Office of Stem Engagement (OSTEM)

Program objective

The aerospace industry must continually cultivate a highly skilled and competitive science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) workforce today and in the future to achieve and maintain America’s position as a global leader in innovation and technology. To address the growing talent gap in STEM, NASA’s Office of STEM Engagement (OSTEM) will sharpen its focus on America’s STEM workforce development needs to accelerate students toward obtaining STEM jobs. The Office of STEM Engagement (OSTEM) seeks to: 1) attract students to STEM through unique learning opportunities that spark interest and provide connections to NASA’s mission and work; 2) engage students in authentic learning experiences with NASA’s people, content, and facilities; 3) enable students to contribute to NASA’s work in exploration and discovery through challenges and work experiences; and 4) utilize evidence-based practices to advance and stimulate STEM education and research.

As published in the SAM.gov Assistance Listing.

Eligible applicants (program level)

• ✓U.S. State Government (including the District of Columbia)
• ✓Nonprofit Organization
• ✓Indian/Native American/Alaska Native Tribal Government (Other than Federally Recognized)
• ✓Federally Recognized Indian/Native American/Alaska Native Tribal Government
• ✓Other Special Disctrict Government
• ✓Municipality or Township government (inclusive of cities, towns, boroughs (except in Alaska), and villages)
• ✓County Government (inclusive of boroughs in Alaska, parishes and other governmental entities with geographic regional control and authority)
• ✓For-Profit Organization
• ✓Other

Categories of organizations that may be eligible for NASA grants and cooperative agreements include: • Institutions of Higher Education (IHE) – A two- or four-year university or college (including U.S. community Designations Unrestricted by Entity Type colleges), public or private, accredited to confer degrees beyond that of the K-12 grade levels. 29 • Educational Institutions – Non-higher-education entities, such as K-12 education groups or institutions of informal education, are classified as Educational Institutions.2 • Non-profit Organization – An organization that: o Is operated primarily for scientific, engineering, educational, research, or similar purposes in the public interest; o Is not organized primarily for profit; o Uses net proceeds to maintain, improve, or expand the organization’s operations; and o Is not an IHE. Non-profit organizations generally exclude (i) colleges and universities; (ii) hospitals; and (iii) state, local, and Federally recognized Indian tribal governments. • For-profit Entity – An organization of any size that is organized primarily for profit. • Federally Funded Research and Development Center (FFRDC) – FFRDCs are under a broad charter by a Government agency for performing, analyzing, or conducting research for the United States Government. NASA sponsors JPL as the Agency’s sole FFRDC, and JPL is not an eligible applicant to receive a NASA-funded grant or cooperative agreement as a recipient or subrecipient3 . However, FFRDCs sponsored by agencies other than NASA may be eligible to receive a NASAfunded award as a recipient or subrecipient. • Non-U.S. Organizations – Organizations outside the U.S. that meet the definitions of foreign organization or foreign public entity in 2 CFR § 200.1. Non-U.S. organizations generally propose for opportunities on a no-exchange-of-funds basis in accordance with NASA policy. NOFOs may be issued jointly with a non-U.S. organization (e.g., those concerning guest observing programs for jointly sponsored space science programs) that will contain additional special guidelines for non-U.S. participants. • State, Local, or Federally-Recognized Tribal Government Agency – o State Government means any state of the United States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, any territory or possession of the United States, and any agency or instrumentality of a State exclusive of its local governments

Program-level eligibility from SAM.gov. Each funding notice sets its own requirements.

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