Highlights:

  • • South Carolina is eligible to submit six (6) new proposals to the national competition.

    • In addition, Renewal proposals are permitted – provided funding has been secured by the current Science-I. This will be outside of the 6 new proposal limits.

    • No cost-share is required.

    • Institutional Endorsements are due by email from your institution’s Authorized Organizational Representative (AOR) to scsgrant@cofc.edu: Thursday, November 30, 2023

    • Letters of Intent are due by email to scsgrant@cofc.edu: Thursday, November 30, 2023

    • Proposals Due to submission site: Thursday, December 14, 2023

    • Proposal section notifications: Tuesday, January 16, 2024

I Summary of Key information from the NASA EPSCoR NOFO (Notice of Funding Opportunity)

The R3 program is a collaborative effort between NASA EPSCoR and the NASA Mission Directorate programs/offices listed above. The goals of R3 are to provide a streamlined method to address research issues important to NASA, and to enable NASA EPSCoR researchers to work with NASA to solve research issues impacting the Agency’s programs/missions.

• Jurisdictions may submit up to a total of six proposals. The proposals may come from one or multiple offices (i.e., six proposals for the same topic or NASA office, or one proposal from each of six offices, or any combination). Renewals are allowed but must include their own external funding and will not be included in the total proposal count. Please remember to include the Research Identifier (Ex. C-0002, Research Area Focus/Research Identifier as listed in the NOFO) in your title, and be sure to include Renewal if the proposal is a renewal. Note that renewals will require a letter of commitment from the funding office. *Each SC institution may submit up to 4 (four) to our SC NASA EPSCoR office. Any combination of research topic areas is allowed.

• Proposals shall be two to three pages but may be slightly longer if specified in the appendix and must be submitted by the State NASA EPSCoR Director through the NASA Solicitation and Proposal Integrated Review and Evaluation System (NSPIRES). EPSCoR is only able to accept proposals submitted by the State NASA EPSCoR Director.

• Proposers are encouraged to contact the research task point of contact (POC) listed under the “Inquires” section of this solicitation for clarification/information on the requested research.

II Timeframe / Deadlines

In consideration of the highly competitive nature of this NASA EPSCoR Program, the SC NASA EPSCoR office has established the following process to identify the six (6) potential proposals to be put forward from South Carolina to the national NASA EPSCoR R3 competition:

Thursday, November 30, 2023, 11:59 pm: Institutional Endorsement due by email from your institution’s Authorized Organizational Representative (AOR) to scsgrant@cofc.edu. Please refer to your institution’s internal procedures for selection for endorsement. Each institution may endorse up to 4 proposals for the state-wide competition (these may be in any research topic areas).

Thursday, November 30, 2023, 11:59 pm: Letters of Intent must be submitted to scsgrant@cofc.edu. *Once LOIs have been accepted, we will send proposal preparation guidance at that time.

Thursday, December 14, 2023: 11:59pm: Proposals due through the link below.

• All Proposals shall be submitted (All Proposals shall be submitted (with all signatures on budgets and cover page) through the SC NASA EPSCoR submission website: https://spacegrant.net/proposals/submit/?sponsor_id=14

• LATE OR NON-COMPLIANT APPLICATIONS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED.

December 15, 2023 – January 15, 2024: Proposals will be reviewed by external reviewers with expertise in fields relevant to each topic area. The selected Proposals will be provided panel feedback to be incorporated in the development of the respective final proposals for submission to the national NASA EPSCoR R3 competition.

Tuesday, January 16, 2024: Selected Science-PIs will be notified.

Friday, February 16, 2024: Fully developed proposal due to the SC NASA EPSCoR Office.

Monday, February 26, 2024: Final proposal submitted to NASA NSPIRES by SC NASA EPSCoR office.

Note: It is anticipated that NASA will make up to 30 awards of up to $100,000, each to be expended over a one-year period of performance to be determined with the research team.

 

Letter of Intent Requirements:

A letter of intent (LOI) is required for the SC NASA EPSCoR R3 program. Information provided in the LOI’s will be used to help identify potential program reviewers.

1. Science Principal Investigator and Co-I Information:

 PI Name:

 Institution and Department:

 Address:

 Phone:

 Email:

2. Proposed Project Title:

3. Proposed Project Abstract (one paragraph):

4. Mission Directorate and NASA Center Alignment: Identify the NASA Mission Directorate and the NASA Center(s) that best aligns with your proposed research topic.

5. Four (4) suggested reviewers and full contact information for your project (1 should be a NASA scientist familiar with your research project discipline). Suggested reviewers must be free from conflict of interest with this project. Suggested reviewers may not have collaborated with you, may not have provided a letter of support in the past 5 years, nor have been your student or advisor, nor be employed at your current institution.

 

Important Documents:

NASA Research Focus Areas – 2023

For more information, contact the South Carolina NASA EPSCoR office:

  • Cassandra Runyon, Director, SC NASA EPSCoR and SC Space Grant Consortium
    Telephone: (843) 953-8279, email: runyonc@cofc.edu
  • Tara Scozzaro, MPA, Program Manager, SC NASA EPSCoR and SC Space Grant Consortium
    Telephone: (843) 953-5463, email: scozzarot@cofc.edu