ASM Foundation Living in a Material World K-12 Education Grants

ASM Foundation Living in a Material World K-12 Education Grants is sponsored by ASM International Foundation. Supports K-12 teachers bringing materials science into classrooms through hands-on projects, extendable to AI-native design and technology education. This program should be reviewed carefully against your organization's mission, staffing capacity, timeline, and compliance readiness before you commit resources to a full application. Strong submissions usually translate sponsor priorities into concrete objectives, clear implementation milestones, and measurable public benefit.

For planning purposes, treat September 30, 2026 as your working submission target unless the sponsor publishes an updated notice. A competitive project plan should include a documented need statement, implementation approach, evaluation framework, risk controls, and a realistic budget narrative. Even when a grant allows broad program design, reviewers still expect credible evidence that the proposed work can be executed within the grant period and with appropriate accountability.

Current published award information indicates $2,500 - $5,000 Organizations should verify the final funding range, matching requirements, and allowability rules directly in the official opportunity materials before preparing a budget. Finance and program teams should align early so direct costs, indirect costs, staffing assumptions, procurement timelines, and reporting obligations all remain consistent throughout drafting and post-award administration.

Eligibility guidance for this opportunity is: K-12 teachers in public, private, or parochial schools If your organization has partnerships, subrecipients, or collaborators, define responsibilities and compliance ownership before submission. Reviewers often look for implementation credibility, so letters of commitment, prior performance evidence, and a clear governance model can materially strengthen the application narrative and reduce concerns about delivery risk.

A practical approach is to begin with a focused readiness review, then build a workback schedule from the sponsor deadline. Confirm required attachments, registration dependencies, and internal approval checkpoints early. This reduces last-minute issues and improves submission quality. For the most accurate requirements, always rely on the official notice and primary source links associated with ASM Foundation Living in a Material World K-12 Education Grants.

ASM Foundation Living in a Material World K-12 Education Grants support U.S. K-12 educators who introduce students to materials science and engineering through classroom projects. The program funds teacher-led efforts that connect real-world materials applications to STEM learning.

Grant goals include helping teachers develop and deliver project-based experiences that build student understanding of materials, manufacturing, and engineering design. Funded projects should show clear educational purpose, practical classroom implementation, and direct student benefit.

Key eligibility and submission requirements include: - Applicants must be K-12 educators in U.S. schools. - Proposals should include a completed application, classroom project description, implementation plan, and a budget with supporting cost rationale. - Supporting documentation may include references, school administration approval, and materials list/details relevant to project delivery.

Applications are reviewed by a committee of ASM members and technical experts. Evaluation considers educational value, alignment to program objectives, feasibility, budget fit, and potential impact on student learning. The ASM Foundation may contact applicants for clarification or additional details during review.

Important timing details from the program page include: - Fall cycle deadline around October 31, with decisions in November. - Spring cycle deadline around March 31, with decisions in April.

Grant amounts are stated as up to $500. Selected applicants receive communication after committee review and awards are disbursed according to foundation procedures.

The grant is designed to expand access to high-quality materials science instruction and support teachers implementing engaging STEM lessons in K-12 classrooms.