Programs

As a member of the national network of space grant consortia we are required to support activities that align with the national program's five objectives: Scholarships and Fellowships, Research Infrastructure, Higher Education, Pre-College, and Public Service. Over the years we have developed grant programs that support these national objectives along the developmental pipeline for the next generation explorers.

Below is a description of the grant programs that support the national objectives.

Scholarships and Fellowships

The Maine Space Grant Consortium is required to set aside a portion of its funding for Scholarships and Fellowships to support Maine undergraduate and graduate students in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) research which is broadly defined to include biological, physical, social, earth science, human exploration and development of space, space science, and other science, technology, computer or engineering related fields. The grant programs are:

Research Infrastructure

The Research Infrastructure objective supports the development of research collaborations around targeted science and engineering areas mutually beneficial to Maine and NASA. Competitive funds support two grant programs that fulfill this purpose:

The desired outcome is to improve the competitive position of Maine researchers for larger-scale funding from NASA and other federal agencies.

Higher Education

The Higher Education objective supports activities that increase participation of Maine's undergraduate and graduate students in STEM activities and strengthen higher education STEM curricula. The program aligns with NASA’s Education Strategic Plan and supports NASA’s mission to inspire the next generation of explorers. Grant opportunities include:

Pre-College

The Pre-College national objective supports projects that (a) support in-service STEM-focused K-12 professional development; (b) incorporate NASA content in STEM curricula; and (c) support internship opportunities for high school juniors, seniors and teachers at Maine based companies, academia and non-profit research laboratories. Supported activities include:

Public Service

The Public Service objective is to increase the public’s awareness of STEM research, education, and activities that are associated with NASA and our Affiliates. A primary activity under this program is Informal Science Education.

Director's Fund

The Director's Fund is not a national objective. We created this grant program to respond to unanticipated events that meet specified criteria serving our mission. Grants have funded many small-scale educational, research or public service projects. Read more→