Other EPSCoR/IDeA Programs
According to the EPSCoR Interagency Coordinating Committee (EICC), the success of the NSF EPSCoR program during the 1980s prompted the creation of EPSCoR and similar programs in five other federal agencies. The ND EPSCoR State Office submits an annual report to the EPSCoR/IDeA Foundation about the impact these programs have on our state.
Established in FY 1992, the EICC's major objectives focus on improving coordination among and between the federal agencies in implementing EPSCoR and programs similar to EPSCoR. Funding opportunities are detailed in the For Researcher section under Funding Opportunities. Member agencies of the EICC are:
- Department of Defense
- Department of Energy
- National Aeronautics and Space Administration
- National Institute of Health
- National Science Foundation
- U.S. Department of Agriculture
Department of Defense
- There are no current Defense Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (DEPSCoR) awards in North Dakota.
DEPSCoR DoD Day: The Department of Defense has asked the University of South Dakota to host a regional DEPSCoR DoD Day, where DoD program managers will provide information about the DEPSCoR program as well as general information about working with the DoD. The next regional DEPSCoR Day will be in Vermillion, SD at a date to be determined. For more information, please see the University of South Dakota DEPSCoR DoD day page.
- DEPSCoR had a meeting fall 2019 at the University of Rhode Island. Documents below provide added information about the DEPSCoR funding opportunities:
The objectives of DEPSCoR, outlined on its website, are to: 1) enhance the capabilities of institutions of higher education (IHE) in eligible states and territories (states/territories) to develop, plan, and execute science and engineering (S&E) research that is relevant to the mission of the DoD and competitive under the peer-review systems used for awarding Federal research assistance; 2) increase the number of university researchers in eligible states/territories capable of performing S&E research responsive to the needs of the DoD; and 3) increase the probability of long-term growth in the competitively awarded financial assistance that IHE in eligible states/territories receive from the Federal Government for S&E research.
Department of Energy
- The DOE EPSCoR program does not currently have awards in North Dakota.
The primary goals of DOE EPSCoR are three fold: 1) improve the capability of designated states and territories to conduct sustainable and nationally competitive energy-related research; 2) jumpstart infrastructure development in designated states and territories through increased human and technical resources, train scientists and engineers in energy-related areas; and 3) build beneficial relationships of designated states and territories with the 10 world-class laboratories managed by the Office of Science, leveraging DOE national user facilities and intellectual collaboration.
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
The goal of NASA EPSCoR, outlined on its website, 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.
- North Dakota NASA EPSCoR (ND NASA EPSCoR)
UND is the prime institution for NASA EPSCoR, a jurisdictional program
National Institute of Health
- TheNIH Institutional Development Award (IDeA) program has INBRE and COBRE awards in North Dakota (listed below)
The NIH IDeA program, as outlined on its website, builds research capabilities in states that historically have had low levels of NIH funding by supporting basic, clinical, and translational research; faculty development; and infrastructure improvements. The program also enhances the ability of investigators to compete successfully for additional research funding and serves the research needs of medically underserved communities.
- North Dakota IDeA Network of Biomedical Research Excellence (INBRE)
UND is the prime institution for the NIH INBRE, a jurisdictional program
- Center of Biomedical Research Excellence (COBRE)
The COBRE is an NIH IDEA institutional program
Current awards in North Dakota:
- IDeA-Clinical and Translational Research (CTR)
- Designed to encourage applications from IDeA states to develop infrastructure and capacity in order to conduct clinical and translational research on diseases that affect the medically underserved populations and/or the disease prevalent in IDeA states. Provides for both mentoring and career development initiatives in clinical and translational research.
The Great Plains IDeA-CTR is a collaborative effort between nine regional institutions, including both NDSU and UND. The IDeA-CTR strives to provide training, education and mentorship; tools and resources; and funding to regional researchers. For more information, see https://gpctr.unmc.edu/
National Science Foundation
- The NSF EPSCoR programs have active awards in North Dakota (listed below)
Current NSF EPSCoR awards in North Dakota:
- EPSCoR Research Infrastructure Improvement (RII) Track-1
NDSU is the prime institution for the NSF EPSCoR RII Track-1, a jurisdictional program- North Dakota EPSCoR RII Track-1 INSPIRE-ND project
- EPSCoR Research Infrastructure Improvement (RII) Track-2 Focused EPSCoR Collaborations [RII Track-2 FEC]: institutional program
NDSU is the prime institution for this Track-2- NDSU: Insect Cryobiology and Ecophysiology (ICE) Network: Integrating Genomics, Physiology, and Modeling
- Collaborating entities: NDSU, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), New Mexico State University, and the University of Wyoming
- EPSCoR Research Infrastructure Improvement (RII) Track-4: non-tenured investigators program
NDSU: A role for epigenetic modifications driving seasonal patterns of reproduction?
U.S. Department of Agriculture
From the USDA website regarding the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) about the FASE and EPSCoR: The Food and Agricultural Science Enhancement (FASE) Grants are designed to help institutions develop competitive projects and to attract new scientists and educators into careers in high-priority areas of national need in agriculture, food, and environmental sciences. FASE Grants consist of New Investigator Grants, Pre- and Postdoctoral Fellowship Grants, and Strengthening Grants. Strengthening Grants are further divided into Sabbatical Grants, Equipment Grants, Seed Grants, Strengthening Standard Grants, Strengthening CAP (Coordinated Agricultural Project) Grants, and Strengthening Conference Grants. Fifteen percent of AFRI funding is set aside for Strengthening Grants and Pre- and Postdoctoral Fellowship Grants.