Ames Research Innovation Award

The Ames Research Innovation Award (ARIA) promotes the vitality of Ames through strategic investments in scientific research, capabilities, and people. It encourages the development of new, high-risk/high return investigations that stress innovation, exploration, and/or interdisciplinary work. ARIA focuses on innovative or basic scientific research in areas that are relevant to Agency and Center goals, without necessarily being time to any specific future mission opportunity. ARIA proposals must be research oriented and are considered seedling funding for innovative/disruptive research that will enable next generation science and research.

Science Innovation Funding

The Science Innovation Fund (SIF) invests in highly innovative, exploratory, and high risk – high return scientific research that directly supports advancing the strategic direction of Ames and the Agency. It also promotes the vitality of Ames through strategic investments in scientific research, capabilities, and people. The SIF encourages development of new investigations that stress innovation, exploration, and/or the interdisciplinary nature of the proposed work.

Center Innovation Fund

The Center Innovation Fund (CIF) focuses on technology investments that are less mature, higher-risk, higher-impact and not necessarily tied to any future mission opportunity.

Director’s Discretionary Fund

The Director’s Discretionary Fund (DDF) is designed to fund innovative, high-risk projects that directly advance the strategic direction of Ames. It offers Ames researchers and technologists an excellent opportunity to develop new, innovative ideas and activities in high-risk areas that are otherwise difficult to initiate, but are essential to our future programs.

Internal Research and Development

Internal Research and Development (IRAD) is designed to develop strategic capabilities of interest to the Center and/or science/technology projects for targeted opportunities. The advances in science and technology and in business capabilities expected through this program will help make Ames more competitive, provide opportunities for risk reduction and/or increased cost effectiveness, and initiate potentially transformational solutions to the most challenging mission-related problems.

Ames Innovation Fair

The Ames Innovation Fair aims to identify and provide resources to innovative projects that advance NASA’s goals. It is an opportunity for NASA Ames civil servants to leverage peer support and receive management recognition for innovative mission or mission support concepts.