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Informal Education & Outreach Request for Proposal

Released:August 21, 2023 – Opportunity Now Closed

Overview

The Iowa Space Grant Consortium (ISGC) seeks proposals for informal education projects from outreach affiliates that advance one of the two following mission directorates and ISGC missions. (Please note: NASA has retired the Human Exploration MD and split it into the following two new categories.)

Proposals should hold the potential to become self-sustaining, and demonstrate linkage to:

NASA Outcome 3: Build strategic partnerships and linkages between STEM formal and informal education providers that promote STEM literacy and awareness of NASA’s mission: (Engage and Inspire)

Proposals will be considered that support our ISGC Education and Outreach objective for informal education activities as follows:

ISGC Strategic Plan Objective 2.6: Build strategic partnerships and linkages between STEM formal and informal education providers and, through hands-on, interactive educational and inspirational activities, engage students, educators, families, the general public and all agency stakeholders to increase Americans’ science and technology literacy, reasons for exploration, and engagement in aeronautics, space, and science. Strategy: The ISGC will support informal education partners and their activities that are available to the general public. This aligns with the specifically focused goals of the NASA ESDMD and/or SOMD of educating and engaging the public as outlined in this objective 2.6. The director and associate director will work with outreach affiliates to develop project plans for the next year of the ISGC in this category and promote collaboration among said affiliates.

  • Supplemental Materials/Handouts: Standards based education materials are used to supplement and enrich the experience, visual, or activity.
  • Staffing: Staff/facilitators, trained or qualified in STEM/education fields, actively work with participants to further enhance their understanding, and increase the educational value of the experience, visual, or activity.
  • Content: Educational standards and/or learning objectives play a key role in developing content and/or design and explore topics in-depth.

Eligibility

Any outreach affiliate of the ISGC may submit a proposal in response to this call.

Review and Evaluation

Proposals will be evaluated by a panel of reviewers based on the criteria given below. Based upon the review results with the available budget of $20,000, the ISGC leadership may offer partial funding and the opportunity for proposal revision. The ISGC is not obligated to fund any projects if the proposal/s fail to make a compelling case for support. Hence, it is possible that no proposals are selected, that one proposal receives all of the available funds, or that multiple proposals share the available funds. Proposals may include an intern from an affiliate. Budget amount for an intern may be up to $5,000.

Criteria

The evaluation for recommendation and ranking of proposals is based on the following ten criteria:

  1. Supports education outcomes and programs of the ISGC and/or NASA
    1.  Promote STEM literacy and awareness of NASA ESDMD and/or SOMD mission/s
    2.  Attract and retain students in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) disciplines to contribute to workforce development
  2. Builds on other NASA or ISGC programs. Possibilities may include activities conducted by a NASA Center, Explorer Schools, Educator Resource Centers, ISGC Partner Schools or others, and generally promotes NASA ESDMD and/or SOMD and ISGC in Iowa. It is best when the proposed activity does not duplicate an existing activity but is coordinated with or complimentary to other activities. Collaborations among affiliates are especially desirable.
  3. Coverage of Iowa. The more Iowans who will be reached, the better. This might be achieved by direct participation or through partnerships and replication with others.
  4. Innovation. The call is for new project proposals. Requests for sustaining existing projects will not be favorably considered.
  5. Proposal has a clear plan and metrics for evaluating the results of the activity.
  6. Describes plans for sustaining the activity after ISGC funding ends or explanation of how the project can serve as a model for dissemination elsewhere. ISGC funds are for short-term projects or development of programs, not for long-term operating funds.
  7. Discusses any specific efforts to reach a diverse audience and if so, which underserved groups are targeted.
  8. Cost per participant. Larger audiences for lower per participant cost are generally more effective in this category. (Include detail in the budget template illustrated on page 4.)
  9. Provides matching support in the form of non-federal cash or in-kind contributions (1:1 is required). Using the excel budget template, Appendix A, the proposal must include:
    1. Amount of match
    2. Type of match (cash or in-kind)
    3. Source of match (must be non-federal)
  10. Gathers required reporting data. A progress and final report are required, and details of such will be disseminated, if funded. Future funding is contingent upon all reporting requirements met annually. The timing of the reports will be based on NASA’s call for data from the ISGC and is currently pending. See Appendix B as a reference for required demographic data to be collected throughout the project, in excel format.

Proposal Content:

Project description
Target audience
ISGC/NASA ESDMD and/or SOMD alignment
Anticipated results including audience, demographics, educational outcomes, and evaluation
Collaboration
Timeline: Performance period ends June 21, 2024.
Sustainability
Personnel
Budget including match and sources (must use template on page 4)

Unallowable expenses include:

  • Indirect charges
  • Equipment (defined as >$5,000 per item)
  • Foreign travel
  • Facility renovations
  • Promotional materials (e.g. T-shirts, etc.)
  • Non-U.S. citizen reimbursements (e.g. travel)
  • Non-U. S. citizens may participate but cannot receive direct support or reimbursements.

Proposal Submission Procedure

Submit proposal online to: E&O Submission
Please limit proposals to five pages with 12-point font, single-spaced with one-inch margins (page limit does not include budget form). Deadline: September 22, 2023.

Questions should be directed to the ISGC office: isgc@iastate.edu.

 

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