Mini-Grant applications open Feb. 17, 2025

Beginning February 17, UCOR will begin accepting applications for our 2025 STEM Education Mini-Grants Program. We are proud to support STEM education in East Tennessee schools. Our program is open to K-12 school teachers and schools in nine counties for science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) projects.

Grants are available for both traditional STEM classes, as well as for STEM-enhancing projects in all areas (English, social studies, music, etc.). In 2024, UCOR awarded 41 STEM  Education Mini-Grants that funded projects in 29 regional schools for a total of $45,000.

Following is information about the program.

Who can apply?

Mini-grants will go to K-12 teachers and schools in Anderson, Blount, Campbell, Knox, Loudon, Morgan, Roane, Scott, and Union counties. All applications should focus on STEM-related activities.

More than one teacher from a school may submit an application, but the school principal must approve each one. Funding levels are:

  • Single classroom: $750
  • Multiple classrooms: $1,000
  • Entire school: $1,500

How to apply

Eligible K-12 teachers should complete the online application. The deadline for submission is 5:00 p.m. on Friday, March 14, 2025. Proposals received after the deadline will not be considered.

Application instructions:

  • Complete all areas of the PDF application.
  • Do not write your name or your school’s name in the body of the project title, project summary, or goals/objectives sections on page two of the form. Identifying information should only appear where the application specifically requests it.
  • Submit the application no later than 5:00 p.m. on March 14, 2025.

Evaluation

Applications are judged on the following criteria:

  1. Project summary: description of the project and expected results.
  2. Learning outcomes: the top three learning objectives/curriculum concepts.

Grant winners will be notified in April.

Graphic: UCOR mini-grants logo

Questions?

For more information about UCOR’s Education Mini-Grants Program, contact Shannon Potter via UCORMiniGrants@orcc.doe.gov.