Opportunity Information: Apply for 12 563
Apply for 12 563
- The National Science Foundation in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "EPSCoR Research Infrastructure Improvement Program Track 1" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 47.041 Engineering Grants 47.049 Mathematical and Physical Sciences 47.050 Geosciences 47.070 Computer and Information Science and Engineering 47.074 Biological Sciences 47.075 Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences 47.076 Education and Human Resources 47.078 Polar Programs 47.079 Office of International Science and Engineering 47.080 Office of Cyberinfrastructure 47.081 Office of Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research.
- This funding opportunity was created on May 31, 2012 and posted on May 31, 2012.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Oct 3, 2012 Full Proposal Deadline(s) October 03, 2012. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $28,000,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 7 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
- Organization Limit Proposals may only be submitted by the following Only jurisdictions that meet EPSCoR criteria are a hrefhttp://www.nsf.gov/od/oia/programs/epscor/FY2012Eligibility.pdfeligible/a to submit proposals to the Research Infrastructure Improvement Program Track 1 (RII Track 1) competition. The jurisdictions EPSCoR steering committee must designate a fiscal agent/proposing organization as the responsible recipient for the RII Track 1 award. Where possible, this should be the employing organization of the Project Director. The jurisdiction must have in place a Science and Technology Plan in order to submit a RII Track 1 proposal. PI LimitPrincipal Investigators/Project Directors of proposed EPSCoR projects must be affiliated with research universities, agencies, or organizations within the participant jurisdiction.
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Opportunity Summary:
The NSF EPSCoR Research Infrastructure Improvement Program Track 1 (RII Track 1) is a major capacity-building grant opportunity meant to strengthen research competitiveness in U.S. jurisdictions that have historically received a smaller share of NSF research and development funding. EPSCoR exists to help NSF meet its nationwide mission by making sure high-quality research and talent development can grow in more places, not only in the traditionally top-funded states. In practice, the program is structured around building long-term, sustainable improvements to a jurisdiction's research ecosystem by encouraging coordinated partnerships among state or territorial government, higher education institutions, and industry.
RII Track 1 specifically focuses on upgrading and expanding a jurisdiction's research infrastructure in ways that can translate into stronger future performance in national R&D competitions. The funding can support improvements across three broad infrastructure categories: physical infrastructure (such as research instrumentation, shared facilities, and laboratories), human infrastructure (such as workforce development, faculty and student support, talent recruitment and retention, and research team building), and cyberinfrastructure (such as data systems, computing resources, networking, and other digital research platforms). A key feature of the program is that the priority research areas are not chosen by NSF in advance; instead, each jurisdiction's EPSCoR steering committee identifies the research areas judged most likely to improve that jurisdiction's long-term R&D competitiveness. This makes the award both strategic and place-based, with an emphasis on building strengths that can realistically scale and attract additional external research dollars over time.
Awards under this opportunity are structured as cooperative agreements, which generally signals a more involved relationship between NSF and the awardee compared to a standard grant, often including NSF oversight, coordination, and performance expectations tied to project goals. The opportunity anticipated about 7 awards nationwide, with an estimated total funding level of $28,000,000. Individual awards could provide up to $4 million per year for up to 5 years, which positions RII Track 1 as a large, multi-year investment intended to reshape research capacity rather than fund a single narrow research project. The announcement also indicates a cost sharing or matching requirement, meaning awardees should expect to contribute non-federal resources consistent with the solicitation requirements.
Eligibility is limited to jurisdictions that meet NSF EPSCoR eligibility criteria; at the time of the solicitation, 31 jurisdictions were eligible, including 28 states plus Puerto Rico, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Proposals must be submitted by the jurisdiction itself through a designated fiscal agent (the proposing organization) selected by the jurisdiction's EPSCoR steering committee. Where feasible, NSF expects that fiscal agent to be the employer of the Project Director, reinforcing the idea that the award is anchored in a lead institution that can manage a complex, statewide or territory-wide effort. Another explicit prerequisite is that the jurisdiction must have an established Science and Technology Plan in place before submitting, reflecting NSF's expectation that Track 1 proposals align with a broader, formal strategy rather than being one-off ideas. Project Directors/Principal Investigators must be affiliated with research universities, agencies, or organizations located within the participating jurisdiction.
From a topical standpoint, the opportunity sits under NSF's broad science and engineering portfolio rather than a single directorate. The listed CFDA program areas span engineering, mathematical and physical sciences, geosciences, computer and information science and engineering, biological sciences, social, behavioral, and economic sciences, education and human resources, polar programs, international science and engineering, cyberinfrastructure, and EPSCoR itself. This breadth underscores that RII Track 1 is designed to build platforms and capacity that can support competitive research in many disciplines, as long as the jurisdiction can justify why the selected research focus areas will measurably strengthen competitiveness and infrastructure.
Administratively, this was a discretionary funding opportunity released by the National Science Foundation under NSF Publication 12-563 (Funding Opportunity Number 12-563). The posting date was May 31, 2012, with a full proposal deadline of October 3, 2012, and an archive date of November 3, 2012. The solicitation provided standard federal support contacts, including NSF Grants.gov support for technical access issues.
