NSF EPSoR FEC

NSF EPSCoR Collaborations Program (RII-FEC) (previously EPSCoR Track 2)

• WVU Internal Application Due: September 30, 2025
• Agency Letter of Intent: December 16, 2025
• Agency Full Proposal Due: January 27, 2026

Synopsis

WVU may only submit one proposal to the RII-FEC competition as lead, however, WVU may serve as a non-lead in a collaborative submission or as sub-awardee on any number of additional proposals.

As you consider this program, you may want to have your non-WVU partners apply to lead at their home institution as well to increase your odds of selection for submission. This is an EPSCoR program which requires that a WVU team partner with another team from least one other EPSCoR jurisdiction.

PIs and Co-PIs must have experience in the disciplinary expertise in the area of proposed focus. The current solicitation encourages that at least one collaborative partner be an institution from one of the following categories: an institutions of higher education less than $50,000,000 in Federal research expenditures; a minority-serving institution (HBCU, Tribal College, HSI or as defined by the DoEd) primarily undergraduate institutions (PUIs), including two-year colleges, that award associate degrees, bachelor's degrees, and/or master's degrees in NSF-supported fields, but have awarded 20 or fewer Ph.D./D.Sci. degrees in all NSF-supported fields during the combined previous two academic years; institutions dedicated to serving students with disabilities; and/or women's colleges.

Program Theme

The theme this year is: use-inspired research questions in any STEM area supported by NSF. "Use-inspired" means the research should have practical applications and offer solutions to known, challenging problems.

Budget

• If two EPSCoR jurisdictions collaborate: up to $4 million over four years
• If three or more EPSCoR jurisdictions collaborate: up to $6 million over four years

Internal Proposal Instructions

Email proposals to  WVU_Internal@mail.wvu.edu with subject line: EPSCoR Collaborations

Include the following:

• Cover Page with:
  • List of WVU PI and Co-PIs and faculty-level Senior Personnel with department affiliations
  • Names of co-PIs from EPSCoR partnering institutions
  • If applicable, name of any MSI/women’s college/etc. partner institution and a point of contact
• Project Description (max 3 pages, jargon-free):
  • What is your topical area?
  • Explain how it is use-inspired
  • Describe your proposed research effort
  • Explain the intellectual merit
  • What makes the effort unique?
  • Rationale for team composition and collaboration strategy
  • History of team collaboration (if any)
  • What are your plans for the  recruitment and/or development of early-career faculty as well as groups at all levels of this project who are traditionally underrepresented in STEM fields, including postdoctoral researchers, undergraduates, graduate students, and K-12 students?
  • RII-FEC investments are expected to result in sustained improvements in research competitiveness? 
  • Explain how this will happen if your project is funded.
  • How do you propose to provide the social and economic expertise to understand and assess the societal implications of the focus area?

Budget Outline