NASA EPSCoR and R3

The goal of NASA EPSCoR is to provide seed funding that will enable jurisdictions to develop an academic research enterprise directed toward long-term, self-sustaining, nationally-competitive capabilities in aerospace and aerospace-related research.

NASA EPSCoR objectives are to:

  • Contribute to, and promote the development of, research infrastructure in NASA EPSCoR jurisdictions in areas of strategic importance to the NASA mission
  • Improve the capabilities of the jurisdictions to gain support from sources outside the NASA EPSCoR program
  • Develop partnerships between NASA research assets, academic institutions, and industry
  • Contribute to the overall research infrastructure, science and technology capabilities, higher education, and/or economic development of the jurisdiction
  • Work in close coordination with Space Grant to improve the environment for science, technology, engineering and mathematics education in the jurisdiction

The two main components of NASA EPSCoR are:

  • EPSCoR Research Infrastructure Development, or RID. This component enables jurisdictions to build and strengthen relationships with NASA researchers. The RID has a three-year base period of performance with a potential single, two-year renewable period of performance. Awards are $125,000 per year. NASA intends to announce the RID opportunity every three to five years, pending funding availability.
  • EPSCoR Research Awards solicits topic-specific proposals addressing high-priority NASA research and technology development needs. Awards are up to $750,000 for a three-year performance period. NASA intends to announce the EPSCoR CAN for Research Awards yearly, pending funding availability.

The NASA Authorization Act for fiscal year 1993, Public Law 102-588, authorized NASA to initiate NASA Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) to strengthen the research capability of jurisdictions that have not historically participated equably in competitive aerospace research activities.

The goal of NASA EPSCoR is to provide seed funding that will enable jurisdictions to develop an academic research enterprise directed toward long-term, self-sustaining, nationally-competitive capabilities in aerospace and aerospace-related research. This capability will, in turn, contribute to the jurisdiction’s economic viability and expand the nation’s base for aerospace research and development.

The R3 is a collaborative effort between NASA EPSCoR, NASA Centers, and mission directorates. The goals of R3 are to provide a streamlined method to address research issues important to NASA, and to enable NASA EPSCoR researchers to work with NASA to solve research issues impacting the agency’s programs/missions.

  • Collaborations with Science Mission Directorate (SMD), Human Exploration & Operations Mission Directorate (HEOMD), Commercial Spaceflight and Industry.
  • Solicitation released yearly.
  • Jurisdictions may submit one proposal per task (multiple proposals per jurisdiction) and may receive multiple awards to each solicitation (one per task)
  • One-year period of performance (POP)
  • $100,000 total, and cost sharing is not required; however, any funds used for voluntary matching or cost-sharing is allowed.