The Special Projects account contains programs not directly related to any of the other Nevada System of Higher Education appropriations. These funds are used as required cost share on research and public service grants with a science, technology, engineering and math component and to support administration of those grants. The major projects include the Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) funded by the National Science Foundation and National Aeronautics and Space Administration. There is future potential for Department of Energy and Department of Defense projects. The goal of EPSCoR is to stimulate sustainable improvements in the quality of academic science, research workforce, economic development and technology infrastructure of eligible states.