NASA Sponsored Competitions

NASA Sponsored Competition Announcement of Opportunity

Awards: Up to $3,000* per project
* Based on availability of funds.

These opportunities are competitive in nature, involve a NASA center, and require a NASA-managed selection process. These opportunities are competitive in nature, involve a NASA center, and require a NASA-managed selection process. Competitions include but are not limited to: First Nations Launch, Big Idea, HASP, Micro-G/NExT, RASC-AL, Robotic Mining, RockSat, Space Apps, Student Launch, S.U.I.T.S. and X-Hab. Each competition has its own application process. This announcement pertains only to the process by which teams can request WSGC funding to support participation in a NASA-sponsored competition.

Learn more about the NASA Artemis Student Challenges.

All funds should be expended prior to August 31, 2024.

• 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).
• Faculty sign into your WSGC account and submit an application and supporting documents (you may apply to multiple funding programs) to NASA COMPETITION https://spacegrant.carthage.edu/forms/account/login/.
• Team members/students sign into your WSGC account and submit an application and supporting documents (you may apply to multiple funding programs) to PROFESSIONAL PROGRAM STUDENT PARTICIPATION https://spacegrant.carthage.edu/forms/account/login/.

The Consortium invites applications for NASA Competitions for the 2023-2024 academic year. The Consortium especially encourages applications from members of minority groups, women, and persons with disabilities, and from those pursuing interdisciplinary STEM-related studies supporting NASA Mission Directorates. WSGC requires separate applications be completed for each NASA Competition funding request. 

To apply for NASA Competition funding), the team’s faculty advisor and team members/students shall meet the following minimum requirements:

Faculty Advisor Requirements

• Completed/updated NASA STEM GATEWAY registration
• Completed WSGC application online (see Supporting Materials Required with Application below)
• Applied to a NASA-sponsored program
• Minimum 25% Institutional Match

Note: An academic affiliate institution may only request funding for one team per NASA competition. 

Team Members/Student Requirements

• U.S. citizen (students)
• Enrolled full-time in a WSGC college or universityaffiliate
• Created a NASA STEM GATEWAY account nasa.gov/public/s/login/
  (applicants will be required to update profile information annually)
• Created aWSGC account carthage.edu/about/login/
  (applicants will be required to update profile information annually)
• Applied to the Professional Program Student Participation application page

1. Maximum two-page statement containing the following:
   1. A clear, concise account of your reasons for seeking this funding (should include anticipated educational and technical outcomes)
   2. A description of the project your team proposed to compete in the NASA competition
2. 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 (people, hours, rates and total), travel (location, transportation costs, hotel costs, meal costs), participant support costs, materials and supplies, and any other costs (with equivalent detail).
   1. The period of performance for this award ends no later than August 31, 2024, to support student attendance at the Annual Wisconsin Space Conference in August.
   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 and proceedings paper submission is required for this award).
   3. A minimum 25% match is required.
   4. WSGC will not fund Salaries and Fringe or Indirect; however, the organization’s 25% project match may include salaries and fringe cost-share.
   5. WSGC will not fund overhead; however, the organization’s 25% project match may include overhead cost-share.

All awards are contingent on formal acceptance in a NASA team-based competition. 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:

Advisor/Institution

• Award Agreement Letter
• Institution W9
• Media Release Form
• One-Paragraph Biography
• PI Professional Photo
• Quarterly Invoices/Cost-Share Report with Supporting Documentation
• Summary Report
• List of Student Participants
• Office of Education Survey must be completed by November 15, 2023, and updated with Final Report

All Team Members

• Register on NASA STEM Gateway website
• Register on the WSGC Website
• Apply to Professional Program Student Participation
• Present project at the Annual Wisconsin Space Conference in August 2024
• Submit a Proceeding Paper by Sept. 15 ^th to the Proceedings of the Wisconsin Space Journal
• One Team Photo
• 2-3 Project Photos
• Student Story

If you have questions about the NASA Competition Program, please contact:

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.