Finding Grants for STEM Educators

KEY POINTS

• When in doubt, search the web.
• Use keywords.
• Explore the community.

Once you’ve had the chance to explore the kinds of STEM technologies available to you and your students, funding is likely the next topic on your mind. Luckily, and in large part due to the current popularity and educational priority placed on the STEM subjects, there is no shortage of grants out there to help fund the creation of your STEM makerspace. This wide availability of such grants has made the incorporation of STEM into your classroom more attainable than ever.

WEBSITES TO CHECK FIRST

It’s easy to type the words “STEM grants” into a Google search, but sorting through the hundreds of resulting links can be the hard part. Luckily, there are several websites out there that can make this process much easier for you. Websites with a curation of grants (like our own) feature both federal and state STEM grant opportunities. Simply filter by state or scroll through the list of federal and national private grants to see what opportunities are available to you.

Grants.gov is another great resource. This site compiles grant information from a variety of agencies and features a convenient sidebar that allows you to narrow down your options according to study type or agency. Additionally, two recent federal programs, Supporting Effective Educator Development (SEED) and Education Innovation and Research (EIR), offer yearly applications for funding to improve STEM education in schools. These offer an opportune starting point for launching your very own STEM makerspace.

WHAT TO SEARCH

Knowing the right keywords to use in your hunt for grants is another way to cut down on the task of sorting through mountains of search results. Instead of simply typing “STEM grants” into your search bar, try to identify the keywords you could use to narrow down your search results to only the most relevant information. Considering creating a computer lab for your classroom to teach coding? Try keywords like “computer science,” “computer programming,” or simply “coding.” Want to bring a robot or 3D printer into your classroom to introduce your students to subjects like robotics and advanced manufacturing? Add “robotics,” “3D printing,” or “manufacturing” to your search. Whatever you choose, the more specific your search is, the more focused your results will be, and the easier it will be to locate the grants that best suit you and your classroom.

BRANCH OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY

While the internet can provide you with grant information from around the world with just the click of a button, sometimes the answers you seek are a little closer to home. Your local community can be an excellent source both in terms of direction and grant availability. Many counties and large cities have community foundations that offer grants to schools or small businesses. These community foundations should be your first contact for STEM grants on the local level. Nearby colleges, industries, and local governments often offer grant opportunities as well.

The website Candid.org is a great resource for finding such grant opportunities without the hassle of searching every local website. It offers users a one-stop-shop to search for grants by type and location. Using a variety of methods and websites to search for STEM grants should provide you with a brief but useful list of grants that fit your needs, thus increasing your chances of receiving funding.

— Dr. Jake Roark