About LA NASA ESPCoR

The Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) establishes partnerships with government, higher education, and industry in order to improve a state’s research infrastructure, research and development (R&D) capacity, and ultimately its national R&D competitiveness. Seven federal agencies conduct EPSCoR programs, including NASA. The NASA EPSCoR program is directed at 28 jurisdictions, including Louisiana, that have not in the past participated equably in competitive federally-funded aerospace and aerospace-related research activities. The core objectives of LA NASA EPSCoR are to:
  • Expand the overall research infrastructure, science  and technology capabilities, higher education, and economic development of the state.
  • Enhance the research capabilities and infrastructure in the state of Louisiana in areas of strategic importance to NASA.
  • Improve acquisition of funding support for R&D from beyond the NASA ESPCoR program.
  • Work in close coordination with LaSPACE to improve the general environment and promote a culture that supports science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education in Louisiana.
LA NASA EPSCoR funding opportunities are structured progressively to mirror the natural development of a significant research endeavor from generating ideas and establishing relationships to executing long-term strategic development projects. In support of this mission, we offer small grants to support  Louisiana Researchers traveling to NASA centers for a pre-planned and detailed exchange of ideas, capabilities, and potential partnership opportunities. The next tier of funding provides seed money for these new collaborators to develop an initial 12-month research project that has a demonstrated tie-in to a NASA center. The most significant funding opportunity available via the EPSCoR pipeline are  3-year Research Awards annually awarded by NASA via a competitive solicitation open to all ESPCoR jurisdictions. Specific details about all of these program categories and specific guidelines for active and open solicitations are available on our Programs and Current Solicitations pages. Louisiana NASA EPSCoR is operated as a Cooperative Agreement between NASA and the Louisiana Board of Regents (BOR) with scientific and technical management support from the Louisiana Space Grant / NASA EPSCoR (LaSPACE) program management office at Louisiana State University. Staff members from the LaSPACE office and the BOR work together to support NASA EPSCoR objectives, programs, and opportunities. As a team we work to promote information about funding opportunities in the state and we manage the proposal application process and active project awards.