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EPSCoR/IDeA Coalition

EPSCoR Advocacy

The Coalition advocates for sustained and expanded federal investment in EPSCoR and IDeA programs across all jurisdictions.

The EPSCoR Coalition is a national, member-driven organization that advocates for the Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) and the related NIH IDeA program. The Coalition represents states and institutions that historically receive a smaller share of federal research funding and works to ensure broad geographic participation in the federal R&D enterprise.

Mission

The Coalition's advocacy efforts are focused on:

  • Expanding federal research investment in EPSCoR/IDeA jurisdictions
  • Reducing geographic disparities in R&D funding
  • Strengthening research infrastructure and workforce development
  • Supporting regional innovation and economic growth
  • Ensuring national competitiveness through broad participation

Core Advocacy Activities

Congressional Engagement

  • Regular engagement with House and Senate appropriations committees
  • Coordination of Dear Colleague Letters (DCLs) in support of EPSCoR/IDeA funding
  • Direct outreach to Members of Congress and staff on funding priorities and report language

Annual Fly-In and Hill Day

  • Organizes the annual EPSCoR/IDeA meeting and coordinated Hill visits
  • Brings researchers, university leaders, and state representatives to Washington
  • Provides unified messaging on funding requests and policy priorities

Appropriations Strategy

  • Develops annual funding requests for:
    • NSF EPSCoR
    • NIH IDeA
    • NASA, DOE, DoD, and USDA EPSCoR programs
  • Drafts and advocates for report language to guide agency implementation
  • Coordinates state-level outreach to reinforce national priorities

Coalition Coordination

  • Works closely with:
  • Aligns messaging across states to present a cohesive national strategy

Policy Focus Areas

  • Appropriations: Increasing and sustaining funding levels across all EPSCoR/IDeA programs
  • Geographic Dispersion: Ensuring federal R&D funding is distributed more broadly
  • CHIPS and Science Act Implementation: Advocating for compliance with EPSCoR funding targets
  • Workforce Development: Expanding STEM and biomedical pipelines in underserved states
  • Research Infrastructure: Supporting long-term institutional competitiveness