Opportunity Information: Apply for NNH24ZHA003C MIRO
NASA's MUREP Institutional Research Opportunity (MIRO) is a competitive funding program run through NASA's Office of STEM Engagement under the Minority University Research and Education Project (MUREP). The program is designed specifically for four-year Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs) that are officially designated by the U.S. Department of Education as MSIs on the proposal due date. MIRO uses cooperative agreements, which typically means NASA expects to have an active partnership role during the project period rather than acting only as a funder.
At its core, MIRO is meant to help MSIs build or significantly strengthen research capacity and infrastructure by developing meaningful scientific, engineering, and/or technology research centers. These centers are expected to be aligned with areas that matter directly to NASA's mission and near-term priorities. In practice, MIRO is not just about supporting an individual research project; it is about building the institutional ability to consistently conduct NASA-relevant research over time, including the people, facilities, collaborations, and programs needed to sustain that work beyond the award.
The solicitation emphasizes that MIRO-funded work must connect to NASA's five Mission Directorates: Aeronautics Research, Exploration Systems Development, Space Operations, Science, and Space Technology. Proposals should therefore be framed around research themes and technology development concepts that are clearly relevant to at least one of these directorates, and ideally show a pathway to engagement with NASA centers, facilities, and mission needs. Alongside research outcomes, the program places strong weight on STEM education impacts, STEM literacy, and the development of student researchers who can feed into the broader aerospace and STEM workforce.
MIRO's goals and objectives focus on four main outcomes. First, it aims to expand the nation's aerospace research and development base by fostering new research and technology concepts that match NASA priorities. This includes building research centers at the MSI that actively align with and engage NASA mission directorate programs, while also increasing the institution's ability to contribute to NASA priorities and collaborate effectively with NASA centers and facilities. Second, MIRO seeks to drive institutional advancement through partnerships, encouraging MSIs to form strategic, sustainable collaborations with other universities, NASA, and industry. These partnerships are expected to help the institution maintain research momentum long-term, compete for and secure additional external funding, and strengthen the ability of institutional research leadership to leverage resources at multiple levels (project, department, college, and university).
Third, MIRO is explicitly intended to deepen participation of MSI faculty, researchers, and students in NASA-relevant research programs. It supports mechanisms that build faculty and researcher expertise through professional development and direct NASA research opportunities, while also expanding student preparation through curriculum enhancement, redesign, or development at the course, degree, or department level. The program also highlights increasing student access to NASA internships and related experiential opportunities as a key pathway for building real-world skills and strengthening the pipeline into NASA and the aerospace sector. Fourth, MIRO is tied to workforce diversity goals, with an emphasis on ensuring that degrees earned in NASA-related fields reflect the diversity of the nation and contribute to diversifying the NASA workforce. A specific objective under this goal is to increase the number of undergraduate and graduate degrees awarded to students at MSIs in NASA-relevant fields.
From the opportunity details provided, MIRO (Funding Opportunity Number NNH24ZHA003C MIRO) is a discretionary funding opportunity administered by NASA under CFDA 43.008, categorized under education, and offered as cooperative agreements. The maximum award amount listed is $1,250,000, with NASA expecting to make about 7 awards. The original closing date for submissions was 2024-02-14, and the opportunity was created on 2023-11-21. Overall, MIRO is best understood as a capacity-building research and education investment aimed at strengthening MSI-led NASA-related research centers, expanding partnerships and long-term competitiveness, and increasing diverse student participation and degree completion in fields that align with NASA's mission needs.Apply for NNH24ZHA003C MIRO
- The National Aeronautics and Space Administration in the education sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "MUREP Insitutional Research Opportunity (MIRO)" 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 2023-11-21.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2024-02-14. (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 $1,250,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 7 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): NASA MUREP Institutional Research Opportunity (MIRO)
What is NASA's MUREP Institutional Research Opportunity (MIRO)?
MIRO is a competitive NASA funding program run through NASA's Office of STEM Engagement under the Minority University Research and Education Project (MUREP). It is designed to help eligible institutions build or significantly strengthen long-term research capacity and infrastructure by establishing meaningful research centers aligned with NASA's mission needs and near-term priorities.
What type of institutions is MIRO intended for?
MIRO is designed specifically for four-year Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs).
How is MSI eligibility determined for MIRO?
The institution must be officially designated by the U.S. Department of Education as an MSI on the proposal due date.
What funding instrument does MIRO use?
MIRO awards are made as cooperative agreements.
What does it mean that MIRO uses cooperative agreements?
