NASA EPSCoR Grant for Aerospace Research Development

Public Law 102-588, passed in 1992, authorized NASA to initiate NASA EPSCoR to strengthen the research capability of jurisdictions that have not in the past 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.

Based on the availability of funding, NASA will continue to help jurisdictions achieve these goals through NASA EPSCoR. Funded jurisdictions will be selected through a merit-based, peer-review competition.

The following are the specific objectives of NASA EPSCoR:

• Contribute to and promote the development of research capability in NASA EPSCoR jurisdictions in areas of strategic importance to the NASA mission;

• Improve the capabilities of the NASA EPSCoR jurisdictions to gain support from sources outside the NASA EPSCoR program;

• Develop partnerships among NASA research assets, academic institutions, and industry;

• Contribute to the overall research infrastructure, science and technology capabilities, higher education, and economic development of the jurisdiction; and

• Work in close coordination with the Space Grant consortium in the jurisdiction to improve the environment for science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education.

While proposals can be accepted only from institutions for which the NASA EPSCoR Directors are currently serving, all institutions of higher education within the jurisdiction should be given the opportunity and be made aware of the FY 2014 NASA EPSCoR CAN.

The National Science Foundation (NSF) determines overall jurisdiction eligibility for NASA EPSCoR. Details regarding general eligibility are available at:
http://www.nsf.gov/od/oia/programs/epscor/eligible.jsp .

The following jurisdictions are eligible to submit one proposal to this NASA EPSCoR solicitation: Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Delaware, Hawaii, Idaho, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Vermont, West Virginia, and Wyoming.

South Carolina may submit up to two proposals, provided at least one of the proposals represents a project from the U.S. Virgin Islands (which currently falls under South Carolina’s jurisdiction).

Agency Name
NASA Headquarters

Description

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Office of Education, in cooperation with NASA’s Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate (ARMD), Human Exploration & Operations Mission Directorate (HEOMD), Science Mission Directorates (SMD), the Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD), and NASA’s ten centers, solicits proposals for the NASA Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR). Each funded NASA EPSCoR proposal is expected to establish research activities that will make significant contributions to NASA’s strategic research and technology development priorities and contribute to the overall research infrastructure, science and technology capabilities, higher education, and economic development of the jurisdiction.
The program parameters are:

• NASA EPSCoR Jurisdictions responding to this Cooperative Agreement Notice (CAN) may submit one proposal per paragraph 1.3 below (EPSCoR Eligibility and Proposal Acceptance).

• The maximum funding request per proposal is $750,000. This amount is to be expended over a three-year period.

• All NASA EPSCoR monies must be cost-shared at a level of at least 50% with non-federal monies. In-kind cost-sharing is allowable.

This CAN is available in electronic form through the NASA Solicitation and Proposal Integrated Review and Evaluation System (NSPIRES) and through Grants.gov.

To access the CAN through NSPIRES, go to http://nspires.nasaprs.com and click on Solicitations.

To access the CAN through Grants.gov, go to http://www.grants.gov/search/agency.do and select the link for NASA.