STEM K-12
🏛 U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF)
✓ Free, no account · Source: Grants.gov · Last verified Jul 15, 2026
Can you apply?
This grant is for organizations seeking to improve STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) education at the K-12 level. Eligible applicants typically include public and private K-12 schools, school districts, education nonprofits, science centers, museums, libraries, and university-based education programs. The program supports a wide range of activities including curriculum development, professional development for teachers, student enrichment programs, informal education initiatives, and systemic improvement efforts. Geographic scope is nationwide, with funding available for projects that advance science and math education quality, access, and equity. Projects may focus on specific student populations, geographic regions, or address systemic barriers to STEM learning and career pathways.
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Program description
The NSF STEM K-12 program in the Division of Research on Learning in Formal and Informal Settings (DRL) in the Directorate for STEM Education (EDU) supports fundamental, applied, and translational research that advances STEM teaching and learning and improves understanding of education across the human lifespan and a range of formal and informal settings.
Who can apply
Eligible applicants
Demographic focus
How to apply
Application links
Required documents
- NSF Form 1207 (Project Summary)
- NSF Form 1208 (Project Description/Narrative)
- Budget narrative and detailed project budget (NSF Form 1030 or equivalent)
- Letters of commitment from partner organizations
- Evaluation plan with assessment instruments and methodology
- CV or biographical sketches for key personnel
- Institutional endorsement letter (for school districts and organizations)
- Prior performance documentation (for continuing grantees)
- Data on student/school demographics and needs assessment
Program contact
- 👤 U.S. National Science Foundation
- 📧 grantsgovsupport@nsf.gov
- 📞 703-292-4203
Funding track record
Recent awards under CFDA 47.076 from the last 3 years — real organizations that won funding through this same program.
Top 10 Largest Recent Awards
-
$116,005,485
-
$111,205,673
-
$82,631,883
-
$50,428,430
-
$45,382,137
-
$42,090,891
-
$41,100,753
-
$39,174,893
-
$33,116,189
-
$30,232,784
Top States by Funding
- CA 18 awards $419.3M
- MA 4 awards $209.8M
- TX 7 awards $123.0M
- NY 5 awards $115.7M
- IL 5 awards $96.4M
Source: USAspending.gov — federal spending transparency. Data covers last 3 years.
Funding history
Annual funding for this program — Federal obligations (CFDA 47.076). How funding has trended year over year.
| 2024 | $1,087,560,000 | |
| 2025 | $1,169,550,000 | |
| 2026 est. | $286,650,000 |
FAQ
Who is eligible to apply for NSF STEM K-12 grants?
Eligible applicants include public and private K-12 schools, school districts, science museums, informal education organizations, nonprofits focused on education, colleges and universities (for K-12 focused projects), and other institutions with experience in K-12 STEM education.
What types of STEM K-12 projects does NSF fund?
NSF supports curriculum development, teacher professional development, student engagement and enrichment programs, informal education in museums and community settings, systemic improvement efforts, research on STEM education, and projects addressing equity gaps in STEM access and opportunity.
What is the typical deadline and application process?
This program operates on a rolling basis with an application window opening on August 22, 2025. Specific deadlines vary by program track; applicants should consult the solicitation for target dates. Applications are submitted through NSF's FastLane or Grants.gov portal.
What funding amounts are typically available?
Funding varies significantly by program track and project type, ranging from smaller grants under $100,000 to multi-year awards exceeding $500,000. Check the specific solicitation for track-specific funding caps and award durations.
How competitive are these grants?
NSF STEM K-12 programs are highly competitive. Success typically requires strong evaluation plans, evidence-based approaches, clear learning outcomes, demonstrated organizational capacity, and clear alignment with NSF's education priorities.
💡 Tips for applicants
- Align your project with NSF priorities: Review the current solicitation to understand emphasis areas such as equity, underrepresented populations in STEM, and systemic change. NSF increasingly prioritizes projects that address persistent disparities in STEM access and achievement.
- Develop a rigorous evaluation plan early: NSF expects robust evaluation designs with clear success metrics, comparison groups when possible, and plans to measure student learning outcomes, teacher practice change, or systemic improvements. Build evaluation into your project design from the start.
- Demonstrate scalability and sustainability: Strengthen your application by showing how the project can be sustained beyond the grant period and potentially scaled to other schools or districts. Include concrete plans for dissemination and adoption by other educators.
- Build strong partnerships: NSF values collaborative projects that bring together schools, universities, informal institutions, and community partners. Letters of commitment showing genuine engagement and defined roles strengthen competitiveness significantly.
- Use evidence-based practices: Grounding your approach in published research and established STEM education practices increases credibility. Clearly cite the research base for your instructional strategies, curriculum, or professional development model.
⚠️ Common mistakes
Applications often fail because they lack a clear, measurable theory of change connecting activities to student outcomes, or they propose generic STEM activities without grounding in research. Weak evaluation plans—especially those that only measure participation rather than learning—are frequently cited as reasons for rejection. Additionally, applicants sometimes underestimate the importance of addressing equity and access; projects that don't explicitly target underrepresented populations in STEM or explain how they serve diverse learners are less competitive.
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