STEM Education Grants for Nonprofits

Learn about STEM education grants by browsing our curated list of top STEM funders below. Members can also research funding opportunities by using the search tool for GrantFinder. Become a member.

Key Funders

STEM Education Funding Trends

Although top STEM funders that prioritize higher education have, in recent years, given hundreds of millions of dollars in annual funding, they represent a fraction of the total foundations that award such grants.

Technology is also key to STEM funding. In that vein, several major foundations are also concerned with increasing the number of students who enroll in postsecondary education and graduate with the skills to meet the demands of the 21st century workforce. Alongside more traditional investments in scholarships, research awards and technology provision, many innovative and forward-thinking programs have taken off lately have sought to use technology to empower students and bridge the pathway from high school to college.

STEM grantmaking also occurs through Inside Philanthropy’s Science Research and Medical Research funder guides, which center on institutional and academic funding for scientists, engineers, doctors, and other professions related to STEM.

Foundations for STEM Education

3M FOUNDATION

The 3M Foundation’s science education related giving focuses on increasing students’ interest and achievement in science, technology, engineering, and math.

ABBOTT FUND

The Abbott fund is committed to “inspiring the next generation of innovators” through its Science Education program. It partners with schools and community groups across the country to deliver “engaging educational programs.” STEM education grants here focus on middle school students, as well as teens.

ABBVIE FOUNDATION

The AbbVie Foundation’s STEM education grantmaking addresses achievement in STEM for K-12 students around the world in places where AbbVie has a corporate location.

ACTUARIAL FOUNDATION

To boost student interest in mathematics and in the actuarial profession, this funder provides modest but accessible grants at the K-12 levels and scholarships for higher education.

ADOBE FOUNDATION

Adobe STEM education grants overlap with grantmaking for economic development. In this space, the foundation offers summer technology grant support, runs a digital academy, and offers internships and mentorships in the design space dependent on technology.

AGILENT TECHNOLOGIES FOUNDATION

The Agilent Technologies Foundation focuses its grantmaking on biosciences and pre-university science programs.

AKAMAI FOUNDATION

The Akamai Foundation focuses its grantmaking on promoting mathematics and technology studies in grades K-12.

ALCOA FOUNDATION

STEM is one of two priorities here, and Alco gives big in the U.S. and internationally. Recipients, include nonprofits, school districts and workforce trainers. Giving is concentrated in areas where Alcoa operates.

ALLIANCE FOR CANCER GENE THERAPY FOUNDATION

ACGT exclusively supports research for cancer management and treatment through cell and gene therapy. Its awards are substantial in size, but highly competitive. Funding for gene and cancer research often benefits academic scientists and researching occurring in higher education.

AMAZON

Amazon.com, Inc. makes grants and in-kind donations to nonprofit organizations working in the areas of STEM education, housing equity, disaster relief and hunger.

AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY

ACS education grants support chemistry students, educators and researchers from high school through the post-doctoral state, as well as research.

AMERICAN HONDA FOUNDATION

Focusing its grants exclusively on youth STEM education, the American Honda Foundation makes one-year awards to public and private elementary and secondary schools, as well as youth education programs.

AMGEN FOUNDATION

Amgen Foundation primarily makes grants in two areas—science education, and community improvement in places where the company operates.

APPLIED MATERIALS FOUNDATION

Applied Materials funds a wide variety of K-12 programs, including STEM education, educational outreach aimed at girls, teacher training and leadership development, and college readiness.

AMERICAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION FOUNDATION

The American Medical Association Foundation awards public health grants to help young people establish healthy behaviors and to physician-led free clinics that improve access to quality affordable health care for low-income communities. It awards grants for leadership development and LGBTQ health, as well as scholarships for medical students in their final year.

MELINDA GRAY ARDIA ENVIRONMENTAL FOUNDATION

This funder dedicates itself to integrating environmental classroom learning with hands-on field study for K-12 students, particularly scientifically rigorous projects that focus on ecology and conservation.

AT&T FOUNDATION

Getting funding from the philanthropic arm of AT&T is tough. It supports college and career readiness with an emphasis on improving STEM education opportunities at the K-12 level.

BALL FOUNDATION

The Ball Foundation supports STEM education programs in Colorado schools and universities, especially ones that promote educational opportunities to underserved students.

BATTELLE MEMORIAL INSITUTE

The Battelle Memorial Institute supports STEM education near the company headquarters in Ohio.

