Opportunity Information: Apply for NNH23ZHA001N TEAMIIANCHR

The Teams Engaging Affiliated Museums and Informal Institutions (TEAM II) Community Anchor Awards (ANCHR) is a NASA discretionary grant opportunity designed to broaden participation in NASA-related STEM engagement by strengthening the role of museums and other informal education institutions as trusted, local access points for high-quality STEM learning. The central idea is to help an institution become a recognizable community resource for NASA-themed informal education, while also making it easier for young people and the adults who support them to find and take part in meaningful STEM experiences connected to NASA content and missions.

This opportunity focuses strongly on equity and access. Projects are expected to expand NASA STEM learning opportunities for a diverse range of K-12 students, with the highest priority placed on learners in grades 5 through 8 (upper elementary and middle school). A secondary priority is grades K through 4. Within these age bands, NASA places special emphasis on reaching students who are new to NASA content and those who have been historically underrepresented and/or underserved in STEM fields and STEM learning opportunities. The intent is not only to offer programs, but to ensure the programs and materials are relevant and responsive to local community needs, so more students can see themselves in STEM and gain confidence exploring STEM pathways.

Another major aim is network-building. NASA is looking for projects that improve connections between NASA-related STEM resources and the local or regional ecosystems that already support youth learning. That includes coalitions and networks made up of both traditional and non-traditional partners, such as schools, community organizations, youth-serving programs, libraries, afterschool providers, cultural organizations, and other agencies that bring different perspectives. By strengthening these relationships, the project should help unify community efforts around STEM engagement and create more visible, coordinated pathways for learners to continue participating in STEM learning over time.

The expectations for selected projects are fairly specific. Awardees must build their institution's capacity to serve as a local or regional NASA STEM informal education community resource, meaning the grant is not just for one-off events; it is meant to leave the organization better equipped, better connected, and more capable of delivering NASA-themed experiences on an ongoing basis. Awardees also must participate in the NASA Informal Education (IE) Learning Cohort alongside other Community Anchor projects. This cohort is led by TEAM II and Museum and Informal Education (MIE) Alliance personnel, and it is structured to allow up to three people from each project to grow their skills, share practices, strengthen NASA-themed activity implementation, develop new ideas, support collaborative planning, and incorporate stakeholder perspectives to build broader backing for the work.

Program delivery requirements include providing at least three engaging NASA STEM learning experiences or activities each year. These are described as authentic STEM learning experiences and must be aimed at youth in grades K-12, with a clear emphasis on grades 5-8 (and secondarily K-4), while also recognizing the importance of the surrounding learning support system, including families and both informal and formal educators and institutions. A measurable reach requirement is also included: during each full year of the project, a minimum of 500 students must be reached through the proposed STEM learning experiences. In addition to implementation, awardees must complete grant reporting as described in the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO), specifically the reporting requirements referenced in Section 14.6.1.

NASA also expects awardees to share opportunities and resources broadly through its established educator and museum networks. Recipients must use NASA's Museum and Informal Education Alliance and the Connecting Our NASA Network of Educators for Collaborating Together in STEM (CONNECTS) platform to share project-generated opportunities with formal and informal educators in the CONNECTS community. This emphasis on dissemination is meant to extend the benefits beyond a single site by encouraging cross-community sharing, adoption of promising practices, and better awareness of NASA STEM engagement materials and events.

From an administrative standpoint, the opportunity is offered by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration under Funding Opportunity Number NNH23ZHA001N (TEAMIIANCHR). It is a grant (Funding Instrument Type: Grant) within an "Other" activity category as specified in the notice, and it is associated with CFDA 43.008. The listing indicated an award ceiling of $40,000, with an anticipated 13 awards. The opportunity was originally posted June 15, 2023, with an original closing date of August 15, 2023. Eligibility is listed broadly as "Others" with additional eligibility details referenced in the full announcement, which typically signals the need to consult the NOFO for precise definitions of eligible informal education institutions and any partnership or affiliation requirements.

Overall, TEAM II ANCHR is best understood as a capacity-building and community-connection grant for informal education institutions that want to become strong local hubs for NASA STEM engagement. It combines institutional development, participation in a structured learning cohort, required annual delivery of multiple NASA STEM experiences with significant student reach, formal reporting, and active sharing through NASA's museum and educator networks, all with a clear priority on reaching diverse learners, especially grades 5-8, and particularly those new to NASA content or historically underserved in STEM.

  • The National Aeronautics and Space Administration in the other (see text field entitled explanation of other category of funding activity for clarification) sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Teams Engaging Affiliated Museums and Informal Institutions (TEAM II) Community Anchor Awards (ANCHR)" 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 Jun 15, 2023.
  • Applicants must submit their applications by Aug 15, 2023. (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 13 candidate(s).
  • Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
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TEAM II Community Anchor Awards (ANCHR) - FAQs

What is the TEAM II Community Anchor Awards (ANCHR) opportunity?

TEAM II ANCHR is a NASA discretionary grant opportunity designed to broaden participation in NASA-related STEM engagement by strengthening museums and other informal education institutions as trusted, local access points for high-quality STEM learning. The overall goal is to help an institution become a recognizable community resource for NASA-themed informal education, while making it easier for young people and the adults who support them to find and participate in meaningful STEM experiences connected to NASA content and missions.

What is NASA trying to accomplish through this grant?

NASA is aiming to (1) expand equitable access to NASA-related STEM learning for K-12 students, (2) strengthen an institution's long-term capacity to deliver NASA-themed informal education, and (3) build stronger local or regional networks so NASA STEM resources connect more effectively with existing youth learning ecosystems (schools, community programs, libraries, and more).

Who is the primary audience for the STEM engagement activities?

