EPSCoR Research Infrastructure Improvement Program: EPSCoR Research Incubators for STEM Excellence (E-RISE)

The Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) supports the mission of the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) by promoting nationwide scientific progress. Through this program, NSF fosters partnerships among academic institutions, government entities, industry, and non-profits. These collaborations aim to drive long-term improvements in research infrastructure, enhance R&D capacity, and boost the research competitiveness of eligible EPSCoR jurisdictions. The program invites innovative proposals within a chosen research area that will lead to the development and implementation of sustainable broad networks of individuals, institutions, and organizations, and transform the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) research capacity and competitiveness in a jurisdiction. Key aspects of the program include: • Hypothesis-driven or problem-driven research • Development of research teams and products in a scientific topical area • Alignment with a jurisdiction's research ecosystem and priorities • Integration of research with societal impacts • Clear sustainability plan to preserve the resulting research incubator's team and products beyond E-RISE funding • Collaboration across different types of academic institutions and organizations, as well as non-academic sectors • Development of a skilled workforce relevant to the research topic and project outcomes