BAYER FOUNDATIONS

The Bayer Foundations support a number of awards and programs aimed at furthering the advancement of scientific research across various scientific and medical fields.

BAXTER INTERNATIONAL FOUNDATION

The Baxter International Foundation awards science education grants to academic institutions at the K-12 and postsecondary levels.

ARNOLD AND MABEL BECKMAN FOUNDATION

The Arnold and Mabel Beckman Foundation only supports science— primarily life science and chemistry—with support for education and research. Its research programs fund undergraduate work and early-career scientists working on innovative, unfunded projects.

BEST BUY FOUNDATION

The charitable arm of the electronics giant supports a range of tech educational programs to help prepare teens for college and careers, with emphasis on computer and digital skills for the 21st century.

BERGER CHARITABLE FOUNDATION

Berger Charitable Foundation awards grants to higher education institutions around the world.

BEZOS FAMILY FOUNDATION

The Bezos Family Foundation explicitly states that it seeks to partner with "organizations that bring thoughtful innovations in K-12—with emphasis on STEM education."

BIOGEN IDEC FOUNDATION

The philanthropic arm of the Cambridge-based drug maker, the Biogen Idec Foundation benefits the communities in which it operates, primarily in North Carolina and Massachusetts, but also internationally.

BOEING COMPANY

Boeing's higher education STEM funding supports students directly through scholarships; university partners are eligible to receive funding for research, K-12 curricula development, and providing teacher professional development.

BOSTON SCIENTIFIC

The Boston Scientific Foundation supports programs that increase access to and success in STEM fields for economically disadvantaged K-12 students in its giving regions.

BRINSON FOUNDATION

Brinson’s higher education spending prioritizes Chicago, which the exception of its Scientific Research program, which is national in scope and funds astrophysics, cosmology, biology, geophysics, and medical research.

BROAD FOUNDATION

Eli and Edythe Broad pledged to give away 75% of their massive fortune by supporting education, science and medical research, and the arts. Most of the foundation’s funding is based in Los Angeles. The Broad Foundation does not have a higher education grant program, but it predominately supports universities and academic researchers to further clinical therapies for major diseases, with a particular focus on irritable bowel disease.

BROADCOM FOUNDATION

The majority of the foundation's backing is for STEM education. Funding mostly serves areas where Broadcom operates; funding supports universities, science competitions, and local K-12 initiatives.

BROWN RUDNICK CHARITABLE FOUNDATION

The charitable arm of the law firm Brown Rudnick supports K-12 and STEM education programs in areas where it has a significant business presence.

BURROUGHS WELLCOME FUND

Burroughs Wellcome Fund funds researchers through competitive awards and gives a handful of grants to nonprofits working to improve the general environment of science.

CABOT CORPORATION FOUNDATION

The Cabot Corporation Foundation supports programs that encourage students to explore science, technology, engineering, and math. It also awards grants to educators working in the STEM fields.

CAPITAL ONE FOUNDATION

Capital One makes grants for education through its FutureEdge program which seeks to help people thrive in the emerging digital economy, and to this end it has invested in coding and engineering education programs for middle and high school students.

CAPTAIN PLANET FOUNDATION

The Captain Planet Foundation is dedicated to the environmental education of children in all aspects of their lives—schools, communities, and at home.

CARGILL, INC.

Cargill supports organizations that build others’ skills in science, technology, and engineering.

CARNEGIE CORPORATION

Carnegie's education funding is heavily focused on STEM through improving standards, recruiting and training teachers, and school and classroom design.

CATALYST FOUNDATION

Catalyst provides funding for “university cross-disciplinary research projects in which at least one discipline is related to analog or mixed analog-digital integrated circuit design and analysis.”

CATHAY BANK FOUNDATION

The Cathay Bank Foundation invests in community and economic development, education, civic and community, and health and welfare.

CHEVRON

Chevron conducts philanthropy not only through a foundation, but also directly from the company itself. Much of its education giving is directed at the K-12 set, but it has also formed partnerships with a number of postsecondary institutions and minority professional associations.

CISCO SYSTEMS FOUNDATION

Cisco's grantmaking to science education includes K-12 programs focusing on science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) as well as secondary and higher education programs focusing on technology, engineering, and math.

A. JAMES & ALICE B. CLARK FOUNDATION

The A. James & Alice B. Clark Foundation supports engineering education, veterans and community needs, primarily in the Washington DC area.

