Seed Grants

DFSME provides seed grants each year for innovative programs that support our mission and vision and are suited to standards-based STEM education for Delaware teachers and students.

Seed grants are designed to provide a portion of the costs of a program that either is new or that replicates a successful program in a new geographic area or for a new population. The awards generally range from $1,000 to $5,000. DFSME seed grants are funded through the generous support of our donors.

Preferred programs are research driven, produce measurable outcomes and data that can be shared and, if successful, can be adopted by others and become self-sustaining. If a program is proposed by a private school or agency, the program must be open to participants from public schools.

Seed Grants ARE Appropriate for

  • Pilot programs with the potential for expansion and
    for translation to a systemic change in STEM/STEAM education;
  • Programs that replicate existing, proven STEM or STEAM programs, bringing them to new geographical areas;
  • The hiring of expert consultants or presenters whose efforts, expertise or creativity supplement a funded program;
  • Professional development, classroom projects, curriculum writing, and extracurricular programs
    with a STEM or STEAM focus.

Seed Grants Are NOT Appropriate for

  • The purchase of equipment or materials with the exception of trial materials required by a funded program;
  • Substitutes unless the teacher absence is due to professional development related to a funded program;
  • Programs that do not have STEM/STEAM education as a main focus;
  • Ongoing operations costs or indirect costs;
  • Programs that will be run outside of Delaware;
  • Programs that do not fit our mission and goals.

Possible topics include, but are not limited to

  • Teacher professional development camps in math, science, or STEM education equity
  • Student STEM camps
  • Identifying/nurturing students who have the potential to be STEM teachers
  • New career pathways
  • Training/supporting STEM peer mentors or volunteers
  • Environmental literacy
  • School partnerships with STEM organizations
  • Studies or pilots of potential (new) curriculum

Application Informati

Seeds Grants are now available year round, on a first-come first-serve basis until funding for the year has been expended. Grants will still be judged rigorously, by the standards that have always been used. Sign up for our monthly eNewsletter to stay informed! See link below.

Click here to download a detailed request for proposals, containing a description of DFSME Seed Grants and the application process.

For application questions, email anne.dfsme@gmail.com. Use the subject line: “Seed Grant Query”

Send completed proposals to anne.dfsme@gmail.com.
Use the subject line: “Seed Grant Proposal”.

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Application Preparation

If the program for which you plan to seek funding is one that meets the criteria and is consistent with our mission statement, please submit a proposal following the directions in the downloadable document. Click here to download a detailed description of DFSME Seed Grants and the application process. Please read and follow the instructions carefully, as proposals that do not contain all the requested information and/or that vary from the requested format and organization might be eliminated from consideration. If you have questions about the application, email anne.dfsme@gmail.com using the subject line “Seed Grant Query”.

Proposal Assessment

Our Programs Committee will judge proposals based on a variety of criteria that assess the strength of the underlying ideas and the methodology as well as whether the outcomes warrant the costs. The specific criteria our judges use are in the detailed description.

Click here to download a detailed description of DFSME Seed Grants and the application process.

List of previous Awardees

Click here to see our awardees.