recipients, the NSF EPSCoR Graduate Fellows, from the pool of exceptional talent who received Honorable Mention from the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP) no more than three years prior to the proposal due date.

Full Proposal Deadlines: June 2, 2025, June 1, 2026

NSF Research Infrastructure Improvement Focused EPSCoR Collaborations (RII FEC) awards promote inter-jurisdictional collaborations in areas consistent with NSF priorities. Projects must include researchers from at least two EPSCoR RII eligible jurisdictions. The collaborative research must demonstrate an integrated and comprehensive vision focused on the discovery and include opportunities to build sustainable STEM capacity that embodies diversity.    

NOTE: FEC awards used to be called Track-2, but NSF dropped the “track” prefix.

Topic area for FY 25 & 26: use-inspired research, see this Dear Colleague Letter.

Letter of Intent Deadline: December 17, 2024

Full Proposal Deadline: January 28, 2025 

NSF EPSCoR Research Infrastructure Improvement Research Fellows awards (formerly called Track-4) are designed for early career, non-tenured faculty with the purpose of enhancing the fellow’s research capacity through site visits and collaborations with premier private, government or academic research centers across the nation. Through these partnerships, the NSF EPSCoR Research Fellows learn new techniques using specialized equipment and facilities. These experiences are expected to transform the fellow’s research career path beyond the award period as well as enhance the research capacity of their institutions.

Full Proposal Deadline: 2nd Tuesday in April

NSF EPSCoR Research Infrastructure Improvement Program: Bridging EPSCoR Communities (RII-BEC)

This initiative seeks to set up bridge programs to help undergraduate and graduate students from target groups overcome barriers along their training path. Programs should particularly assist those individuals from groups underrepresented in STEM and those students going to or from minority-serving institutions within EPSCoR jurisdictions. Funding for this program is made possible through the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (H.R. 1319, sec. 7502).

These awards are designed for 2- and 4-year institutions of higher education and not-for-profit organizations like museums, observatories, professional societies, etc. who are advancing the Nation’s research or education.