Matt CullenUpper Merion Area Middle School

NASA Summer of Innovation Grant / STEM Integration Obtaining Grants for your Program

TEEAP Conference – 2013mcullen@umasd.org

NASA Summer of Innovation • NASA has selected more than 170 educational organizations

nationwide to receive Summer of Innovation mini- awards of as much as $2,500 each.

• The mini-awards are designed to engage a wide variety of educational partners – such as museums, schools or school districts, and youth organizations – to infuse STEM content in existing summer and after-school student programs.

Upper Merion Area Middle School has successfully obtained NASA mini-grants for the past three years to support their STEM Initiative. $7,500 for the After School Extra Curricular Academic STEM Teams

NASA Summer of Innovation SoI

• Vision: Advance excellence in summer and extended learning for underrepresented and underserved middle school students to inspire them toward future STEM pursuits

• Mission: Strengthen efforts by providers that engage underrepresented and underserved middle school students in STEM learning by using exciting and rigorous NASA-based instructional resources, experiences and support tailored to local needs

NASA Summer of Innovation Objectives - SoI• Build the capacity of community and school-based

organizations to engage underserved and underrepresented students in high-quality STEM content in summer and extended learning experiences tailored to meet local needs

• Support the infusion of NASA themes and resources in summer and extended learning

• Facilitate the alignment of summer and extended learning programming with the formal education community to support coordinated and sustained engagement in STEM content

SoI Website• http://www.nasa.gov/offices/education/programs/national/su

mmer/home/index.html#.UnxJNbYyzzw

NASA SoI - CurriculumGrades 4-6• Life Science• Body• Food• Life Out There?• Plants• Survival

• Physical Science • Aeronautics• Force and Motion• Gravity• Properties of

Matter• Waves and Optics

Grades 7-9• Earth and Space Science

• Climate and Seasons• Destination Mars• Earth Moon Systems• Planetology• Remote Sensing• Universe• Weather• Year of the Solar System

• Engineering • Aeronautics• Challenges• Design Process• Exploration• Robotics

NASA SoI – Themed CampsAeronautics Camp Designing for Space Camp Life Science Camp Mars Exploration Camp Mission to Planet Earth Camp Robotics Unplugged Camp Rocketry Camp Solar System Adventures Camp

NASA SoI – Mini-Grant - 2013

Websitehttp://www.soi-mini-awards.com/Contacthttp://www.soi-mini-awards.com/contact/PA Recipients• Discovery Space of Central PA • Pennsylvania Greenwood Middle/High School• Pennsylvania Beacon Light Behavioral Health Systems • Pennsylvania Penn State Extension/ Chester County 4-H Program • Pennsylvania Community Education Alliance of West Philadelphia • Pennsylvania Marian Anderson Recreation Center After School Program • Pennsylvania Upper Dublin School District Planetarium Pennsylvania • Upper Merion Area Middle School • Pennsylvania J.T. Lambert Intermediate School• Pennsylvania GEMS (Girls Excelling in Math and Science) Pennsylvania

NASA SoI – Mini-Grant - 2013

NASA – SoI – About

Website• http://www.soi-mini-awards.com/about/

NASA – SoI – Eligibility • Eligible programs must contain one or both of the following in their

application:• The delivery of at least 6 hours of NASA SoI content targeting underserved and

underrepresented middle school students in summer or afterschool programs.• The delivery of educator workshops (for certified teachers, pre-service

teachers or informal education community) featuring NASA SoI content or themes.

• To be eligible for a Summer of Innovation Mini-Awards program organizations must meet all of the following criteria:

• Be a community-based organization. Examples of such organizations include but are not limited to the following: Boy Scout troops, Girl Scout troops, YMCA programs, science centers, museums, libraries, school clubs and any other community or school based organization

• Serve middle school students and/or teachers of middle school students especially those involved with underrepresented and underserved populations.

NASA – SoI - Application

• http://www.soi-mini-awards.com/apply/

Applying to the NASA Summer of Innovation Mini-Awards Program is simple and straight forward. To apply follow these steps:• Review the NASA Summer of Innovation website.

• Review the NASA Summer of Innovation Mini-Awards Frequently Asked Questions page.

• Review the SoI Educational Resources database.

• Create a user account (simple email address and password) to start the application process. • You will be able to view all questions on the application prior to

completing it. You can save applications and return to complete at a later time using your login information.

• Complete an online application. The application is easy to complete and is fairly short.

NASA – SoI – UMAMS Application

• Created account – • copied all the required information into a Word Doc

• Completed all research and development• District Information• Demographic Information• W-9 Tax Form - completed - PDF file• Budget Information• Program Details• Check all information and word counts

• Completed Online application • Copy and paste all info, review, submit

NASA – SoI – Final Report• Due 30 days after the completion of the project

• Word Document including all required information, testimonials, photos, documentation

• Budget Justification – Record• Not required to submit• May be asked for documentation after final report review

How to Find Grants?• Professional Grant Writers• Online searches• Local corporations and businesses – email requests • Newsletters• STEMgrants – free subscription

• Specific to STEM based grant opportunities• Grant Select – paid service

• Set parameters to your specifications

• Community Outreach• Web postings, school board presentations, press releases,

sponsorship letters, parents’ night, arts fest, staff• Casino Money – required to give back to community

Grants/Funding - UMAMS Programs

• NASA Summer of Innovation - $7,500 – 2011-13• Runs our after school extra-curricular academic teams

• Toshiba - $5,000 - 2013• STEM Lab Upgrades

• Lockheed Martin - $5,200 – 2010-13• PECO – NEED - $1,500 – 2011-13• Bentley - $2,500 – 2011-13• Exxon/Mobile - $1,000 – 2013• Valley Forge Casino – UM Township BCA - $11,500 – 2013• UMAMS – PTC - $3,000 – 2011-13• UMASD – Education Foundation - $6,000 – 2011-2013• Sponsorships – Donations - $2,000 – 2011-13

$42,500 in 4 years