2011 Competitive Program for Science and Museums and Planetariums Plus Opportunities for NASA Visitor Centers and Other Informal Education Institutions (CP4SMP+)

The summary for the 2011 Competitive Program for Science and Museums and Planetariums Plus Opportunities for NASA Visitor Centers and Other Informal Education Institutions (CP4SMP+) grant is detailed below. This summary states who is eligible for the grant, how much grant money will be awarded, current and past deadlines, Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) numbers, and a sampling of similar government grants. Verify the accuracy of the data FederalGrants.com provides by visiting the webpage noted in the Link to Full Announcement section or by contacting the appropriate person listed as the Grant Announcement Contact. If any section is incomplete, please visit the website for the NASA Headquarters, which is the U.S. government agency offering this grant.

2011 Competitive Program for Science and Museums and Planetariums Plus Opportunities for NASA Visitor Centers and Other Informal Education Institutions (CP4SMP+): NASA's Office of Education, Integration Division, Informal Education Program, in cooperation with NASA's Offices of Communications and Chief Technologist and Mission Directorates (e.g., Aeronautics Research, Exploration Systems, Science, and Space Operations), solicits proposals for uniquely NASA informal education projects, exhibits and/or partnerships with K-12 schools to inspire support inquiry-based science, technology, engineering and/or mathematics (STEM) learningeducation projects led by informal education institutions that feature NASA missions, science, engineering, explorations, or technologies. This NRA or solicitation seeks projects featuring NASA-themed content in space exploration, aeronautics, space science, Earth science, or microgravity, or a combination of these topics to support NASA education outcomes. The Mission Directorates (Science, Exploration Systems, Space Operations, and Aeronautics Research) cooperating with this NRA have identified content priorities as described in aligned with the NASA Strategic Plan. Consult (I) and in the Section IV. Technical Content Description for Mission Directorate priorities (IV) sections of this solicitation. This solicitation seeks projects featuring NASA-themed content in space exploration, aeronautics, space science, Earth science, or microgravity, or a combination of these topics (See Section III of this document) to support NASA education outcomes. Proposals also should address substantiated (e.g., through an existing needs assessment) national, regional or local educational needs or challenges and offer solutions with potential for significant impact. Leadership of the proposed projects must reside at informal education institutions (IEI); partnership relationships are highly encouraged (See Appendix C for partnership discussion). Proposed projects should address the NASA Education Strategic Coordination Framework's Outcome 3, which relates to formal and informal education partnerships, as their primary outcome. Proposals also should address substantiated (e.g., through an existing needs assessment) national, regional or local educational needs or challenges and offer solutions with potential for significant impact. Partnerships with K-12 schools to support inquiry-based education are highly encouraged. Partnerships with Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCU) and other minority serving institutions are highly encouraged. See Appendix C of this NRA for partnership discussion. Examples of eligible projects include but are not limited to: exhibits (permanent, traveling, or virtual); STEM programming serving educators, students, youth, parents, and the general public; STEM programming for informal education providers and staff professional development (e.g., youth groups, out-of-school-time programs, youth group leaders, workshop or activity leaders, curriculum developers, docent managers, exhibit designers, library professionals, community education leaders, education and public outreach (EPO) professionals); informal learning research in STEM, informal education programs, data usage and analysis; curriculum support for informal science education, technology development, performing arts, or activities that are culturally focused on targeted populations, such as women, and minorities, and persons with disabilities. Grantee institutions have the responsibility for budgeting and documenting compliance with Code of Federal Regulations, 14 CFR-1230, commonly referred to as "the Common Rule for the Protection of Human Subjects." Research to develop NASA-themed exhibits, programs, curriculum products, etc., may involve full human subjects review through an Institutional Review Board (IRB) or it may be exempt. An IRB also certifies when research is exempt. Research using surveys, observational or ethnographic methods, cognitive and educational tests, etc., is "exempt" unless two conditions apply: 1) the information would allow subjects to be identified, and 2) disclosure of the data would reasonably place the subject at risk of harm. It is anticipated that most CP4SMP+ research will be exempt and that non-exempt research will not involve NASA facilities, personnel or equipment. The PI, however, should begin the process as soon as the proposal is submitted to determine whether any proposed research activities require IRB approval or is exempt. This is done by working with a Department of Health and Human Services Office of Human Research Protection (HHS OHRP) approved non-NASA IRB. Information on how to locate an approved IRB is at: http://ohrp.cit.nih.gov/search/irbsearch.aspx?styp=bsc.