MUREP Partnership Learning Annual Notification 2026

NASA is soliciting research proposals that fall within the 2026 topic areas that represent a subset of pertinent mission areas for NASA.

In Phase 1, Principal Investigator (PI) submits a proposal to one of the topic areas by May 22, 2026. 

In Phase 2, NASA facilitates communication and meetings between Phase 1 prize recipients, Mission Directorate representatives, and subject matter experts. Selected PIs and their partners (if applicable) will have the opportunity to participate in a kickoff meeting, a two-day in-person workshop, engage monthly with NASA researchers, identify opportunities with NASA, and network with other PIs. These sessions are expected to occur between August and December 2026.

It is highly encouraged that prize recipients participate in Phase 2 meetings to exchange information and receive the full benefits of this program.

Prize

NASA connects the public to the agency’s missions and explores creative possibilities for addressing the agency’s needs through prizes, challenges, and crowdsourcing opportunities. NASA MPLAN prize provide resources to Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs) to further develop ideas, facilitate research and development, and engage stakeholders. Successful proposals result in prizes with a maximum amount of $50,000.

NASA intends for prize recipients to utilize their MPLAN prize funds for various purposes such as staff support, student experiences, professional development, travel, meetings, focus groups, research, evaluation, consultants, specialized resources, technical expertise, and support needed to develop and implement proposed strategies and approaches. 

NASA MPLAN will provide support in Phase 2 through December 31, 2026. These prizes are not grants or cooperative agreements, and time extensions are not applicable. 

Prizes are anticipated to be dispersed to MSIs within 45 days of the winner announcement, pending the on-time submission of the documents by the MSI.

MSIs may propose to any of the topics found here. 

Roles and Responsibilities

Principal Investigators are primarily responsible for implementing, operating, and managing the project as described in their original proposal. While not required, appointing a co-Principal Investigator (co-PI) is optional (In the event the primary PI leaves the institution, providing a co-PI allows the funding to remain with the project within the institution). If a co-PI is designated, provide their name, role, and email address in the submission form. The PI should consider taking on some or all of the following tasks:

• Leading, administering, and evaluating the project and its activities.
• Collaborating with university leadership to promote advancement in engineering.
• Supervising project staff and ensuring compliance with policies and laws.
• Using research-based best practices for the project.
• Managing project budgets and complying with funding guidelines.
• Participating in meetings and delivering progress reports in a timely manner.
• Participating in performance assessment and evaluation activities aligned with the federal government's priorities.

Note: While a co-PI is optional, designating one can ensure project continuity if the primary PI departs the institution.

Proposals

Each proposal must include a completed submission form and budget.

Do not include proprietary information within proposals. Proposals should include information that can be made publicly available without compromising any intellectual property or proprietary rights.

Submission Form

Proposals should be written at a conceptual big picture level, focusing on the overall goals and objectives of the prize as detailed in the submission form:

1. MSI Information:

1. Name of institution.
2. Address of primary campus of institution.
3. Name and email of Principal Investigator and their role at the institution.
4. Optional: name, role, and email of co-PI. 
5. Optional: name and role of any other key participants from the MSI, including their level of support in the planning effort.
6. Zip folder containing the curriculum vitaes (CVs) of the PI and, if applicable, CVs of any other key participants from the MSI.
    

2. Team Members and Partners
There is no limit to your number of team members/partners, however, beyond the Principal Investigator, you may provide information for only up to 5 additional team members/partners.  

NASA Civil Servants shall not collaborate with applicants nor assist in writing their proposals. This is a conflict of interest, and strictly prohibited. 

Team members and partners are optional, 

1. For each team member:
   1. Role: select one of Co-Principal Investigator, Small Business Concern/Partner, Other University Team Member, or Other Partner (not small business).
   2. Name and email.
   3. Partner capabilities (CV, capabilities statement, etc. PDF upload)

3. The Proposal:

1. Topic selection: select one topic from the list here.
2. Intended or desired start date of the proposed project or activity (after August 9, 2026).
3. Completion date of the proposed project or activity (there is no set period of performance for the funds; however, we recommend a proposal end date on or around December 2026 to correspond with the end date of NASA support).
4. Total amount of funds needed for the proposed project or activity, including all anticipated expenses and costs.
5. Executive summary: High level overview of the proposed technology or activity, including the problem being addressed. (Max 1200 characters).
6. Project objectives: What are the desired outcomes of your project or activity? (Max 1200 characters).
7. Approach to Research/Technical Innovation: A description of the proposed technology or activity, the degree of innovativeness, potential approaches to developing the technology, and key risks and mitigation strategies. (Max 2700 characters.)
8. Potential Applications to NASA: Potential NASA applications or missions which might benefit from developed technology, potential commercialization opportunities. (Max 1300 characters.)
9. Attach a completed budget for your proposed project or activity, using the budget template. 
10. Optional: Background and literature review: A review of the work done in the field, emphasizing the problem and attempts to tackle it. (Max 2000 characters.)

Budget

Submit a budget using the budget template (view a sample budget here). Budget details are provided to allow for assessment of the type of skills/expertise engaged in this effort and the number of hours committed.

Requirements:

• Use of Government facilities or contracted technical support should not be included in the budget submission. 
• At least 50% of the budget must go to the MSI.
• Proposed projects should not begin until August 9, 2026.
• The budget requested for this prize cannot exceed $50,000.

Recommendations:

• Budget proposals must cover activities through December 31, 2026. 
• Consider allocating funds for travel for up to two in-person meetings, within the United States, as there may be opportunities to engage with your Mission Directorate cohort.
• As this is a prize and not a grant, no indirect costs should be included in the budget.
• Materials and supplies budget should not exceed 10% of the total budget.

Timeline

• Phase 1: Open for submissions: March 16, 2026 
• Pre-proposal information session: April 14, at 1:00 p.m. CT
• Submission deadline: May 22, 2026, 10:59 p.m. CT
• Selection Announcement: July 2025
• Phase 2: July 2026 - December 2026 (6 months)
  • Kickoff Meeting: August 13, 2026, 1 p.m. CT
  • Cohort meeting/ SME session 1: August 20, 2026, 1 p.m. CT
  • Cohort meeting/SME session 2: September 17, 2026, 1 p.m. CT
  • Cohort meeting/SME session 3: October 15, 2026, 1 p.m. CT
  • Cohort meeting /SME session 4: November 19, 2026, 1 p.m. CT
  • Cohort meeting/Close out session: December 17, 2026, 1 p.m. CT

Judging Criteria

NASA selects proposals that offer the most advantageous research and development (R&D), deliver technological innovation that contributes to NASA’s missions, provides societal benefit, and grows the U.S. economy. In evaluating proposals, NASA prioritizes the scientific and technical merit of the proposal, as well as its feasibility and potential benefit to NASA's interests (as described in the judging criteria below). 

Each proposal is evaluated and scored on its own merit using the evaluation factors described below: