Gateways to Blue Skies Competition
Pays U.S. student teams $9,000 plus NASA internships for aviation innovation ideas.
Every team pairs one faculty advisor from the lead U.S. institution with two to six student members, each 18 or older by the time of submission. Projects are expected to be student-led, with the proposed solution originating from the student team itself rather than an outside individual or entity, and faculty acting only as mentors. Phase 1 asks for a five-to-seven-page proposal plus a two-minute …
The competition is for teams of 2-6 postsecondary students, from freshmen through graduate level, at accredited U.S.-based academic institutions. NASA sets a new aviation-industry theme each year; the 2027 theme is InfraAir, aviation for infrastructure inspection.
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Guides for this application
All guides →Grant Work Plan Template: Work Packages, Gantt, Milestones, and Risks
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DocumentsGrant Pitch Deck Example: Slides, Storyline, and Video Script
See a grant pitch deck example with slide outline, EIC-style pitch logic, demo-video script, and grant-vs-investor deck differences.
Submit & reportSAM.gov Registration and UEI Guide for Federal Grant Applicants
Learn how SAM.gov registration, UEI numbers, Grants.gov accounts, organization profiles, workspace roles, and renewal timing fit together.
BudgetIndirect Costs in Grants: Rates, MTDC, and Examples
Understand indirect costs in grants, including direct vs indirect costs, negotiated rates, de minimis rates, MTDC, funder caps, and budget narrative implications.
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