Collaborative research: epiic: advancing regional innovation through sustainable engagement (arise)

Frostburg State University received a $400,000 Project Grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) under the Technology, Innovation, and Partnerships program (CFDA 47.084), awarded October 1, 2025, with a completion date of September 30, 2028. The award supports the ARISE (Advancing Regional Innovation Through Sustainable Engagement) initiative, a collaborative research effort among five primarily undergraduate institutions (PUIs) nationwide designed to strengthen their capacity to develop applied research partnerships with regional innovation ecosystem stakeholders, including industry, government, and educational institutions.

Under this award, the ARISE cohort will develop an internal assessment tool to evaluate and enhance each member institution's capacity to execute university-industry partnerships and advance regional innovation and economic development. The collaborative effort will establish shared best practices, conduct regular meetings with industry representatives, and create internal and external programming to support workforce development and research and development (R&D) activities. Each institution will leverage its research expertise to align with regional R&D demands, enabling universities to engage with regional partners at commercial speed while collectively showcasing best practices that strengthen the role of PUIs in fostering economic development and innovation ecosystems.

Abstract

A cohort of five primarily undergraduate institutions (puis) from across the country has aligned efforts to enhance their capacity to develop applied research partnerships with local innovation ecosystem partners, including industry, government, and other educational institutions. The arise cohort has established plans to enhance each institution?s ability to prepare for, and successfully execute applied research partnerships to strengthen each institution?s role in regional innovation and economic development. Additionally, the cohort will create an internal assessment tool that will allow each university to assess and improve its capacity to execute these university-industry partnerships that will advance each member?s engagement in its regional innovation ecosystem. Collectively, the arise cohort will showcase best practices for puis to catalyze workforce development and industry research and development (r & d) projects supported by each institution?s faculty and administration to match university research expertise with regional r & d demands, now and in the future. Arise member institutions share the common goal of increasing their capacity to support r & d activities in partnership with regional industries. With improved institutional capacity, each institution will be able to leverage their assets to engage with regional industry and governmental partners at the speed of business to support workforce and economic development. Cohort members will support one another through shared best practices, regular meetings, and a regional meeting that will include industry representatives. Each cohort member has developed a plan to create new capacity via both internal and external programming to engage with regional industry and governmental partners at the speed of business to support workforce and economic development. Additionally, the cohort will create an internal assessment tool that will allow each university to assess and improve its capacity to execute these university-industry partnerships that will advance each member?s engagement in its regional innovation ecosystem as a result of this work, each cohort institution will become more able to take on regional leadership roles in emerging technologies (e.g., artificial intelligence, semiconductors, advanced manufacturing) and, ultimately, to become more active leaders and partners in economic development in their respective regions. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.- subawards are not planned for this award.