JAMES H. CLARK FOUNDATION

The James H. Clark Foundation supports STEM education, medical research and biomedical engineering.

COGNIZANT

While not a foundation, the company’s corporate sustainability program funds science education, including afterschool and summer STEM programs and scholarships.

COMERICA CHARITABLE FOUNDATION

Comerica’s education grantmaking supports low-and moderate-income individuals and families.

MARK CUBAN FOUNDATION

The foundation runs a signature program, AI Bootcamps, that aims to increase “AI literacy and understanding” among underserved students living in cities.

DALIO PHILANTHROPIES

Dalio’s grants for STEM education focus on technology access at the global level.

DARIN BUTZ FOUNDATION

This foundation’s STEM grants support education about plants and trees, among other STEM areas.

DOMINION ENERGY CHARITABLE FOUNDATION

Dominion's diverse support for postsecondary STEM education is only available in regions where it has a corporate presence. Some of its STEM higher education grants emphasize solar research, the environment, energy, and nuclear research.

DONLEY FOUNDATION

While this foundation doesn’t name STEM as an area of giving, quite a bit of its grantmaking has gone towards STEM.

DORIS DUKE CHARITABLE FOUNDATION

While the Duke Foundation does not have a dedicated STEM education program, it’s STEM educationing and science research grantmaking occurs through its programs in Medical Research and the Environment.

DOW CHEMICAL COMPANY

The philanthropic arm of this chemical goliath integrates giving with its business strategy, supporting causes like STEM education in K-12, higher education funding, chemical research and community development projects.

CAMILLE AND HENRY DREYFUS FOUNDATION

The Camille and Henry Dreyfus Foundation seeks to move the field of chemistry forward. Its grants acknowledge individuals who have contributed to increasing diversity in the field and support early-career faculty, undergraduate students, mentorships, research, and accomplished chemists.

EARTHWATCH INSTITUTE

Earthwatch is a unique funder that takes a citizen-science approach towards its work. Earthwatch’s STEM education grants – for teachers and students or young conservationists in developing countries – center on the environment, and subsequently, climate change.

ECOLAB FOUNDATION

Ecolab has a firm commitment to education, particularly for at-risk students and STEM programming. It supports classroom educators and outdoor experiences in communities where Ecolab has a presence.

EDISON INTERNATIONAL

Edison International’s education grantmaking focuses mainly on science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM).

ELSEVIER FOUNDATION

The Elsevier Foundation supports science and health education projects and programs in Amsterdam, London, and New York.

EMERGING MARKETS FOUNDATION (EMPOWER)

EMpower’s K-12 STEM education grantmaking focuses on providing a hands-on, real life approach that emphasizes building 21st century skills. The foundation’s work here prioritizes girls.

EXXONMOBIL

STEM priorities include K-12 teacher training, improving the quality of STEM education, funding higher education through research and scholarships, biodiversity and conservation.

FARMERS INSURANCE

The insurance company funds K-12 teachers promoting STEM education through two grant/contest programs that involve public voting for prospective grantees.

FCA FOUNDATION

FCA's education giving focuses on STEM at both the K-12 and post-secondary levels. The foundation focuses on specific cities for its community giving, but also supports regional and national programs.

FIRSTENERGY FOUNDATION

FirstEnergy funds STEM education through both the Corporate Affairs & Community Involvement departments and through the company’s charitable arm, the FirstEnergy Foundation.

FLUOR FOUNDATION

The Fluor Foundation focuses its science education grantmaking on science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) programs.

FORD MOTOR COMPANY FUND

The Ford Motor Company Fund’s grants for STEM focus on higher education and vocational opportunities, with some opportunities at the K-12 level.

GATES FOUNDATION

Gates approaches its K-12 education giving, including science education, with the goal of improving college access and readiness, and student success once they get there. Its higher education giving also supports a variety of science research.

GE FOUNDATION

Among the foundation's key initiatives is supporting improvements and innovation in math and science teaching. GE targets urban school districts and works with a small number of grantees for large-scale partnerships.

GENENTECH FOUNDATION

Genentech awards grants to support science education programs across the country.

GENERAL MOTORS FOUNDATION

The foundation’s STEM grantmaking predominately supports students from the third to 12th grades and college students.

GILDER FOUNDATION

STEM grants focus on the organizations with which the family has an affiliation or personal interest.

GOOGLE.ORG

Google supports computer science education, educational access for disadvantaged children, and technological solutions to educational development in the United States and around the world.

