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Simpler Grants

No. 25-523 · U.S. National Science Foundation

Open

EPSCoR Research Infrastructure Improvement Program: EPSCoR Collaborations for Optimizing Research Ecosystems

grants.gov listing Full announcement (NOFO)
Dealbreakers No cost share required Audit: not stated Reimbursement-only: not stated
Award range
Not specified
Expected awards
Not specified
Application deadline
Jul 20, 2027
Posted
Dec 14, 2024
Last verified
8 days ago

At a glance

AI summary

The program funds EPSCoR-eligible jurisdictions to build and sustain research capacity, research infrastructure, and jurisdiction-wide networks in targeted areas of focus. Each project must include an Administrative Core, may include one or more additional cores based on evidence of need, and can support things like research support, facilities and infrastructure, education pathways, workforce development, broadening participation, community engagement, economic development, and partnerships. The initial award is for four years, with an optional single four-year renewal, and yearly funding depends on progress toward project goals. The text does not give an application eligibility list beyond EPSCoR-eligible jurisdictions, and it says no EPSCoR funds may be directed to non-EPSCoR organizations in the National and Global Partnerships Core. It does not state a cost-share requirement.

AI-generated summary — verify against the announcement

What it funds

  • Science and Technology and other Research and Development
  • Capacity Building & Technical Assistance
  • Infrastructure, Construction & Shared Facilities
  • General Public / Community-wide
  • Researchers & Scholars
  • Students & Learners (K-12 and Postsecondary)
  • Workers, Entrepreneurs & Producers
  • Higher Education Access, Institutions & Humanities
  • Research Infrastructure, Instrumentation & Data
  • STEM Education & Research Training
  • Workforce, Employment & Economic Mobility
Official description from grants.gov

The Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) supports the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) mission by promoting nationwide scientific progress. Through this program, NSF fosters partnerships among academic institutions, government entities, industry, and non-profits. These collaborations aim to drive long-term improvements in research infrastructure, enhance R&D capacity, and boost the research competitiveness of eligible EPSCoR jurisdictions, including states, territories, and commonwealths. A jurisdiction’s research ecosystem is the interconnected network of organizations, researchers, trainees, community stakeholders, and resources that contribute to the process of research and innovation that advances fundamental knowledge, generates use-inspired products, and ultimately cultivates beneficial impacts for a jurisdiction. E-CORE supports jurisdictions in building significant and sustainable research capacity and research infrastructure for targeted areas of focus, hereinafter referred to as “cores,” that underlie a jurisdiction's research ecosystem. Based on the evidence-based and self-identified needs of a jurisdiction, the types of cores supported by E-CORE may include (but are not limited to) development, enhancement, and/or ensuring the sustainability of: research administration; research facilities and infrastructure (including cyberinfrastructure); STEM education (K-12) pathways; higher education pathways; early career investigator pathways; broadening participation; workforce development; national and global partnerships; community engagement and outreach; technology transfer; economic development; and use-inspired research pathways. E-CORE projects must be designed to support the sustainability of the research infrastructure cores beyond the award period. Projects will also support the development and growth of new jurisdiction-wide connections, and the leveraging of existing jurisdiction-wide connections, to drive substantive and sustainable impacts.

Who can apply

  • Others
Geographic restriction None found in the announcement — likely nationwide

Program history

USASpending.gov

Assistance listing 47.083 · Integrative Activities

Real awards this federal program has made — the whole assistance listing (47.083), not just this notice.

Fiscal year Awards Median award Middle half
FY 2026 (so far) 69 $393,875 $291,425 – $1,250,907
FY 2025 388 $463,272 $269,010 – $887,105
FY 2024 697 $452,434 $270,334 – $807,474
FY 2023 700 — —
FY 2022 476 — —
FY 2021 150 — —

Dollar figures are based on the 1,000 most recent awards we store, not all 2,480 — award counts are complete.

Who wins it Higher education (2,352), Business (81), Individuals (8) of 2,480 awards — categories can overlap.
Top states AL (60) · LA (48) · MS (42) · OK (24) · SC (24)
Largest recent awards
  1. GEORGIA TECH RESEARCH CORP $23,999,998 · FY 2025
  2. UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON $22,294,445 · FY 2024
  3. THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO $19,998,055 · FY 2024
  4. UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA $19,982,835 · FY 2025
  5. UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY RESEARCH FOUNDATION, THE $12,912,881 · FY 2024

Source: USASpending.gov · refreshed Aug 5, 2026

Change history

Since we first indexed it
  1. Jul 30, 2026 Grant announcement document replaced
  2. Jul 30, 2026 Status: closed → open
  3. Jul 30, 2026 Deadline moved: Jul 21, 2026 → Jul 20, 2027
  4. Jul 22, 2026 Status: open → closed