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Estab­lished Program to Stim­u­late Com­pet­i­tive Research

Updates to NSF Research Security Policies

On July 10, 2025, NSF issued an Important Notice providing updates to the agency's research security policies, including a research security training requirement, Malign Foreign Talent Recruitment Program annual certification requirement, prohibition on Confucius institutes and an updated FFDR reporting and submission timeline.

EPSCoR Investment Strategies

Research Infrastructure Improvement Program

EPSCoR uses three major investment strategies to achieve its goal of improving the R&D competitiveness of researchers and institutions within EPSCoR jurisdictions. To see if you are eligible to apply, view the EPSCoR Criteria for Eligibility.  Read about current opportunities below:

ECORE and ERISE fact sheet cover
NSF EPSCoR E-CORE and E-RISE Fact Sheet

(PDF, 4.63MB)
An overview of institutions and projects funded by the NSF EPSCoR E-CORE and E-RISE programs.

A bearded man works in a greenhouse
Improving crop resilience for global food security: A research project by Harkamal Walia at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln focuses on ensuring global food security by improving crop resilience.<br> Research supported by National Science Foundation grant OIA 1736192.<br> Learn more in the NSF News Release <a href="https://www.nsf.gov/news/news_summ.jsp?cntn_id=242233&amp;org=NSF&amp;from=news">NSF EPSCoR awards new projects to help understand connections between genes and organisms' characteristics.</a> <br>Date image taken: unknown; date originally posted to NSF Multimedia Gallery: Dec. 13, 2017

Credit: University Communication / University of Nebraska-Lincoln

Co-funding of disciplinary and multidisciplinary research

EPSCoR often co-funds proposals submitted to other NSF programs if the applicant is located in an EPSCoR jurisdiction. The proposals selected for this funding have been merit reviewed and recommended for award, but could not be funded without the combined support of EPSCoR and the co-funding directorates. Co-funding leverages EPSCoR investment and facilitates participation of EPSCoR scientists and engineers in NSF-wide programs and initiatives. 

Workshops and outreach

EPSCoR funds workshops, conferences and other community-based activities to explore opportunities in emerging areas of science and engineering, and to share best practices in strategic planning, diversity, communication, cyberinfrastructure, evaluation and other areas of importance to EPSCoR jurisdictions (See NSF 24-540).

EPSCoR also supports outreach travel that enables NSF staff from all directorates and offices to work with the EPSCoR research community on NSF opportunities, priorities, programs and policies. This travel better acquaints NSF staff with the science and engineering accomplishments, ongoing activities and new directions and opportunities in research and education in EPSCoR jurisdictions.

EPSCoR Outreach Guidelines