The project activities are expected to serve K-12 students, with the highest priority on learners in grades 5 through 8 (upper elementary and middle school). A secondary priority is students in grades K through 4.

Does NASA prioritize specific student groups within the eligible grade bands?

Yes. NASA places special emphasis on reaching students who are new to NASA content and students who have been historically underrepresented and/or underserved in STEM fields and STEM learning opportunities. Projects are expected to focus strongly on equity and access and to ensure programming and materials are relevant and responsive to local community needs.

What types of organizations does this opportunity aim to support?

The opportunity is framed around museums and other informal education institutions. It is intended to strengthen these institutions as community anchors for NASA-themed STEM learning. The eligibility category is listed as "Others," with additional eligibility details referenced in the full announcement (NOFO).

What does it mean to be a "community anchor" for NASA STEM engagement?

In this opportunity, becoming a community anchor means building the institution's capacity to serve as a local or regional NASA STEM informal education community resource. The grant is not intended to support only one-off events; it is meant to leave the organization better equipped, better connected, and more capable of delivering NASA-themed experiences on an ongoing basis.

Is this grant focused more on events or on long-term capacity-building?

It is explicitly a capacity-building and community-connection opportunity. While programming is required, NASA's expectations emphasize lasting institutional capability, stronger partnerships, and ongoing ability to deliver NASA-themed informal education beyond isolated activities.

What are the required program delivery expectations each year?

Awardees must provide at least three engaging NASA STEM learning experiences or activities each year. These are described as authentic STEM learning experiences aimed at youth in grades K-12, with a clear emphasis on grades 5-8 and secondarily K-4.

Is there a minimum number of students that must be reached?

Yes. During each full year of the project, a minimum of 500 students must be reached through the proposed STEM learning experiences.

Do the activities have to include adults or educators as well as students?

The requirement emphasizes youth participation, but it also recognizes the importance of the surrounding learning support system, including families and both informal and formal educators and institutions. In other words, projects should account for the adults and organizations that support youth learning, even while meeting the required student reach.

What is meant by "authentic" NASA STEM learning experiences?

The opportunity describes the required experiences as authentic STEM learning experiences connected to NASA content and missions. Based on the description provided, the intent is that activities are meaningfully tied to NASA themes and resources (not just general STEM) and are designed as high-quality learning experiences delivered through informal education settings.

Are partnerships and coalitions part of the expected project design?

Yes. A major aim of the opportunity is network-building. NASA is looking for projects that improve connections between NASA-related STEM resources and local or regional ecosystems that already support youth learning, including coalitions and networks with both traditional and non-traditional partners.

What kinds of partners are encouraged?

Examples mentioned include schools, community organizations, youth-serving programs, libraries, afterschool providers, cultural organizations, and other agencies that bring different perspectives. The intent is to unify community efforts around STEM engagement and create clearer, more coordinated pathways for continued participation.

What is the NASA Informal Education (IE) Learning Cohort, and is participation required?

Participation is required. Awardees must participate in the NASA Informal Education (IE) Learning Cohort alongside other Community Anchor projects. The cohort is led by TEAM II and Museum and Informal Education (MIE) Alliance personnel and is structured to support shared learning and coordinated improvement across projects.

How many people from each project can participate in the Learning Cohort?

Up to three people from each project may participate.

What does the Learning Cohort help project teams do?

The cohort is structured to help participants grow their skills, share practices, strengthen NASA-themed activity implementation, develop new ideas, support collaborative planning, and incorporate stakeholder perspectives to build broader backing for the work.

Are there reporting requirements for awardees?

Yes. Awardees must complete grant reporting as described in the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO), specifically the reporting requirements referenced in Section 14.6.1.

Are awardees expected to share their work beyond their own institution?

Yes. NASA expects awardees to share opportunities and resources broadly through established educator and museum networks so benefits can extend beyond a single site and promote cross-community sharing and adoption of promising practices.

Which NASA networks or platforms must be used for sharing and dissemination?

Recipients must use NASA's Museum and Informal Education Alliance and the Connecting Our NASA Network of Educators for Collaborating Together in STEM (CONNECTS) platform to share project-generated opportunities with formal and informal educators in the CONNECTS community.

What is the funding opportunity number for this grant?

The Funding Opportunity Number is NNH23ZHA001N (TEAMIIANCHR).

What type of funding instrument is this opportunity?

This opportunity uses a grant as the funding instrument type.

What CFDA number is associated with this opportunity?

The opportunity is associated with CFDA 43.008.

What is the maximum award amount (award ceiling)?

The listing indicated an award ceiling of $40,000.

How many awards does NASA anticipate making?

The listing indicated an anticipated 13 awards.

When was the opportunity posted, and what was the original closing date?

The opportunity was originally posted on June 15, 2023, with an original closing date of August 15, 2023.

Where can applicants find the precise eligibility definitions and requirements?

Eligibility is listed broadly as "Others," with additional eligibility details referenced in the full announcement. For precise definitions of eligible informal education institutions and any partnership or affiliation requirements, applicants are directed to consult the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO).

Is this opportunity specifically about NASA-themed STEM?

Yes. The purpose is to broaden participation in NASA-related STEM engagement, and it emphasizes NASA-themed informal education tied to NASA content and missions, as well as dissemination through NASA's museum and educator networks.

What is the overall "bottom line" of what a strong ANCHR project should deliver?

Based on the described expectations, a strong project should (1) build lasting institutional capacity to serve as a local NASA STEM informal education resource, (2) deliver at least three authentic NASA STEM learning experiences each year, (3) reach at least 500 students during each full project year with emphasis on grades 5-8, (4) participate in the NASA IE Learning Cohort (up to three team members), (5) complete required reporting per the NOFO, and (6) share opportunities and resources through the MIE Alliance and CONNECTS to extend impact beyond a single institution.

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