EDA’s Office of Innovation & Entrepreneurship is seeking applications from eligible applicants to create and implement innovative science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) work-based learning models (such as Registered Apprenticeships) that complement their respective region’s innovation economy.
Donor Name: U.S Economic Development Administration (EDA)
State: All States
County: All Counties
Type of Grant: Challenge
Deadline: 06/12/2023
Size of the Grant: $500,000
Grant Duration: 24 months
Details:
The STEM Talent Challenge aims to build STEM talent training systems to strengthen regional innovation economies. This competition seeks applications from eligible applicants that are creating and implementing STEM talent development strategies that complement their region’s innovation economy, particularly as such strategies relate to critical, emerging technologies and transformative industries such as artificial intelligence and machine learning, semiconductor fabrication, advanced manufacturing and robotics, space exploration and commerce, broadband expansion, bioscience, quantum information science, climate technologies, the built environment, and aqua- and agricultural technologies.
The STEM Talent Challenge is designed to help communities with implementing programs that align with the assessed needs of the region and its innovative businesses. Projects should implement or scale STEM competency-based, work-and-learn education and training models that are directly connected with the needs of employers in a regional economy. These needs should be evaluated, through a formal or informal needs assessment, meant to determine the types of skills needed by the drivers of regional innovation, including innovative businesses that employ STEM talent. Projects should be responsive to these assessed needs and should clearly indicate how workers will be prepared for employment.
Training should prioritize STEM skills tied to the use, production, and deployment of critical, emerging technologies and the needs of transformative industries and should include an on-the-job component. Training models are not tied to existing industry definitions and can include any combination of work-based and classroom learning.
Desired Outputs and Outcomes
- STEM Work-Based Learning and Training
- Increase Regional Capacity to Hire in Innovative Industries
- Increase Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility in STEM
Funding Information
- Estimated Total Program Funding: $4,500,000
- Award Ceiling: $500,000
Period of Performance
EDA anticipates awards will typically have a period of performance of 24 months with an estimated start date of November 1, 2023.
Eligible Applicants
- City or township governments
- Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized)
- Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education
- Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments)
- County governments
- Public and State controlled institutions of higher education
- Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education
- Private institutions of higher education
- State governments
Additional Information on Eligibility:
Public-private partnership, Science or research park, Federal laboratory, Economic development organization or similar entity, Consortium of any of the aforementioned entities.
For more information, visit Grants.gov.
