EONS 2011 Curriculum Improvement Partnership Award for the Integration of Research (CIPAIR) | Apply Online

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1) What is the EONS 2011 CIPAIR opportunity?

The Curriculum Improvement Partnership Award for the Integration of Research (CIPAIR) was a NASA Headquarters funding opportunity released under the Education Opportunities in NASA STEM (EONS) 2011 NASA Research Announcement (NRA). It focused on curriculum improvement and integrating research experiences and NASA mission content into education activities, aligned with NASA mission needs and STEM workforce goals.

2) What is the official solicitation number for EONS 2011?

The EONS 2011 NRA is numbered NNH112HA002C. It is also referenced in source data as NNH11ZHA002C.

3) How does CIPAIR relate to EONS 2011?

CIPAIR was one program element (an opportunity listing) inside the broader EONS 2011 umbrella. EONS 2011 was described as a pilot solicitation meant to combine multiple NASA Office of Education opportunities into a single announcement to make them easier to find and navigate.

4) Who sponsored this opportunity within NASA?

The opportunity was sponsored through NASA's Minority University Research and Education Program (MUREP), which is aimed at expanding NASA engagement with Minority Serving Institutions and supporting participation by underrepresented and underserved students and faculty in NASA-relevant STEM.

5) What kinds of goals did CIPAIR emphasize?

Based on the description provided, CIPAIR emphasized curriculum improvement and the integration of research into education, with the broader MUREP framing of strengthening institutional capacity, improving access to NASA-relevant research and education experiences, and building pathways that connect coursework to authentic NASA-related research, mission content, and technology development.

6) When was the EONS 2011 NRA released?

The EONS 2011 NRA was released on January 7, 2011.

7) What were the Notice of Intent (NOI) dates?

Notices of Intent to propose were requested for most program elements beginning February 2, 2011, with the NOI window running through March 14, 2011.

8) When were proposals due under EONS 2011?

Full proposals were due on a rolling schedule by program element, starting March 10, 2011 and continuing through April 11, 2011.

9) What was the specific deadline for the CIPAIR listing?

For the CIPAIR opportunity record described in the source information, the posting date is March 2, 2011, and both the original and current closing date are March 16, 2011. The archive date listed is April 15, 2011.

10) What award types could NASA use for this opportunity?

Awards could be made either as grants or as cooperative agreements. The choice depended on the nature of the proposed work and the level of involvement NASA expected to have during project execution.

11) How long could projects run (period of performance)?

The typical period of performance across EONS elements was two to four years, with flexibility for shorter or longer projects up to a maximum of five years.

12) How much funding could an applicant request?

Funding levels were described in two ways: (1) institution-level annual award sizes and (2) total funds available at the program-element level across the overall EONS NRA.

At the institution level, annual awards were described as ranging from about $50,000 per year for narrow efforts up to $300,000 per year for extensive activities such as mission-focused research.

For the CIPAIR opportunity record specifically, the award ceiling is listed as $300,000 and the award floor is listed as $5,000.

13) Was cost sharing or matching required?

No. The opportunity explicitly stated there was no cost sharing or matching requirement.

14) How much total funding was available under EONS 2011?

Across the overall EONS NRA, NASA indicated that the funds available for awards in each program element ranged from less than $1 million to about $3 million. This meant NASA could select anywhere from a handful to several dozen proposals depending on proposal volume and quality.

15) Who was eligible to apply as the lead organization?

Eligibility was centered on Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs) as defined by U.S. Department of Education lists current as of 12/31/2008 or later. This includes Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs), Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs), and other designated MSIs.

16) Could an institution that serves many Hispanic students apply if it was not formally designated as an HSI?

Yes, the announcement addressed institutions serving substantial Hispanic enrollment that had not yet been formally designated. Those institutions were allowed to submit documentation showing at least 25 percent full-time Hispanic enrollment.

17) Could non-MSI organizations participate?

Yes, a wide range of other entities could participate through partnerships with an eligible lead organization. Examples listed include NASA Centers, federal agencies, federally funded research and development centers (FFRDCs), non-MSI higher education institutions, state and local agencies, tribal government agencies, science museums and planetariums, for-profit companies, and non-U.S. organizations.

18) Were community colleges, school districts, or nonprofits included?

The broader solicitation noted that some opportunities could include community colleges, public school districts with high minority enrollment, and nonprofit organizations. Participation still needed to align with the solicitation's structure, including lead-organization eligibility requirements described for MSIs.

19) Is there any special requirement for proposals involving a Tribal College or University (TCU) if a non-TCU is the lead?

Yes. For collaborative proposals involving a TCU when a non-TCU served as the lead, the solicitation highlighted a requirement for letters of support from the TCU signed by an authorized institutional representative.

20) How were proposals submitted?

The submission process was fully electronic and tied closely to NASA's NSPIRES system.

21) Do applicants have to use NSPIRES, Grants.gov, or both?

Organizations intending to submit were required to be registered in NSPIRES. If submitting through Grants.gov, they also needed Grants.gov registration in addition to NSPIRES.

22) Who must submit the proposal?

The authorized organizational representative had to submit the proposal.

23) Do principal investigators and other key personnel need NSPIRES accounts?

Yes. All key personnel (such as principal investigators and co-investigators) needed to be registered in NSPIRES regardless of whether the proposal was submitted via NSPIRES directly or through Grants.gov.

24) Why did NASA emphasize early registration and system familiarization?

NASA emphasized starting registrations and learning the systems early to avoid last-minute issues with electronic submission.

25) Should applicants watch for amendments or changes after the initial release?

Yes. The solicitation instructed prospective applicants to monitor NSPIRES and its email notification system for amendments or newly added opportunities through February 2012, when a subsequent EONS NRA was anticipated.

26) Can non-U.S. organizations be involved?

Yes, but NASA stated that any involvement by non-U.S. organizations would be conducted on a "no exchange of funds" basis consistent with 14 C.F.R. 1260.12(e)(2), unless a specific appendix for a program element stated otherwise.

27) Where should applicants send questions about general EONS policies and procedures?

General EONS policies and procedures questions were directed to Dr. Carl Person, MUREP Manager at NASA Headquarters. The general inquiry email listed is NASAEONS2011@nasaprs.com.

28) Where should applicants direct program-element-specific questions (such as CIPAIR details)?

Program-element-specific questions were handled by program officers identified in the appendices of the NRA.