Active
- OUTREACH: Seeking Proposals -- Submittals Accepted Year-Round
Nebraska EPSCoR seeks fun ideas that will allow Nebraska students and families to experience science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). Any STEM related topic is welcome. Professionals from outside core STEM fields such as business, sociology, art, history, and education are encouraged to submit proposals as well. The only requirement is the proposed event or activity should include strong STEM components. Proposals are accepted anytime throughout the year and are limited to $2,500 per award.
For more information, email Dr. Jodi Sangster or call the Nebraska EPSCoR office at 402-472-8946.
Note: a small public or private Nebraska college or university is defined as an institution with an annual research expenditure of less than $8 million.
View the active 2026 TRE Request For Proposals (RFP). Eligible institutions submit a request as one electronic file (including cover sheet) to epscor@nebraska.edu no later than 5:00 p.m. CDT on Wednesday, April 1, 2026.
- STEM Intern funding to Nebraska businesses via NESTIP
Internships play a key role in providing students with critical job experiences while helping businesses achieve their goals. To encourage this interaction, the Nebraska Engineering, Science and Technology Internship Program (NESTIP) offers up to $5,000 in a 50% cost-share for businesses that hire undergraduate and graduate students for project-based paid internships in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). Nebraska EPSCoR conducts this cost-share program, intended to facilitate technology transfer between Nebraska higher education and businesses and to encourage applied research that benefits state industries.
Available at other times of the year
- RESEARCH: FIRST Awards
Supported by Nebraska EPSCoR's National Science Foundation funding (currently via OIA-2044049/EQUATE), and approximately six FIRST Award grants are awarded each year; the awards are limited to $25,000 each and require a one-for-one institutional match. An assistant professor in a tenure-leading position in any of the colleges or universities in the state of Nebraska is eligible to submit a pre-proposal. The faculty member must be in the first four years of their current academic appointment at the time of submittal (typically: late spring annually) and must still be eligible to apply for an NSF CAREER grant during or immediately following the award period. Any project that potentially could be supported by a NSF competitive research grant is eligible.
- RESEARCH: Nebraska Small College/University Undergraduate Research Experiences
Nebraska EPSCoR offers awards of up to $5,000 (max.) to selected candidates who lead undergraduate research experiences for students at Nebraska's small colleges and universities with undergraduate degrees related to science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). This initiative's Request For Proposals typically is posted here in late fall, with due dates in early winter. Awarded projects typically span one year, starting in spring.
Note: a small public or private Nebraska college or university is defined as an institution with an annual research expenditure of less than $8 million.