Golden LEAF announces $4 million STEM initiative :: STEM Education at WRAL Tech Wire

Posted Aug. 6, 2010 at 6:06 p.m.

Golden LEAF announces $4 million STEM initiative

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ROCKY MOUNT, N.C. – The Golden LEAF Foundation is seeking proposals for a special $4 million initiative geared toward preparing North Carolina’s youth for careers requiring skills in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), the nonprofit announced on Friday.

Organizations receiving funding can receive up to $750,000 for projects spanning a three-year period.

The new initiative will focus on supporting successful models that increase STEM education for students in grades 4-9 in rural, economically-distressed, and/or tobacco-dependent counties in the state.

Priority will be given to projects that represent collaborative efforts aimed at preparing students to be college and/or career ready in disciplines that require strong STEM skills; have data demonstrating successful outcomes in student enrollment and achievement; represent collaborative arrangements among educational partners and industry targeting the current and future employment opportunities of a region or local area; and focus on rural, Tier I and Tier II, and/or tobacco-dependent counties that currently have low concentrations of STEM programs.

Competitive proposals will target under-represented minorities, females, and limited resource students.

The foundation said applicants are encouraged to think regionally, draw connections to industry sectors, and align with outcome measures in college and career readiness, student achievement, participation and engagement, teacher effectiveness, and other economic impact measures.

For a full list of priorities click here.

Organizations who apply must be a nonprofit or governmental entity that serves the people of North Carolina, or they can be a local education agency, university, community college or direct provider of training.

Letters of Inquiry are due Sept. 7.

Golden LEAF is a nonprofit established in 1999 to help transform North Carolina’s economy. The foundation receives one-half of North Carolina’s funds from the 1998 Master Settlement Agreement with cigarette manufacturers and places special emphasis on assisting tobacco-dependent, economically distressed and/or rural communities across the state.

The foundation works in partnership with governmental entities, educational institutions, economic development organizations, and nonprofits to achieve its mission, and has awarded 954 grants worth over $454 million since its inception.

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STEM News is generated through a collaborative effort between the NC STEM Community Collaborative, MCNC, and WRAL Tech Wire. To submit story ideas, please email WTW Editor Rick Smith rsmith@wral.com or Noah Garrett noah@thinkngc.com. Read more articles…

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