2026 Greening STEM Grant: $5,000 School Grants for Place-Based Environmental STEM Projects

# What the Greening STEM Grant funds Discovery Education's Environmental Education Initiative (EEI), in partnership with the National Environmental Education Foundation (NEEF) and LyondellBasell (LYB). It supports student-centered STEM projects that investigate local environmental issues using place-based learning and environmental monitoring.

# Who can apply Eligible applicants are public schools serving grades 6–12 and their community partners located in these targeted communities:

• Houston, Texas
• Corpus Christi–Victoria–Matagorda, Texas
• Lake Charles, Louisiana
• Edison, New Jersey
• Morris, Illinois
• Clinton, Iowa
• Cincinnati, Ohio

Applications must be submitted through the NEEF online grants system.

# Types of projects and learning goals Grants are intended for holistic STEM programs that incorporate environmental science and related resources into school curricula. Projects should be student-directed and focus on relevant local research questions or challenges affecting public lands and the local environment.

• Engage students in authentic environmental monitoring and citizen science
• Provide hands-on data collection and analysis (air, soil, water quality, etc.)
• Build educator capacity to deliver standards-aligned STEM programming
• Promote student leadership, collaboration, and real-world problem solving

# What expenses the grant can cover Eligible expenses include a range of project-specific costs such as:

• Staff and personnel costs for partner project teams
• Direct travel for project team members and transportation for student participants
• Training and professional development for educators and partners (no more than 10% of the project budget)
• Educational materials, measurement equipment, tablets, and software
• Project supplies, on-site costs, postage/shipping
• Laboratory analysis of samples and data-quality measures and evaluations
• Data analysis and programme planning related to citizen science or environmental monitoring

# Project design expectations Proposals should follow the Greening STEM Design Principles, which combine interdisciplinary and collaborative approaches and place student interest at the center. Projects should include four elements:

1. 1Place-Based Learning: students work through direct experience linked to the local environment and community resources.
2. 2Three-Dimensional Learning: students investigate an anchoring phenomenon, apply STEM practices, and connect disciplinary knowledge to real events.
3. 3Project-Based Learning: students tackle sustained, challenging work using appropriate tools and technologies and share findings beyond the classroom.
4. 4Community-Based Learning: projects account for local cultural and community context and involve community partners.

# Timeline and expectations The programme runs through the 2026–2027 school year. Fall 2026 awardees should complete their projects by spring 2027. Selected projects must manage budgets within the stated guidelines and report on outcomes consistent with environmental monitoring and education objectives.

# How to apply Applications are submitted via the NEEF online grants system. Applicants should confirm they serve the eligible grades and are located in one of the targeted communities, assemble a project plan that aligns with the four design elements, and prepare a realistic budget that limits training costs to 10% or less of total funds.