Research Competitiveness Subprogram (RCS)
The Research Competitiveness Subprogram (RCS) from the Louisiana Board of Regents supports innovative STEM research at Louisiana universities to strengthen scientific capacity and national competitiveness.
Funder: Louisiana Board of Regents
Due Dates: September 11, 2026 (Mandatory Notice of Intent) | November 6, 2026 (Full proposal)
Funding Amounts: Up to $200,000 over three years (standard RCS); up to $20,000 for one-year pilot awards; typical first-year awards ~$48,000.
Summary: Supports fundamental research in STEM at Louisiana universities to enhance national competitiveness and federal funding potential.
Description
The Research Competitiveness Subprogram (RCS), administered by the Louisiana Board of Regents, aims to strengthen the fundamental research base and national competitiveness of Louisiana’s public and eligible private universities. The program supports scientific and engineering research projects that make fundamental contributions to knowledge, with a particular focus on researchers not yet consistently competitive for federal support but who demonstrate strong potential to achieve such competitiveness in a limited timeframe. Additionally, the RCS offers one-year pilot awards to help already competitive faculty pursue novel research and position themselves for near-term federal funding.
