National Space Grant and Fellowship Project
Active
- Assistance listing
- 43.015
- Grant awards
- 11 $15,095,478 in federal obligations
Program facts
- Also known as
- Space Grant
- Assistance types
-
- Cooperative Agreement
- Project Grant
- Treasury account
-
- 80-0128-0-1-252
- More information
Program details come from SAM.gov Assistance Listings. Updated . Grant award figures come from USAspending.gov.
About this program
NASA is funding STEM workforce development activities through the National Space Grant and Fellowship Project (CFDA 43.015), with the most recent grant award made on July 1, 2025. The program operates a national network across all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico to cultivate science and engineering talent for space exploration through training, research, and industry partnerships.
Award activity has been consistent over the past five years, with two to three grants awarded annually. Eleven grants totaling $15.1 million in federal dollars have been obligated since 2020, with the most recent award closing out as of July 1, 2025. The program is split evenly between Project Grants (55 percent, six awards) and Cooperative Agreements (45 percent, five awards). NASA's Shared Services Center administers all funding under this Assistance Listing.
Recent awards span multiple technical domains. The Kansas National Space Grant College and Fellowship Program received a $1.815 million cooperative agreement for STEM workforce development through June 2029. Project grants have funded more specialized research: robotics and autonomy for planetary missions ($234,800), oxygen systems for spacecraft propulsion and life support ($167,602), boron nitride nanotube fibers for lightweight aerospace materials ($252,000), and parabolic flight experiments for cryogenic heat transfer measurement ($968,116). Larger cooperative agreements have funded regional consortia such as the Arkansas Space Grant Consortium ($4.874 million) and Missouri Space Grant Consortium ($4.255 million), which coordinate research, outreach, and education across multiple affiliated institutions.
Typical project grants fall in the $150,000–$300,000 range, while cooperative agreements span from $1 million to $4.8 million, often supporting multi-institutional partnerships. Award recipients must be 4-year colleges, universities, or nonprofit research organizations. Applicants must submit through NASA's NSPIRES system, and selection timelines extend 150 to 220 days after proposal submission following federal budget approval. The source does not identify any currently open grant opportunities.
Objective and description
- Objective
The National Space Grant College and Fellowship Program (Space Grant) was authorized by Congress in response to the need for a coordinated effort to help maintain America's preeminence in aerospace science and technology. Through the establishment of
- Description
Space Grant is a national network located in all 50 states , plus the District of Columbia and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico that fosters science and engineering training, research, and industry partnerships with the goal of cultivating a skilled, innovative talent pool to advance space exploration and innovations.
Eligibility
- Applicant eligibility
4 - Year College or University; Non-Profit Research Organization - Applicants should refer to the NOFO for additional eligibility requirements
- Uses of assistance
Although NASA's statutory authority extends beyond research awards, the Agency primarily issues grants and cooperative agreements to support research and research-related activities. Such activities include, but are not limited to, education, travel, conferences, and training. Information on both active and closed NASA grants and cooperative agreements is publicly available at USAspending.gov. Applicants and recipients must refer to the applicable Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) and award terms and conditions for program-specific requirements and additional details.
- Use restrictions
Restrictions on the use of assistance for this listing are governed by the limitations and conditions set forth in NASA's Grant and Cooperative Agreement Manual (GCAM). The GCAM includes a dedicated section on limitations and restrictions, which outlines the circumstances under which funds may not be used. Applicants and recipients should refer to the applicable GCAM limitations provisions, in conjunction with the specific Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO), to understand any restrictions that apply. Only restrictions that are unique to this Assistance Listing or organization are identified here; all other standard limitations apply as described in the GCAM.
How to apply
- Preapplication coordination
Applicants must follow the proposal submission instructions outlined in the applicable Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO). Specific submission requirements-including whether a Notice of Intent (NOI) and/or Phase I proposals are required-are defined in the individual funding opportunity announcement and may vary by program. In addition, all Principal Investigators (PIs) and Co-Investigators (Co-Is) must register in NASA's Solicitation and Proposal Integration and Review System (NSPIRES) at https://nspires.nasaprs.com/external as NSPIRES is used to support proposal submission, review, and award processing.
- Criteria for selecting proposals
All proposals will undergo an administrative, merit, and financial review. The NASA funding organization responsible for managing the technical aspects of an awarded effort is responsible for the merit review process, which may be based on peer review. All applications for NASA discretionary awards are subject to a merit review with the objective of selecting the recipient most likely to be successful in delivering results based on the objectives outlined in this Assistance Listing. Applicants may consult the NASA Grant and Cooperative Agreement manual for additional information on NASA Proposal review and selection process. https://www.nasa.gov/grants-policy-and-compliance-team/#Regulations
- Award procedure
After proposals are submitted, NASA evaluates all applications to determine funding selections, and applicants are notified of the outcome by email. Award selection announcements generally occur 150 to 220 days after the proposal due date, following approval of NASA funding through the federal budget process. Selection timelines may be extended due to budget delays, required final approvals and concurrence, or if additional information is needed from the applicant, such as revised budgets or supporting details required to finalize the award.
- Time to approval or disapproval
For information on application review procedures, applicants should refer to the applicable section of Proposal Review and Selection Criteria of the GCAM: https://www.nasa.gov/grants-policyand- compliance-team/#Regulations
- Renewals
Renewal and extension information can be found in the NASA Grant and Cooperative Manual (GCAM) and the NSSC website at https://www.nasa.gov/centers/nssc/grants
- Appeals
Information on NASA appeals policy and process can be found in the NASA Grant and Cooperative Agreement Manual (GCAM), and does not apply to proposals returned without review by NASA for an applicant's failure to: a. Submit a late proposal where information regarding the proposal deadline (i.e., date, time, and location) for submission had been previously specified. b. Meet the NASA proposal preparation requirements, such as page limitations, formatting, instructions, and electronic submission. c. Submit a proposal that is responsive to the NOFO or that contains sufficient detail. d. Submit the proposal with enough lead time before the activity is to commence.
Grant awards
Latest 10 of 11 listed here. See the rest on GovTribe.
Top recipients by federal obligations
| Rank | Recipient | Federal obligations | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University Of Missouri System | $4,255,935 | 28% |
| 2 | University Of Arkansas System | $4,074,757 | 27% |
| 3 | Wichita State University | $2,815,000 | 19% |
| 4 | Ohio Aerospace Institute | $1,815,000 | 12% |
| 5 | Purdue University | $968,116 | 6% |
| 6 | Georgia TECH Research Corp | $504,000 | 3% |
| 7 | The Regents Of The University Of Colorado | $260,268 | 2% |
| 8 | The Leland Stanford Junior University | $234,800 | 2% |
| 9 | University Of Illinois | $167,602 | 1% |
Federal obligations by fiscal year
| Fiscal year | Federal obligations |
|---|---|
| FY2026 | $2,090,800 |
Quick answers
What is Assistance Listing 43.015?
Assistance Listing 43.015 is National Space Grant and Fellowship Project, a federal grant program run by National Aeronautics and Space Administration.
What is the CFDA number for National Space Grant and Fellowship Project?
Its CFDA number is 43.015: Assistance Listing numbers were called CFDA numbers before 2018.
How much funding has Assistance Listing 43.015 awarded?
11 grant awards under 43.015 have obligated $15,095,478 in federal funds to 9 recipients.
Who receives the most funding from 43.015?
The recipients obligated the most under National Space Grant and Fellowship Project are University Of Missouri System ($4,255,935), University Of Arkansas System ($4,074,757) and Wichita State University ($2,815,000).
On GovTribe
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