NASA Launches New Civil Rights Compliance Initiative

In a new initiative, NASA has launched a new website "MissionSTEM.nasa.gov" to further widen its civil rights technical assistance program. The website will work as a medium to increase communication between NASA, its grantee institutions and other stakeholders on civil rights compliance, equal opportunity and diversity in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) programs funded by NASA.

Office of Diversity and Equal Opportunity (ODEO) wing of NASA oversees the compliance of agency grant recipients with federal equal opportunity laws and agency regulations. ODEO provides assistance to grantees in meeting their compliance obligations in a number of ways, including conducting program reviews and disseminating information on how to conduct compliance self-evaluations.

MissionSTEM will broaden and enhance ODEO's compliance efforts by providing a platform for the sharing of compliance requirements, promising practices, video content, virtual panel discussions and information for students.

Federal law and NASA regulations require grant recipients to ensure funding received from the agency is used in a nondiscriminatory manner. They must give equal opportunities to the beneficiaries of the funding regardless of race, national origin, gender, disability or age. In the university setting, beneficiaries include undergraduate and graduate students. In a science museum setting, beneficiaries include members of the public who patronize the museum.

The organization has granted nearly $1.2 billion in the form of grants and cooperative agreements to more than 600 recipients including universities, colleges, science centers and museums, research centers, school districts and health facilities this year. The grants are intended to expand and improve NASA's research and technological capabilities, stimulate innovation and build the skills of future science and technology leaders.

NASA grants also provide opportunities for all Americans to understand and participate in NASA's exciting mission by supporting and enhancing STEM public outreach and informal education efforts.