Aerospace Outreach Program

Aerospace Outreach Program Announcement of Opportunity

Christina Othon, Ripon College
Aerospace Outreach Program 2024

Up to $5,000* per year.
* Based on availability of funds.

To provide planning and supplemental grants for new or ongoing projects that contain STEM-related content that supports NASA Mission Directorates.

Aerospace Outreach Program Announcement of Opportunity

1. Build strategic linkages between STEM formal and informal education providers that promote STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) literacy and awareness of NASA’s mission.
2. Foster and enhance a connection between STEM formal and informal education providers to strengthen efforts in recruiting and retaining students in STEM fields.
3. Increase interest, recruitment, experience, knowledge, and training of the next generation of experts in the pursuit of space- or aerospace-related science, design or technology through community-based programming.
4. Encourage individuals in space-related pursuits by creating a pipeline for program participants into other WSGC programs.
5. Include metrics that clearly define project outcomes, not only the number of participants.

• CREATE a NASA STEM GATEWAY account nasa.gov/public/s/login/
  (applicants will be required to update profile information annually).
• CREATE a WSGC account carthage.edu/about/login/
  (applicants will be required to update profile information annually).
• Sign into your WSGC account and submit an application and supporting documents to AEROSPACE OUTREACH PROGRAM spacegrant.carthage.edu/about/login/(applicants may apply to multiple funding programs)

To apply for AEROSPACE OUTREACH PROGRAM funding, the organization shall meet the following minimum requirements:

• Completed/updated NASA STEM GATEWAY registration
• Completed WSGC application online (see Supporting Materials Required with Application below)
• Represent an established organization (e.g. K-12 and higher education schools, aerospace industries, government agencies, non-profit aerospace associations, etc.)
• Minimum 1:1 cost-share contribution

Current & Past Award Recipients

The proposal must address each of the five categories listed below. Be sure to clearly number and label each category within the proposal.

1. Sponsoring Organization Information: Provide demographic information for the sponsoring organization.
2. Goals and Value of Project: In 1-2 pages, describe the goals of the new project or the enhancement of an existing project, how it fits into the organization’s scope, and the value of the project to the participants/recipients. State how the project’s goals align with the goals of the Aerospace Outreach Program. Specifically state how the project will:
   1. Support STEM education innovation that embraces the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics and/or Wisconsin’s Model Academic Standards for Science, by raising the level of exposure and interest of K-12 teachers, students, and the general public in space, aerospace, and space-related science, design, or technology and its potential benefits; increase interest, recruitment, experience and training of pre-college students in the pursuit of space- or aerospace-related science, design, or technology.
   2. Demonstrate self-sustaining and/or replicable capabilities. (If this is or will be an on-going project, describe whether and how it might become self-sustaining. How can this project be shared with others interested in starting a like project?) Indicate whether this project (or one very similar) has been funded previously. If yes, then describe its effectiveness both qualitatively and quantitatively.
   3. Build strategic linkages between STEM formal and informal education providers that promote STEM literacy and awareness of NASA’s mission.
   4. Increase interest, recruitment, experience, knowledge and training of the next generation of experts in the pursuit of STEM-related science supporting NASA Mission Directorate design or technology through community-based programming.
   5. Encourage individuals in STEM-related pursuits by creating a pipeline for program participants into other WSGC programs. Keep in mind, the WSGC is especially encouraging proposals this year that foster and enhance a connection between STEM formal and informal education providers to strengthen efforts in recruiting and retaining students in STEM fields. It will also be important to demonstrate how the proposed program will encourage participants to take advantage of other WSGC opportunities in the future.
   6. Detail how this project aligns with the goals of one or more NASA Directorates or Centers. Please be specific. Because the WSGC is required to demonstrate the alignment of each of our projects with NASA Directorate or Center goals, proposals that do not demonstrate such alignment will not be funded. If this proposal focuses on pre-college education, state how the proposal relates to national or state education standards for science, technology, engineering and/or mathematics. If this project focuses on NASA informal education, which seeks to enhance the capabilities of individuals and the informal education communities, state how this proposal will provide stimulating experience in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics outside the directed learning of a classroom.
3. Description of Anticipated Participants: In 500 words or less, please address the number of anticipated direct and indirect participants, education level break out, how they will be selected, and provide available demographic and numeric information on underrepresented minorities, women, and people with disabilities. Include in this 500-word description the location(s) of the project activities.
4. Discussion of the Project: In less than three pages, discuss the proposed project in sufficient detail that the reviewers may ascertain its chance of success. The following should be noted specifically:
   1. Work plan
   2. Project classification: Identify project as NASA Pre-College Education Program or NASA Informal Education Program
   3. Schedule: Include teacher, student, and/or community engagement dates when applicable
   4. # of handouts, hands-on activities, events
   5. Self-evaluation criteria, including data on any resulting student interest in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematical (STEM) careers. Long-term data is preferred, especially for programs that have received previous funding.
   6. Types of presentations and/or papers that will be a by-product of this project.
   7. A list special facilities needed, and special supporting personnel or organizations.
   8. Include any history or prior results on the project and the planning status to date.
5. Budget/Use of Funds: Provide a budget summary using the Grant Budget Proposal and Invoice Reporting Template Form. The proposal shall include a budget detail explaining the use of allowable funds for the proposed project including labor (Name/position, number of hours, hourly rate, and fringe calculation rates), travel (location, transportation costs, hotel costs, meal costs), participant support costs, materials and supplies, and any other costs (with equivalent detail).
   1. Budget proposals shall include a quarterly spend-down plan to demonstrate grant funds will be fully expended within the Summer or Academic Year Award Cycle.
   2. WSGC financially supports travel to and from the Wisconsin Space Conference if expenses are included in the budget proposal. Travel details should include purpose, location and duration.
      (*NOTE: A conference presentation is required for this award).
   3. A minimum 1:1 cost-share commitment is required.
   4. WSGC will not fund overhead; however, the organization’s 1:1 project match may include overhead cost-share.
   5. NASA (WSGC is a NASA-funded organization) does not accept the purchase of capital items as reasonable use of funds for this program. Consult the applicant’s institutional policies on what constitutes a capital purchase.
   6. Visits by active astronauts cannot be funded, as these visits are generally arranged through the Astronaut Office and are typically free of charge to the requesting organization.
   7. Field trips will only be considered as a minor component of a project, and only if they are necessary to the project goals.
   8. Laptops require pre-approval and must demonstrate use solely for the funded grant.
   9. Foreign travel is generally not allowable.

As part of the award acceptance, awardees will present their project at the Annual Wisconsin Space Conference as outlined in the award agreement and submit the following documents on the WSGC application website under Program Applications/Your Applications:

Please direct questions about the Aerospace Outreach Program to:

This funding opportunity is made available for the pursuit of space-related research and/or activities through the National Space Grant College and Fellowship Program: NASA Educational Cooperative Agreement #80NSSC20M0123. Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) number for this award is 43.008. Award recipients are subject to the terms of this award.

All awards are fully competitive awards of opportunity in which applications are reviewed by the WSGC Technical Advisory Panel and other experts as needed. Awards are made by the Assistant Director based on recommendations from the Associate Director.