Tennessee Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (TN EPSCoR)
EPSCoR is a program designed to fulfill the National Science Foundation's mandate to promote scientific progress nationwide.  The EPSCoR program is directed at those states that have historically received lesser amounts of federal Research and Development Funding.  Twenty-one states and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico now currently participate in the program.  NSF establishes partnerships with leaders in the state government, higher education and industry to effect lasting improvements in a State's research infrastructure and its national R&D competitiveness. The three major NSF EPSCoR Initiatives are the

• Research Infrastructure Improvement Grant Program (RII)
• Co-funding Initiative: joint funding may be provided by NSF for meritorious proposals that were only marginally rejected under other NSF funding initiatives
• Outreach Initiative: financial support provided for outreach visits by NSF staff to brief researchers regarding NSF initiatives and priorities.

The State of Tennessee is eligible to participate in the EPSCoR program contingent upon award of a planning grant.  The Tennessee planning grant has been extended to April 2006. The proposal for RII funding will be prepared during the EPSCoR planning grant.  The proposal must show significant and measurable added value to existing state and institutional high priority funding areas.  The proposal must present a detailed strategy for generating non-EPSCoR funding from federal, state and private sources.  More information regarding EPSCoR can be found at the NSF EPSCOR Web Site at www.nsf.gov/div/index.jsp?div=EPSCOR.

Defense Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (DEPSCoR)
DEPSCoR is designed to expand research opportunities in states that have traditionally received the least funding in federal support for university research. Academic researchers in Alabama , Alaska , Arkansas , Hawaii , Idaho , Kansas , Kentucky , Maine , Montana , Nebraska , Nevada , North Dakota , Oklahoma , the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, South Carolina, South Dakota , Tennessee , the US Virgin Islands, Vermont , West Virginia , and Wyoming are eligible to receive awards under this competition. For more information, contact Dr. David Hercules or by phone (615-343-5230)

The New Economy Institute
The New Economy Institute was specifically formed to ensure a prepared technical workforce, in the Tennessee Valley Corridor, a prerequisite for successful competition in the new economy.

Tennessee Board of Regents
The Tennessee Board of Regents is the sixth largest system of public higher education in the nation, with 45 campuses, over 182,000 students, and 13,000 full-time employees. Our institutions are located in 90 of the 95 counties in Tennessee , and we offer a large variety of degrees and services. The Tennessee Board of Regents institutions credential over 22,000 Tennesseans each year, making them job-ready and better prepared for the 21st century workforce. Middle Tennessee State University is a member of the Tennessee Board of Regents System.

Tennessee Higher Education Commission
The Tennessee Higher Education Commission (THEC) was created in 1967 by the Tennessee General Assembly (TCA 49-7-202) for the purpose of coordinating and supporting the efforts of post-secondary institutions in the State of Tennessee . One of its statutory requirements is to create a master plan for the development of public higher education in Tennessee . The mission for Tennessee 's twenty-first century system of higher education is to:

• Elevate the overall educational attainment of citizens in the State through increased accessibility to mission-focused institutions, which deliver educational services on campus, as well as through a planned network of off-campus instruction, and
• Prepare citizens responsibly for success in the new century by providing high quality teaching and research in an environment that serves the needs of its consumers.

Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development

Oakridge National Laboratories
Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) is the Department of Energy’s largest science and energy laboratory. Managed since April 2000 by a partnership of the University of Tennessee and Battelle, ORNL was established in 1943 as a part of the secret Manhattan Project to pioneer a method for producing and separating plutonium. During the 1950s and 1960s, ORNL was an international center for the study of nuclear energy and related research in the physical and life sciences. The creation of the Department of Energy in the 1970s led to an expansion of ORNL’s research program into areas of energy production, transmission, and conservation. By the turn of the century the laboratory supported the nation with a peacetime mission that was just as important, but very different, from the days of the Manhattan Project. ORNL has a staff of more than 3,800 and approximately 3,000 guest researchers who spend two weeks or longer each year in Oak Ridge. ORNL funding for FY 2005 exceeds $1 billion. UT-Battelle has provided more than $6 million in support of math and science education, economic development and other projects in the greater Oak Ridge region.

Oakridge Associated Universities
Oakridge Associated Universities (ORAU) is a diverse organization headquartered in Oak Ridge, Tenn., with an office in Washington, D.C., and staff at several other locations across the country. Its mission is to advance scientific research and education through academic partnerships, its partnership with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), and its investment in the community. ORAU promotes collaborative partnerships with universities, federal laboratories, and industry for the benefit of our 91 member institutions. ORAU’s Office of Partnership Development focuses our efforts and resources on the active management of opportunities that leverage the value a university consortium brings to our nation’s research and development enterprise. MTSU is in the process of obtaining a full membership of this organization.

Tennessee Valley Authority
Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) is the nation’s largest public power company, with 33,000 megawatts of dependable generating capacity. Through 158 locally owned distributors, TVA provides power to nearly 8.5 million residents of the Tennessee Valley.

Tennessee Independent Colleges and Universities Association
The Tennessee Independent Colleges and Universities Association (TICUA) engages Tennessee’s private colleges and universities to work collaboratively in areas of public policy, cost containment, and professional development to better serve the state and its citizens. TICUA's 37 member colleges and universities educate over 60,000 students from across the state, country, and throughout the world.

University of Tennessee System
The University of Tennessee system offers undergraduate, graduate, and professional education programs, research, and public service throughout the state. The system-wide budget is more than $1.3 billion, and enrollment is approximately 42,000. Students come from every county in Tennessee , every state in the nation, and many foreign countries. The university was founded in Knoxville in 1794, two years before Tennessee became a state.

Tennessee Small Business Development Center
The Tennessee Small Business Development Center (TSBDC) is a network of professional business consultants with 12 centers and 2 satellite offices in 14 cities throughout the State of Tennessee . The TSBDC prides itself on providing expert business advice to all types of businesses whether you are a manufacturer, retailer, service provider, or a professional; we are here to help you help yourself.

The Center offers free assistance to help business owners grow and develop successful, thriving businesses. We have 12 full service centers and 2 satellite offices across the state of Tennessee , along with several smaller affiliate offices, ready to serve the small business community. We also maintain an International Trade Center and a Technology and Energy Services Center for those in need of specialized help.