A cooperative agreement typically means NASA expects to play an active partnership role during the project period, rather than acting only as a funder.
Is MIRO focused on a single research project or on building broader capability?
MIRO is primarily a capacity-building investment. While research outcomes matter, the program is structured to build institutional ability to consistently conduct NASA-relevant research over time, including the people, facilities, collaborations, and programs needed to sustain that work beyond the award.
What does MIRO fund at a high level?
MIRO supports the development of scientific, engineering, and/or technology research centers at eligible MSIs, with the goal of building or significantly strengthening research capacity and infrastructure tied to NASA-relevant themes.
What research areas should MIRO proposals connect to?
MIRO-funded work must connect to NASA's five Mission Directorates: Aeronautics Research, Exploration Systems Development, Space Operations, Science, and Space Technology. Proposals should be framed around research themes and technology development concepts clearly relevant to at least one of these directorates.
Do proposals need to show engagement with NASA centers or facilities?
The solicitation emphasizes alignment with NASA mission needs and highlights pathways to engagement with NASA centers, facilities, and mission needs as a strong element of a competitive approach.
What education-related outcomes does MIRO emphasize?
Alongside research outcomes, MIRO places strong weight on STEM education impacts, STEM literacy, and the development of student researchers who can contribute to the broader aerospace and STEM workforce.
What are the main outcomes MIRO is trying to achieve?
MIRO focuses on four main outcomes: (1) expanding the nation's aerospace research and development base aligned to NASA priorities, (2) driving institutional advancement through strategic and sustainable partnerships, (3) deepening participation of MSI faculty, researchers, and students in NASA-relevant research and education activities, and (4) supporting workforce diversity goals by increasing degrees earned in NASA-related fields at MSIs.
How does MIRO aim to expand the nation's aerospace R&D base?
MIRO supports new research and technology concepts that match NASA priorities by building MSI-based research centers aligned with NASA mission directorate programs, increasing institutional capability to contribute to NASA priorities, and strengthening collaboration with NASA centers and facilities.
What kinds of partnerships does MIRO encourage?
MIRO encourages strategic, sustainable collaborations with other universities, NASA, and industry to help maintain research momentum long-term, improve competitiveness for additional external funding, and strengthen institutional research leadership's ability to leverage resources across the institution.
How does MIRO support faculty and researcher development?
MIRO supports mechanisms intended to build faculty and researcher expertise through professional development and direct NASA research opportunities.
How does MIRO support students?
MIRO emphasizes developing student researchers and expanding student preparation through curriculum enhancement, redesign, or development at the course, degree, or department level. It also highlights increasing student access to NASA internships and related experiential opportunities.
What role do NASA internships play in MIRO?
Increasing student access to NASA internships and related experiential opportunities is highlighted as a key pathway for building real-world skills and strengthening the pipeline into NASA and the aerospace sector.
How is workforce diversity addressed in MIRO?
MIRO is tied to workforce diversity goals, emphasizing that degrees earned in NASA-related fields should reflect the diversity of the nation and contribute to diversifying the NASA workforce.
Does MIRO have a specific objective related to degrees awarded?
Yes. A specific objective is to increase the number of undergraduate and graduate degrees awarded to students at MSIs in NASA-relevant fields.
What is the Funding Opportunity Number (FON) for this MIRO solicitation?
The Funding Opportunity Number listed is NNH24ZHA003C MIRO.
What is the CFDA number associated with this opportunity?
The opportunity is administered under CFDA 43.008.
How is this opportunity categorized?
It is categorized under education and is a discretionary funding opportunity administered by NASA.
What is the maximum award amount for MIRO?
The maximum award amount listed is $1,250,000.
How many awards does NASA expect to make?
NASA expects to make about 7 awards.
What was the original closing date for submissions?
The original closing date listed was 2024-02-14.
When was this opportunity created?
The opportunity was created on 2023-11-21.
What should an institution keep in mind when positioning a MIRO proposal?
Based on the solicitation description, proposals should focus on building or strengthening a NASA-relevant research center (not only a standalone project), clearly align research themes with at least one NASA Mission Directorate, and reflect strong plans for partnerships, STEM education impact, student development, and long-term sustainability of institutional research capacity.
How should MIRO be understood overall?
MIRO is best understood as a capacity-building research and education investment aimed at strengthening MSI-led NASA-related research centers, expanding partnerships and long-term competitiveness, and increasing diverse student participation and degree completion in fields aligned with NASA mission needs.
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