JSC Strategic Education Alliance (SEA) for: STEM Engagement; Internships, Fellowships and Scholarships; Educator Professional Development, and Institutional Engagement | NNJ17BR10995R

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The JSC Strategic Education Alliance (SEA) is a NASA Johnson Space Center cooperative agreement opportunity designed to build sustained partnerships that strengthen the STEM pipeline and broaden participation in NASA-connected education and workforce activities. It sits in NASA's education portfolio (CFDA 43.008) and focuses on four major lines of effort: STEM engagement activities for students and the public, internships/fellowships/scholarships that develop future talent, professional development for educators, and deeper institutional engagement that helps organizations align their programs with NASA priorities and workforce needs. Rather than being a simple one-time grant for a single event, the structure and scale indicate a strategic, multi-partner effort where NASA expects meaningful collaboration, measurable outcomes, and programs that can be scaled or sustained beyond an initial pilot.

For STEM Engagement, the opportunity is aimed at activities that spark interest and build competency in STEM fields connected to NASA Johnson Space Center mission areas. Typical work in this category includes hands-on learning experiences, challenges and competitions, curriculum-based student projects, community outreach, informal education programs, and other efforts that expose K-12 and higher education learners to real NASA-relevant problems and career pathways. Proposals in this area generally need to show clear educational value, strong participant reach (especially among underserved or underrepresented groups), and a plan for evaluating results. NASA is usually looking for engagement that goes beyond awareness and demonstrates learning gains, persistence in STEM, improved skills, or stronger transitions into the next stage of education or training.

For Internships, Fellowships, and Scholarships, the emphasis is on building a talent pipeline that feeds into aerospace and related STEM careers, including those that support NASA and the broader space ecosystem. This can include placing students in internship experiences tied to NASA centers or NASA-related work, supporting graduate fellowships that align with JSC technical needs, and offering scholarships that reduce financial barriers for high-potential students in relevant disciplines. Competitive proposals typically define who will be served (academic level, fields of study, eligibility criteria), how participants will be recruited and selected, what the experiential learning will look like (mentoring, projects, deliverables, professional development), and how participants will be tracked over time. Strong designs also include wraparound supports such as cohort building, career readiness training, and pathways into subsequent opportunities (advanced research experiences, employment networks, or continued NASA engagement).

For Educator Professional Development, the opportunity supports training and capacity building for teachers, faculty, and other educators so they can deliver stronger STEM instruction tied to authentic NASA content. This can include workshops, institutes, classroom implementation support, curriculum training, and resource development that improves educator content knowledge and pedagogical practice. NASA typically expects these efforts to translate into classroom impact, meaning proposals should address how educators will apply what they learn, how student learning will be affected, and how implementation will be measured. Programs that create educator communities of practice, provide ongoing coaching, and align with state or national standards while integrating NASA mission content are often a good fit for this category.

For Institutional Engagement, the SEA framework highlights deeper, long-term collaboration with organizations such as universities, community colleges, nonprofits, and potentially industry partners to strengthen program alignment, infrastructure, and participation in NASA-related STEM efforts. This may include building consortia, forming strategic partnerships with minority-serving institutions or other under-resourced campuses, improving research and education capacity, and coordinating pipelines from K-12 through higher education and into the workforce. In practice, institutional engagement proposals usually emphasize shared governance structures, partner roles and responsibilities, sustainability plans, and mechanisms for scaling successful practices across departments, campuses, or regions. NASA is effectively looking for institutions that can serve as multipliers: organizations that not only run good programs but also strengthen networks, improve systems, and expand access to NASA-relevant opportunities.

Administratively, proposals were required to be submitted through NASA's NSPIRES system, with a Notice of Intent requested by February 10, 2017, and full proposals due by 3:00 p.m. Central Daylight Saving Time on March 17, 2017. The solicitation anticipated cooperative agreements, which generally means NASA expects more substantial involvement than in a typical grant, such as coordination, technical input, or collaboration during the period of performance. The announcement cites different regulatory authorities depending on the applicant type: 14 CFR Part 1800 for educational and nonprofit institutions and 14 CFR Part 1274 for commercial organizations, while also noting NASA reserves the right to choose the most appropriate award instrument for selected proposals even if the opportunity appears on FedBizOpps or Grants.gov.

In terms of scale, the posted award ceiling was $20,000,000, with an expectation of around 10 awards, signaling that NASA anticipated funding multiple sizable partnerships rather than a large number of small one-off projects. Eligibility is listed broadly as "Others" with additional eligibility details referenced in the full text, which typically indicates that a range of organization types may apply, but applicants need to confirm the specific eligibility language and any constraints in the complete solicitation. Overall, the SEA opportunity is best understood as a mechanism for NASA Johnson Space Center to invest in coordinated education and workforce development efforts that connect learners and educators to NASA-relevant STEM content, create meaningful experiential pathways, and strengthen institutions and partnerships that can deliver lasting impact.

• The National Aeronautics and Space Administration, NASA Johnson Space Center in the education sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "JSC Strategic Education Alliance (SEA) for: STEM Engagement; Internships, Fellowships and Scholarships; Educator Professional Development, and Institutional Engagement" 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 Jan 20, 2017.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Mar 17, 2017. (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 $20,000,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 10 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).

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