HEARST FOUNDATIONS

Hearst's higher education grantmaking supports post-secondary programs that prepare students for the "global society," with significant support for STEM initiatives. It also supports STEM work related to the arts, as well as museums and science centers.

HILLSIDE FOUNDATION

The Hillside Foundation primarily funds Jewish causes, but also support STEM education, health, and more. The foundation's philanthropy centers around the Mid-Atlantic region, particularly the D.C. area.

LYDA HILL PHILANTHROPIES

Hill's research grants fund innovative projects with the potential to advance scientific discovery, especially in biomedical fields such as cancer research.

HOWARD HUGHES MEDICAL INSTITUTE

HHMI is an expansive private funder of science education and research. Awards fund individual biomedical research, diversity initiatives, early career support, and improving science education.

INFOSYS FOUNDATION USA

The Infosys Foundation’s science education grants invest in computer science programs or projects that benefit children and young adults from underrepresented groups.

INTEL FOUNDATION

Intel's philanthropy is devoted to STEM education. Emphases include support for women and minorities, faculty research, undergraduate science research, semiconductors, education competitions, scholarships, fellowships, and teacher development.

W.M. KECK FOUNDATION

The Keck Foundation wants to expand research opportunities for undergraduate STEM students with a specific focus on the U.S. west and southwest, as well as Alaska, Hawaii, and parts of the south and midwest. It also funds scientific, engineering, medical research, and organizations with a national focus on undergraduate education.

KERN FAMILY FOUNDATION

The Kern Family Foundation is a major player in charter schools and other school choice programs, though it also works with non-charter organizations. Kern's efforts are geared at large-scale, systemic change, and it does not accept unsolicited proposals.

KRESGE FOUNDATION

The Kresge Foundation’s educational grants seek to help lower-income students get into, pay for, and succeed at the postsecondary level, but Kresge's Education Program also features two specific approaches that focus on innovation: Pathways to and through College and Strengthening Institutions.

EUGENE M. LANG FOUNDATION

The Eugene M. Lang Foundation supports educational opportunity, STEM education, and school programs, with a focus on the New York City and Washington D.C. areas.

LEMELSON FOUNDATION

The Lemelson Foundation supports programs in the U.S. and internationally to “create a pipeline of inventors and inventor-based enterprises.”

LOCKHEED MARTIN FOUNDATION

The Lockheed Martin Foundation focuses its science education grants on projects that promote student achievement, teacher development, and gender and ethnic diversity in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.

LOWE’S CHARITABLE AND EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION

This charitable arm of the home improvement chain prioritizes public K-12 STEM education and community betterment projects. Most of its funding is allocated to schools and falls in the range of $2,000-$5,000, though larger grants are awarded in select cases. Lowe’s funds projects like public school facility improvements, technology upgrades, and STEM initiatives.

HENRY LUCE FOUNDATION

The Luce Foundation's STEM funding largely comes through grants, scholarships, fellowships, and professorships aimed at increasing the number of women in STEM fields in higher ed. Colleges and universities have also received grants for environmental policy work.

MACARTHUR FOUNDATION

While the MacArthur Foundation does not have a dedicated higher education STEM program, it’s science research work benefits university level researchers and students who concentrate on nuclear and climate research.

WILLIAM G. MCGOWAN CHARITABLE FUND

Recently, the foundation has focused on “early childhood education programs that provide education, academic enrichment, healthy nutrition, and physical fitness for children 0–5,” and K-12 “programs offering out-of-school academic support, particularly STEM or STEAM—evidence-based programs leading to improvements in literacy, math, and science.”

MICROSOFT PHILANTHROPIES

Microsoft Philanthropies supports science education primarily centered on computer sciences, but it also broadly funds STEM programs and projects.

GORDON AND BETTY MOORE FOUNDATION

Based in Palo Alto, California, the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation invests in science, conservation, patient care and preservation of the San Francisco Bay Area. Its support of K-12 education stems from the science and technology museum subprogram of the Bay Area preservation initiative.

MOTOROLA SOLUTIONS FOUNDATION

Motorola's science grants support all levels of education and include support for increasing student interest in STEM, teacher training, and bringing more women and underrepresented minorities into the field.

MOZILLA FOUNDATION

The Mozilla Foundation’s funding for STEM higher education stems mainly from its Responsible Computer Science Challenge, which the foundation runs in conjunction with the Omidyar Network, Schmidt Futures and Craig Newmark Philanthropies.

