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

The National Science Foundation (NSF), an independent federal agency established in 1950, seeks to promote the progress of science and support scientific research and education across the United States. The NSF's EPSCoR (Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research) program aims to enhance the research competitiveness of targeted jurisdictions by strengthening their science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) capacity through strategic investments. The EPSCoR Research Infrastructure Improvement Program: Focused EPSCoR Collaborations (FEC) represents a key initiative within this mission. Formerly known as the EPSCoR Track-2 program, the FEC initiative is designed to promote inter-jurisdictional research collaborations that build sustainable STEM research infrastructure, foster innovation, and develop inclusive education and workforce pipelines. The FEC program provides support to investigator-driven projects that include research teams from at least two EPSCoR-eligible jurisdictions. These teams must demonstrate complementary expertise and resources necessary to tackle significant scientific and societal challenges that could not be effectively addressed independently. The scope of the FEC initiative emphasizes the advancement of nationally and internationally competitive research in alignment with NSF’s strategic goals. Projects are required to integrate research, education, and workforce development with a clear plan for the inclusion and development of early-career faculty, postdoctoral researchers, students, and diverse institutions and populations. Importantly, all activities must be aligned with the focus area outlined in the biennial Dear Colleague Letter. Proposals may request up to $4 million for collaborations between two jurisdictions or up to $6 million for those involving three or more jurisdictions, with a maximum project duration of four years. Awards are issued as cooperative agreements and total program funding is estimated between $12 million and $18 million, contingent on proposal quality and the availability of funds. The program encourages, but does not require, participation from emerging research institutions, minority-serving institutions, and primarily undergraduate institutions. EPSCoR funds must remain within EPSCoR jurisdictions, and any collaborations with non-EPSCoR or international partners must be supported by non-EPSCoR resources. To be eligible, applicants must represent institutions in EPSCoR-eligible jurisdictions and include PIs or co-PIs from each jurisdiction involved. Institutions may only lead one proposal but may participate in multiple proposals in a non-lead capacity. Additionally, individuals may only serve as PI or co-PI on one active FEC award but may contribute as senior personnel to others. The proposal submission process includes a required Letter of Intent due by December 17, 2024, followed by a full proposal due on January 28, 2025. Both deadlines recur annually on the third Tuesday in December and the fourth Tuesday in January, respectively. Submissions must follow the NSF Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG) and can be submitted via Research.gov or Grants.gov. The evaluation of proposals is grounded in NSF’s standard merit review criteria—Intellectual Merit and Broader Impacts—with additional emphasis on research capacity enhancement, workforce development, inter-jurisdictional collaboration, and project integration. Reviewers will assess each project's potential to enhance the STEM research ecosystem, develop sustainable collaborations, and contribute to the advancement of diverse and inclusive research communities. The successful proposals will articulate a strong rationale for the collaboration, clear plans for long-term sustainability, a robust mentoring plan for early-career researchers, and defined societal impacts. Interested applicants may direct inquiries to the FEC program team at [email protected] or by calling (703) 292-7088. More detailed submission guidelines, eligibility information, and the current solicitation are available on the NSF website. The next full proposal deadline after 2025 is January 29, 2026, following the recurring annual cycle. Award notifications are expected after NSF’s standard review and administrative processing period.

Ensure proposals show jurisdictional balance, societal impact, and early-career researcher development; reviewers will scrutinize collaboration strength and sustainability.