EPSCoR Research Infrastructure Improvement Program Track 1 | Apply Online

Opportunity Summary:

The NSF EPSCoR Research Infrastructure Improvement Program Track 1 (RII Track 1) is a National Science Foundation funding opportunity meant to strengthen research competitiveness in U.S. states and territories that historically receive a relatively small share of NSF research dollars. EPSCoR (Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research) exists to help NSF meet its nationwide mission by expanding research capacity beyond the jurisdictions that already attract the largest amounts of federal research funding. A jurisdiction qualifies for EPSCoR participation when its NSF research support is at or below 0.75 percent of NSF's total research and related activities funding, measured over the most recent three-year period using NSF's published eligibility tables.

RII Track 1 specifically focuses on long-term, sustainable improvements to a jurisdiction's research infrastructure and overall R&D capacity. The core idea is to build durable capability, not just fund isolated projects. Awards support coordinated, jurisdiction-wide efforts that can include physical infrastructure (such as shared research facilities, major equipment, or laboratory modernization), human infrastructure (such as faculty hiring and development, trainee support, workforce development pipelines, and research administration capacity), and cyberinfrastructure (such as computing resources, data systems, networking, and cyber-enabled collaboration tools). The research areas targeted by a proposal are not chosen ad hoc by individual applicants; they are selected as priority areas by the jurisdiction's EPSCoR steering committee, with an emphasis on fields most likely to improve the jurisdiction's future competitiveness for external R&D funding.

This opportunity (NSF Publication / Funding Opportunity Number 14-558) was offered as a discretionary, science and technology research and development program using a cooperative agreement mechanism, which typically implies substantial NSF involvement during the period of performance compared to a standard grant. The program anticipated making about eight awards, with an estimated total funding level of $32,000,000. Individual awards could provide up to $4 million per year for up to five years, enabling large-scale planning and implementation rather than short, incremental efforts. Cost sharing or matching was required, meaning the recipient jurisdiction and/or participating institutions needed to contribute non-NSF resources consistent with the solicitation's terms.

Eligibility was limited and jurisdiction-based rather than open to any U.S. institution. Only jurisdictions listed as EPSCoR-eligible under the NSF FY2014 eligibility criteria could submit. In addition, only EPSCoR jurisdictions that either did not hold a current RII Track 1 award, or had a current RII Track 1 award expiring before October 1, 2015, could compete in the FY2015 RII Track 1 competition described in the announcement. A key structural requirement is that the jurisdiction's EPSCoR steering committee must designate a single fiscal agent (the proposing organization) to submit the proposal and manage the award. The Project Director must be employed by that fiscal agent and also serve as the lead Principal Investigator. More broadly, the Project Director and other Principal Investigators must be affiliated with research universities, agencies, or organizations located within the participating jurisdiction. Another gating requirement is that the jurisdiction must have an active Science and Technology Plan in place before submitting, reinforcing that proposals should align with a strategic, statewide or territory-wide roadmap rather than being purely institution-specific.

The opportunity spanned a wide range of NSF disciplinary domains, reflecting the program's infrastructure-building purpose rather than a narrow topical focus. The listed CFDA program areas included engineering; math and physical sciences; geosciences; computer and information science and engineering; biological sciences; social, behavioral, and economic sciences; education and human resources; international science and engineering; and EPSCoR itself. In practice, this breadth supports integrated strategies that might combine research thrusts with workforce and education components, data and computing investments, and cross-sector partnerships among government, higher education, and industry.

Key dates in the archived announcement included a required letter of intent due July 8, 2014 (by 5 p.m. local time) and a full proposal deadline of August 5, 2014. The announcement was posted April 22, 2014, and later archived September 5, 2014. Applicants needing technical help accessing the notice were directed to Grants.gov support (grantsgovsupport@nsf.gov), consistent with NSF's standard submission support process.

In plain terms, EPSCoR RII Track 1 is designed for an eligible state or territory to present a coordinated, leadership-backed plan to build the people, platforms, and partnerships needed to compete more successfully for future research funding. It is less about funding a single research project and more about changing the underlying conditions that determine whether a jurisdiction can attract and sustain high-impact R&D over the long run.

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