Equal Opportunity Programs Division
Office of Diversity and Equal Opportunity
EO Programs and Policies
The Equal Opportunity Program Division develops and implements policies, procedures, programs and initiatives under a host of EO mandates, some pertaining to EO for the NASA workforce, and others to the hundreds of grant recipient institutions, such as universities, colleges, and science museums, to which the Agency provides financial assistance. Some examples of EO mandates and the ODEO policy and programs pursuant to these mandates include:
- Anti-Harassment
Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits discrimination in employment based on race, color, national origin, sex, and religion. Under Title VII, ODEO develops Agency policy on matters such as: EEO Policy Statement and Anti-Harassment Policy Statement. - Alternative Dispute Resolution
Implements policy and procedures, and provides training and technical guidance for ADR Program. Manages NASA’s Cadre of Mediators and facilitates ADR to proactively address workplace conflicts in the EEO area. - Non-Discrimination in NASA-Funded Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Programs
NASA awards approximately 1.5 billion dollars a year in Federal financial assistance, much of it in the form of grants for research and development, as well as Space Act and cooperative agreements. The Agency funds a wide variety of different kinds of recipients, from university and college STEM programs, to science centers, museums, and planetariums, to scientific research institutes, corporations, and consortiums. Federal agencies awarding grants such as NASA are obligated to take steps to ensure that their recipients are not discriminating and are offering equal opportunities to their program beneficiaries, such as students or patrons of cultural institutions.
External Civil Rights Compliance
Non-Discrimination in NASA-Funded Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Programs
NASA has obligations under civil rights laws intended to ensure equal opportunities in programs receiving Federal dollars. For a comprehensive guide to assist programs and activities receiving NASA funding to meet their obligations under equal opportunity laws, please visit our MissionStem website at missionstem.nasa.gov.
The following Federal EO laws and mandates provide authority for ODEO external EO/Civil Rights activities:
- Race, Color, and National Origin Non-Discrimination, Including Meaningful Access for Persons who are Limited English Proficient –
Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Executive Order 13166 prohibit exclusion from participation in, denial of benefits of, and discrimination under Federally-assisted programs (e.g., universities and colleges receiving federal grant assistance) on the grounds of race, color, or national origin, including limited English proficiency (LEP). Pursuant to NASA’s Title VI regulations, the Agency conducts a program of onsite and desk-audit Title VI compliance reviews of grant recipients. Executive Order 13166 reaffirms the requirement for federally assisted programs to ensure meaningful access to persons who are LEP and extends the requirement to federal conducted programs (i.e., programs conducted by the federal agency itself).
For additional information on NASA’s policy and procedures regarding Title VI and other grant related civil rights laws, such as Title IX (see below), including how to file a complaint, please see the following publication: - Gender Non-Discrimination in NASA Assisted Education Programs
Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 prohibits exclusion from participation in, denial of the benefits of, or discrimination on the basis of sex in any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance. Pursuant to NASA’s Title IX regulations, the Agency conducts a program of onsite and desk-audit Title IX compliance reviews of grant recipients. - Non-Discrimination for Individuals with Disabilities in NASA Assisted Programs and Activities
Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 prohibits exclusion from participation in, denial of benefits of, and discrimination under Federally assisted programs on the grounds of disability. Pursuant to NASA’s Section 504 regulations, the Agency conducts a program of onsite and desk-audit Section 504 compliance reviews of grant recipients. - Age Nondiscrimination in NASA Assisted Programs
Age Discrimination Act of 1975 prohibits discrimination on the basis of age in programs or activities receiving Federal financial assistance. Pursuant to NASA’s Age Discrimination Act regulations, the Agency conducts a program of onsite and desk-audit Age Discrimination Act compliance reviews of grant recipients. For additional information on the Age Discrimination Act, including how to file a complaint, please see the following publication: - Nondiscrimination in NASA Conducted Education and Training Programs and Activities
Executive Order 13160 prohibits discrimination in Federally conducted education and training programs on the bases of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, age, religion, sexual orientation, and parental status. For additional information on NASA’s policy and procedures regarding Executive Order 13160, including how to file a complaint, please see the following publication: - Information/Electronic Technology Accessibility for Individuals with Disabilities
Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 requires Federal agencies to ensure that individuals with disabilities have access to and use of information and data comparable to the access and use of the information by members of the public who are not individuals with disabilities.Under Section 508, ODEO has developed policy and procedures for filing complaints regarding comparable access for individuals with disabilities to NASA electronic and information technology. - Limited English Proficiency
Executive Order 13166 requires Federal agencies to ensure meaningful access to Federal programs for limited English proficient (LEP) persons. Under Executive Order 13166, ODEO has developed guidance to grant recipients to ensure meaningful access to NASA funded programs, and a Language Access Plan and other guidance for NASA-conducted programs serving LEP persons. For additional information on NASA’s policy and procedures regarding affirming access to persons who are LEP within agency assisted and conducted programs, please see the following policy guidance and publication: