Program Goal:

The overarching goal of this NIH Science Education Partnership Award (SEPA) program is to support educational activities that increase understanding of biomedical research among pre-college (pre-kindergarten to grade 12) individuals, and to encourage awareness of and continued interest in careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).

Supported Activities and Settings:

To accomplish the stated over-arching goal, a SEPA application may focus on one or more of the following activities related to any area of biomedical research within NIH’s mission: 

• Courses for Skills Development: Courses in a specific discipline or research area that extend the STEM content normally taught in schools. 
• Research Experiences: Hands-on exposure to research for pre-college students and teachers. 
• Mentoring Activities: Providing participants with a perspective on biomedical research pathways and tools for overcoming challenges, navigating career transition points, and successfully transitioning into careers in the biomedical research workforce.
• Curriculum or Methods Development: STEM education resources to improve biomedical science education or develop novel instructional approaches or computer-based educational tools.
• Outreach: Dissemination of STEM education resources or biomedical research findings to students and teachers. 

SEPA supports education projects across two types of settings:

1. Classroom-based education projects for pre-kindergarten to grade 12 (pre-college) students and teachers
2. Informal science education (ISE) projects conducted outside traditional classroom settings.

Proposed educational experiences must be distinct from those training and education programs currently receiving Federal support. 

Applications focused on quantitative and computational skills development are strongly encouraged. Applications from resource-limited institutions are also highly encouraged.

Organizational Eligibility

Refer to the SEPA Notification of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) PAR-27-077 for information on eligible organizations. 

Additionally:

• An individual may serve as the PD/PI on no more than one active SEPA at a time. Those who are already PD/PI on an active SEPA, are eligible to submit a new SEPA application as long as the new SEPA project is distinct from the active project and there is no more than six months overlap between the end date of the current SEPA and the potential start date of the new SEPA. Renewal applications are not accepted under this funding opportunity.
• An institution with an active SEPA that is within the 5-year project start and end dates is eligible to submit new applications in a different biomedical research area distinct from the active SEPA project and with PD/PIs distinct from other active SEPAs at the institution.  
• Organizations with a contractual fee for service or consortium partnership with an active SEPA may submit a SEPA application if the proposed new project is independent of the existing SEPA contractual fee-for-service, consortium partnership, and has a different PD/PI than the other active SEPAs.

Participants

Participants in SEPA programs are pre-college students and teachers.

Information for Applicant Organizations

Applicants are strongly encouraged to read the NOFO (including Related Notices in the Overview Section) and consult NIGMS staff to discuss eligibility and application requirements prior to submission.

For Science Education Partnership Award (SEPA), potential applicants should contact the scientific contact at NIGMS_SEPA@mail.nih.gov. 

SEPA also provides funding for eligible small business concerns to develop interactive digital media (IDM) biomedical science resources for pre-college students and teachers, PAR 27-100 (R43/R44, SBIR). Applicants interested in applying for STTR SEPA IDM awards should submit applications to the NIH Parent STTR solicitation, PAR-27-102.

SEPA Interactive Portfolio Dashboard