NSF EPSCoR (Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research)

NSF EPSCoR, short for the Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research, sits under the National Science Foundation, the U.S. federal science agency established in 1950. It is a place-based capacity-building program for 21 U.S. jurisdictions that have been underrepresented in federal research funding, and it is designed to strengthen research competitiveness rather than to finance a single isolated project. The active framework includes E-CORE, E-RISE, the EPSCoR Graduate Fellowship Program under NSF 24-588, and RII. Recent scale gives a sense of the program's reach: $25 million to EGFP in July 2025, $38 million for research infrastructure and workforce development in August 2024, and $77.8 million across 21 jurisdictions for climate resilience in July 2024. Eligibility is limited to the EPSCoR jurisdictions, with universities and research organizations able to participate and individuals excluded. EPSCoR proposals are strongest when they connect research, workforce development, and institutional capacity in a way that fits the jurisdiction. The program is built around regional coordination, so applicants need to show why the work belongs in the participating state, territory, or commonwealth and how the investment will change the local research base over time. Because several sub-tracks run in parallel, teams also need to match the right solicitation and deadline to the right objective.

Each grant below is a distinct funding opportunity with its own eligibility, scope, and deliverables.