Blog Layout

New grant for educators in multi-state Tennessee Valley region

Dec 07, 2018

The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) provides the electricity that serves nearly 10 million people in seven states and a range of other services. From 2012 to 2017, TVA sponsored grants for teachers and offered them through the Tennessee STEM Innovation Network.

This year, the TVA Mini-Grant Program goes multi-state through STEMx and a new partnership between TVA and TVA’s retiree group, the Bicentennial Volunteers Incorporated.

In addition to Tennessee, teachers in Kentucky, Virginia, North Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, and Mississippi are all eligible to apply, if their school is serviced by one of TVA’s power distributors. This will be the first multi-state funding offered through STEMx directly to classroom educators and we’re very excited.  (See the map below, click to enlarge, or download this PDF of counties served by TVA)

While the number of eligible educators is expanding, the program’s core goals remain. Through these mini-grants, TVA and the Bicentennial Volunteers aim to give teachers just that little extra support they need to undertake a powerful new project where students learn about STEM. Last year’s 18 awardees  used this support to cover topics from pollination to the renewable energy held inside ocean tides.

TVA formally announced the program in a press release today. Applications are open now through Friday, Jan. 11, 2019.

Detailed requirements are posted below along with the application form.

Deadlines and Eligibility

  • The 2018/2019 Mini-Grant application opens Friday, Dec. 7, 2018, and closes Friday, Jan. 11, 2019.
  • All applicants will be notified of the status of their application by Feb. 28, 2019.
  • Grants may be requested in the following amounts: $500, $750, $1,000, $1,500, $2,500, $3,500, or $5,000 per school. Please use the supplied  Budget Template.
  • This is a competitive grant competition. Applications should be original work and not provided by a vendor or retailer.
  • Preference will be given to grants that help students explore TVA’s primary areas of focus: the environment, energy, economic and career development and community problem solving.
  • Must be a public school to receive funding.
  • School must receive power from a TVA distributor.

About TVA
The Tennessee Valley Authority is a corporate agency of the United States that provides electricity for business customers and local power companies serving nearly 10 million people in parts of seven southeastern states. TVA provides flood control, navigation and land management for the Tennessee River system and assists local power companies and state and local governments with economic development and job creation.

By Rob Evans 01 Nov, 2023
by Heather Sherman, Director of STEMx The 2023 STEM Innovation Forum: Activating Collaborations to Advance an Inclusive STEM Workforce was a success! Through our collaboration with STEMconnector and Million Women Mentors, we convened 160 leaders from industry, government, non-profit organizations, and education institutions from all over the United States to discuss strategies and best practices to support the STEM workforce. We were honored to host a variety of dynamic speakers including: Jared Polis, Governor of Colorado Brynt Parmeter, Chief Talent Management Officer, U.S. Department of Defense Dr. Athina Kanioura, Executive Vice President, Chief Strategy and Transformation Officer, PepsiCo and Dr. Lisa Hinkelman, Founder and CEO of Ruling Our eXperiences (RoX). We extend our gratitude to our panelists, Learning Session speakers, and participants who joined us in Denver. Broadening participation We set out share information on trends in STEM education and workforce development, with an emphasis on broadening participation in STEM careers. Resources from sessions highlighting strategies for broadening participation are linked below: DoD STEM: Developing a STEM Workforce to Support the National Security Mission Priming the Pump for High Demand STEM Careers STEM Workforce Readiness for Teen Girls: “If She Can See It, She Can Be It” Driving change Another goal of the forum was to feature high impact strategies, programs and solutions that are driving change, and STEMx members from LASTEM , the PAST Foundation and MBRT showed how they are engaging youth and building career awareness through their workforce programs. Emerging technologies We looked towards the future to better understand how emerging technologies will change the world and the ways we must prepare STEM talent for jobs in logistics, artificial intelligence, research safety , bioenergy , and renewable technologies. Chevron‘s sponsored panel, “Cultivating the Talent to Drive the Innovation and Technologies for Ever-Cleaner Energy” was a rich discussion featuring experts from Chevron, Project Lead the Way and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. Dr. Jamie Vernon, Executive Director, and CEO, Sigma Xi Society was a fantastic moderator for this discussion. Next steps We have linked event resources including videos, slide decks and collateral on the event landing page . The event photo gallery is located there as well. If you attended, please complete our 30 second event survey . Five lucky winners will be selected at random to receive a Forum water bottle! More importantly, your feedback matters to us. If you did not attend, mark your calendar for next fall - we’re looking to make next year even bigger! If you are interested in hosting in your state, or have thoughts about compelling content that we should include, please reach out to Heather Sherman .
By Rob Evans 03 Oct, 2023
Join us for The STEM Innovation Forum: Activating Collaborations to Advance an Inclusive STEM Workforce
Share by: