NASA opens doors for teams to bring science to every community

NASA is looking for partners to help it do something it can't do alone: reach people everywhere with real science.

The space agency's Science Activation program is a formal call for projects that would take NASA's research, data, and expertise and turn them into learning experiences in communities across all 50 states and U.S. territories. Think science museums in rural Montana, after-school programs in Detroit, university partnerships in Puerto Rico, or informal learning spaces you haven't thought of yet.

What NASA is looking for

The agency wants a portfolio of projects that collectively covers the full range of NASA science — from Earth science and climate to heliophysics, planetary exploration, and astrophysics. But breadth alone isn't the goal. NASA is equally interested in projects that dig deep into specific communities, whether that's a particular geography or a group of people with shared interests.

Some projects might broadly share NASA resources and tools. Others might be hyper-local, designed to meet the needs of a specific community using NASA assets. Both matter.

The program is open to universities, schools, nonprofits, science centers, community organizations, and other U.S. institutions. If you're outside the U.S., you can partner with an American institution at no cost to NASA.

Timeline and next steps

If this sounds like something your organization could do, NASA is holding a pre-proposal webinar on January 9 at 2 p.m. Eastern. That's the moment to ask questions and understand what the agency is actually looking for.

Notice of Intent forms are due January 26, 2026. Full proposals are due March 31, 2026.

The full details, including how to access the webinar and submit, are available on NASA's Science Activation page.

This is one of the ways NASA tries to close the gap between what scientists discover and what people actually know about it. Your community might be next.