Affiliate Led-Programs

Washington Space Grant seeks proposals for career and college pathway projects to provide authentic student engagement experiences in STEM fields. Funds may be used to support or enhance existing projects or fund new initiatives and endeavors. Suggested categories include but are not limited to undergraduate research experiences, educator professional development, and experiential learning projects for college, high or middle school students.

There are three funding level options:

$22,000 Award Level
→ $20,000 must be used for Participant Support Cost.
→ $2,000 may be used for Program-related Cost.
→ Cost Share Requirement. One-to-one fund match from a non-federal source.

$12,000 Award Level 
→ $10,000 must be used for Participant Support Cost.
→ $2,000 may be used for Program-related Cost.
→ No cost share funding match requirement.

$3,000 Award Level 
→ $3,000 may be any combination. This award level is intended for middle and high school experiential learning experiences or educator professional development projects. 
→ No cost share funding match requirement.

Selection criteria

For this grant, reviewers will use the criteria below to score each application:

1. Qualifications: The applicant has demonstrated ability, subject matter expertise, and staff to produce the project.
2. Quality: Program is well-conceived and intentionally integrates evidence-based diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility practices. Program includes multiple (or a series of) meaningful learning experiences over a period of time (from weeks to months) for participants to develop technical skills or gain STEM career and college readiness through sustained engagement.
3. Feasibility: Program has institutional infrastructure to sustain meaningful engagement with participants from diverse backgrounds. Proposal includes a clear and realistic budget, timeline, and milestone goals.
4. Advancing Equity: Provides opportunities to underserved communities, as defined by White House Executive Order 13985: “Individuals who belong to underserved communities that have been denied such treatment, such as women and girls; Black, Latino, and Indigenous and Native American persons, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, and other persons of color; members of religious minorities; lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) persons; persons with disabilities; persons who live in rural areas; and persons otherwise adversely affected by persistent poverty or inequality.”
5. NASA Mission Directorate Alignment: Washington Space Grant Partner Grant is financially supported by NASA and requires funded activities to have direct alignment with the NASA Mission Directorates.

Applicant

• Accredited colleges or universities in Washington State
• Community-based institutions such as STEM museums, science centers, or colleges and career pathway organizations operating in Washington State

You can use this grant to support:

Participant Support Cost is defined as:

→ Undergraduate Scholarships.
→ Undergraduate Internship Stipends for experiential learning experiences.
→ Graduate Fellowship Stipends.
→ Travel Funds for individual students (example: travel to conference to present research).

*NOTE: Citizenship Requirements Direct Funding Using NASA Funds

→ Undergraduate direct funding recipients must be US Citizen or legal resident.
→ Graduate direct funding recipients must be US Citizen only.
→ Participants not receiving direct funding do not have residency requirement. 
→ To promote equity in experience, Space Grant highly recommends you explore other ways to provide an equivalent amount of funding for participants who do not qualify for NASA direct funding.

Program Cost is defined as:

→ Supplies, materials, transportation, and compensation for professional staff to guide students through experiential learning in STEM topics (example: field trip bus for a laboratory tour).
→ Refreshments & meals (for program-related training, workshop sessions, or recognition events).

You cannot use this grant for:

→ Major equipment purchases.
→ Activities not directly related to student-centric experiential learning experiences.

How to Apply

Cost Sharing or Fund Matching

Cost Share occurs when a quantified portion of the costs of an Award are not paid by the sponsor, but paid instead using resources within a department, school/college, or other party outside of the UW and Affiliate Institution. Cost-share must be from non-federal funds. Example: Salary, facilities rental on awardee campus directly related to reaching stated goals in awarded projects. 

NASA Mission Directorates

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is broken down into Mission Directorates: Aeronautics, Exploration Systems, Science, Space Operations, and Space Technology. They define NASA research priorities and form the foundation of the agency’s mission to explore the unknown in air and space, innovate for the benefit of humanity, and inspire the world through discovery. Visit NASA’s webpage for details.

Pathway Program

College and career preparatory program using an equity-focused framework to strengthen students’ access to STEM careers by removing systemic obstacles to their success. 

STEM Degrees and Majors 

For the purpose of this grant, please refer to the STEM Designated Degree Program List. Student participants may be enrolleded full-time or part-time in pursuit of majors and equivalent certifications.

Underserved Communities

To foster a diverse next-generation workforce to meet the current and emerging needs of NASA and the nation, Space Grant prioritizes proposals that serve Underserved Communities as defined by White House Executive Order 13985, “Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government.”

See examples of communities or identities. Please see Executive Order 13985 for full list. 

• Person of  color, such as Black and African American, Hispanic and Latino, Native American, Alaska Native and Indigenous, Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, Middle Eastern, and North African persons
• Individuals who belong to communities that face discrimination based on sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity (LGBTQ+)
• Parents and caregivers
• Disability
• First-generation professionals or first-generation college students
• Individuals who face employment barriers based on older age or former incarceration
• Persons who live in rural areas
• Veterans and military spouses
• Individuals may belong to more than one underserved community and face intersecting barriers