EPSCoR Research Incubators for STEM Excellence Research Infrastructure Improvement | 23 588

Opportunity Information: Apply for 23 588

The NSF EPSCoR Research Incubators for STEM Excellence Research Infrastructure Improvement (E-RISE RII) opportunity is a competitive grant program designed to strengthen long-term research capacity in EPSCoR-eligible jurisdictions, meaning certain U.S. states, territories, and commonwealths that historically receive a smaller share of federal R and D funding. The central goal is not just to fund a single research project, but to build durable, jurisdiction-wide research infrastructure and collaboration networks that measurably improve STEM competitiveness over time. In practical terms, NSF is looking for proposals that can spark an organized "incubator" around a well-defined scientific topic that matches priorities already laid out in the jurisdiction's approved Science and Technology (S and T) Plan, and then convert that incubator into a sustainable engine for future research, workforce training, and broader impacts after NSF funding ends.

E-RISE RII emphasizes team-based incubation and network-building rather than isolated work at one campus or lab. Successful projects are expected to develop and implement broad partnerships that cut across institutions and sectors, including universities, non-profits, industry, and government entities, in ways that transform a jurisdiction's research ecosystem in the selected field. The program expects a clear plan to (1) build research capacity in the chosen topic area, (2) develop a skilled workforce aligned with the research and its outcomes, (3) advance diversity, equity, access, and inclusion by engaging different types of academic institutions and non-academic partners, (4) connect the research to societal impacts on a defined timeline (timebound), and (5) show a realistic sustainability pathway so the team, collaborations, and research products continue beyond the E-RISE RII award period. That sustainability point is core: NSF is effectively asking how the incubator will keep operating, attracting funding, producing outputs, and retaining talent once this specific grant ends.

Eligibility is limited to organizations located in EPSCoR-eligible jurisdictions, and there are important restrictions tied to other EPSCoR awards within the jurisdiction. In general, submitting institutions or organizations must meet EPSCoR eligibility criteria and must not be in a collaborating role on a current or potentially pending EPSCoR RII Track-1 award, unless that Track-1 award is in its final year. There are also constraints related to jurisdictions that have an awarded or pending EPSCoR E-CORE RII proposal from an eligible entity within the jurisdiction. The intent behind these restrictions is to manage overlap across EPSCoR investments and to ensure E-RISE RII funds are targeted to jurisdictions and organizations positioned to benefit from this specific incubator model.

Organizations that may submit include accredited U.S. institutions of higher education (both PhD-granting and non-PhD-granting) with a campus in the United States or its territories/possessions, qualifying non-profit non-degree-granting U.S. organizations with 501(c)(3) status (such as museums, science centers, observatories, research labs, and professional societies with a permanent U.S. administrative presence), and Tribal Governments, including federally recognized tribes and also Indigenous communities not recognized under the Federally Recognized Indian Tribe List Act framework as described in the notice. A key structural expectation is that proposals should be multi-institutional or multi-organizational: a lead institution submits, but the project should include one or more collaborating partners, and the overall collaboration should reflect an inclusive, jurisdiction-wide network in the chosen research area rather than a narrow partnership that benefits only one organization.

NSF also signals priorities about who should be meaningfully included in the partnership. While not strictly mandatory in the excerpt, it is encouraged that the lead institution or at least one partner be an Emerging Research Institution (generally, an institution of higher education with established programs and less than $50 million in federal research expenditures) and/or a Minority-Serving Institution such as an HBCU, HSI, TCU, or other institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as enrolling significant percentages of students from underrepresented populations. This emphasis aligns with the program's broader goal of expanding access to research opportunity and building inclusive research capacity across different institution types, not only at the most research-intensive campuses in a jurisdiction.

From the funding opportunity details provided, the agency is the National Science Foundation under CFDA 47.083, the instrument is a grant, the opportunity number is 23-588, and the activity category is science and technology and other research and development. The listed award ceiling is $11,500,000, indicating NSF anticipates large, multi-partner, infrastructure-and-capacity-focused projects rather than small pilot studies. The original closing date shown is 2024-08-13. Overall, the program is best understood as a jurisdiction-level capacity-building investment: NSF is funding coordinated research incubators that can unify stakeholders around a strategic STEM topic, produce workforce and societal impact outcomes, broaden participation across institutions and sectors, and create a credible runway to sustained competitiveness after the award period.

• The National Science Foundation in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "EPSCoR Research Incubators for STEM Excellence Research Infrastructure Improvement" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 47.083.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2023-05-13.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2024-08-13. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $11,500,000.00 in funding.
• Eligible applicants include: Others.

Apply for 23 588

[Watch] Creating a grant proposal using the step-by-step wizard inside the applicant portal: