NASA Updates Equity Action Plan, Adds Focus on STEM Education, More

WASHINGTON, Feb. 14, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- NASA published its 2023 Equity Action Plan Wednesday, which outlines key accomplishments in increasing equity across the agency, and new commitments to continue removing inequitable barriers and challenges facing underserved communities.

"At NASA, we are committed to advancing equity to ensure our work benefits all humanity," said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson. "The Equity Action plan deepens our long-term commitment to recognize and overcome systemic barriers that limit opportunity in underserved and underrepresented communities. This year, NASA has identified STEM education as an area to engage and inspire the diverse talent of our future leaders. We are inviting the next generation, the Artemis Generation, to take on the daring missions of the future in the cosmos, and here on Earth."

The equity plan is part of the Biden-Harris Administration's whole-of-government approach to advancing equity. It supports the President's Executive Order 14091 on "Further Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government."

NASA's 2023 Equity Action Plan provides strategies for ensuring more individuals can work with and learn from the agency by:

• Increasing utilization and integration of contractors and businesses from underserved communities to expand equity in NASA's procurement process.
• Enhancing grants and cooperative agreements to advance opportunities, access, and representation for underserved communities.  
• Increasing the accessibility and use of Earth science data.
• Improving language access policies to expand access to NASA programs and activities for limited-English proficient populations.
• Engaging more students to build a diverse future science, technology, engineering, and mathematics workforce.

The 2023 Equity Action Plan builds on the success of the 2022 plan. Some of NASA's achievements since that publication include:

• The Office of Small Business Programs increased its outreach events by 80% from fiscal year 2021, surpassing its goal of 50% by 2029. Additionally, from fiscal year 2021 through 2022, NASA obligated $1.9 billion in contracts under the product service line set aside for small business categories and AbilityOne programs, the largest source of employment for individuals with disabilities.
• Developed resources to bring awareness to grant programs and included Notice of Funding Opportunities in the agency's Minority Serving Institutions' Exchange newsletter. The agency also increased the grant award amount to historically Black colleges and universities between fiscal year 2021 and 2022 by 39.9%.
• Awarded 39 proposals totaling $6.9 million for up to three years on topics such as air quality, climate hazards, and extreme heat.
• Opened its first Earth Information Center at the agency's headquarters in Washington, providing accessible resources, user-friendly information, and data, both online and on-site for use by members of the public and decision-makers.
• Developed and updated its Language Access Plans at all 10 centers to establish a more equitable communication strategy for reaching limited-English proficient populations.

For more information about the 2023 Equity Action Plan, and to follow along as NASA continues its journey toward Mission Equity, visit:

https://nasa.gov/mission-equity

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SOURCE NASA