What is a

Mini-Grant?

Mini-grants are awarded to URM-serving STEM focused programs to support collaboration, address gaps and overlaps in service, and share promising practices as it relates to Advanced Manufacturing education and outreach. Mini-grants are a small amount of seed funding and are not intended to fully fund entire projects. The maximum mini-grant award is $1,600.

What is an

EOC Award?

Education, Outreach and Communication (EOC) awards provide up to $10,000 in funding to support STEM education, outreach and communication events and activities related to KY NSF EPSCoR Advanced Manufacturing research initiatives.

Who is

KY NSF EPSCoR?

Working in collaboration with the National Science Foundation (NSF), Kentucky’s Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) assists to strengthen research and education in science and engineering. The vision of the KY NSF EPSCoR is to advance, encourage and develop long term improvements in scientific discovery, innovation and education throughout the Commonwealth.

Submitting Your Application

Use the resources below to help submit your application.

• Rubric used by reviewers of mini-grant and education, outreach, and communication applications.

 

• KY NSF EPSCoR Research & Workforce Development Initiatives

 

• Download KY NSF EPSCoR proposal templates

 

• All NSF proposals are evaluated through use of two National Science Board approved merit review criteria: Intellectual Merit and Broader Impacts. NSF EPSCoR also requires the additional criteria of research alignment to specific objectives of certain programs and activities of KY NSF EPSCoR. Read more about NSF Merit Review Principles here and here.

Ready to Apply?

Click the button below to get started.

KY NSF EPSCoR Funding Requirements

• Application submissions are due 11:59 p.m. ET on 8/31/19. Void where prohibited.

 

• Preference is given to projects that are innovative and collaborative.

 

• NSF EPSCoR now requires that ALL supported projects be aligned with  current research themes. Thus, for all K-12 activities, EOC and MG awards, the proposed activity must relate to:
  • additive manufacturing (3D printing)
  • sensing
  • robotics, or
  • plant-based materials

 

• Requests for computers cannot be proposed.

 

• All awardees and funded participants are obligated to provide reporting about the outcomes of their KY NSF EPSCoR-supported projects. Awardees may download the reporting documents here: Download Reporting Documents.

 

• Only one application per investigator per program per year is allowed.

 

• Funds cannot be awarded for time periods beyond 6/30/20.