In 1980, the National Science Foundation (NSF) established the Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR). The EPSCoR program is designed to assist states in establishing a self-sustaining academic research enterprise with the competitive capability that will contribute to the states' economic viability and development. The EPSCoR mission is "to strengthen research and education in science and engineering throughout the United States and to avoid undue concentration of such research and education." Today many federal agencies have developed a similar program including NASA, DOE, DoD, NIH, etc.

Goals of South Dakota EPSCoR include: Improving South Dakota's research science and technology capabilities; Providing educational opportunities for K-12, undergraduate, and graduate students; Pursuing potential technology transfer and commercialization activities to promote economic development within the state of South Dakota; In order to achieve these goals South Dakota EPSCoR has a working collaboration with the Office of Commercialization, the Governor's Office of Economic Development, and the Board of Regents. Actively involved universities include South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, South Dakota State University, and the University of South Dakota.