STEM Competition Grant

STEM Competition Grant is sponsored by STEM Action Center. Assists Utah students in grades K-12 participating in STEM competitions statewide.

STEM Competition Grant | STEM Action Center The STEM Competition Grant supports Utah students, grades K-12, participating in STEM competitions throughout the state and replaces the previous Fairs, Camp, and Competitions Grant.

Utah educators and administrators, or any organization with a W-9, are eligible to apply for funding to improve student understanding and learning experiences in the subjects of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).

In previous years, competitions that have been approved for funding included (but were not limited to): State and Regional STEM Olympiads VEX and First Robotics Competitions State and Regional Science and Engineering Fairs This is not an exhaustive list. However, the STEM Action Center reserves the right to fund only competitions that provide meaningful STEM opportunities for students.

If you have questions about whether a competition would be approved, please email Sarah Broadbent at [email protected] with a description of the competition you are interested in having approved. Educators and administrators from Utah public school entities can apply on behalf of the students benefiting from the grant. Or, if your organization has a W-9, you are eligible to apply on behalf of your students.

Multiple applications per school will be accepted. Make sure to work with other potential applicants from your school to discuss financial needs. There is a potential maximum award of $5,000 per school, regardless of how many applicants apply per school.

Awards will be paid and sent to the district. Grant requests may vary, with a maximum award of up to $5,000 per school. Funding amounts will be determined based on the number of students participating.

Program costs cannot exceed an average amount of $100. 00 per student. Starting in the 24-25 school year, this grant is now operating as a reimbursement.

All grant purchases will need to be made by the grantee prior to receiving the awarded amount. Itemized receipts and a final report, turned in via the grant portal, will need to be received and accepted in order to receive your awarded amount.

Please review these essential guidelines regarding project calculations and reporting compliance: $100 Per-Student Limit: Your budget calculation must adhere strictly to the maximum limit of $100 per participating student. Student Count Integrity: Requests must reflect the exact number of active students participating in the event.

Strict Disqualification & Clawback Policy: Providing misleading, inaccurate, or inflated student numbers to increase funding violates grant policy. Any applicant found misrepresenting student counts will face immediate disqualification , forfeiture of the grant award, and mandatory repayment/return of all distributed funds.

Allowable Uses of Funding Applicants should not include expenses for higher-level competitions (national or world competitions) in their budget.

Travel to and from event within the state of Utah Non-Allowable Uses of Funding T-shirts or other apparel Items used for decoration Teacher stipends or salaries Printers, laptops and other hardware not required for competition Team building activities (i.e. visits to a local children’s museum) Competitions outside the state of Utah Note: We are pleased to confirm that a special exception has been granted for teams traveling to Idaho for official FIRST Robotics Qualifiers and State Championships this season.

Although out-of-state travel is typically non-allowable, eligible teams may request funding for this specific event. Applicants and grant recipients must attend to all deadlines. No late applications or paperwork will be accepted.

Application opens for submissions: August 1 of each year Applications are due: August 31 of each year Applicants notified of outcome: October 15 of each year Signed agreement: No later than November 30 of each year Follow-up report & receipts due: No later than May 15 of each year Tax Exemption & Reimbursements Please note that Local Education Agencies (LEAs) are tax-exempt organizations.

Consequently, the STEM Action Center will not reimburse any sales tax, state tax, or local tax incurred on purchases made under the Classroom Grant or Competition Grant. All grantees are responsible for utilizing their tax-exempt status at the time of purchase.

Additional Information & Links Scoring Rubric (Google Docs) Reviewer Guide (Google Docs) Apply Now: Utah STEM Action Center Grants STEM Curriculum and Engagement Project Specialist Our divisions shape Utah's culture through service, art, museums, historical preservation, and education: Utah Division of Arts & Museums Utah Division of Indian Affairs Utah State Historic Preservation Office Utah State Library Division Pete Suazo Utah Athletic Commission Utah Division of Multicultural Affairs