EPSCoR Research Infrastructure Improvement Program: Focused EPSCoR Collaborations Program (FEC)

The EPSCoR Research Infrastructure Improvement Program: Focused EPSCoR Collaborations (FEC), offered by the National Science Foundation (NSF), is designed to stimulate competitive research in jurisdictions traditionally underrepresented in federal research funding. The FEC program aims to enhance the research capacity of eligible regions by fostering collaborative, inter-jurisdictional scientific partnerships. These partnerships are strategically structured to leverage complementary expertise and resources across multiple EPSCoR-eligible jurisdictions, promoting discoveries in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) aligned with NSF’s current strategic priorities. The NSF EPSCoR program fosters sustainable research growth through cooperative agreements, supporting projects that integrate research, education, workforce development, and broader impacts. Each funded project must include collaboration between at least two EPSCoR jurisdictions. These proposals should detail how each partner contributes uniquely to the project and must clearly articulate a long-term vision for research advancement, STEM workforce development, and broader societal benefits. The FEC program emphasizes institutional diversity and expects projects to incorporate efforts that broaden participation across underrepresented communities and institutions, such as minority-serving institutions, Primarily Undergraduate Institutions, and emerging research institutions. The funding scope allows for awards of up to $4 million for projects involving two jurisdictions, and up to $6 million for those involving three or more, for a maximum duration of four years. Award types are cooperative agreements. Projects must also include clear sustainability plans for continued research funding beyond the NSF award period, detail methods for evaluating project success, and demonstrate engagement with local communities. The program prohibits voluntary cost-sharing, and EPSCoR funds may only be used within EPSCoR jurisdictions. Eligibility is strictly limited to organizations located in EPSCoR-eligible jurisdictions. These include institutions of higher education (both PhD and non-PhD granting), not-for-profit organizations involved in research and education, tribal governments, and similar entities. Each jurisdiction in a proposed collaboration must have a designated principal investigator or co-PI with relevant research expertise. Proposals are limited to one per lead institution, although organizations may participate in additional proposals as non-leads. Applicants must first submit a required Letter of Intent (LOI), which must be submitted by December 17, 2024. LOIs must be submitted by an Authorized Organizational Representative (AOR) and must specify participating jurisdictions, organizations, and research focus. Full proposals are due January 28, 2025, with recurring deadlines set annually for the third Tuesday of December (LOI) and fourth Tuesday of January (Full Proposal). The next LOI deadline after 2024 is December 16, 2025, and the next full proposal deadline is January 29, 2026. All submissions must be made through Research.gov or Grants.gov, in compliance with the NSF Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG). Proposals must include comprehensive plans for project management, workforce development, collaboration mechanisms, and sustainability. Review of applications follows NSF's standard merit review criteria, emphasizing intellectual merit and broader societal impacts. Projects will be judged on their potential to enhance research capacity, support early-career researchers, promote equitable collaboration across jurisdictions, and integrate research with education and workforce development. Selected awardees will receive notification following standard NSF review processes and must submit annual and final project reports. Additional participation in centralized EPSCoR data collection is also required.

Focus on balanced inter-jurisdictional collaboration, early-career faculty development, and societal impact. Include logic models and clearly articulated metrics.