EONS 2020: Appendix I MUREP Space Technology Artemis Research Cooperative Agreement | NNH20ZHA002N MSTAR

Opportunity Information: Apply for NNH20ZHA002N MSTAR

The EONS 2020 Appendix I MUREP Space Technology Artemis Research (M-STAR) Cooperative Agreement is a NASA funding opportunity designed specifically for accredited Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs) in the United States. Issued under NASA Research Announcement (NRA) NNH20ZHA002N (MSTAR), it provides short-duration planning grants intended to help eligible institutions strengthen their readiness to compete for and participate in NASA Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD) opportunities tied to Artemis-era technology needs for the Moon, Mars, and beyond. Rather than funding long, full-scale research projects, this program is structured to support institutions as they develop practical implementation plans that position them to pursue future NASA space technology research, challenges, and related contracting opportunities.

Awards are made as cooperative agreements, meaning NASA expects an active partnership role during the project period rather than a hands-off grant relationship. Each award can support a period of performance of up to 6 months, with an award ceiling of $40,000 and an anticipated total of about 12 awards. The overall purpose is capacity-building: increasing STEM literacy, expanding institutional familiarity with NASA competitive resources, and improving the ability of MSIs to organize faculty, students, leadership, and administrative support around clear, competitive pathways into STMD programs. The opportunity explicitly highlights avenues such as STMD’s Centennial Challenges, along with the broader set of STMD solicitations and initiatives where a prepared institution can translate planning into future proposals, partnerships, and technology development efforts aligned with NASA priorities.

The stated goals emphasize both workforce and research development outcomes. NASA aims to broaden the nation’s space technology base by fostering new research and technology development concepts aligned with agency needs, while also increasing MSI participation across STMD opportunities and strengthening the involvement of MSI faculty, researchers, and students in NASA’s space technology research ecosystem. Another major theme is diversity and inclusion in NASA-related fields: the program seeks to support mechanisms that help ensure the diversity of NASA’s future workforce and of students earning undergraduate and graduate degrees in NASA-relevant disciplines more closely reflects the diversity of the nation. The program also connects to NASA’s policy objective of directing at least one percent of total contract value, including prime and subcontracting awards, to MSIs, making the planning and institutional positioning aspects especially important.

Eligibility is limited to accredited MSIs that meet the criteria described in the NRA (with applicants directed to Appendix I, Section I.3 for detailed requirements). Applicants are expected to be prepared to comply with standard federal award and registration requirements by the proposal due date. Specifically, proposers must have: (1) a Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number, (2) an active registration in the System for Award Management (SAM), (3) a Commercial and Government Entity (CAGE) Code, and (4) an active registration in NASA’s Solicitation and Proposal Integrated Review and Evaluation System (NSPIRES). The NSPIRES requirement applies not only to the lead institution but also to any entities involved as sub-awardees or subcontractors, and it applies to principal investigators and all other participants (including co-investigators) regardless of which submission system is used.

Operationally, proposals must be submitted electronically through NSPIRES by the stated deadline, and submission must be completed by an authorized organizational representative for the proposing institution. Because NSPIRES accounts and institutional profiles can take time to set up and validate, NASA urges applicants to begin registrations and system familiarization well in advance of the due date to avoid last-minute compliance issues. For questions, prospective proposers are instructed to submit inquiries in writing to NASAMSTAR@nasaprs.com no later than 10 business days before the proposal deadline so NASA has time to respond. Applicants are also responsible for monitoring NSPIRES for updates, since NASA may publish clarifications, FAQs, or formal amendments prior to the deadline.

Key administrative details from the posting include: the opportunity is categorized as discretionary funding and falls under the Education funding activity category, with CFDA number 43.008. The opportunity was created March 31, 2020, with an original closing date of June 15, 2020. Overall, M-STAR functions as a focused, short-term planning and capacity-building mechanism that helps MSIs build the internal structures, partnerships, and strategic plans needed to compete effectively for NASA STMD space technology efforts connected to Artemis and longer-term exploration goals.

• The National Aeronautics and Space Administration in the education sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "EONS 2020: Appendix I MUREP Space Technology Artemis Research Cooperative Agreement" 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 Mar 31, 2020.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Jun 15, 2020. (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 $40,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 12 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).

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