2010-2010 STEM GRANTS
This Wisconsin Public School Successful STEM GRANT Abstract:
Blair-Taylor - WeDo Robotics Grade Level Served: 2-4
WeDo Robotics, an entry-level robotics platform, will be presented to second, third
and fourth grade students in a classroom setting. Students will build and create
LEGO models featuring working motors and sensors, are programmable using LEGO
Education WeDo Software. In combination with the Robotics Activity Pack students
will explore a series of cross-curricular theme-based activities while developing
their independent and group learning skills in science, technology, engineering and
mathematics as well as language and literacy.
Oconto Falls Grade Level Served: K-8
Oconto Falls encourages underrepressented populations to participate in STEM
classes. This summer school Academy will initiate six new STEM classes
concentrating on engineering and science. Classes that have proven to be of
interest to high school students will now be offered as introductory programs at the
middle school. Topics include Geocaching, CSI Biotechnology, Ooy Gooy Science,
Bridge Building, Mousetrap Cars, Lego Engineering and Electric Circuits.
Plymouth Grade Level Served: 1-5
Plymouth is committed to providing strong education in STEM areas. The
district proposes to inaugurate a summer Science and Engineering Adventure Week
with hands-on, project-based instructional units that engage elementary students
in a manner appropriate to their age and experience. Ninety students in grades 1-5
will embark on a weeklong adventure rotating through the topics in multi-age
groups.
Green Bay Grade Level Served: 2-5 The proposed After School STEM Club will engage over 100 Green Bay Area Public School students from five elementary schools that enroll large populations of students who are traditionally under-represented in STEM coursework and career fields. In partnership with the Boys & Girls Club of Green Bay, daily After School STEM Club activities will engage students after school at Danz, Fort Howard, Jefferson, Keller, and Tank Elementary Schools. Students will develop interests in pursuing STEM coursework and career opportunities based upon positive learning experiences and hands-on exploration using evidence-based PCS Edventures and PBS Design Squad curricula and materials. http://www.dpi.state.wi.us/cte/stemhome.html
2010 Grants
A+ for Energy Grant
BP supports educators and partners with them to bring energy education
alive in the classroom. Last year, a total of 406 creative projects
were funded through A+ for Energy Grants, impacting over 6,200 teachers
and 165,000 students. Teachers in eligible areas can also sign up to
attend free grant writing workshops and access online tutorials to help
them prepare an effective proposal.
Deadline: April, annually
Award Amount: Varies
California Fertilizer Foundation School Garden Grant Program
California Fertilizer Foundation (CFF) annually provides 24 grants to
schools throughout California (12 awarded twice a year). At the end of
each year, winning schools can re-apply for a progress grant of $1,500
and a free agricultural field trip. Through the garden program, CFF
provides direct funding to California schools for garden projects. The
gardens provide an opportunity for students, teachers and parents to
truly "grow" together.
Deadline: January and June, biannually
Award Amount: $1,200
Captain Planet Foundation Grants
The Captain Planet Foundation supports hands-on environmental projects
for children and youth. The Foundation's objective is to encourage
innovative programs that empower children and youth around the world to
solve environmental problems in their communities.
Deadline: Ongoing
Award Amount: $250-$2,500
Charles A. and Anne Morrow Lindbergh Foundation Grants
The Lindbergh Foundation awards grants to individuals whose initiative
and work furthers the Lindbergh’s vision of a balance between the
advance of technology and the preservation of the natural/human
environment. Categories include agriculture, education, health and
conservation of natural resources.
Deadline: June, annually
Award Amount: Up to $10,580
Donors Choose
Donors Choose provides educators with the opportunity to submit a
proposal in search of funding for a classroom project. Donors search
the site for projects to fund. The potential for partnerships is unique
and limitless.
Deadline: Ongoing
Award Amount: Varies
Dutch Gardens Bulb Fundraising Program
Schools can opt for a “healthy” fundraising program selling bulbs that
will bloom into stunning floral displays. Dutch Gardens has carefully
selected easy-to-plant, easy-to-grow bulbs from among its most popular
and best-selling varieties, ensuring a successful, appealing
fundraising campaign. Make a profit of 50% on every sale.
Garden Crusader Awards
The Garden Crusader Awards were created by Gardener's Supply in 2001 to
honor individuals who are improving the world through gardening. These
gardening enthusiasts are planting trees and flowers, growing food,
creating new green spaces and teaching their friends and neighbors
about the rewards of gardening. The grand-prize winner will recieve an
additional cash award.
Deadline: June, annually
Award Amount: $200-$2,500 Gift Certificates
Hooked on Hydroponics Awards
The Grow Store and ProgressiveGardening.org have joined the National
Gardening Association to offer grants for schools and youth
organizations who plan to engage in a hydroponics gardening project.
Deadline: September, annually
Award Amount: Hydroponic supplies and resources ($1,200 value)
Increase Your Green Competition
In this competition, participants must make concrete efforts towards
reducing the environmental impact of their school for eight weeks. All
initiatives must be youth designed and led. A representative from each
group must submit an online report of the school or club’s actions to
save energy, reduce waste and raise awareness during the competition.
Deadline: October 13, annually
Award Amount: $500-$1,500
ING Unsung Heroes Award
The ING Unsung Heroes awards help K-12 educators and their schools fund
innovative classroom projects. Each year, educators submit applications
for an ING Unsung Heroes grant by describing creative and unique
educational projects they have initiated or would like to pursue.
Deadline: April, annually
Award Amount: $2,000-$25,000
Lowe's Outdoor Classroom Grant Program
Lowe’s Charitable and Educational Foundation, International Paper and
National Geographic Explorer! classroom magazine have partnered to
create an outdoor classroom grant program to provide schools with
additional resources to improve their science curriculum by engaging
students in hands-on experiences outside the traditional classroom.
This school year, the program will award at least 100 schools. The
grants can be used to build a new outdoor classroom or to enhance a
current outdoor classroom at the school.
Deadline: February, annually or first 1,500 applications
Award Amount: $2,000-$20,000
Organic Gardening School Garden Contest
Barbara’s Bakery and Organic Gardening will award grants and gardening
equipment to a U.S. public school. The purpose of the grants is to
enable a teacher and a school community to establish or improve an
existing organic school garden.
Deadline: November, annually
Award Amount: $2,000 plus $500 in supplies
Toyota TAPESTRY Grant
A partnership between Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc. and the National
Science Teachers Association, the Toyota TAPESTRY Grants for Science
Teachers program offers grants to K–12 science teachers for innovative
projects that enhance science education in the school and/or school
district. 50 large grants and a minimum of 20 mini-grants are awarded
each year.
Deadline: January, annually
Award Amount: Up to $10,000
Western Growers School Garden Grants
School Garden Grants are provided to schools that provide hands-on
opportunities for children to learn about agriculture, their food
supply and the importance of nutrition through garden-based education.
The purpose of the grants is to sustain existing school gardens.
Winners recieve teacher resources in addition to monetary support.
Deadline: June and November, annually
Award Amount: Up to $1,500
Youth Garden Grants Program
The National Gardening Association awards Youth Garden Grants to
schools and community organizations with child-centered garden
programs. Priority will be given to programs that emphasize curriculum
correlation, nutrition or plant-to-food connections, environmental
awareness/education or entrepreneural aspects of gardening such as
leadership development, team building, community support, or
service-learning. There are 125 grants available.
Deadline: November 1, annually
Award Amount: $250-$1,000 gardening-related gift cards
More Funding Resources and Information
Harvest Mark,
a subsidiary of Yotta Mark, gives annually to school garden projects.
Harvest Mark is a Redwood City-based company and industry leader in
food traceability. Currently, the company focuses on donating to
high-poverty schools, but as the company continues to thrive, they plan
to expand funding to benefit a wider reach of school garden projects,
especially those programs they recognize as "model" programs. Visit:
http://www.giftofgrowing.com for more information.
DonorsChoose.org
is an online charity that connects individual and corporate sponsors
who want to make a difference in public school programs.
http://www.donorschoose.org. Teachers must develop a specific project
for which they seek funding and the Donors Choose Administration
verifies the school, teacher and project and then develops and indexes
the post on their website by region and topic. The projects can then be
viewed by anyone who is interested in donating.
Nationallabday.org*
is a collaborative effort to support hands-on learning in the fields of
Science, Technology, Engineering and Math in public schools.
Developed for 6-12 grade students, the website recommends developing a
"hub" based project
wherein local companies and national foundations support school
programs by providing funding and volunteers to complete hands-on
learning projects in Math and Science. Supported by the Obama
Administration as well as NASA, The MacArthur Foundation, PBS, ACS and
more, this is a great resource to guide teachers in the development of
hands on lab based projects, especially for Bonny Doon's 4-6th grade
students. If hands-on projects are designed with Bay Area resources
(Science, Technology and Engineering Corporations) and the "hub"
ideology in mind, then schools can attract experts in the field to
help guide and fund projects.
*more information below
Allforgood.org
is volunteer service-oriented website where volunteers can locate
projects in the subjects they find interesting. The website is linked
to Serve.gov and the White House promotes both websites and
volunteering in both the private and corporate sectors especially
leading up to MLK National Service Day every January.
From the Presidential Blog 1-06-10: "Under the outstanding leadership of Arne Duncan, we've launched a $4
billion
Race to the Top fund, one of the largest investments in
education reform in history. Through the Race to the Top, states are
competing for funding --
and producing the most innovative programs in
science and math will be an advantage in this competition...PBS and the National Science Teachers Association will also create a
new online platform so science and math teachers can share best
practices and learn from one another... I'm calling on all 200,000 scientists who work for the federal
government to do their part in their communities: to speak at schools,
to create hands-on learning opportunities through efforts like
National
Lab Day, and to help stoke that same curiosity in students which
perhaps led them to pursue a career in science in the first place.
NASA will also be launching an enrichment program to bring their
scientists and engineers to students in the classroom and to bring
students to NASA, so that they might experience that same sense of
wonder and excitement while maybe learning a little bit at the same
time.
Educate to Innovate Fund:
Among the initiatives announced by the President are:
- Five public-private partnerships that harness the power of media,
interactive games, hands-on learning, and 100,000 volunteers to reach
more than 10 million students over the next four years, inspiring them
to be the next generation of makers, discoverers, and innovators.
These partnerships represent a combined commitment of over $260 million
in financial and in-kind support.
- A commitment by leaders such as Sally Ride (the first female
astronaut), Craig Barrett (former chairman of Intel), Ursula Burns
(CEO, Xerox), Glenn Britt (CEO, Time Warner Cable), and Antonio Perez
(CEO, Eastman Kodak) to increase the scale, scope, and impact of
private-sector and philanthropic support for STEM education. This
coalition, with the support of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation
and the Carnegie Corporation of New York, will recruit private sector
leaders to serve as champions for STEM at the state level; mobilize
resources to help scale successful STEM innovations; and raise
awareness of the importance of STEM among parents and students.
- An annual science fair at the White House, showcasing the student
winners of national competitions in areas such as science, technology,
and robotics.
These programs are designed for 6-12 the grade students, but it is interesting to think about the next level...
“National Lab Day,” Bringing Hands-on Learning to Every Student:
National Lab Day is a historic grassroots effort, online at
nationallabday.org, to bring hands-on learning to 10 million students
by upgrading science labs, supporting project-based learning, and
building communities of support for STEM teachers. The effort is a
partnership between science and engineering societies representing more
than 2.5 million STEM professionals and almost 4 million educators,
with strong financial support from the Hidary Foundation, the MacArthur
Foundation, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and industry
partners. Collectively, this partnership is committed to working with
more than 10,000 teachers and 1 million students within a year, and
100,000 teachers and 10 million students over the next four years.
National STEM Game Design Competitions: The MacArthur
Foundation, Sony Computer Entertainment America, the Entertainment
Software Association (ESA) and its partners (the Information Technology
Industry Council, the Information Technology & Innovation
Foundation, and Microsoft) are launching a nationwide set of
competitions that include the design of the most compelling,
freely-available STEM-related videogames for children and youth. The
competitions will include the 2010 Digital Media and Learning
Competition, a $2 million yearly effort supported by the MacArthur
Foundation that advances the most innovative approaches to learning
through games, social networks and mobile devices. One of the
competitions will be open only to children, to help them develop 21st
century knowledge and skills through the challenge of game design.
This year Sony will participate in one segment of the competition and
encourage the development of new games that build on the existing
popular video game Little Big Planet.