NATIONAL MATH AND SCIENCE INITIATIVE

As a “pass-through” foundation, this is not a source of funding unto itself. Rather, NMSI is an initiative launched by some huge donors to put resources into successful projects and replicate them nationwide.

NORTHROP GRUMMAN

Northrop Grumman supports postsecondary STEM education through direct grants to national-level organizations and matching funds for employee giving. Higher education giving supports scholarships, diversity initiatives, active and veteran servicemen and women, and career pipeline and cybersecurity programs.

NXP FOUNDATION

NXP invests in STEM education, health, and the environment.

OMRON FOUNDATION

The Omron Foundation awards science education grants from the elementary to the college level.

ONE8 FOUNDATION

Formerly known as the Jacobson Family Foundation, the one8 Foundation is the charitable vehicle of Jonathon Jacobson and his wife, Joanna. The foundation's philanthropy focuses on education, Jewish causes, and community development in the Boston and the surrounding area.

OVERDECK FAMILY FOUNDATION

The Overdeck Family Foundation focuses its science education grantmaking on organizations measurably improving all children’s access to out-of-school STEM experiences.

PENTAIR FOUNDATION

Pentair’s STEM grantmaking names opportunities for K-12 students and water engineering programs as areas of focus.

PPG INDUSTRIES FOUNDATION

PPG Industries Foundation supports education, community sustainability and employee engagement in the areas where its parent corporation operates. PPG funds STEM education through K-12 schools and other organizations.

RESEARCH CORPORATION FOR SCIENTIFIC ADVANCEMENT

RCSA supports the junior faculty research, undergraduate education, and teaching that draws from one's research. It also supports many small- and mid-sized grants across a wide geographic range.

ROCHE

Roche awards science education grants to academic organizations and institutions in developing and developed countries.

SAINT-GOBAIN FOUNDATION

Saint-Gobain’s Direct Grants program supports schools and non-profit organizations that promote STEM education in communities where Saint-Gobain has a business presence.

SALESFORCE FOUNDATION

The Salesforce Foundation supports colleges, universities, and academic organizations.

SAMUELI FOUNDATION

Grants for STEM education focus on K-12 through Higher education, especially in SoCal.

SANOFI GENZYME

Sanofi Genzyme supports medical education programs around the world.

SAS INSTITUTE

This foundation’s STEM education grants invest in students with disabilities, curriculum, computer science education, and high school completion.

SAXENA FAMILY FOUNDATION

The Saxena Family Foundation focuses its grantmaking on STEM education and empowering women in the United States and India.

SCHLUMBERGER FOUNDATION

This is the corporate foundation of the world’s largest oilfield services and equipment company, Schlumberger Limited. Schlumberger’s flagship grantmaking program is Faculty for the Future, which provides Ph.D. and postdoc fellowships for women working in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).

THOMAS AND STACEY SIEBEL FOUNDATION

Siebel Scholars is a competitive program that awards a $35,000 grant to grad students with outstanding abilities in bioengineering and computer sciences. Siebel Scholars also serve as key advisors to the foundation.

SIEMENS FOUNDATION

Siemens supports STEM education, mostly in the form of its Siemens Scholars competition in Math, Science and Technology, but also through targeted grants.

SIMONS FOUNDATION

The Simons Foundation generally awards more than tens of millions of dollars a year in scientific research and STEM grants, making it one of the largest STEM funders in the United States, providing grants to entire institutions and affiliated scientists. Its grantmaking supports mathematics, physical sciences, life sciences, autism research, and STEM education.

ALFRED P. SLOAN FOUNDATION

Sloan has a major program devoted to higher ed in science focused on improving minority access to STEM higher ed and careers, and research into making STEM education effective and attractive to students.

SPRINT

Sprint gives to science ed through STEM partnerships, grants, matching gifts, and providing technology to schools. Much giving focuses on the Kansas City area, but funding is available for K-12 programs nationwide.

STARR FOUNDATION

The Starr Foundation's higher education funding prioritizes scholarship and exchange programs; colleges and universities have received medical science grants through its Medicine and Healthcare program.

JOHN TEMPLETON FOUNDATION

Templeton, mixing religion with science, often supports work that addresses "the big questions" or those that fall outside more traditional funding sources. It makes grants for contests, online education resources, and general support for higher education.

Grants for STEM Education

Key Funders

STEM Education Funding Trends

Foundations for STEM Education

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