MUREP INCLUDES Activity | NNH21ZHA005C

NASA MUREP INCLUDES Activity (NNH21ZHA005C) FAQs

1) What is the NASA MUREP INCLUDES Activity grant opportunity?

NASA's MUREP INCLUDES Activity is a grant opportunity intended to increase the participation of underrepresented minorities (URMs) in engineering. It does this by funding coalitions led by Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs) that organize multi-organization partnerships to create new, high-impact efforts or scale up programs and methods that already show results.

2) What is the main purpose of MUREP INCLUDES?

The main purpose is measurable, real-world improvement in URM participation in engineering fields by 2026. NASA expects strategies that address both entry into engineering pathways and persistence through those pathways, supported by evidence-based approaches.

3) Who is expected to lead a MUREP INCLUDES coalition?

The opportunity emphasizes coalitions led by Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs). MSI leadership is a central expectation of the program design.

4) What kinds of partners should be included in a coalition?

NASA is looking for multi-sector coalitions that may include a mix of institutions and stakeholders such as other colleges and universities, school systems, community organizations, government entities, and industry partners.

5) Why does the program emphasize coalition building instead of single-institution projects?

The program is built on the idea that broadening participation in engineering is a systems-level challenge that cannot be solved by a single program or campus acting alone. Coalitions are intended to enable coordinated strategies across education, workforce development, mentoring, research exposure, and pathways into engineering careers.

6) Can the coalition propose a brand-new program, or does it need to scale an existing one?

Either approach is allowed. Coalitions can launch new, high-impact engineering participation efforts or scale up proven programs and methods that already show results.

7) How important is research or evidence in the proposal?

It is a central expectation. Proposals should be grounded in recent, relevant research and evidence-based results. This is especially emphasized when the plan is to expand an existing model; NASA is not looking for proposals based only on good intentions.

8) What outcomes is NASA looking for coalitions to achieve?

NASA describes outcomes such as increasing the number of URMs participating in engineering programs through strategic engagement, building URM engineering research skills and mastery of engineering principles, improving educator capacity to teach engineering concepts through curriculum enhancements and professional development, and using science-driven, evidence-based strategies that improve attraction to and retention in engineering pathways.

9) What does "measurable impact by 2026" mean in practice?

It means proposals are expected to define measurable indicators and track real progress over time. The opportunity description stresses that plans should rely on defined metrics tied to participation, persistence, skill development, educator effectiveness, and other outcomes aligned with the program goals, rather than vague or purely aspirational statements.

10) How does this opportunity connect to NSF INCLUDES?

MUREP INCLUDES is positioned within a NASA-NSF partnership. Awardees gain direct access to the NSF INCLUDES National Network, a national infrastructure intended to broaden participation in STEM for URMs by connecting organizations, sharing effective practices, and supporting learning across sites.

11) What is the benefit of access to the NSF INCLUDES National Network?

The connection allows coalitions to leverage existing NSF INCLUDES systems, networks, and coordination resources rather than building everything from scratch. It also supports learning across sites and sharing effective practices.

12) Are coalitions expected to participate in national convenings?

The opportunity notes that coalitions may participate in joint NASA and NSF National Network convenings. These convenings are intended to help partners compare approaches, identify common barriers, and develop solutions informed by what is working across the country.

13) What are the main goals NASA outlines for coalitions over multiple years?

The program description outlines three main goals: (1) building multi-sector partnerships that combine expertise and resources at federal, state, and local levels; (2) clarifying shared coalition goals and strategies while strengthening MSI leadership in engineering workforce development; and (3) delivering outcomes and programmatic impact that increase URM participation and strengthen skills, educator capacity, and retention using evidence-based strategies.

14) What does NASA expect under the partnership-building goal?

Examples described include using NSF INCLUDES structures to recruit and engage partners, developing an MSI-led community that identifies and documents stakeholder resources relevant to engineering workforce development, and establishing diverse networks to tackle persistent participation barriers.

15) What does NASA mean by strengthening MSI leadership?

The opportunity highlights increasing opportunities for MSIs to plan and collaborate, share successful practices and research on bringing underserved groups into engineering, and align coalition work with engineering priorities connected to NASA needs.

16) Do projects need to align with NASA priorities?

Yes. The goals and objectives include aligning coalition work with NASA Mission Directorate engineering priorities so that talent development efforts connect to real NASA needs.

17) What type of funding instrument is this?

The opportunity is offered by NASA as a discretionary cooperative agreement. The description notes that this typically implies substantial involvement and collaboration with NASA during the project period rather than a hands-off relationship.

18) What is the funding opportunity number and where does it sit within NASA's broader solicitation?

The funding opportunity number is NNH21ZHA005C. It appears under the broader Engagement Opportunities in NASA STEM (EONS) 2021 Notice of Funding Opportunity, and proposals are expected to meet both the specific appendix requirements for MUREP INCLUDES and the overarching EONS 2021 requirements.

19) What is the maximum award amount?

The award ceiling listed is $400,000.

20) How many awards does NASA expect to make?

NASA expects to make about six awards under this opportunity.

21) What is the CFDA number for this program?

The CFDA number associated with the program is 43.008.

22) What were the original posting and closing dates listed?

The original posting indicates a creation date of February 24, 2021 and an original closing date of April 23, 2021.

23) What should a strong proposal description include about the coalition?

The opportunity indicates a strong proposal would clearly describe the coalition structure, the specific challenge in broadening participation it intends to address, and the roles and commitments of each partner.

24) What should a strong proposal include about why the plan will work?

A strong proposal should explain why the chosen approach should work by citing credible evidence or results from prior implementations, and then lay out a plan for scaling, adapting, and measuring outcomes over time.

25) What kinds of indicators should coalitions consider measuring?

Based on the opportunity description, indicators should be tied to participation, persistence/retention in engineering pathways, skill development and mastery of engineering principles, URM engineering research skill building, and educator effectiveness and capacity improvements through curriculum enhancements and professional development.