EONS 2020: Appendix J NASA MUREP INCLUDES PLANNING GRANT | NNH20ZHA002N NMI

Opportunity Information: Apply for NNH20ZHA002N NMI

NASA's EONS 2020 Appendix J opportunity, formally titled the NASA MUREP INCLUDES Planning Grant (Funding Opportunity Number NNH20ZHA002N NMI), is a short-term planning grant program designed specifically for accredited Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs) in the United States. The award mechanism is a discretionary grant under NASA's education-focused assistance programs (CFDA 43.008). NASA structured this opportunity as a rapid, four-month effort to help MSIs organize, align partners, and produce a strong, actionable plan that can later compete for a larger, full-scale implementation solicitation that NASA anticipated releasing in Fall 2020.

At its core, the planning grant is meant to help MSIs create and lead coalitions that broaden participation in engineering, particularly for underserved and underrepresented populations. NASA frames this as a strategic partnership initiative: rather than funding isolated campus activities, the program encourages MSI-led collaborations that bring together multiple organizations, institutions, and agencies. The broader intent is to strengthen pathways into engineering and diversify the engineering workforce, while also positioning these MSI-led coalitions to connect with and contribute to the NSF INCLUDES National Network, which is a national effort to expand inclusive participation in STEM fields. In other words, NASA is using this planning grant as a catalyst for coordinated, scalable efforts that can have broader impact than a single institution acting alone.

The expected deliverable from the four-month planning period is a concept paper. This concept paper is not just a summary of ideas; it is intended to be the foundation for a future intervention activity, meaning a concrete approach or model that can incrementally and measurably broaden participation in engineering. Concept papers produced through these planning grants are eligible to compete for follow-on NASA MUREP INCLUDES Activity awards, creating a pipeline from planning to implementation. NASA also signals that even if a concept does not immediately move forward under the MUREP INCLUDES line, it still has value: NASA plans to disseminate all submitted concept papers internally for potential use as the basis of new or adapted efforts within the NASA Office of STEM Engagement (OSTEM), including possible alignment with other OSTEM areas such as Next Gen STEM, Space Grant, EPSCoR, and other STEM-focused programs, projects, or events.

In terms of funding and competitiveness, the opportunity lists an award ceiling of $50,000 and anticipates making about nine awards. The original closing date for proposals was June 15, 2020, and the funding period of performance is explicitly four months, which signals that NASA expects a focused planning sprint rather than a multi-year program buildout. Because the goal is planning and coalition formation, applicants are essentially being funded to convene partners, define a shared problem statement, map resources and roles, and outline an evidence-informed approach that could later be scaled or tested through a larger award.

Eligibility and submission requirements are clearly defined and emphasize compliance and readiness to submit electronically through NASA's systems. Applicants must be eligible MSIs and must have, by the proposal due date, an active DUNS number, active SAM registration, a valid CAGE code, and valid registration in NASA's Solicitation and Proposal Integrated Review and Evaluation System (NSPIRES). These registration requirements also extend to any entities involved through subawards or subcontracts, meaning coalition partners who will receive funds or perform funded work must be properly registered as well. NASA highlights that every institution intending to apply must be registered in NSPIRES, proposals must be submitted electronically by the deadline, and submission must be completed by an authorized organizational representative identified in NSPIRES. NASA also requires that principal investigators and other key participants, such as co-investigators, be registered in NSPIRES even if they are not the individuals who submit the final application.

Operationally, NASA encourages applicants to start the NSPIRES process early to avoid last-minute access or profile issues, and it places responsibility on proposers to monitor NSPIRES for updates. Any changes or clarifications are expected to appear either as FAQs or as formal amendments posted to the NSPIRES site. For questions, NASA requests that applicants submit inquiries in writing to NASAMUREP-INCLUDES@nasaprs.com at least 10 business days before the proposal due date to allow enough time for an official response. Additional eligibility details are referenced in Appendix J, Section J.3, which applicants are expected to consult for nuances that may affect institutional qualification or partnership structure.

• The National Aeronautics and Space Administration in the education sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "EONS 2020: Appendix J NASA MUREP INCLUDES PLANNING GRANT" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 43.008.
• This funding opportunity was created on Mar 31, 2020.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Jun 15, 2020. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $50,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 9 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).

Apply for NNH20ZHA002N NMI

[Watch] Creating a grant proposal using the step-by-step wizard inside the applicant portal: