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Federal & State Grants

At NeuroMaker STEM, we are committed to empowering educators with the resources and support needed to enhance STEM education. Securing appropriate funding is crucial for implementing effective STEM programs.

Career and Technical Education (CTE) Funding

CTE programs are designed to prepare students for high-demand careers by integrating academic and technical skills. Several funding opportunities support the development and expansion of CTE initiatives:

  • Perkins V Funding: The Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act (Perkins V) provides federal funds to states to support CTE programs at the secondary and postsecondary levels. Funding distribution varies by state, and educators are encouraged to contact their state’s CTE office for specific application procedures and deadlines.

 

 

Federal Grants

Federal grants are available in two primary forms: formula grants and discretionary grants.

 

Formula Grants

These grants are allocated to entities based on specific formulas set by legislation or regulation.

  • Education Innovation and Research (EIR): This Program provides funding to create, develop, implement, replicate, or take to scale entrepreneurial, evidence-based, field-initiated innovations to improve student achievement and attainment for high-need students; and rigorously evaluate such innovations.

  • National STEM Education Distributed Learning (NSDL): This program aims to establish a national network of learning environments and resources for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education at all levels.

  • 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC): This is the only federal funding source dedicated exclusively to afterschool programs. Funds are distributed to each state based on its Title I funding allocation to low-income students and can be used for academic enrichment materials and activities, including those for STEM programs. Application due dates vary by state.

  • Improving Undergraduate STEM Education: Directorate for STEM Education (IUSE: EDU): Supports projects to improve STEM teaching and learning for undergraduate students, including studying what works and for whom and how to transform institutions to adopt successful practices in STEM education.

 

 

Discretionary Grants

These grants are awarded through a competitive process.

  • Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP): GEAR UP is a competitive funding opportunity lasting six years, aiming to equip students from low-income backgrounds with the necessary skills for higher education and professional success. Application due dates are usually open through the summer months annually.

  • Supporting Knowledge Mobilization for PreK-12 and Informal STEM Learning and Teaching: The NSF supports partnerships in STEM education by offering financial assistance for projects that address urgent educational needs within various PreK-12 settings, informal educational entities, and broader communities. It seeks to enhance the distribution and application of knowledge in STEM teaching and learning, thereby increasing the research's impact within the educational sector. Application timelines and funding amounts vary by program; refer to individual program guidelines for more information.

Search for more open discretionary grant opportunities.

 

 

State Grants

State funding methods and additional financial support vary by state. For block grants, school districts must submit an application justifying their need for financial assistance. Funds are specifically designated for certain initiatives, including special education, technological advancements, programs for gifted students, and support for those considered at risk. The Education Commission of the States provides information on programs by state.

 

 

Additional Resources

  • Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) Title I, Part A: Improving Basic Programs Operated by Local Educational AgenciesTitle I, Part A of the ESEA provides financial assistance to local educational agencies (LEAs) and schools with high numbers or high percentages of children from low-income families. The goal is to ensure that all children meet challenging state academic standards. Funds are allocated through four statutory formulas—Basic Grants, Concentration Grants, Targeted Grants, and Education Finance Incentive Grants—based primarily on census poverty estimates and the cost of education in each state. 

  • Office of Elementary and Secondary Education (OESE) Title V, Part A: A state-managed, formula-based grant initiative aimed at enhancing educational outcomes and overall school quality for every student. It provides funding to support local education reform efforts that are consistent with statewide education reform efforts, implement promising educational reform programs and school improvement programs based on scientifically based research, and provide a continuing source of innovation and educational improvement, including support programs to provide library services and instructional and media materials.

  • Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) Title IV, Part B: 21st Century Community Learning Centers: Title IV, Part B allocates resources to establish or expand community learning centers that provide students with academic enrichment opportunities during non-school hours. The program aims to help students, particularly those who attend high-poverty and low-performing schools, meet state and local academic standards in core subjects such as reading and mathematics. Centers may also offer a broad array of services, programs, and activities, such as youth development activities, service learning, nutrition and health education, drug and violence prevention programs, counseling programs, arts, music, physical fitness and wellness programs, technology education programs, and programs that promote parental involvement and family literacy. 

  • Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA): Special Education Grants: IDEA provides federal funding to support special education and related services for children with disabilities, including those with autism and language impairments. The grants assist states in ensuring that all children with disabilities have access to a free appropriate public education that emphasizes special education and related services designed to meet their unique needs and prepare them for further education, employment, and independent living.

  • National Science Foundation (NSF) Advancing Informal STEM Learning (AISL) ProgramThe AISL program supports research and practice in informal STEM learning settings, with a focus on engaging diverse audiences, increasing STEM participation, and fostering a sense of belonging, particularly for historically excluded and underrepresented groups. Projects funded by AISL aim to further the understanding of informal STEM learning's role in engagement, broadening participation, and personal and educational success in STEM. The program seeks to advance public engagement in scientific discovery, foster interest in STEM careers, and enhance science communication and the public's understanding of STEM processes. 

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