Maine EPSCoR

About Maine EPSCoR

Summary of Programs

The Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) was initiated by the National Science Foundation in 1978, and now encompasses EPSCoR programs at several other Federal agencies. EPSCoR is a program directed at states that have historically received lesser amounts of research and development (R&D) funding. Through this program, states develop partnerships between their higher education institutions, industry, government, and others to effect lasting improvements in their R&D infrastructure, capacity, and national competitiveness. Maine EPSCoR at the University of Maine oversees and implements the state’s NSF EPSCoR programs.

NSF EPSCoR

For more information about NSF EPSCoR visit the NSF website. Goal #1: provide strategic programs and opportunities that stimulate sustainable improvements in a jurisdiction’s R&D capacity and competitiveness.

Goal #2: to advance science and engineering capabilities in eligible jurisdictions for discovery, innovation, and overall knowledge-based prosperity.

NSF EPSCoR Initiatives:

Research Infrastructure Improvement Grants:

Provides support for sustainable improvements in research infrastructure leading to increased competitiveness and capacity.

• EPSCoR Collaborations for Optimizing Research Ecosystems (E-CORE RII): supports jurisdictions in building capacity in one or more targeted research infrastructure cores that underlie the jurisdiction’s research ecosystem.
• EPSCoR Research Incubators for STEM Excellence (E-RISE RII): supports the incubation of research teams and products in a scientific topical area that links to research priorities identified in the submitting jurisdiction’s approved Science and Technology (S&T) Plan
• EPSCoR Focused EPSCoR Collaboration (FEC): (formerly known as “EPSCoR Track-2 program”) builds interjurisdictional collaborative teams of EPSCoR investigators in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) focus areas consistent with the current National Science Foundation Strategic Plan.
• EPSCoR Research Fellows: (formerly known as “EPSCoR Track-4 program”) provides awards to build research capacity in institutions and transform the career trajectories of investigators and further develop their individual research potential through collaborations with investigators from the nation’s premier private, governmental, or academic research centers.

One award per state per funding period with a limited application process
Projects developed & chosen through a carefully defined state process implemented by Maine EPSCoR

Co-Funding Assistance:
Enables more awards to be made to researchers in EPSCoR jurisdictions from the Foundation’s regular research, education, and special emphasis competitions, by providing partial support for those proposals that merit review places at or near the cutoff for funding by the reviewing program. This mechanism operates internally within NSF and does not require any action on the part of the proposer.

Outreach Initiative:
Provides financial support for outreach visits by NSF staff to acquaint researchers in the EPSCoR jurisdictions with NSF priorities, programs, and policies. EPSCoR Outreach also serves to acquaint NSF staff more fully with the facilities, research activities, and investigator expertise/potential within the EPSCoR jurisdictions.