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NASA SCoPE

NASA SCoPE invites early career scientists and career NASA scientists/engineers to apply for a seed grant to support your collaboration with a NASA Science Activation Team. Bring your outreach ideas to life!

Grant Proposal Preparation 101 with NASA SCoPE

Grants of $5k to $20k are available for career and early career scientists (i.e., within 10 years of PhD) with preference for individuals from underrepresented communities. If you are not already familiar with the NASA SciAct program and the SCoPE project, we strongly encourage you to start by watching the webinar linked below.

Grant Proposal Preparation 101 with NASA SCoPE

Watch this webinar designed to help you craft a high-quality proposal for the NASA SCoPE Seed Grant program.

NASA SCoPE Seed Grant Resources

Visit this Google Drive to access the Seed Grant template and other helpful files.

If you intend to apply, we encourage you to submit a Notice of Intent at your earliest convenience and register to attend the webinar.


Grant description

The NASA SCoPE Project at Arizona State University

Part of NASA’s Science Activation 2.0 Education and Community Outreach Program (SciAct), NASA SCoPE offers seed grants to:

  • Scientists and engineers using or capturing NASA data, and
  • Early career scientists (i.e., Subject Matter Experts, or SMEs)

that collaborate with a SciAct Team to develop or participate in NASA science communication activities.

Preference will be given to early career SMEs (i.e., within 10 years of PhD) and those from historically marginalized communities, but this grant opportunity is open to SMEs at all career levels.

Grant Goals

  • Bring together scientists, engineers and SciAct teams to work collaboratively in support of the SciAct teams goals using the SME's expertise in NASA data, science, and missions to bring results of NASA-funded research to the public.
  • Provide a conduit for those scientists and engineers to communicate the results of their research and missions to the world.

Funding from these Seed Grants can be used for salary support, production of educational materials, travel to SciAct team meetings for collaboration, and/or travel to present results and/or participate in workshops for future collaborations. Of particular need are proposals whose work can address diverse communities.


Grant details

Who can apply

  • Applicants must be a U.S. citizen or have lawful status of permanent residency.
  • Applicants cannot be civil servants.
  • Scientists and engineers engaging and publishing (last 5 years) in the fields of Heliophysics, Earth Science, Planetary Science, Astrophysics, and Biological and Physical Sciences.
  • Early career scientists (within 10 years of their degree) working with NASA published advisors, NASA data or NASA missions are encouraged to apply.

Eligible scientists working on NASA-supported research, projects, or missions include: Ph.D candidates, post-doctoral scholars, and professionals at all career stages. Others eligible for funding include individuals recognized as experts in their field holding a terminal degree and working with NASA missions or projects.

How the grant works

  • Collaboration with a SciAct team is required.
  • Grant size is limited to $5,000 - $20,000 per year and will be awarded directly to the proposing applicant. Grants are for 1 year, but reapplication for new work in following years is permitted.
  • All awardees will provide monthly status updates to the SCoPE team.
  • A Final Report will be due to the NASA SCoPE Team upon completion of your Project. Awardees will also be expected to complete a short evaluation survey.

When to apply

Seed grants will be available bi-annually. SCoPE will award up to ~12 projects per year, with an expectation of ~6 each half year, depending on interest.

Notice of Intent Due

Each application cycle starts with a Notice of Intent due February 28th and July 31st.

Application Due

Application cycle closes March 31st and August 31st, with awardees notified within 30-60 days after the application close date.


How to apply

It is our expectation that SMEs will develop their project ideas in close collaboration with a SciAct team. You may include a member of the SciAct team as an unfunded Co-I, and you must include a Letter of Support from the SciAct team PI. SMEs interested in applying for these grants must prepare a two-page proposal in PDF format with the following content (Contact information, Budget Justification, Letters of Support, Biographical Sketch, and C&P are outside the two-page limit):

Personal information

Your name, mailing address, email address, institution, position, and career stage

SciAct collaborators

Name and contact information of collaborator from SciAct team

SME collaborators

Names, mailing address, email address, institution, position, career stage, role, and purpose of their involvement

Title & Technical description of project (not to exceed 2 pages)

For example: The SME will work with the SciAct group to: develop new educational materials, or conduct a series of talks for public groups, or provide technical consultation to the SciAct group to do X, etc. Include a timeline for completion of the project.

Budget & budget justification

How will grant money of $5K, $10K, $15K or $20K be used? Line item amounts for work time (FTE), operational expenses and materials, and any travel. Each SME receiving funds will complete an individual budget & budget justification.

Letters of support

Submit a letter from the PI of the SciAct team collaborator; a letter from supervisor/employer (graduate students & postdocs only); and a letter of support for each unpaid Co-I listed in your proposal

Biographical sketch

Submit one for each participant receiving funding from the proposal

Current & pending

Submit one report for each participant receiving funding from the proposal