Sponsor link  https://ianasaepscor.engineering.iastate.edu/funding/iowa-nasa-epscor-ec...

The Iowa NASA EPSCoR team has released the solicitation for our Research Building Seed Grant. This grant, funded under our parent award from NASA, helps PIs in Iowa establish and/or strengthen connections to NASA research, with the intent of stronger future proposal development to NASA calls.  We will be awarding four awards this year, $20,000 each, with a 50% match requirement. Proposals will be due September 9, 2022, and awards will be announced on September 16, 2022.

Research projects must be in an area that is aligned with a new or continuing NASA research priority or technology need, and the proposal narrative must make an explicit connection with NASA and NASA Mission Directorate’s goals and objectives as identified in NASA 2018 Strategic Plan and the STEM Education Strategic Plan-2018. The research agenda of the Iowa NASA EPSCoR Research Infrastructure Development program supports the goals and objectives of the state as determined by the Iowa Economic Development Authority. The relevant economy sectors for the RBSG include Advanced Manufacturing and Biosciences.

RBSG awards are intended to initiate new or ongoing research collaborations with NASA, and will allow the PI to begin conducting research important to the Agency, and support graduate or undergraduate students to develop preliminary data for research and thereby become more competitive for additional funding in the future. Recipients of this grant will be expected to submit concept papers in the next round of Iowa NASA EPSCoR competitions, and propose to national NASA EPSCoR funding opportunities. Awardees are also encouraged to propose for other federal funding as well as private funding from industry. The RBSG proposal should include detailed plans for establishing or strengthening links with NASA researchers. A communication from the NASA researcher that the proposed work is of interest to NASA is required.

This grant will promote junior faculty from academia, as well as researchers from industry and government agencies in Iowa. This program encourages participation by PIs who are women, underrepresented minorities/populations, or persons with disabilities.