NSF EPSCoR RII Track 1 (NSF 12-563) FAQs
What is the NSF EPSCoR Research Infrastructure Improvement Program Track 1 (RII Track 1)?
RII Track 1 is a capacity-building NSF EPSCoR opportunity designed to strengthen research competitiveness in eligible U.S. jurisdictions that historically have received a smaller share of NSF research and development funding. It focuses on long-term, sustainable improvements to a jurisdiction's research ecosystem through coordinated partnerships across government, higher education, and industry.
What is the main purpose of RII Track 1 funding?
The program is intended to upgrade and expand a jurisdiction's research infrastructure in ways that translate into stronger future performance in national R&D competitions. The emphasis is on building durable platforms, systems, and talent pipelines rather than supporting a single narrow research project.
Who is the program designed to benefit?
The opportunity is structured to benefit EPSCoR-eligible jurisdictions by helping them build high-quality research capacity and talent development across more parts of the country, not only the traditionally top-funded states.
What kinds of partnerships does NSF expect for Track 1 projects?
NSF emphasizes coordinated partnerships among state or territorial government, higher education institutions, and industry. The overall approach is jurisdiction-wide (statewide or territory-wide) rather than limited to one institution acting alone.
What types of research infrastructure can be supported?
The solicitation describes support across three broad categories:
- Physical infrastructure: research instrumentation, shared facilities, laboratories, and related assets.
- Human infrastructure: workforce development, faculty and student support, talent recruitment and retention, and research team building.
- Cyberinfrastructure: data systems, computing resources, networking, and other digital research platforms.
Does NSF pre-select the priority research areas for Track 1 proposals?
No. Priority research areas are not chosen by NSF in advance. Each jurisdiction's EPSCoR steering committee identifies the research areas it believes are most likely to improve the jurisdiction's long-term R&D competitiveness.
How is the Track 1 research focus described in the solicitation?
The opportunity is strategic and place-based. Jurisdictions are expected to select focus areas that can realistically scale and help attract additional external research dollars over time, while measurably strengthening competitiveness and infrastructure.
Is this award a standard grant or something different?
Awards are structured as cooperative agreements, which generally indicates a more involved relationship between NSF and the awardee than a standard grant. This typically includes NSF oversight, coordination, and performance expectations tied to project goals.
How many awards were anticipated and what was the estimated total funding?
The opportunity anticipated about 7 awards nationwide, with an estimated total funding level of $28,000,000.
What is the maximum award size and project length?
Individual awards could provide up to $4 million per year for up to 5 years.
Is cost sharing or matching required?
Yes. The announcement indicates a cost sharing or matching requirement, meaning awardees should expect to contribute non-federal resources consistent with the solicitation requirements.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is limited to jurisdictions that meet NSF EPSCoR eligibility criteria. At the time of this solicitation, 31 jurisdictions were eligible, including 28 states plus Puerto Rico, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Who submits the proposal: an institution or the jurisdiction?
Proposals must be submitted by the jurisdiction itself through a designated fiscal agent (the proposing organization) selected by the jurisdiction's EPSCoR steering committee.
What is the fiscal agent in this program?
The fiscal agent is the proposing organization designated by the jurisdiction's EPSCoR steering committee to submit and manage the cooperative agreement on behalf of the jurisdiction.
Does NSF have expectations about where the Project Director is employed?
Where feasible, NSF expects the fiscal agent to be the employer of the Project Director, reinforcing that the award is anchored in a lead institution capable of managing a complex jurisdiction-wide effort.
Are there prerequisites a jurisdiction must meet before submitting?
Yes. An explicit prerequisite is that the jurisdiction must have an established Science and Technology Plan in place before submitting, indicating NSF expects Track 1 proposals to align with a broader formal strategy.
Who can serve as Project Director/Principal Investigator (PD/PI)?
Project Directors/Principal Investigators must be affiliated with research universities, agencies, or organizations located within the participating jurisdiction.
What fields or disciplines does this opportunity cover?
The opportunity spans NSF's broad science and engineering portfolio rather than a single directorate. Listed CFDA program areas include engineering; mathematical and physical sciences; geosciences; computer and information science and engineering; biological sciences; social, behavioral, and economic sciences; education and human resources; polar programs; international science and engineering; cyberinfrastructure; and EPSCoR.
Does the breadth of covered fields mean proposals can be interdisciplinary?
The solicitation is broad across NSF science and engineering areas, supporting platforms and capacity that can enable competitive research in many disciplines, as long as the jurisdiction can justify how its chosen focus areas strengthen competitiveness and infrastructure.
What is the Funding Opportunity Number and publication reference for this solicitation?
This opportunity was released by NSF under NSF Publication 12-563 (Funding Opportunity Number 12-563).
When was this opportunity posted and what were the key dates?
Posting date: May 31, 2012. Full proposal deadline: October 3, 2012. Archive date: November 3, 2012.
What kind of funding opportunity is this?
This was a discretionary funding opportunity released by the National Science Foundation.
Where could applicants get help with technical submission issues?
The solicitation notes standard federal support contacts, including NSF Grants.gov support for technical access issues.
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